Secondary Education, M.A.T., Physical Science Concentration (Resident Teacher Program)
With this program, NLU partners with the Academy for Urban School Leadership (AUSL) to deliver the M.A.T. Secondary Education program in a model which integrates a ten-month teaching residency and 12 months of graduate level coursework.
Program participants spend one year working full-time in Chicago Public Schools classrooms with mentor teachers. While gaining classroom experience, participants take the coursework that allows them to earn a full Master of Arts in Teaching degree from NLU.
Graduates contract to work in an underperforming Chicago Public School for a minimum of four years.
Graduates will be eligible for a Professional Educator License endorsed for secondary education (grades 6 to 12) and Physical Science (grades 9 to 12). Visit Licensure and Endorsement at NLU for more details.
In addition to National College of Education Graduate Admissions Requirements, applicants must:
- Pass the Test of Academic Proficiency (TAP) or ISBE approved alternative
- Choose a designation from one of the following: Chemistry, Earth Science, Environmental Science or Physics
- Have a grade point average of 3.0 or better in designation coursework
- Have 32 SH of coursework in Science (12 SH of upper division)
- Have a major from a regionally-accredited institution (or minimum 24 SH) in a single designation (10 SH of laboratory coursework for students who don’t have major in the designation)
- Have at least one course in Biology and each of the other designation areas
- Have 6 SH in Math—must be above College Algebra. Courses that will count include Trigonometry, Differential Equations, Advanced Algebra, Statistics and other upper level Math courses
- Pass the Content Test in designation
Program Details:
- Requires 36 SH for completion
- Requires student teaching
MAT Core - 2 SH
| EPS 511 | Human Learning and Development in Instructional Contexts | 2 OR 3 |
Note: EPS 511 must be taken for 2 semester hours.
Secondary Education – Physical Science Requirements - 28 SH
| CIL 505 | Methods and Materials for Teaching English as a Second Language | 3 |
| RLR 540 | Teaching Content Area Literacy at the Middle and Secondary Level | 3 |
| SEC 502 | Introduction to Teaching at the Secondary Level | 5 |
| SEC 516 | Methods for Teaching Physical Science at the Secondary Level | 4 TO 5 |
| SEC 597D | Resident Student Teaching in Secondary Education Physical Science | 2 |
| SPE 500 | Introduction to and Methods of Teaching Students with Disabilities | 3 |
| TIE 535 | Instructional Design Foundations for Digital Age Learning Environments | 1 TO 3 |
Notes: SEC 597D must be taken for a total of 6 semester hours. TIE 535 must be taken for 3 semester hours.
Secondary Education Elective Options - 6 SH
Choose one pair of the courses below:
| SPE 501 | Educational and Diagnostic Assessment of Exceptional Children and Adolescents | 3 |
| and | |
| SPE 506 | Frameworks, Perspectives, and Collaboration in Special Education | 3 |
| or | |
| CIL 500 | Foundations of ESL and Bilingual Education | 3 |
| and | |
| CIL 510 | Assessment of ESL and Bilingual Education Students | 3 |
| or | |
| MLE 500 | Middle School: An Overview | 3 |
| and | |
| MLE 502 | Middle Level Curriculum | 3 |
| or | |
| RLW 541 | Teaching Writing | 2 TO 3 |
| and | |
| RLL 520 | Survey of Youth Literature, PreK-12 | 3 |
| or | |
| RLL 522 | Adolescent Literature | 2 TO 3 |
| or | |
| RLL 528 | Diverse Perspectives in Youth Literature, PreK-12 | 3 |
Note: If selected, RLW 541 and RLL 522 must be taken for 3 semester hours.
Secondary Education Student Teaching Enrollment Requirements
Admission to and continuance in student teaching are contingent on the following actions.
Candidates must:
- Be accepted into the graduate program of National College of Education
- File, by the designated deadline, the application form for student teaching
- Submit to their advisor a report of a TB test taken within 90 days of the student teaching placement, results of criminal background check and acknowledgement of Mandated Reporter status form
- Turn in a signed log of all the pre-clinical hours specified in their pre-clinical hours required for the program
- Complete all of their licensure courses except for SEC 597D (Student Teaching)
- Pass all methods courses at National Louis University with a grade no lower than a B
- Participate in faculty assessment and receive approval of his or her portfolio (Livetext)
- Provide evidence of emotional stability, adequate personality adjustment and competency as indicated by licensure coursework and departmental assessments