Secondary Education, M.A.T., Foreign Languages Concentration (Alternative Certification)
This route to the M.A.T. and teacher certification is for candidates accepted into one of NLU’s alternative certification partner programs. Candidates in these programs teach in Chicago Public Schools while completing their certification coursework.
Students working for this certification hold a one-year PROVISIONAL certificate during the first year. After completing certified courses and a year-long internship, they receive an ALTERNATIVE CERTIFICATE.
Teachers may apply for an INITIAL CERTIFICATE (the standard Type 10) after four years of teaching.
In addition to National College of Education Graduate Admission Requirements, applicants must:
- Pass the Test of Academic Proficiency (TAP)
- Have a grade point average of 3.0 in the last 60 hours of coursework
- Choose a foreign language designation from one of the following: Chinese (Cantonese), Chinese (Mandarin), French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Latin, Russian or Spanish
- Have a grade point average of 3.0 or better in foreign language designation coursework
- Have 32 semester hours of coursework in a foreign language designation (12 semester hours of upper division)
- Pass the ACTFL foreign language oral proficiency exam (advanced-low)
- Note: The written statement and references are waived
In addition, the Foreign Language endorsement requires that candidates fulfill all of the following areas in the designation language:
- Pass the foreign language designation test
- Beginning Language I & II
- Intermediate Language I & II
- One course in each of the following areas:
- Grammar and Composition
- Introduction to Literature
- Introduction to History and Culture
This degree requires:
- 35 SH
- An internship
- That candidates choose 6 SH of electives from one of the following areas: Reading, ESL, Middle Level or Special Education (see tables below)
MAT Core - 8 SH
| FND504 | History and Philosophy of American Education | |
| ESR514 | Research in Action: Becoming Practitioner Researchers | |
| EPS511 | Human Learning and Development in Instructional Contexts | |
Secondary Education – Alternative Certification in Foreign Language Requirements - 21 SH
| SEC502 | Introduction to Teaching at the Secondary Level | |
| SEC525 | American Urban Education | |
| SPE500 | Introduction to Exceptional Children and Adolescents/Special Education | |
| SEC522 | Classical Language Methodology | |
| or | |
| SEC524 | Communicative Language Teaching in the Foreign Language Classroom | |
| and | |
| SEC592F | Secondary Education Alternative Certification: Internship for Foreign Language | |
Secondary Education – Reading Electives - 6 SH
Choose 6 SH from the following:
| RLR502 | Teaching Comprehension and Content Reading | |
| or | |
| RLR503 | Teaching Content Area and Advanced Reading | |
| and | |
| RLL522 | Adolescent Literature | |
| or | |
| RLL528 | Survey of Multicultural Literature K-12 | |
Note: If needed to equal 6 SH, a Reading Elective can be chosen under advisement
Secondary Education – ESL Electives - 6 SH
| CIL500 | Foundations of ESL and Bilingual Education | |
| CIL505 | Methods and Materials for Teaching English as a Second Language | |
Secondary Education – Middle Level Electives - 6 SH
| MLE500 | Middle School: An Overview | |
| MLE502 | Middle Level Curriculum | |
Secondary Education – Special Education Electives - 6 SH
Choose two courses from:
| SPE501 | Educational and Diagnostic Assessment of Exceptional Children and Adolescents | |
| SPE506 | Frameworks and Perspectives in Special Education | |
| SPE507 | Social/Emotional Development and Teaching and Support | |
| SPE527 | Individualized Curriculum and Instruction | |
The following courses are required for certification.
Candidates may become certified prior to completion of the M.A.T. degree, and have six years from the beginning of coursework to complete the degree. Candidates are strongly advised to complete the degree.
| FND504 | History and Philosophy of American Education | |
| EPS511 | Human Learning and Development in Instructional Contexts | |
| SPE500 | Introduction to Exceptional Children and Adolescents/Special Education | |
| SPE502 | Language Development and Challenges in Children and Adolescents | |
| SEC522 | Classical Language Methodology | |
| or | |
| SEC524 | Communicative Language Teaching in the Foreign Language Classroom | |
| SEC592F | Secondary Education Alternative Certification: Internship for Foreign Language | |