Secondary Education MAT Biological Science Concentration Alternative Teacher Licensure Program

This route to the M.A.T. and teacher licensure is for candidates accepted into NLU's alternative teaching licensure partner program. Candidates in this program are working in school districts as a teacher of record while completing their program coursework. 

Visit Licensure and Endorsement at NLU for more details.

For more information on state licensure and certification information please visit NLU’s Public Disclosures page. 

Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs):

1.      Develop and practice a philosophy of education based on self-reflection.
 
2.      Use knowledge of students to design a respectful learning community in which learning experiences are engaging, challenging, and meet the diverse needs of all learners.
 
3.      Develop instructional practices that facilitate higher-order thinking and depth of student understanding.
 
4.      Design and use formative and summative assessments that align with learning outcomes, inform instruction, and measure multiple forms of evidence. 
 
5.      Provide ongoing, meaningful performance feedback to enhance student learning.
 
6.      Use current technology that is appropriate to the instructional outcomes, complements content-specific material, and actively engages students.
 
7.      Exhibit a clear understanding of the roles and responsibilities of being a teacher.

In addition to National College of Education Graduate Admissions Requirements, applicants must:

• Pass the Science: Biology Content Area test (239) prior to Summer term start. Candidates without a passing score must attend tutoring sessions in May- June.

• Have a major in Biology from a school with regional accreditation or a minimum of 24 SH of coursework in science with 18 SH in Biology completed with a grade of C or better including (6 SH of coursework that contains a lab or two lab courses equivalent to at least 2 SH for students who don't have a major in the designation area)
• Have at least one course in the following areas:
  • One course in Chemistry
  • One course in Earth Science/Space Science or Environmental Science or Physics
  • Note: students may be admitted to the program with three deficiencies (max 9sh) in the content coursework that must be completed by the end of the Fall term in the second year of the program.
• Submit written statement describing the candidate’s interest in entering a degree in Secondary Education through an Alternative Licensure program
• Sit for an interview with the Program Coordinator, program faculty and the university partners
• Submit description of candidates’ employment experience in schools and working with students or evidence of a minimum of 4 weeks substitute teaching experience or school support experience in the appropriate grade level or content area
• Submit three references (from BA degree or employment experience appropriate for teaching experience)

Program Details:

• Requires 33 SH for completion
• Requires a grade of B or better in all methods courses: SEC 502, CIL 505, RLP 540, and SEC 510
• Required immersive school placement
• Candidates must meet the ISBE requirements for an Alternative Provisional Educator (APE) License before SEC591. This includes passing the following courses: SEC 502, EDU 572, and CIL 505.

Required Courses

Program Requirements

CIL 505	Methods and Materials for Teaching English as a Second Language	3
EDU 510	Social Justice Perspectives on the History and Philosophy of American Education	2
EDU 572	Creating Diverse and Equitable Classrooms	2
LSE 511	Human Learning and Development in Instructional Contexts	2
RLP 540	Teaching Content Area Literacy at the Middle and Secondary Level	3
SEC 502	Introduction to Teaching at the Secondary Level	3
SEC 510	Methods of Teaching Biological Sciences at the Secondary Level	3
SEC 591	Secondary Education Alternative Licensure Seminar	1 TO 9
SPE 500	Introduction to and Methods of Teaching Students with Disabilities	3
	and
SPE 507	Methods of Social/Emotional Support	3
	or
CIL 500	Foundations of ESL and Bilingual Education	3

Note: SEC 591 must be taken for a total of 9 SH.