Secondary Education, M.A.T., Biological 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/Biology (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:

In addition, the Biological Science endorsement requires:

  • A major in Biology from a regionally accredited institution or a minimum of 24 SH of coursework in Biology with 10 SH of laboratory courses and at least one course in each of the areas listed below:
    • One course in Chemistry
    • One course in Earth Science/Space Science
    • One course in Environmental Science
    • One course in Physics
    • 6 SH in Math—must be above College Algebra  

Program Details:

  • Requires 36 SH for completion
  • Requires student teaching

Required Courses

MAT Core - 2 SH

EPS 511Human Learning and Development in Instructional Contexts

2 OR 3

Note: EPS 511 must be taken for 2 semester hours.

Secondary Education – Biological Science Requirements - 28 SH

CIL 505Methods and Materials for Teaching English as a Second Language

3

RLR 540Teaching Content Area Literacy at the Middle and Secondary Level

3

SEC 502Introduction to Teaching at the Secondary Level

5

SEC 510Methods of Teaching Biology at the Secondary Level

5

SEC 597AResident Student Teaching in Secondary Education Biology

2

SPE 500Introduction to and Methods of Teaching Students with Disabilities

3

TIE 535Instructional Design Foundations for Digital Age Learning Environments

1 TO 3

Notes: SEC 510 must be taken for 5 semester hours. SEC 597A must be taken for a total of 6 semester hours. TIE 535 must be taken for a total of 3 semester hours.

Secondary Education Elective Options - 6 SH

Choose one pair of the courses below:

SPE 501Educational and Diagnostic Assessment of Exceptional Children and Adolescents

3

and

SPE 506Frameworks, Perspectives, and Collaboration in Special Education

3

or

CIL 500Foundations of ESL and Bilingual Education

3

and

CIL 510Assessment of ESL and Bilingual Education Students

3

or

MLE 500Middle School: An Overview

3

and

MLE 502Middle Level Curriculum

3

or

RLW 541Teaching Writing

2 TO 3

and

RLL 520Survey of Youth Literature, PreK-12

3

or

RLL 522Adolescent Literature

2 TO 3

or

RLL 528Diverse 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 597A (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