Middle Grades Education, M.A.T. (Teacher Residency Program)

The Middle Grades Education, M.A.T., Teacher Residency Program, leads to a master’s degree and a Professional Educator License endorsed for middle grades education (grades 5 to 8) and content-area endorsements in Science, Literacy, Mathematics, and/or Social Science. Visit Licensure and Endorsements at NLU for more details.

The field residency model requires teacher candidate placement in a classroom during an entire academic year. 

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

Program Details:

  • Requires 35 SH for completion
  • Candidates cannot be admitted to the program with more than two General Education deficiencies; these must be completed prior to participation in MGE 587
  • Candidates must provide evidence of taking 21 SH of General Education coursework or equivalent CLEP/Dantes tests in the following areas:  
    • For candidates seeking MG science endorsement: 21 SH of science content (to include coursework in each of the following areas: physical science, life sciences, earth and space sciences)
    • For candidates seeking MG literacy endorsement: 21 SH of literacy content
    • For candidates seeking MG math endorsement: 21 SH of math content
    • For candidates seeking MG social science endorsement: 21 SH of social science content (to include coursework in each of the following areas, in relation to Illinois, the United States and the world: history, geography, civics and government, and economics )
  • Requires placement in Residency training site
  • Requires practicum
  • Requires student teaching 

Required Courses

MAT Core - 10 SH

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

3

EPS 511Human Learning and Development in Instructional Contexts

2 OR 3

FND 510Social Justice Perspectives on the History and Philosophy ofAmerican Education

1 TO 3

SPE 500Introduction to and Methods of Teaching Students with Disabilities

3

Note: EPS 511 and FND 510 must be taken for 2 semester hours. 

Program Requirements - 22 SH

MGE 501Introduction to Middle Grades Education: Young Adolescents in Context I

2 TO 3

MGE 507Voices and Choices in Middle Grades Education

1

MGE 509Integrated Curriculum in the Middle Grades

1 TO 3

MGE 520Methods of Teaching Content Area Literacy in the Middle Grades

2

MGE 577Teaching & Learning in Context

1

MGE 587Resident Teacher Practicum

3

MGE 597Resident Teacher Student Teaching

3

and

MGE 510Methods of Teaching Middle Grades Science

3

or

MGE 512Methods of Teaching Middle Grades English/Language Arts

3

or

MGE 514Methods of Teaching Middle Grades Mathematics

3

or

MGE 518Methods of Teaching Middle Grades Social Studies

3

Note: MGE 507 must be taken for a total of 2 SH. MGE 509 must be taken for a total of 3 SH. MGE 597 must be taken for a total of 6 SH. 

Middle Grades Education Elective Options - 3 SH

Choose one of the following courses:

CIL 500Foundations of ESL and Bilingual Education

3

CIL 531Cross Cultural Education

3

ESR 514Research in Action: Becoming Practitioner Researchers

3

MGE 510Methods of Teaching Middle Grades Science

3

MGE 512Methods of Teaching Middle Grades English/Language Arts

3

MGE 514Methods of Teaching Middle Grades Mathematics

3

MGE 518Methods of Teaching Middle Grades Social Studies

3

SCE 513Science Inquiry and Content for Teachers

3

SPE 501Educational and Diagnostic Assessment of Exceptional Children and Adolescents

3

SPE 506Frameworks, Perspectives, and Collaboration in Special Education

3

For more information about this program, visit    https://www.nl.edu/academics/educationmastersteacherprep/middlegradeseducation/