Secondary Education, M.A.T., Social Studies Concentration (Traditional Program)
This program is for those with a baccalaureate degree and undergraduate coursework in Social Studies who seek Illinois secondary education licensure. Graduates will be eligible for a Professional Educator License endorsed for secondary education/ Social Studies (grades 9 to 12). Visit Licensure and Endorsement at NLU for more details.
Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs):
PLO1. Standard 1. Content Knowledge - Candidates demonstrate knowledge of social studies disciplines. Candidates are knowledgeable of disciplinary concepts, facts, and tools; structures of inquiry; and forms of representation.
PLO2. Standard 2. Application of Content Through Planning - Candidates plan learning sequences that leverage social studies knowledge and literacies, technology, and theory and research to support the civic competence of learners.
PLO3. Standard 3. Design and Implementation of Instruction and Assessment - Candidates design and implement instruction and authentic assessments, informed by data literacy and learner self-assessment, that promote civic competence.
PLO4. Standard 4. Social Studies Learners and Learning - Candidates use knowledge of learners to plan and implement relevant and responsive pedagogy, create collaborative and interdisciplinary learning environments, and prepare learners to be informed advocates for an inclusive and equitable society.
PLO5. Standard 5. Professional Responsibility and Informed Action - Candidates reflect and expand upon their social studies knowledge, inquiry skills, and civic dispositions to advance social justice and promote human rights through informed action in schools and/or communities.
In addition to National College of Education Graduate Admissions Requirements, applicants must:
- Choose a designation from one of the following: Economics, Geography, History, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology/Anthropology, or Broad-based Social Science.
- Have a grade point average of 3.0 or better in designation course work
- Have 32 semester hours of coursework in Social Studies (12 semester hours of upper division courses must be completed with a grade of "B" or better)
- Submit a passing score in at least five of the six categories (including the designation area) on the Praxis II Social Studies Content Knowledge Examination taken within the past 10 years. Students who pass more than three, but fewer than five categories (including the area of endorsement) will be considered for four-course review admission status.
In addition, the Social Studies endorsement requires:
- A major from a regionally accredited institution in one of the designation areas, minimum 24 SH (Economics, Geography, History, Political Science, Psychology or Sociology/Anthropology)
- At least one course in each of the additional areas listed below (excluding the area of designation):
- Economics
- Geography
- Political Science
- Psychology
- Sociology/Anthropology
- U.S. History
- World History
- A course with a Non-Western focus
Broad-Based Social Science
Candidates who do not have a major in one of the designations of Economics, Geography, History, Political Science, Psychology or Sociology/Anthropology may choose the Broad-based Social Science endorsement.
Candidates must fulfill all of these areas:
- 18 SH of History including the minimum of two US History courses and one in Non-Western/World History (can be Africa, Asia, Caribbean, Central and South America or Pacifica)
- One course in Economics
- One course in Geography
- One course in Political Science
- One course in Psychology
- One course in Sociology/Anthropology
- Test 246
Program Details:
- Requires 33 SH for completion
- Requires student teaching. Student teachers spend a minimum of 11 weeks in the classroom at an assigned school.
Required Courses
MAT Core - 2 SH
| EPS 511 | Human Learning and Development in Instructional Contexts | 2 |
Secondary Education – Social Studies Requirements - 25 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 | 3 |
| SEC 518 | Methods of Teaching Social Studies at the Secondary Level | 3 |
| SEC 590E | Student Teaching Seminar | 6 |
| SPE 500 | Introduction to and Methods of Teaching Students with Disabilities | 3 |
Note: SEC 518 must be taken for 5 semester hours.
Secondary Education Elective Options - 6 SH
Choose one pair of the courses below:
| CIL 500 | Foundations of ESL and Bilingual Education | 3 |
| and | |
| CIL 510 | Assessment of ESL and Bilingual Education Students | 3 |
| or | |
| MGE 501 | Introduction to Middle Grades Education: Young Adolescents in Context I | 2 TO 3 |
| and | |
| MGE 509 | Integrated Curriculum in the Middle Grades | 1 TO 3 |
| or | |
| MHE 509 | Topics in Calculus and Discrete Mathematics | 3 |
| and | |
| MHE 512 | Topics and Applications of Statistics and Probability | 3 |
| or | |
| RLW 541 | Teaching Writing | 2 TO 3 |
| and | |
| RLL 520 | Survey of Youth Literature, PreK-12 | 3 |
| or | |
| RLR 502 | Teaching Comprehension and Content Area Reading | 3 |
| or | |
| SPE 501 | Educational and Diagnostic Assessment of Exceptional Children and Adolescents | 3 |
| and | |
| SPE 506 | Frameworks, Perspectives, and Collaboration in Special Education | 3 |
The following courses are required for licensure:
| EPS 511 | Human Learning and Development in Instructional Contexts | 2 |
| SEC 502 | Introduction to Teaching at the Secondary Level | 3 |
| SEC 518 | Methods of Teaching Social Studies at the Secondary Level | 3 |
| SEC 590E | Student Teaching Seminar | 6 |
| SPE 500 | Introduction to and Methods of Teaching Students with Disabilities | 3 |
Note: Candidates may become licensed 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.
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 590E (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