School of Education
Orientation: Part 1
Summer, 2008
Accreditation
• In addition to LU accreditation by
SACS, Liberty’s SOE is accredited by
the ACSI (Association of Christian
Schools International) and NCATE
(National Council for Accreditation of
Teacher Education)
• NCATE is highly respected in the
education community and may be
necessary (or preferred) for licensure
in some states
Conceptual Framework
Mission
• To develop competent
professionals with a Biblical world
view for Christian, public, and
private schools
KNOWS Christian values, moral
dimensions, and ethical
implications synthesized with
academic knowledge
IMPLEMENTS skills as a gift
from God, because
teaching/leadership is a calling
from God.
BELIEVES and practices
personal integrity, social
responsibility, sensitivity to the
needs of others, and the
betterment of humanity
Overview of Programs
• Master’s Degrees:
– Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT)
– Master of Education (MEd)
• Educational Specialist (EdS)
• Doctoral Degree(EdD)
Advising Guide
What is the Advising Guide?
• A resource for DLP staff and students
• Located on the Graduate Education
website:
• www.liberty.edu/advisingguide
– Links to the Advising Guide are also
located on Luonline.com on each
Education degree page
Information on the Advising Guide
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Faculty contact information
Explanation of Gates and requirements for each Gate
Licensure information
Student teaching information
Course descriptions
Course scheduling for upcoming terms
Program specific information, including:
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Degree Completion Plans (2008 coming soon)
Course Sequencing Guides
Field Experience summaries
Course Competency charts
Transfer Credit
• Candidates may transfer in up to 6
credit hours from an unconferred
graduate degree
• Candidates may not transfer
intensives or student
teaching/practicum
Gates
What Are Gates?
• There are 4 “Gates” through which a
student must pass in order to
complete one of the EDUC programs
• Each gate represents a checkpoint
in the program and is designed to
ensure that the student is ready to
move on to the next stage
Gate 1-Admissions
• Gate 1 is simply Admissions into
the EDUC program of choice
• Once the student is fully accepted
into the program, he/she has
passed Gate 1
Gate 2-Candidacy
• The application for Gate 2 is
submitted by the student after
he/she has completed 9-15 credit
hours
• Gate 2 is a checkpoint to determine
if the student meets the
requirements for the specific
program or specialization (course
competencies, etc.)
Gate 2 Requirements
• Gate 2 Application
• DCP w/courses completed
(including any transfer credits)
• Course Competency Chart
(Elementary and Secondary
Education ONLY)
Gate 3 Capstone
• Gate 3 application for capstone
experience in final semester
– MAT: Student teaching (590/591)
– MEd: Internship (699)
– MEd-T&L: Project or practicum (618/698)
– EdS: Advanced research & writing (718)
– EdD: Dissertation (990)
Gate 4-Program Completion
• Completion of program
• If the student has met licensure
requirements, will be eligible for
endorsement by the School of
Education
Master of Education
Teaching & Learning
Overview of Teaching & Learning
• NON-licensure program
• 36 credit hours
• No required intensives; the program
can be done completely online
• Capstone course: Choose research
project OR practicum
T&L Specializations
• General education
[Leadership option]
• Elementary Education
• Special Education
• Middle School
• Other specializations in development
School of Education
Orientation: Part II
Summer, 2008
Licensure
WARNING!
• Licensure is strongly recommended
• Do NOT attempt to earn licensure
through a NON-licensure program
Verification by Institution:
Completion of Approved Education Program
The applicant completed requirements for the
 bachelor’s
 master’s
 six year (educational specialist)
 doctorate
degree and finished an approved education program
in the licensure area(s) of (e.g. elementary education,
music, secondary mathematics, etc.)
Verification by Institution:
Completion of Approved Education Program
The applicant completed requirements for the
 bachelor’s
 master’s
 six year (educational specialist)
 doctorate
degree and finished
an approved education
program in the licensure area(s) of (e.g.
elementary education, music, secondary
mathematics, etc.)
Licensure Options
• Initial licensure: MAT
– Elementary, Secondary, or *Special education
– Required: Content competencies, intensives,
student teaching, licensure tests
• Advanced licensure: MEd or EdS/EdD
– Administration, School counseling, or Program
specialist (early, gifted, math, or reading)
– Required: Initial licensure, teaching experience,
internship, licensure tests
Licensure Requirements
• Blended program: online + intensives
– Candidates must complete at least 3
intensives (9 credit hours) on campus
• Field experience (practicum hours) and
student teaching or internship
• Licensure tests
• Leads to licensure in the state of Virginia
(other states through reciprocity)
• Additional requirements for advanced
licensure (initial license/experience)
Master of Arts in Teaching
Initial Licensure
Specializations
• Specialization: endorsement area for
licensure upon completion of the program
• Specializations available:
– Elementary Education
– Secondary Education
(must choose content area)
– Special Education
Content Competencies
• Elementary and Secondary education: must
document content competencies
• Content competencies: specific for
specialization/teaching endorsement
• Competencies: courses taken in undergraduate
program; additional courses may be required
– Submit content competency chart to
candidacy@liberty.edu
• Other competencies added through Praxis II
Example of Content Competencies
• Secondary Education—Math
COMPETENCY
Algebra – experience shall include linear and abstract
algebra
Geometry - experience shall include Euclidean and nonEuclidean geometrics
Analytic Geometry
Probability and Statistics
Discrete mathematics - experience shall include the
study of mathematical properties of finite sets and
systems and linear programming
Computer science - experience shall include computer
programming
Calculus – experience shall include mulit-variable
calculus
COURSE
Master of Education
Advanced Licensure
Overview of MEd
• 36 credit hour program (48 credit
hour for School Counseling)
• Specializations:
– Licensure/Blended:
• Administration
• School Counseling
• Program Specialist
– Non-licensure/Online
• Teaching and Learning
Advanced Licensure
• Administration/Supervision must hold initial
licensure and *teaching experience
• Program Specialists must hold initial licensure
– Gifted, Early Childhood (add-ons)
– Reading, Math must have *teaching experience
* Experience during M.Ed. Program accepted
• School Counseling should have two years of
teaching or counseling experience
– Experience may be earned as assistant counselor
– Experience not required in all states
GATE 3: Student Teaching/Internship
• Application due prior semester: 2/15 or 9/15
- Requirements include licensure test scores
• Placement options
– Your own classroom/school (must be
accredited school; your endorsement area)
– Lynchburg area – do NOT contact schools
(All local requests by LU Licensure Office)
– Outside Lynchburg area – candidates
contact schools and submit information to
gate3@liberty.edu
MAT Field Experience/Student Teaching
• MAT candidates must complete Field
Experience throughout the program
– Candidates track experience hours on field
experience log
– Hours required in a variety of settings (see
Field Summary on Advising Guide)
• 300 hours required to complete MAT
(includes practicum and student teaching),
with a minimum of 150 hours of directed
student teaching
Sample Field Summary—MAT Secondary
MEd Field Experience/Student Teaching
• Administration: 320 cumulative hours of
structured internship
• Program Specialist: 200 hours
• School Counseling: 300 hours, including
– 100 hours in K-6, 100 hours in 7-12
• Field experience will be completed
throughout the program and tracked on
Field Summary
MAT: Initial Licensure Tests
– Praxis I or VCLA (or SAT-ACT score waiver)
– Praxis II
• Required for GATE 3 application
• Completed for a specific content area
– VCLA (Virginia Communications and Literary
Assessment)
• May be taken online
• Required prior to receiving Virginia licensure
– VRA (Virginia Reading Assessment)
• Must be taken in Virginia
• Elementary or Special Education only
• Required prior to receiving Virginia licensure
Advanced Licensure Tests
• Administration & Supervision
– SLLA* or Praxis II
• Program Specialist
– Reading: VRA* or Praxis II
– Math: Praxis II*
– Add-ons: No test (ECE or Gifted)
• School Counseling
– Praxis II
*Virginia - or test for your state
Education Specialist and
Doctor of Education
Advanced Licensure Options
EdS/EdD Licensure Options
Required:
• Additional courses
- courses from master’s may apply
• Initial licensure, teaching
experience, internship, licensure
tests
What is LiveText?
• LiveText is required for candidates in
licensure programs
• LiveText is used to submit benchmark
assignments and create portfolios
• LiveText is purchased by each
candidate only ONE TIME
(from MBS or www.livetext.com )
Advantages of LiveText
• Allows students to create portfolios,
notes, and journals that can be viewed by
others, including professors and
prospective employers
• Provides a forum for students to receive
instant feedback from professors
• Includes information on standards,
outcomes and competencies
• For an additional fee, can access
streaming educational videos, images,
and other resources ($20 extra)
School of Education
Orientation: Part III
Summer, 2008
Educational Specialist
Licensure?
• The EdS and EdD were not
designed for licensure
• To pursue licensure, the EdS
candidate must complete
additional requirements
- noted on DCP and online
www.liberty.edu/advisingguide
Overview of EdS
• 30 credit hour program
• Post-Master’s degree
• Online only
– No intensives; unless planning to
complete licensure or EdD with Liberty,
• 2 cognate areas available:
– Educational Leadership
– Teaching and Learning
Doctorate of Education
Overview of EdD
• 60 credit hour program
• Blended
– 9 credit hours of intensives (3 courses)
• NON-licensure program
• 2 specialization options:
– Educational Leadership
– Teaching & Learning
• Additional requirements
– Comprehensive Exam
– Dissertation
Transfer from EdS
• Some or nearly all of the
coursework from an EdS may
transfer into the EdD
• From an unconferred EdS:
– 9 credit hours
• From a conferred EdS:
– Liberty EdS: 27-30 credit hours
– Non-Liberty EdS: up to 24 credit hours
Dissertation
• Provides research and discussion on a
specific topic
• Students should begin thinking of a topic
and conducting research from the
beginning of the program
• Typically 100 pages or more, but there is
not an exact required length (Content is
more important!)
Dissertation Committee
• Candidates will choose a member of the
faculty to serve as committee chair
– The person selected must agree to serve as
the chair
– Will not officially assign a chair until all
coursework and the comprehensive exam
are successfully completed
• All committee members must hold a
Doctoral degree
• At least one committee member must be
a faculty member from outside the SOE
Dissertation Defense
• The candidate MUST come to
campus for the dissertation defense
• The time/date for the oral defense will
be scheduled by the candidate and
the committee chair
• The committee will determine whether
the dissertation will be accepted or
returned to the candidate for
additions/corrections
Failure to Complete the Dissertation
• Students will continue to register for the
dissertation seminar until the dissertation
is complete
• If the student does not complete the
dissertation successfully, he/she will be
considered “ABD”—all but dissertation—
and the degree will not be conferred
• Students who are not able to complete
the dissertation are encouraged to
complete an EdS instead, provided that
they have not already earned this degree
Comprehensive Exam
• Students must complete a
comprehensive exam
• The exam will be started in EDUC
719 (intensive) and later
completed online
• It is advisable to take EDUC 719
(Professional Writing and
Research) as the last course in
the program
Information Meeting
WHO:
You
WHAT: Information Meeting
WHEN: Thursday at Noon (Bring your lunch.)
WHERE: Room #126 in the School of Education
Association of Supervision
and Curriculum Development