Master in Education (M.Ed.)
with Grades PreK-4 Certification
Program Highlights & Benefits
Flexible, online course format
2 year completion time, including holiday breaks
For
Aspiring educators seeking a Master’s degree in Education and certification in grades PreK-4.
What You Learn
- Utilize a variety of instructional strategies.
- Develop instructional plans and set goals based on the content to be taught /learned, knowledge of assigned students, and the instructional process.
- Establish and maintain purposeful and equitable classroom environments
- Demonstrate integrity, ethical behavior and professional conduct as stated in the Pennsylvania Code of Professional Practice and Conduct for Educators.
How You Learn
Point Park’s online programs are offered in a cohort format with courses being 8 weeks long in a predetermined course sequence and are asynchronous for your convenience. Observation and field experience requirements are built into many of the courses, so students should expect to spend time in classrooms for this initial certification.
Online students have access to the same great benefits as those on campus, including Point Park faculty with real-world experience, small online class sizes for individualized attention, a full spectrum of University resources, and a student success advisor offering support from application to graduation, who will guide you to successfully complete your degree.
Every student teacher will satisfy the PDE requirement of a student teaching experience, including at least 30 instructional days in a PA school, during the final term of the program (15-week full time school hours).
Career Outcomes
Upon completion of this program, students will have earned a Master’s in Education and will be eligible for certification as a PreK-4 grade level educator in the state of Pennsylvania.
Degree Requirements
| Course | Title | Hours |
| SPED 533 | SPECIAL EDUCATION AND INCLUSIVE PRACTICES | 3 |
| EDUC 541 | CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE SCHOOLS, TEACHERS, AND CLASSROOMS | 3 |
| SPED 535 | POSITIVE BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTIONS AND SUPPORTS | 3 |
| EDUC 567 | METHODS OF TEACHING ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS IN THE CONTENT AREAS | 3 |
| EDUC 515 | FOUNDATIONS OF LITERACY AND WRITING FROM THEORY TO PRACTICE: MODELS OF LITERACY | 3 |
| EDUC 564 | METHODS OF TEACHING SOCIAL STUDIES PREK-4 | 3 |
| EDUC 527 | ASSESSMENT FOR DIFFERENTIATED READING INSTRUCTION | 3 |
| SPED 534 | DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICES IN THE INCLUSIVE CLASSROOM | 3 |
| EDUC 529 | ASSESSMENT STRATEGIES AND DATA DRIVEN INSTRUCTION | 3 |
| EDUC 562 | METHODS OF TEACHING MATHEMATICS PREK-4 | 3 |
| EDUC 563 | METHODS OF TEACHING SCIENCE AND HEALTH PREK-4 | 3 |
| EDUC 624 | STUDENT TEACHING SEMINAR | 3 |
| EDUC 625 | STUDENT TEACHING PRACTICUM | 6 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 42 |
Please Note:
Program and course requirements are subject to change to comply with university policy.
Successful completion of the assigned Praxis exam is required for certification. Please be aware that it is the student’s responsibility to regularly review the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) website for the most up-to-date testing requirements specific to your certification area, as PDE does make periodic changes to the requirements. For detailed information, please refer to the PDE Testing Requirement Link: https://www.pa.gov/agencies/education/programs-and-services/educators/certification/help/quick-reference-for-applicants.html
Field Work:
As part of your course work, you will be observing and completing field experience hours with students. The majority of these hours will be tied to course assignments.
For a detailed breakdown, see Field Work Guidelines here: https://www.pointpark.edu/academics/schools/education/resourcesforstudents/media/point-park-field-experience-guidelines.pdf
Download a Field Experience Log sheet here:
https://www.pointpark.edu/academics/schools/education/resourcesforstudents/index
Please track your hours on your Log sheet throughout the program.
Request Info
What Teachers Are Saying
