The M.Ed. – Initial Licensure program is designed for any individual who has an undergraduate degree in an area of study other than teacher education and who wants to pursue graduate studies to become licensed as an elementary or secondary school teacher.
Through classroom study and integrated teaching experience in real classrooms, students transition from knowing their subject to knowing how to share that passion with others. After 21 months (two academic years and one summer), candidates complete their degrees and can apply for licensure. Once licensed, Valpo graduates are eligible to teach in public schools in Indiana and dozens of other U.S. states.
Content areas
Because the M.Ed. – Initial Licensure program helps educated candidates earn their teaching license and prepare to teach, this program relies on students’ undergraduate education to fulfill the state’s requirements for content knowledge. For that reason, applicants for this degree must have an undergraduate major that is “licensable.”
Licensable majors include art, biology, chemistry, Chinese, English, environmental science, French, German, geography, history, mathematics, music, physical education, physics, and Spanish.
The Valparaiso University licensure director evaluates transcripts and determines if there are any deficiencies in the content area. Additional content area courses may be required, depending on the type of teaching license that a candidate wants to obtain. These courses will have to be completed with a 3.0 GPA or better prior to beginning classes for the M.Ed.