The Education Division offers a Graduate Elementary Education program (Master of Arts in Teaching) that has been designed in response to the revised Illinois licensure laws (ISBE Rules July 1, 2013). The Graduate Program prepares teacher candidates for an Illinois Professional Educators License (PEL) with an endorsement to teach students in Grades 1-6. The Graduate Elementary Education Program can be offered in either the traditional or online delivery formats pending sufficient enrollment. The traditional program will be available for those candidates who prefer the face-to-face classroom setting. The online delivery format offers flexibility for teacher candidates, particularly career changers and paraprofessionals, who must balance their coursework with jobs and family commitments. The online format will be open to teacher candidates across the state of Illinois who otherwise may not be able to attend SXU on-campus classes. Offering the program in either format is dependent on the number of applicants.
General Education Prerequisites
The general education courses, which address requirements for Illinois licensure, may have been met within the candidate's undergraduate studies. A review of the candidate's transcript(s) will indicate if any general education deficiencies exist.
The Illinois State Board of Education requires the following subject specific content coursework:
Science (As per Illinois Administrative Code: Section 25.97)
- Physical Science
- Life Science
- Earth and Space
Social Sciences (As per Illinois Administrative Code: Section 25.97)
- History
- Geography
- Civics and Government
- Economics of Illinois, the United States, and the World
Graduate Elementary Education MAT -- Traditional Delivery Sequence of Professional Education Courses
Level I
Semester 1
2 courses, 8 weeks per course, plus orientation
- EDUGL 470: SOE Online Orientation (0)
- EDGEL 401: Introduction to the Profession of Teaching (3)
- EDGEL 425: Child Growth and Development (3)
Semester 2
2 courses, 8 weeks per course
- EDGEL 413: Survey of Students with Exceptionalities (3) -- 5 Field Experience hours
- EDGEL 480: Methods of Teaching English as a Second Language (3) -- 5 Field Experience hours
Level II
Semester 3
2 courses, 8 weeks per course
GATE # 1 - Minimum GPA of 3.0
- EDGEL 483: Reading and Writing in the Content Areas (3) -- 10 Field Experience hours
- EDGEL 439: Managing the Elementary Classroom: Behavior Management and Instructional Planning (3) -- 10 Field Experience hours
Semester 4
2 courses, 8 weeks per course
GATE # 2 Clinical Practice application complete
- EDGEL 418: Foundations and Methods of Literacy and Language Arts (3) -- 10 Field Experience hours
- EDGEL 411: Principles and Methods of Teaching Social Science and the Arts in the Elementary School (3) -- 10 Field Experience hours
Semester 5
2 courses, 8 weeks per course
- EDGEL 412: Principles and Methods of Teaching Science, Health and PE in the Elementary School (3) -- 10 Field Experience hours
- EDGEL 441: Using Student Achievement Data to Support Instructional Decision Making (3) -- 10 Field Experience hours
Semester 6
2 courses, 8 weeks per course
GATE # 3 - Pass Educators Symposium, pass Elementary Grades 1-6 Content Exam (305)
- EDGEL 421: Methods of Teaching Mathematics in the Elementary School (3) -- 15 Field Experience hours
- EDGEL 419: Assessment and Diagnosis of Reading Problems (3) -- 15 Field Experience hours
Level III
Semester 7
2 courses
GATE # 4 - Licensure and Graduation, Pass edTPA and complete all SXU graduation requirements
- EDGEL 445: Seminar in Teaching and Learning (3)
- EDGEL 446: Directed Teaching -- Elementary Education (6)
Graduate Elementary Education MAT -- Online Delivery Sequence of Professional Education Courses
Level I
Semester 1
2 courses, 8 weeks per course, plus orientation
- EDUGL 470: SOE Online Orientation (0)
- EDGEL 401: Introduction to the Profession of Teaching (3)
- EDGEL 425: Child Growth and Development (3)
Semester 2
2 courses, 8 weeks per course
- EDGEL 413: Survey of Students with Exceptionalities (3) -- 5 Field Experience hours
- EDGEL 480: Methods of Teaching English as a Second Language (3) -- 5 Field Experience hours
Level II
Semester 3
2 courses, 8 weeks per course
GATE # 1 - Minimum GPA of 3.0
- EDGEL 483: Reading and Writing in the Content Areas (3) -- 10 Field Experience hours
- EDGEL 439: Managing the Elementary Classroom: Behavior Management and Instructional Planning (3) -- 10 Field Experience hours
Semester 4
2 courses, 8 weeks per course
GATE # 2 Clinical Practice application complete
- EDGEL 418: Foundations and Methods of Literacy and Language Arts (3) -- 10 Field Experience hours
- EDGEL 411: Principles and Methods of Teaching Social Science and the Arts in the Elementary School (3) -- 10 Field Experience hours
Semester 5
2 courses, 8 weeks per course
- EDGEL 412: Principles and Methods of Teaching Science, Health and PE in the Elementary School (3) -- 10 Field Experience hours
- EDGEL 441: Using Student Achievement Data to Support Instructional Decision Making (3) -- 10 Field Experience hours
Semester 6
2 courses, 8 weeks per course
GATE # 3 - Pass Educators Symposium, pass Elementary Grades 1-6 Content Exam (305) (Residency Experience)
- EDGEL 421: Methods of Teaching Mathematics in the Elementary School (3) -- 15 Field Experience hours
- EDGEL 419: Assessment and Diagnosis of Reading Problems (3) -- 15 Field Experience hours
Level III
Semester 7
2 courses
GATE # 4 - Licensure and Graduation, Pass edTPA and complete all SXU graduation requirements
- EDGEL 445: Seminar in Teaching and Learning (3)
- EDGEL 446: Directed Teaching -- Elementary Education (6)
Requirements in this program are subject to change within the time span of one's University career due to changing requirements at national, state and local levels.