Welcome to the Exceptional Student Education/ESOL (MAT) (430)Graduate Program Page
About the Program|Admission|Financial Aid|Advising|Program of Study|Documents|Internship|FTCE|Portfolio|Graduation |Other
About the Program
The Masters of Arts in Teaching Exceptional Student Education (ESE) is specifically designed for individuals who hold Bachelor’s Degrees in a field other than Education. This program can be adjusted to allow students who are enrolled in elementary or secondary education to complete the degree and will lead to a Masters of Arts degree in Exceptional Student Education as well as certification in English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL). The program credit requirement varies from 36 hours to 51 hours depending on the area of specialization of a student’s bachelor’s degree. This program is specifically designed for those individuals who do not hold a professional certificate in teaching. Elementary and secondary education majors with an interest in special education are also encouraged to apply.
Approved by the Florida Department of Education
The MAT in Special Education is highlighted by:
- An Integrated Curriculum: The MAT Curriculum will be introduced, taught, and mastered in a series of instructional blocks that integrate content in a spiraling manner.
- On-Site National Board Certified Teacher (NBCT) Partners: A NBCT Mentor Partner will be paired with each MAT candidate. The NBCT Partner will provide support, guidance, and valuable resources to the MAT candidate throughout the program.
- On-Line Mentoring Forum. An On-Line forum will provide daily support, ideas, and strategies facing the MAT candidate during the first years of teaching.
- Course Offerings accommodate a working teacher. Courses are offered through a variety of learning models including face to face meetings, on-line delivery, and blended models of instruction.
- An Accelerated Pace: This program can be completed in 2 summers and 3 academic semesters.
- Action Research: All MAT candidates will be required to conduct research in their classrooms, investigating how they may use more effectively research-based interventions. This requires that MAT candidates link theory and practice and encourages an inquiring approach to teaching.
- Preparation for the Florida Teacher Certification Exam. Candidates will be prepared during the first six hour block to complete the Florida Teacher Certification Exam (FTCE).
- Opportunity to Teach Full Time: Candidates will have the opportunity to teacher full time while completing the program and receive full teacher pay. Course scheduling will support the candidate to teach full time while enrolled in the MAT program.
Admission Requirements
- Successful completion of all portions of the General Knowledge Test, or the CLAST, or the Praxis I, or a GRE score of 1000.
The General Knowledge Test is recommended if none have been taken.
AND
- Applicants must have at least a 2.5 grade point average for their four-year undergraduate degree,
AND
- A grade point average of 3.0 or greater for the last two years of their undergraduate degree
OR
- A score of 1000 or greater on the combined verbal and quantitative portions of the Graduate Record Exam (GRE).
For more information about GRE administration please call: 813-974-2742
Financial Aid / Scholarships Information
Please visit our Financial Aid / Scholarships section to navigate through the financial aid and scholarships information.
Advising
Advisor: Dr. Kim Stoddard
Phone: 727-873-4573
Email: stoddard@mail.usf.edu
Program of Study (Program Courses)
Course descriptions can be found in the Graduate Catalog
Suggested Course Sequence for Full Time Teachers:
- Summer
EEX 6051 Creating Positive Learning Environments 6 hrs. (summer only)
FLE 5345 Teaching ELLs K-12 3 hrs. (every semester)
EDG 4012 Standards Based Education 1 hr. (every semester)
Total: 10 hrs.
- Fall
EEX 6224 Developing Individualized Programs 6 hrs. (fall only)
EDF 6931 (6125, 6120) Child Development 3 hrs (spring & fall sem.)
Total: 10 hrs
- Spring
EEX 6247 Implementing & Evaluating Programs 6 hrs. (spring only)
FLE 5145 Language Principles, Acquisition &Teaching 3 hrs (spring & fall sem.)
Total: 9 hrs
- Summer
EDF 6432 Foundations of Measurement (every semester) substitution for EDG 6931 Current Trends in Assessment 3 hrs
RED 6658 Differentiated Reading Instruction - (every semester) * It is recommended to take this course in the summer
FLE 5940 ESOL III Practicum 1 hr (district employees only) –(60 hours of student teaching coordinated by the ESOL Program)
Total: 7 hrs
- Fall
RED 6544 Cognition, Comprehension, Content 3 hrs (every semester) *It is recommended to take this course in fall & spring semester
EDG 4909 Math for All Students substitution for EDG 6931- Elem. Math Methods 3 hours (fall & spring)
RED 6540 Assessment in Literacy 3 hrs (fall only) -*required for those students admitted Fall 2008 and thereafter Total: 9 hours
- Spring
EDG 6947 Internship and Classroom Research 6 hrs. (fall & spring)
- Course Sequencing:
The following courses must be taken in sequential order:
(1) EEX 6051 (2) EEX 6224 (3) EEX 6247 (4) EDG 6947
(1) FLE 5345 (2) FLE 5145 (3) FLE 5940
(1) RED 5240 (2) RED 6544 (3), RED 6540
Important Notes regarding the Program
• Before candidates may enroll in EDG 6947 Internship and Classroom Research, the following must be completed: 1) Documentation of passing all 3 sections of the Florida Teacher Certification Exam. 2) Reaching Fulfilled on 6 of the 12 Accomplished Practices or reaching Bridging on 12 Accomplished Practices in the CDN E-Portfolio. 3) Documentation of passing 3 out of 5 section on the ESOL Portfolio (*For Candidates admitted in Fall 2011 and thereafter).
• EDG 6947 – There are two options for the Internship portion of the course:
• Full Time Teachers: For a student who is a full time teacher in an ESE Classroom: The student will follow the school policies and expectations along with the requirements and expectations outlined in the EDG 6947 syllabus.
• Traditional Internship: For a student who is taking the traditional Internship route: The student will follow the requirements and expectations of the traditional Internship program along with the requirements and expectations outlined in the EDG 6947 syllabus.
• All previous coursework, certifications, and endorsements that are being considered as having met program competency must be included with the Planned Program upon acceptance into the program.This includes ESOL endorsement or the inclusion of the three ESOL courses and completion of the ESOL portfolio.
Forms/Documents for Students
Please visit our Forms & Documents for Students section to download and print documents and forms.
Internship/Seminar Information
Please visit our College of Education Internship Office section to navigate through the internship and practicum process.
FTCE Information
Please visit our FTCE exam section to navigate through the Florida Teacher Certification Exam process.
Portfolio / E-Portfolio
Please visit our Portfolio section to navigate through the portfolio/e-portfolio process. Information on the paper based portfolio for MAT Candidates in Exceptional Students Education can be found on the website.
Graduation Requirements & Dates
Please visit our Graduation section to navigate through the graduation process.
Other Information
