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Advanced Studies in Teacher Leadership

[1] Objectives

The Master of Science in Education in Advanced Studies in Teacher Leadership (ASTL) is a cross-disciplinary program designed to prepare candidates to become highly skilled and articulate classroom teachers who serve as leaders in their schools. It is designed to enhance and expand existing knowledge, skills, and dispositions of candidates while fostering the development of competencies expected of advanced educators. The program rests on the assumption that accomplished educators engage in reflective decision-making as they assess and extend their own professional practice. In addition to addressing the eight essential elements of UCA’s Professional Education Unit’s Conceptual Framework, the program incorporates standards and propositions from appropriate national professional organizations including the National Board for Professional Teacher Standards (NBPTS).

Upon completion of the program, ASTL graduates will demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary to

  1. Respond positively to classroom practices that enhance student learning.
  2. Critically analyze their own classroom practices and appropriately respond to their findings.
  3. Articulate the rationale for decisions they make regarding professional practice, classroom instruction, and classroom/school policies and procedures.
  4. Make informed decisions by reflecting on experiences both past and present to improve teaching practices that enhance student learning.
  5. Function as change leaders for the improvement of their schools.

This 30 hour graduate degree program consists of a 15-hour core and a 15-hour emphasis area, selected from the following:

  1. Teacher Leadership
  2. Gifted and Talented
  3. Early Childhood
  4. Elementary Mathematics Specialist
  5. Instructional Facilitator
  6. Writing Pedagogy
  7. Other Content Area
  8. English as a Second Language
  9. Career Orientation

Graduate candidates will complete 10 courses for the degree with the culminating experience being the creation and defense of a professional portfolio.

[2] Admission Requirements

Admission into the University of Central Arkansas Graduate Studies program will be required before enrolling in courses. Candidates must have an undergraduate degree with a 2.7 GPA in undergraduate work for full admission. Candidates are required to have a valid standard educator license. Candidates are to meet all Graduate School Bulletin requirements.

[2.1] Program Completion Requirements

Candidates must successfully complete the following program requirements to earn the Master of Science in Education in Advanced Studies in Teacher Leadership (ASTL):

  1. The ASTL program of study.
  2. The ASTL program key assessments.
  3. The ASTL portfolio process; and
  4. A minimum of two years full-time teaching experience.

[3] Retention Requirements

To be recommended for a degree, candidates must meet the following requirement: Complete all required course work with at least a 3.00 GPA with a maximum of six hours of “C” grades.

[3.1] Continuous Enrollment Requirement

College of Education graduate students are expected to maintain continuous enrollment throughout their program of study until achieving program completion. Specifically, College of Education graduate students are expected to be enrolled in at least two of the three semesters in a given calendar year (Spring, Summer I or II, and Fall). If a student must take a time-out, the student is expected to notify his/her home department. If a student fails to register for more than one semester out of three in a given calendar year, he/she may be ineligible for readmission unless granted by the home department.

[4] Program of Study

Core Curriculum: 15 hours required for degree

ASTL 6302 Models of Teaching
ASTL 6303 Teacher Leadership
ASTL 6305 Classroom Assessment
ASTL 6315 Investigation of Learning and Development Through Multiple Contexts
ASTL 6380 Research Methods

Emphasis Areas

  1. Teacher Leadership:

    ASTL 6310 Integrating Media and Technology into Teaching and Learning
    ASTL 6325 National Board: Processes, Procedures, and Products
    ASTL 6385 Curriculum Development
    ECSE 6366 Educational Programming for Students with Mild Disabilities
    SLMA 6310 Foundations of School Leadership

  2. Gifted and Talented:

    ECSE 6353 Introduction to Gifted Education
    ECSE 6355 Curriculum for Gifted Programs
    ECSE 6357 Creativity for the Gifted And Talented
    ECSE 6358 Strategies for the Gifted And Talented
    ECSE 6391 Advanced Practicum: Educational Practice in Gifted Education

  3. Early Childhood:

    ASTL 5302 Teaching in the Middle School
    ECSE 6336 Advanced Studies in Guidance and Management of Young Children
    ECSE 6338 Advanced Instructional and Assessment Strategies for Young Children
    ECSE 6366 Educational Programming For Students With Mild Disabilities
    ECSE 6374 Curriculum Rationale for Early Childhood Education

  4. Elementary Mathematics Specialist:

    MATH 5308 Mathematical Thinking for K-8 Teachers
    MATH 5309 Algebraic Thinking for K-8 Teachers
    MATH 5335 Geometry and Measurement and Their Applications
    MATH 6307 Advanced Topics for Mathematics Educators
    MATH 6312 Data Modeling for K-8 Teachers

  5. Instructional Facilitator:

    ECSE 6328 Strategic Instruction Model / Content Enhancement Routines
    ECSE 6329 Instructional Facilitation / Teacher Leadership
    ECSE 6350 Collaborative Teaching and Inclusive Settings
    SLMA 6310 Foundations of School Leadership
    SLMA 6312 School-Based Organizational Leadership

  6. Writing Pedagogy:

    LING 5310 Educational Linguistics
    LING 5320 Grammatical Structures of English
    WRTG 5320 Teaching Creative Writing: History, Theory and Practice
    WRTG 5330 Contemporary Composition: Theory and Practice
    WRTG 6310 Advanced Topics in Discourse Analysis

  7. Other Content Area:

    15 graduate content hours approved by academic advisor

  8. English as a Second Language:

    ASTL 5340 Cultural Diversity: Applications for Classrooms and Workplaces
    WLAN 5315 Methods of Teaching Second Languages
    WLAN 5325 Second Language Acquisition
    WLAN 5330 Second Language Assessment
    Three (3) graduate hours approved by academic advisor

  9. Career Orientation:

    ASTL 5311 Career Orientation
    ASTL 5312 Learning Experiences in Career Orientation
    ASTL 5325 Application of Computers in Education and Work
    ASTL 6310 Integrating Media and Technology into Teaching and Learning
    ASTL 6385 Curriculum Development

Candidates may be allowed to transfer a maximum of six graduate credit hours to the program.

[5] Graduate Course Links

[5.1] Courses in Advanced Studies in Teacher Leadership (ASTL)

Follow this link for ASTL course descriptions: course link.

[5.2] Courses in Other Areas (ECSE, SLMA, WRTG, LING, MATH)

Follow this link for ECSE course descriptions: course link.

Follow this link for SLMA course descriptions: course link.

Follow this link for WRTG course descriptions: course link.

Follow this link for LING course descriptions: course link.

Follow this link for MATH course descriptions: course link.