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 and efficacy 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. Writing Pedagogy
6. Content Area/Generalist
7. English as a Second Language
8. 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.

[3] Program Completion Requirements

Candidates must successfully complete the following program requirements to earn the Master of Science in Education (MSE) in Advanced Studies in Teacher Leadership (ASTL) within the six years allotted time set forth by the Graduate School:

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

[4] 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.

[5] 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, 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. The Graduate School policy requires that all students complete their program of student within a six year time period.

[6] Program of Study

Core Curriculum (15 hours required)

Emphasis Areas

1. Teacher Leadership

   SLMA 6310 Foundations of School Leadership
   ELSE 6366 Educational Programming for Students with Mild Disabilities K-12
   SLMA 6330 Curriculum and Program Leadership
   ITEC 6368 Technology Planning and Leadership
   Elective (3 hours) as approved by the academic advisor

2. Gifted and Talented

   See also the Graduate Certificate in GATE below.

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

3. Early Childhood:

   Under development

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. 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

6. Content Area/Generalist:

   15 graduate content hours approved by academic advisor

7. 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

8. 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.

[7] Graduate Certificate (GC) in Gifted and Talented Education

The 15-hour graduate-level program is designed to prepare licensed teachers as collaborative professionals committed to working closely with other professionals and families to create the most effective learning environments for gifted and talented students. The program will provide candidates with a recognized certificate in Gifted Education, as well as give teachers formal acknowledgement of their graduate work without the completion of a master’s degree. The course requirement is the same as that for the GATE emphasis in the master’s program:

For more information, visit the Teaching and Learning web site.

[8] Graduate Course Links

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

Follow this link for ASTL course descriptions: course link.

[8.2] Courses in Other Areas (ELSE, GATE, ITEC, LING, MATH, SLMA, WLAN, WRTG)

Follow this link for ELSE course descriptions: course link.

Follow this link for GATE course descriptions: course link.

Follow this link for ITEC course descriptions: course link.

Follow this link for LING course descriptions: course link.

Follow this link for MATH course descriptions: course link.

Follow this link for SLMA course descriptions: course link.

Follow this link for WLAN course descriptions: course link.

Follow this link for WRTG course descriptions: course link.