UNL to offer accelerated master's degree program in elementary teaching

For those who always had a desire to teach but ended up going into another field, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Education and Human Sciences has a new program that can reopen the door to a teaching career.

In May, the Department of Teaching, Learning and Teacher Education will inaugurate a full-time, 14-month master of arts degree program that will lead to certification in K-6 elementary education in Nebraska. The program is designed for qualified graduate students who have earned a bachelor's degree outside the field of education with at least a 3.0 grade-point average within the last 10 years (including spring 2009) and who can commit to an intensive and accelerated pathway to a career in the teaching profession.

"We're looking for applicants who have a strong desire to teach and lead the profession," said Stephen Swidler, associate professor of teaching, learning and teacher education and program coordinator. "This program offers a way to enter the field of elementary teaching for people with degrees in the natural sciences, social sciences, arts or humanities, but not a teaching credential."

The program will be cohort-based, with the first cohort of up to 25 candidates enrolling in the UNL summer pre-session starting May 18 and finishing with the first summer session in July 2010.

Forty-four credit hours of academic work are required, but one of the centerpieces of the program is a nine-month school internship in the Lincoln Public Schools.

"Our students will be in the classroom mentored by experienced LPS teachers from the first day to the last day of classes (in 2009-10)," he said. "LPS has been a strong, enthusiastic partner and has really helped make this program possible."

One of the program's requirements is relevant experience working with children, but Swidler said it doesn't have to be extensive. Some examples he gave are teaching Sunday school and working with youth groups in community settings.

The program has a two-part application process. Applicants must apply for admission to the UNL Graduate College by Feb. 15. Write to University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 1100 Seaton Hall, PO Box 880619, Lincoln, NE 68588-0619, telephone (402) 472-2878 or (800) 742-8800, or apply online at www.unl.edu/gradstudies. Application to the Department of Teaching, Learning and Teacher Education is due by March 1. Write to TTLE Graduate Committee, 118C Henzlik Hall, Lincoln, NE 68588-0385, telephone (402) 472-3098, e-mail sdaehling1@unl.edu or visit http://cehs.unl.edu/tlte/maet/index.shtml. The department application form is available in Adobe Acrobat PDF format at http://cehs.unl.edu/tlte/maet/docs/MAETApp09REVISED.pdf.