Graduate Programs in Education

Vision

The vision of the Lewis University Department of Education is to be regionally recognized as a Midwest leader in providing value-oriented, collaborative, and research-based preparation programs for educators. Lewis University’s Department of Education is imbued with a Lasallian moral and ethical legacy. This heritage compels it to consider the central role education can and should take in the creation of a more equal and just society. Therefore, the Department of Education views its work as making a salient contribution to the amelioration of injustice and inequality through the preparation of educators who believe all can learn, challenge marginalizing discourses, and honor diversity. The Department of Education also aligns itself with John Dewey’s notion that the school is the primary vehicle of social progress. As such, it envisions the school as an important location for challenging and transforming social ills and seeks to prepare educators who are deeply discerning, knowledgeable, and critical lifelong learners. These are characteristics that are indispensable for a truly transformative educator.

Mission

In keeping with the University Mission, the Department of Education is committed to enacting the values of knowledge, justice, association, wisdom, and fidelity through the teaching and scholarship of the faculty, the design of academic programs, the content of the curriculum, the focus of school partnerships, and service to the larger community. A culture of critique, possibility, and inquiry is fostered where students and faculty recognize the political, social, moral, and economic dimensions of education; submit their own beliefs and understandings to scrutiny; challenge dominant discourses; and understand their responsibility as a social advocate for all students, especially the marginalized.

This mission requires candidates* and faculty to engage in ongoing reflection and dialogue while maintaining a willingness to wrestle with this difficult and complex work. In order to develop learning communities, candidates, faculty, and local school personnel should value diverse perspectives, collaborative decision-making, and interactive learning experiences. The Department of Education through the pre-service, advanced, and professional education programs encourages the development and practice of these integrated components.

*“Candidates” refers to individuals admitted to Lewis University’s Department of Education programs. “Students” refers to children and adolescents in P-12 schools.

Unit’s Conceptual Framework

The purpose of the Department of Education is to prepare candidates to be educators who possess the knowledge and skills of their profession and the values to use that knowledge in a way that will positively impact schools and the larger community. Faculty in the Department of Education are guided in this purpose by the mission and core values of Lewis University and the Department of Education; the general education requirements of the University; and the content, teaching, administrative, and counseling standards of the State of Illinois and the national professional organizations.

The resulting educational programs of the Department of Education are based on two important foundations: knowledge and values. The Department of Education believes that in order for candidates to be successful educators, they must not only possess content and pedagogical knowledge, but they must also embrace the moral values represented by the Catholic and Lasallian traditions of Lewis University. Professional preparation needs to be enhanced by the values of wisdom, justice, and fidelity. The Department of Education believes that this occurs best in a spirit of association which the Department of Education enacts through the overriding mission which focuses on the development of an ethic of community.

The Lewis University Department of Education prepares candidates using the following unit standards: Standard (1) knowledgeable critical transformative educators; Standard (2) multicultural educators; and Standard (3) social justice advocates. Following are the specific proficiencies expected for each of the above unit standards:

Standard 1: Knowledgeable Critical Transformative Educators

Candidate Proficiencies for Initial Programs

• Demonstrates knowledge of subject matter
• Demonstrates professional and pedagogical knowledge and skills
• Demonstrates knowledge of critical pedagogical content
• Integrates technology in teaching
• Demonstrates ability to assess student learning
• Reflects on professional experiences*
• Acts on professional convictions*

Candidate Proficiencies for Advanced Programs

• Demonstrates in-depth knowledge of subject matter
• Demonstrates professional knowledge and skills
• Implements a robust knowledge of critical pedagogical content
• Integrates technology in practices
• Creates positive environments for student learning
• Reflects on professional experiences*
• Acts on professional convictions*

Standard 2: Multicultural Educators

Candidate Proficiencies for Initial Programs

• Demonstrates knowledge of personal prejudices and biases
• Demonstrates knowledge of the cultural aspects of schools and classrooms as non-neutral cultural space
• Demonstrates behavior necessary to work with students, families, and communities of various cultures
• Demonstrates knowledge of cultural issues involved in appropriately assessing student learning
• Demonstrates ability to adapt instruction and services appropriately for all students, including students with exceptionalities

Candidate Proficiencies for Advanced Programs

• Articulates personal prejudices and biases and knows their impact on teaching and learning
• Demonstrates knowledge of schools and classrooms as non-neutral cultural space and the implications for teaching and learning
• Demonstrates behavior necessary to work with students, families, and communities of various cultures
• Demonstrates a thorough understanding of cultural issues involved in appropriately assessing student learning
• Creates positive environments for all students, including students with exceptionalities

Standard 3: Social Justice Advocates

Candidate Proficiencies for Initial Programs

• Demonstrates knowledge of institutional inequities
• Demonstrates knowledge of relevant communities to bring about change
• Challenges dominant discourses*
• Demonstrates fairness and belief all students can learn*

Candidate Proficiencies for Advanced Programs

• Articulates institutional inequities and their impact on teaching and learning
• Engages relevant communities to bring about change
• Challenges dominant discourses*
• Demonstrates fairness and belief all students can learn*

* Department of Education Dispositions

Dispositions

Embedded within Department of Education’s conceptual framework are the dispositions candidates are expected to develop while enrolled in academic programs. Professional dispositions are professional attitudes, values, commitments, and beliefs demonstrated through both verbal and non-verbal behaviors as educators interact with students, families, colleagues, and communities. The Department of Education’s dispositions were developed to enhance candidates’ abilities to achieve the unit standards. They include the following:

• Disposition to reflect on professional experiences
• Disposition to challenge dominant discourses
• Disposition to act on professional convictions
• Disposition to demonstrate fairness and belief all students can learn

The Department of Education believes educators need to understand how what they do in the classroom is linked to wider social, political, and economic forces and these dispositions are necessary to fully engage in the complexities of this work.

Accreditation

Lewis University is accredited by, and a member of, the Higher Learning Commission. All teacher education programs are approved for entitlement by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) in conjunction with the Illinois State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board.  

Graduate Degree options

The Department of Education offers the following avenues to fulfill graduate students’ needs:

Master of Arts (M.A.)

Elementary Education

Early Childhood Special Education

Foreign Language Instruction

Middle Level Education

Reading and Literacy

Secondary Education

Special Education

Master of Education (M.Ed.)

Curriculum and Instruction:

English as a Second Language
Technology Learning and Design
Literacy and English Language Learning

Reading Teacher

Teacher Leader

Principal Preparation

Doctorate of Education (Ed.D.)

Educational Leadership for Teaching and Learning

Licensure Endorsement Only

Candidates who already possess a Professional Educator License may complete the requirements for endorsements in:

Bilingual Education

Computer Science (6-12)

English as a Second Language (ESL)

Learning Behavior Specialist 1 (LBSI)

Middle School

Reading Teacher

Teacher Leader

Early Childhood Special Education Letter of Approval

The applicability of previous coursework will be determined by the specific Division Chair or Program Director.

Graduate Program Governance

The Academic Affairs Committee (AAC) of the Department of Education is responsible for leadership in developing, maintaining, and overseeing all education programs. The AAC establishes and implements regulations, policies, and procedures concerning the education programs in the Department of Education at Lewis University. The AAC makes recommendations for admittance to Department of Education degree programs.

Admission to Graduate Programs

Admission to the graduate education programs at Lewis University is based on the academic qualifications and appropriate experience of the applicant. It is made without regard to race, color, religion, irrelevant disability, age, gender, or sexual orientation. (Candidates refers to individuals who are admitted to or enrolled in education programs.)

Categories of candidate enrollment in the graduate education classes:

• Full Admission Status
• Provisional Admission Status
• Student-at-Large Status

See program information for additional admission requirements.

Full Admission Status

Candidates seeking a graduate degree and/or an Illinois State Teaching License or Endorsement must fulfill the following requirements:

1. Hold a baccalaureate degree from a regionally-accredited institution of higher education.
2. Enter with a minimum undergraduate grade point average of 2.75 (on a 4.00 scale) in the last 60 undergraduate hours.

   OR

   Request provisional admission from the program faculty. If granted provisional admission, a cumulative GPA of 3.0 based upon the completion of three graduate courses at Lewis University with no grade lower than a B must be maintained.

3. Complete a graduate application form; the application is to be accompanied by a non-refundable application fee payable to Lewis University. The application fee is waived for alumni of Lewis University.
4. Submit two completed Department of Education recommendation forms from professional contacts, such as professors, employers, or supervisors. Recommendations are to be submitted on the form available from the Department of Education office.
5. Submit two complete official transcripts from all institutions previously attended.
6. Have a personal interview with a Department of Education representative to discuss the student’s goals and to set up the program of study.
7. Complete a satisfactory Graduate Writing Assessment administered by the Department of Education within the first semester of graduate study at Lewis. The Graduate Writing Examination for initial programs may be taken 3 times. Students who fail the examination are urged to seek assistance from the Writing Center or enroll in a developmental writing course. Students who already possess a master’s degree will submit a writing sample in lieu of the writing exam, using the protocol available from the Department Chair.
8. International students from non-English speaking countries are required to certify proficiency in reading and writing English; achievement of at least the 65th percentile for the applicant’s nationality group on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is required.
9. Be accepted by the Academic Affairs Committee for the Department of Education. (Students will be informed in writing of the decision of the Academic Affairs Committee.) Preferably, full admission status should be received within the first semester completed at Lewis University.

Provisional Admission Status

Students who apply for full admission status and are deficient in one or more of the requirements for full admission may be granted provisional status until the deficiencies are removed. Deficiencies must be removed within 9 semester hours of graduate coursework taken at Lewis University. Students will be informed in writing of the decision of the Academic Affairs Committee when full admission status is achieved.

Student-at-Large Status

A student with a baccalaureate degree who wants to take certain graduate courses may be admitted as a student-at-large by meeting the following requirements:

1. Submit official documentation of baccalaureate degree from a regionally-accredited institution of higher education.
2. Complete a graduate application form; the application is to be accompanied by a non-refundable application fee payable to Lewis University. The application fee is waived for alumni of Lewis University.  

Nine semester hours of coursework may be completed as a student-at-large as the maximum credit toward an advanced degree, should a student-at-large seek full graduate admission status.

Admission to the Ed.D. Program

Admission to the Ed.D. program at Lewis University is based on the academic qualifications and appropriate experience of the applicant. Applicants are admitted without regard to race, color, religion, irrelevant disability, age, gender, or sexual orientation.

Categories of student enrollment in the program:

• Full Admission Status
• Provisional Admission Status

Full Admission Status

Students seeking the Ed.D. must meet the following requirements:

1. Hold at minimum a master’s degree in an educationally-related field from a regionally-accredited institution of higher education.
2. Complete a graduate application form.
3. Complete a written essay on a topic identified by the Department of Education.
4. Submit two completed letters of recommendation on Lewis University forms from professors, employers, or advisors.
5. Submit complete official transcripts from all institutions previously attended.
6. Personal interview with a Department of Education representative to discuss the student’s goals and to set up sequence of courses.
7. International students from non-English speaking countries are required to certify proficiency in reading and writing English; achievement of at least the 65th percentile for the applicant’s nationality group on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is required.
8. Be accepted by the Academic Affairs Committee for the Department of Education. Students will be informed in writing of the decision of the Academic Affairs Committee.

Provisional Admission Status

Students who have provisional admission status must meet all requirements as determined by the Program Director. Full admission status must be achieved within 12 semester hours of coursework.

Transfer Procedures and Time Limitations

Each program specifies a maximum number of semester hours of graduate level work which may be transferred from regionally-accredited institutions of higher education completed within the last five years, with no grade lower than a B if the coursework is appropriate to the program’s objectives in graduate education at Lewis. The applicability of previous coursework will be reviewed by the appropriate Division Chair/Program Director in conjunction with the student’s proposed program of study at the time of application for admission to the degree program. The Division Chair’s/Program Director’s review of appropriateness is final.

Courses from outside the United States evaluated as graduate level by the Commission of Accreditation of the American Council on Education may be included as long as the appropriate transfer total is not exceeded and the coursework is appropriate to the student’s program of study.

Students who wish to take courses elsewhere after matriculation at Lewis must receive prior written approval from the appropriate Division Chair/Program Director in order to ensure that the credit will be accepted in transfer.

Students must complete all requirements within 5 years from the time of completion of the first graduate course at Lewis University.

All requirements for the doctoral degree must be completed within 10 consecutive years of initiation of coursework.

Financial Assistance

Information and applications for Lewis scholarships can be obtained in the Office of Financial Aid Services or on the Lewis website.

 

 

The Department of Education is very fortunate to have several donors who support scholarships for candidates across the various programs.  The Financial Aid Office can assist candidates with other forms of financial aid.

Lasallian Book Scholarship

The Lasallian Book Scholarship was established anonymously in 2007 by a Lewis alumnus inspired by John Baptist de La Salle’s life and legacy. Born over 350 years ago, De La Salle is the patron saint of educators and a pioneer in founding training colleges for teachers. The Scholarship recognizes the commitment of Lewis University’s faculty and staff in their endeavor to educate those who might otherwise be neglected. It honors the Lasallian mission of educating the complete person and the spirit of association which develops community in all teaching, learning, and service.

Dr. Martha H. Rusnak Scholarship for Reading Professionals

The Dr. Martha H. Rusnak Scholarship for Reading Professionals was established in June of 2009 to honor Martha Rusnak, Professor Emeritus, who developed the Graduate Reading and Literacy Program. During her tenure at Lewis University, she mentored numerous individuals. The scholarship was established to assist graduate students who are preparing to become reading professionals.

Dr. Edward T. Rancic Endowed Scholarship

The Dr. Edward T. Rancic Endowed Scholarship was established in May 2000 to honor the late faculty member of the School of Education. After a distinguished career as a teacher, administrator, superintendent, and college faculty member, Dr. Rancic passed away in December 1999. The scholarship was established by his family, friends, and the School of Education to assist students who are furthering their careers by earning advanced degrees and certification.

 

 

 

 

Gateways to Opportunity Scholarship Program

The Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) in conjunction with other agencies has developed the Gateways to Opportunity Scholarship Program that enables practitioners in Early Care and Education to enroll in degree programs leading to licensure.  Candidates in the Early Childhood program may apply for this scholarship.  Recipients will receive a percentage of the cost of tuition and fees.  This is a needs-based scholarship program.

Ed.D. Catholic/Lasallian Scholarship

Lewis University is dedicated to Catholic and Lasallian education and prepares qualified Joliet Diocesan teachers/administrators and Lasallian educators in the Chicagoland area for Catholic school leadership.  This scholarship is for Catholic/Lasallian future school leaders seeking an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership with a Moral and Ethical Framework. 

Reach Your Goals Scholarship Program

This exciting program is organized by Resources for the Education of Adults in the Chicago area (REACh) and is designed to assist the growing number of adult learners over the age of 25 to enroll in graduate studies. Visit their Web site at www.reach-chicago.org

Graduate Assistants in Education

The Department of Education hires both academic and staff graduate assistants. All Department of Education graduate assistants must be enrolled in a graduate program, be in good academic standing, and be able to complete various tasks including designing and maintaining spreadsheet files, maintaining student files, and working with the Department of Education faculty and staff on academic/administrative projects.

Academic graduate assistants must be available to work 100 hours during the semester. In exchange, one three credit hour graduate course is offered free of charge. The application form for an academic graduate assistant position can be found in the Guide for Initial Teacher Licensure Program Candidates or the Advanced Program Candidate Guide. These handbooks can be found on Blackboard.

The staff graduate assistant positions require the graduate assistant to work 20 hours per week for the 16 weeks of the fall and spring semesters or 20 hours per week for the summer term, beginning in May and ending in August. These positions offer 6 to 9 credit hours of graduate tuition plus stipends for the fall, spring, and summer semesters. For more information on these positions, please visit the employment section of the Human Resources page on the University website.

Good Academic Standing

See Good Academic Standing.

General Education Requirement for Master’s Program

The Department of Education believes that all teachers need a broad, liberal arts education from which to draw knowledge and experience relating to the world around them. To ensure that candidates completing Lewis University initial licensure programs hold to this ideal, we require certain coursework in the liberal arts areas. Candidates are expected to complete courses in humanities, natural sciences, social sciences, and mathematics that provide the foundation of a liberal arts education. Candidates who have completed a bachelor’s degree at another university should have their transcripts evaluated by the Program Director to assess whether or not they have met the liberal arts requirement. If the requirement has not been met, students will complete the deficiencies before clinical practice. These courses may be taken at the undergraduate level. A grade of C or better must be earned.

Field Experiences, Clinical Practice, Internships, Practicum

All Department of Education licensure programs have requirements for work in P-12 schools and classrooms through field experience and clinical practice (initial licensure programs) and internship and practicum (advanced licensure programs). The ability to demonstrate application of knowledge, skills, and dispositions in an educational setting is essential to ensure the readiness of the candidate to earn their degree and/or licensure. Successful completion of the experience is required and is defined by both acceptable performance in the classroom/school and acceptable completion of coursework. Successful completion of only one of the two components may result in repeating the experience. Successful performance is measured by the evaluations and observations by the mentor teacher and/or University supervisor. Candidates must earn a C or better in field experience, clinical practice, internship, or practicum. These experiences are often arranged in diverse educational settings in which students from various cultural, socioeconomic, religious, and ability groups are represented.

Placements in all Initial Licensure Programs are made through the Clinical Coordinator’s office. Placements are determined by the professional Department of Education staff and faculty. For clinical practice/student teaching geographic consideration is given in regard to distance from home or campus. Candidates may not student teach or complete a field experience in a school where they attended or in a school or district where an immediate family is employed in any capacity. Candidates do not solicit or request a placement from a school on their own.

Internships and Practicum placement decisions differ based on program. Program Directors and Instructors will instruct candidates as to the requirements in that program.

Some programs allow field, clinical, internship or practicum in a school where a candidate is employed but require approval from the instructor or program director.

Fingerprint Background Checks

An FBI and Illinois State Police criminal background check is required for work in schools for field experiences, clinical practice, internships, or practicum. Candidates will be required to complete a background check either through an approved Department of Education vendor or through the school district where the candidate has been assigned.  As the presence of felonies on the criminal background check can prevent the candidate from obtaining a professional educator license, candidates are encouraged to review licensure requirements (105 ILCS 5/21-23a).  Candidates are required to incur all costs associated with fingerprint background checks.

Course Offerings and Credit

Courses are offered in the late afternoons, evenings, and weekends for the convenience of individuals working regular hours during the day. In addition, summer courses are offered. Required courses carry one to three semester hours of graduate credit. The typical load for a full-time graduate candidate is 3 courses, or 9 semester hours. For part-time, the typical semester load would be one or 2 courses, or 3 to 6 semester hours. Classes are offered in a sequence, permitting candidates to take a typical class load to complete the program within a time frame of two or three years.

Enrollment of Undergraduates in Master's Courses

See Undergraduate Students Enrolling in Graduate Courses.

Enrollment of Graduate Candidates in Undergraduate Courses

Undergraduate level courses do not meet degree requirements for graduate level degrees.

Dismissal Policy

A candidate may be dismissed from Department of Education degree and licensure programs for adequate reasons, including, but not limited to: insufficient GPA of below 3.0 for two consecutive semesters for Master’s/licensure candidates; insufficient GPA of below 3.0 for Ed.D. students; violations of academic honesty such as plagiarism or cheating; failure to meet the requirements for admittance and progression through a program; unacceptable conduct in conflict with the mission of Lewis University and the Department of Education; failure to meet Department of Education institutional standards and disposition requirements; failure to meet acceptable academic standards related to the teaching profession such as passing the required state licensure tests or acceptable standards for field experience requirements; interfering with other students' educational opportunities; hazing; sabotaging others’ work; threatening, intimidating, physically, and/or mentally harassing fellow candidates and faculty; and other violations that have the potential to cause harm to themselves or others.

If a candidate is subject to dismissal, the Department Chair sends a recommendation for dismissal in writing to the Academic Affairs Committee. The Academic Affairs Committee will review the recommendation and render a decision in writing to the candidate and to the Department Chair within two weeks.

A candidate wishing to appeal a dismissal decision should follow the Policies and Procedures for Appealing Other Academic Matters including Dismissal in the General Information section of this catalog.

For information regarding grade appeals, see the Grade Appeal Process of this catalog.

Comprehensive Examination

• All candidates seeking a master’s degree must take the Comprehensive Examination prior to graduation.
• Candidates are eligible to take the Comprehensive Examination after 27 semester hours of coursework have been completed for the M.A. and after 24 hours for the M.Ed.
• Candidates should request permission to take the Comprehensive Examination by Monday of the 15th week in the semester prior to the semester in which the examination will be taken. Permission forms for the Comprehensive Examination are available in the Department of Education office and on Blackboard.
• Upon receipt of the request to take the Comprehensive Examination, candidates will be notified of their permission to take the examination by their Division Chair/Program Director.
• The Comprehensive Examination will be administered each semester, including summer.
• The examination is evaluated on a Pass/Fail basis. Candidates will be notified concerning the results of the examination.
• In the event a candidate fails the examination, one retake will be permitted. Conferences and assistance are available from the appropriate Division Chair/Program Director in the event a candidate fails the first examination.

Master’s Recognition and Approval Status for Initial Licensure Programs

The teacher education programs at Lewis University are recognized by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) in consultation with the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board (SEPLB) for approval in the following areas: Initial Licensure Programs:

• Secondary Education - science with designations in biology, chemistry, or physics; social science with designations in history or psychology; English/language arts, and mathematics
• Early Childhood Special Education
• Elementary Education
• Foreign Language Education
• Middle Level Education with designations in science, English/language arts, social science, and mathematics
• Special Education

 

Evidence of successful completion of the appropriate State of Illinois test in the content area must be received in the Department of Education at least 30 days prior to the beginning of the student teaching semester in order to be allowed to student teach. The edTPA must be successfully completed before candidates can be cleared for entitlement by the institution’s Licensure Officer.

 

 

Passage of the edTPA is required of all initial licensure candidates during the clinical practice experience in order to obtain licensure from the State of Illinois.  Candidates will receive guidance on this performance assessment and the submission of the edTPA portfolio throughout their program.  The edTPA portfolio will be submitted electronically to Pearson, Inc. for scoring by an external, independent scorer in the candidate's discipline. If a candidate fails the edTPA, the university supervisor, the academic advisor, the department chair, and the candidate will determine the scope of needed remediation that could include resubmission of individual tasks from the instrument up to resubmission of the entire portfolio.  Candidates who must resubmit the entire portfolio may be required to reenroll in clinical practice the next semester.  Candidates are responsible for all costs related to resubmission or repeating clinical practice including tuition, fees, background checks, etc.  No candidate can obtain Illinois licensure without a passing score on the edTPA.

All Lewis University Department of Education preparation programs are subject to amendment by the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board (SEPLB), the Illinois State Board of Education, and the Illinois State Legislature.  Candidates will meet with their academic advisors at least once per semester and will be informed of any changes to program requirements.

Application for Licensure

Under normal circumstances, a candidate who completes a Lewis University approved program is recommended for licensure by entitlement.

The process of applying for licensure via entitlement includes the following steps:

1. Complete the requirements of the approved program and/or endorsement. Candidates seeking State of Illinois Licensure are required to pass content area exams in their specific discipline. Information regarding dates and times of the tests, registration, and study guides are available online (www.il.nesinc.com).
2. Complete the appropriate “Application for Licensure” form (available from the Department of Education or from the ISBE Website).
3. After program completion, the Licensure Officer for the Department of Education will process the candidate’s information through the ISBE system and inform the candidate of steps necessary to complete the process.
4. The candidate’s transcripts and all other required forms will be forwarded to the ISBE by the Licensure Officer for the Department of Education.