Master of Science in Education, MSEd

The degree of Master of Science in Education (M.S. Ed.) is designed for those who have completed an undergraduate degree and wish to enrich their professional lives in the field of education. The program leading to the degree (M.S. Ed.) can include the following areas of concentrations. Additional concentrations are available:

Teacher Leader
Leadership
Curriculum and Instruction
Curriculum and Instruction with BIL/ESL Endorsement

Teacher Licensure:

Special Education
Elementary Education
Secondary/Middle School Education

Master of Science in Education Counseling

Clinical Mental Health Counseling
School Counseling
College Student Personnel

Program Requirements:

The coursework required to complete the graduate program in Education consists of three major components totaling a minimum of 30 hours:

1. Additional hours of graduate level coursework in Education. This number may vary for students seeking licensure.
2. In addition to the basic licensure requirements, most secondary licenses require 32 lower/upper level hours in the content area. Other specific requirements apply to each content area. For specific information, please contact the Quincy University Licensure Officer or visit www.isbe.net.

Admission

Applicants are encouraged from individuals in all fields. All applicants are considered on an individual basis focusing on the applicant’s potential for successful completion of the program. Since applications are processed on a revolving basis, an individual accepted into the program may begin at the start of any term, providing space is available. Individuals who hold a bachelor’s degree and desire teacher licensure need to familiarize themselves with the additional requirements stated in the Education section. The M.S. Ed. Program is administered by the Director of the program in accord with guidelines of the M.S. Ed. Steering Committee.

Applicants must submit the following to the Quincy University Office of Graduate Studies:

1. Application - A completed Application for Graduate Admission
2. Official Transcripts - An official transcript from the college or university from which the applicant matriculated, verifying that the baccalaureate degree has been conferred. In addition, the applicant needs to provide official transcripts from any other college or university at which he or she may have undertaken any additional study, undergraduate or graduate.
3. Recommendations - Two completed recommendation forms from individuals who can address your academic and/or professional potential.
4. Educational Requirements - Applicants must have or will have completed a baccalaureate degree. Undergraduate cumulative GPA of 3.0/4.0 or higher may be recommended for admission. Applicants with GPAs between 2.8-3.0 may be considered for conditional admission.
5. Written Essay - A 300-500 word written statement by the applicant detailing how his or her work and life experiences influenced his or her area of study and is applicable to the concept of servant leadership.
6. Professional Resume
7. International Students - Applicants from non-English speaking educational institutions must submit the results of the TOEFL. Generally, a score of 550 for graduate admissions is acceptable evidence of a student’s ability to successfully study in an English-speaking environment. Also, the applicant must submit documentation showing how his/her education will be financed. A bank official must authorize this financial documentation.
8. Enrollment fee of $200 upon registration.

After receipt of the required materials, the Admissions Committee will determine whether the applicant is to be accepted into the program. Acceptance will be limited to holders of a baccalaureate degree from regionally accredited institutions and limited further to individuals showing promise of success in graduate study. An applicant’s potential for success is evaluated through a combination of the following indicators:

1. A candidate’s grade point average of 3.0 (on a scale in which “A” equals 4.0) or above for the last 60 hours of coursework; and/or
2. Teacher Licensure candidates will submit proof of passing both the Illinois Test of Academic Proficiency (or approved alternate) and the relevant Illinois state content test(s).
3. A satisfactory record as demonstrated by the letters of recommendation and/or interview by members of the M.S. Ed. Steering Committee.
4. A 300-500 word essay addressing the applicant’s abilities/experience directly related to the area of study.

Students who have a) completed their undergraduate major coursework, b) have senior status and c) who meet the grade point average requirements, but have not had the bachelor degree conferred, may, during their last year at Quincy University enroll in a graduate course and hold the credit in escrow pending acceptance into the master’s program.

The Admissions Committee reviews each person’s application. As there are several measures that are used in the application process, there is no one single factor that would qualify or disqualify a person. In some cases, in addition to the written application and supporting documentation, an applicant may be required to have an in-person interview with the Admissions Committee or its representative(s).

DISPOSITION

It is critical that future teachers possess an appropriate teaching disposition. Disposition may be defined as having the tendency to act in a way that is helpful to others. Dispositions really cannot be measured by academic grades. Therefore, a student must sign a form that he or she understands that the assessment by faculty of his or her disposition will be different from his or her academic grade. The student will also acknowledge that while his or her grades may be satisfactory, the faculty may evaluate his or her disposition as inappropriate, and may make a decision to remove the student from the program.

TRANSFER OF CREDIT

A student who has completed graduate Education credit elsewhere in an approved, accredited program may request that up to nine semester hours be transferred to Quincy University, accepted as transfer credit, and counted toward the M.S. Ed. degree. Generally, credits older than seven years will not be accepted. A grade of “B” or better is required for such transfer credit. Petition for transfer credit must be made to the Dean of the School of Education. Credits earned through correspondence courses are not accepted and only four semester hours of workshop and/or in-service credit may be accepted.

ACADEMIC REGULATIONS

GRADES: The grading system used by the M.S. Ed. program is described in the current catalog under Graduate Academic Policies.

Graduate credits are earned in courses for which a student receives a grade of “C” or better. Normally, no more than two courses with a “C” or “C+” grade are allowed and a student is required to maintain a 3.0 cumulative grade point average (GPA). A student whose cumulative GPA falls below 3.0 will be placed on probationary status. Failure to raise the GPA to 3.0 by the end of the following semester of coursework will result in the academic dismissal of the student from the program. A grade of “F” may result in academic dismissal. A student may appeal an academic dismissal in writing to the Graduate Appeals Committee, which makes decisions on a case-by-case basis. A second academic dismissal is final.

In exceptional cases, a grade of Incomplete (IN) may be given to a student. The decision to give a grade of “IN” rests solely with the instructor. All requirements for the course must be completed as stipulated in the Incompletes section of the Graduate Academic Policies. Failure to do so will result in the grade of “IN” automatically being changed to an “F” at the end of the following term.

A Deferred (DE) grade may be given for a project, internship, thesis, or clinical experience that is incomplete at the end of a semester.

The policies and schedule regarding withdrawal from the M.S. Ed. Program are identical to those in the undergraduate program.

CANDIDACY REQUIREMENTS: A student may attain the M.S. Ed. degree in one of the following ways:

1. Minimum of 30 semester hours including an assessment course.
2. Minimum of 30 semester hours including Practicum I and II.
3. Minimum of 30 semester hours including Internship I and II.

Note: Some degrees are more than 30 hours.

TIME FRAME: Matriculated graduate students in the M.S. Ed. program are encouraged to enroll in at least two courses each semester, including summer. Students may choose to take fewer courses. A minimum of one course per year is required to maintain candidacy. Prior coursework taken must also be in the six-year time frame. There is a six-year time limit from acceptance to completion of a graduate degree program with no more than one year between enrollments. Failure to comply could result in the student being dropped from the program. To be readmitted, a student must complete a re-admission application and is required to follow the rules, regulations, and requirements in effect at the time of reapplication.

ACADEMIC LOAD: The academic load is normally limited to 9 hours during each of the fall, spring, and summer semesters.

RESIDENCY: There is a 21 credit hour residency requirement. This means that a minimum of 21 credit hours must be taken at Quincy University. The entire program must be completed within six years of date of acceptance. An extension may be granted for extraordinary reasons upon petition to the Dean of the School of Education. Students with an adequate undergraduate background in education could complete the required coursework at a faster pace if desired.

PRACTICUM/INTERNSHIPS: No more than six (6) credit hours of practicum/internship can be credited toward the master’s degree.

Graduation

A student becomes eligible for graduation upon successful completion a minimum of 30 hours of graduate courses as outlined in the Candidacy Requirements, with a cumulative grade point average of 3.0. Students must apply for graduation with the Registrar according to the Application for Graduation directions under Graduate Academic Policies. Students with six (6) or fewer credits to complete for their master’s degree may participate in the May Commencement ceremony.