Master of Arts in Teaching
The Master of Arts in Teaching program is designed for students to explore the core principles of their chosen track, gaining a comprehensive understanding of pedagogy, curriculum development, and instructional strategies specific to their focus area. Whether aiming to teach young learners in elementary schools, specialize in a content area at the secondary level, or work with students with diverse learning needs, this program equips educators with the tools and knowledge necessary to excel in their chosen field.
Elementary Education | Secondary Content Area Education:
- Completion of required content coursework with a grade of “C” or better in each course
- A passing score on the Praxis II in the content area or the ACTFL Oral and Written for Spanish (for students pursuing a Secondary Content Area licensure only)
- Methods coursework in the content area
- Pre-Student Teaching field-experience in addition to a full-semester of Student Teaching
- Earn a passing score on the Wisconsin Foundations of Reading Test (for students pursuing elementary education only)
Cross-categorical Special Education:
- Completion of required content coursework with a grade of “C” or better in each course
- Methods coursework in the content area
- Pre-Student Teaching field-experience in addition to a full-semester of Student Teaching
- Earn a B or better in EDUC-681
Admission
Admission Requirements for all Graduate Programs in Education (degree, license, endorsement, or certificate) include the following, but may include additional program-specific admission requirements:
- A minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 2.75
- Completion of required content coursework from undergraduate degree in field of study with a grade of “C” or better
- All requirements for any graduate program in education must be completed within seven years from the date of application to the graduate program.
- Coursework must have been taken within the last seven years from the date of application to be applied to program requirements, with the exception of Iowa Educational Leadership programs which is limited to five years.
- A student must have a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 to complete any graduate program in education and a grade of C or higher earned in all Viterbo University coursework.
- Students who have completed any Viterbo University graduate program within the last seven years may use up to 15 credits of eligible graduate-level courses to satisfy the elective requirements for degree candidacy in the Master of Arts in Education Program.
Transfer Credit
Upon acceptance, a student may transfer up to six credit hours of graduate credit taken within seven years of the application date.
Developed by the Interstate Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (InTASC) and adopted by Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI)
• PUPIL DEVELOPMENT – The teacher understands how learners grow and develop, recognizing that patterns of learning and development vary individually within and across the cognitive, linguistic, social, emotional, and physical areas, and the teacher designs and implements developmentally appropriate and challenging learning experiences.
• LEARNING DIFFERENCES – The teacher uses understanding of individual differences and diverse cultures and communities to ensure inclusive learning environments that enable each learner to meet high standards.
• LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS – The teacher works with others to create environments that support individual and collaborative learning and that encourage positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self-motivation.
• CONTENT KNOWLEDGE – The teacher understands the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of the discipline(s) he or she teaches and creates learning experiences that make these aspects of the discipline accessible and meaningful for learners to assure mastery of the content.
• APPLICATION OF CONTENT – The teacher understands how to connect concepts and use differing perspectives to engage learners in critical thinking, creativity, and collaborative problem solving related to authentic, local, and global issues.
• ASSESSMENT – The teacher understands and uses multiple methods of assessment to engage learners in their own growth, to monitor learner progress, and to guide the teacher’s and learner’s decision making.
• PLANNING FOR INSTRUCTION – The teacher plans instruction that supports every student in meeting rigorous learning goals by drawing upon knowledge of content areas, curriculum, crossdisciplinary skills, and pedagogy, as well as knowledge of learners and the community context.
• INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES – The teacher understands and uses a variety of instructional strategies to encourage learners to develop deep understanding of content areas and their connections and to build skills to apply knowledge in meaningful ways.
• PROFESSIONAL LEARNING AND ETHICAL PRACTICE – The teacher engages in ongoing professional learning, uses evidence to continually evaluate his/her practice, particularly the effects of his/her choices and actions on others (learners, families, other professionals, and the community), and adapts practice to meet the needs of each learner.
• LEADERSHIP AND COLLABORATION – The teacher seeks appropriate leadership roles and opportunities to take responsibility for student learning, to collaborate with learners, families, colleagues, other school professionals, and community members to ensure learner growth, and to advance the profession.
• VITERBO STANDARD – The teacher demonstrates personal qualities and values which reflect the Franciscan values identified in the Viterbo University teacher education conceptual framework.