M.A. with Teacher Certification

Secondary Education Specialization

The Master of Arts with Teacher Certification Program in Secondary Education is designed for individuals who are seeking initial Rhode Island Teacher Certification while working toward a master’s degree in Education.

Admission to this program requires that you submit an online application through the URI Graduate School.

Students who have completed a major in the subject area they expect to teach (English, history, foreign language, mathematics, general science, biology, chemistry, physics, or social studies) may count those courses toward the requirements for teacher certification. See specific undergraduate course requirements in the specialization areas.

Certification requires a minimum of 30 credits within your subject area. To determine how many courses are required for your completion of the program, you can match course requirements with undergraduate transcripts. A formal course of study listing all required courses will be completed after admission to the program.

As a master’s degree candidate, you are required to take 3 graduate level courses for 9 credits total in your subject area (e.g., biology, French, history). At least 15 credits for the MA must be taken at the 500 or 600 level. You should confer with your advisor regarding the selection of the 3 graduate level courses. You may be able to take master’s level courses which meet the content requirements for teacher certification, thereby meeting both certification and master’s requirements at once.

Program Requirements

If you are interested in taking courses prior to admission to the program, we recommend that you fulfill subject area requirements (English, science, mathematics, foreign language, physics) or complete EDC 250, EDC 503, and EDC 512 (a prerequisite for a number of educational courses).

The following sequence focuses on specific courses required for teacher certification. Upon entering the School of Education, all MA/TCP students are required to meet with their advisor to determine a Program of Study, including courses for completion of the Masters Degree.

A suggested two-year program of study follows:

Prior to Admission

  • EDC 250: Supervised Pre-Professional Field Experience (1 credit)
  • EDC 502: The Modern Curriculum Movement
    or
    EDC 503: Education in Contemporary Society (3 credits)
  • EDC 512: The Psychology of Learning (3 credits) (pre-req: PSY 113 or equivalent)
  • (If needed, content courses toward equivalent of BA in subject major)

After Admission

Year 1 – Fall Semester

  • EDC 331: Clinical Experiences for Secondary Education 1 (1 credit)
  • EDC 371: Educational Measurements (3 credits)
  • EDC 400: Middle School Curriculum, Assessment and Methods (3 credits) (Only if seeking Middle level endorsement)
  • Graduate content elective

Year 1 – Spring Semester

  • EDC 332: Clinical Experiences for Secondary Education 2 (1 credit)
  • EDC 402: Educating Students with Special Needs in Inclusive Setting (3 credits)
  • EDC 448: Literacy Practices for Content Subject (3 credits)
  • Graduate content elective

Year 2 – Fall Semester

  • EDC 415: Adolescents & Classroom Management (3 credits)
  • EDC 430/431: Methods and Materials in Secondary Teaching (4 credits)
    (limited to students accepted into respective education departments)

Year 2 – Spring Semester

  • EDC 484: Supervised Student Teaching (12 credits)
  • EDC 485: Seminar in Teaching (3 credits)
    Pre-requisite: Concurrent enrollment in corresponding section of EDC 484 and permission of chairperson.
  • No other courses can be taken

Completing the Master’s Degree

  • EDC 529: Foundations of Educational Research (3 credits)
  • EDC 574: Current Trends in Secondary Education (EDC529 is a prerequisite for EDC574) (3 credits)
  • Graduate content electives (9 credits)*

* MA/TCP candidates are required to meet with their academic advisor to determine required graduate level content major courses, totaling 9 credits.

In accordance with the 2019 Reauthorization of the Higher Education Act, URI hereby discloses only that the curriculum for this program meets the educational requirements for licensure as a Secondary Education Educator (in your chosen field of study) in the states of Rhode Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, Maine and Maryland. The applicable licensing board in these states may impose additional requirements on candidates prior to granting a license (e.g., passing of an exam; obtaining a certificate; performing additional clinical/practicum hours; etc.), and we encourage you to investigate those requirements with your licensing board. URI has not determined whether the curriculum for this program meets the educational requirements for licensure in any other states or territories and we encourage you to investigate the requirements in your state or territory.