Home /  Academics /  Graduate /  Middle Grades (M. S.) / 

Specialization in History and English

Middle School English (M.S.)

Initial Certification

Candidates interested in Middle School Education have a number of options. First, candidates seeking initial certification to teach in middle schools may study at either the masters or sixth-year level. A thirty-three credit course of study followed by a twelve-week Resident Teaching experience leads to the Masters. A six-year certificate of advance studies (CAS) is completed by thirty credit course of study followed by a Resident Teaching experience.  

Program Goals:
  1. The passionate, professional educator is knowledgeable about subject matter.
  2. The passionate, professional educator is committed to inquiry.
  3. The passionate, professional educator is responsive to diversity.

Admission Requirements:
  1. Bachelor’s Degree with at least a B- cumulative GPA;
  2. Passage of Praxis I or a waiver based on a combined Math and Verbal SAT score of over 1100 (Prior to March 1995, combined SAT scores of 1000 and after April 1995, combined SAT scores of 1100),  appropriate ACT and GRE scores may qualify;
  3. General education requirements: appropriate undergraduate major and course work in the  following areas: English, Math, Science, Social Sciences, Fine Arts or Foreign Language;
  4. U.S. History survey course covering at least 50 years;
  5. Two reference letters attesting to suitability for teaching, ability to do graduate work, and dispositions to be a lifelong learner;
  6. Personal essay of approximately 350 words addressing reasons for seeking a teaching career and personal attributes that support that aspiration.
      
Fieldwork and Resident Teaching:

Each student must complete fieldwork and Resident Teaching experiences. Fieldwork occurs concurrent with enrollment in coursework and may take one of two forms: either a district-paid internship or a self-paid field experience in local schools. Both experiences award six semester hours of credit. Interns work at a school in a  district selected by the Director of the Intern Program. Interns spend an entire school year following the schedule of the selected school district. Tuition for University of Bridgeport course work is fully paid resulting in a tuition free degree/certification experience in academically related course work. Alternatively, each traditional student may choose to complete fieldwork in a school of the student's choice as an observer, assistant to a teacher, or assistant in other instructional related activity. As a culminating project, students (both intern and traditional) produce portfolios centering on the program objectives.

The Resident Teaching experience is a full 60 days of teaching in a school under the direction of a trained Cooperating Teacher. The arrangement for the placements are made through the School of Education and are also supervised by University staff.

Course Requirements:
  1. Nine credit hours in foundations of education coursework (differentiated instruction, adolescent development, and special education).
  2. Twenty-four hours of professional education requirements (curriculum and methods of teaching, statutory state requirements, field experiences, and an appropriate elective).
  3. Sixty-day (twelve-week) Resident Teaching experience (six credit hours)