G. Program Standards
The Programs
Undergraduate Teacher Education Program (4 year — Initial Teaching License)
Concordia University’s four-year undergraduate program provides teacher training on four levels (early childhood, elementary, middle and high school) and 13 endorsements (Art, Biology, Basic and Advanced Math, Chemistry, ESOL (add on only), General Business, Basic Marketing, Language Arts, Music, Social Studies, Health and Physical Education).
Undergraduate Christian Education Program (4 year — Director of Christian Education)
Concordia University’s four-year undergraduate program provides training for two professional church work (PCW) programs: the Christian Education program with Director of Christian Education certification (which adds a year-long internship for those seeking to qualify for DCE Certification within the LCMS), and Lutheran Teacher Certification (LTC) where graduates become eligible for placement in Lutheran schools throughout the nation and the world.
MAT — Master of Arts in Teaching (Initial Teaching License)
The MAT program accepts candidates who have already earned a Baccalaureate degree and wish to pursue initial teacher licensing. This program prepares teachers at the following authorization levels: Early Childhood, Elementary, Middle Level, and High School.
Continuing Teaching License (CTL)
The many program options inherent in Concordia’s continuing teaching license programs are designed to enable inservice educators who have already earned a masters degree to demonstrate the advanced competencies if they choose to seek the Oregon Continuing Teaching License.
M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction
The masters in curriculum and instruction provides experienced professional educators with a required core of current, research-based courses as well as an opportunity to select an elective strand from one of the following areas: leadership, methods and curriculum, health and physical education, English to speakers of other languages (ESOL), general business, early childhood education, and reading specialist.
M.Ed. for the Continuing Teaching License
Concordia’s M.Ed. programs can also assist inservice teachers who do not currently hold a masters degree to earn the Oregon required Continuing Teaching License. These programs emphasize collaboration, community building, and the use of technology and best practices to enhance the teaching and learning process.
M.Ed. in Education Leadership (Online)
This is a distance accessible graduate degree for education professionals who cannot regularly commute to a university campus. The program utilizes a variety of web-based technologies for instructional delivery and learner support to overcome barriers of time and distance.
M.Ed. TESL (Teaching English as a Second Language)
The College of Education in conjunction with the Department of International Studies offers this program for persons who will be working, not in the k-12 school system, but in other venues that work with second language learners.
Master of Education in Career and Technical Education (MCTE)
This degree is designed for professional technical teachers. It provides them with a graduate degree and the additional coursework necessary to complete the 15 quarter hour (9 semester hour) course work required by TSPC for the Three-year Professional Technical license.
M.Ed. Administration (Initial Administrator License)
This initial licensure program is embedded in a masters degree program. It provides future administrators with practical classroom experiences as well as research-based course work so they are prepared to meet the challenges of being a building administrator and are ready to building community within the school and within the community. This program is also available on line, except for the Practicum which will take place where they live with an onsite supervisor.
Post Masters Degree Initial Administrator License
This post M.Ed. program provides the appropriate and challenging coursework, as well as clinical school experiences, that will prepare the candidate to assume the role of principal or vice principal. This program is also available on line, except for the Practicum which will take place where they live with an onsite supervisor.
Continuing Administrator/Initial Superintendent License
This program is designed for educators who possess an Initial Administrator License and desire to continue their careers in school leadership positions or prepare for district level administrative posts. Completion of this program enables candidates to apply for the Oregon Continuing Administrator/Initial Superintendent License.
Post B.A. DCE (Director of Christian Education) Certification
The Post BA DCE Certification Program accepts candidates who have already earned a Baccalaureate degree and wish to qualify for DCE certification within the LCMS.
| Criteria | Undergraduate | MAT | M.Ed. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Official program application | Made during the second semester of the sophomore year or, in the case of upper level transfer students, within the first semester on campus | Candidates must apply by January 10th for full-time program and July 1st for part-time program for priority admission | Candidates may apply at any time |
| College Credits | Complete at least 40 semester hours of college credit prior to applying to the College (minimum of 124 necessary for graduation) | Proof of a Baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university | Proof of a Baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution via official transcripts from the college or university granting the degree. |
| Grade Point Average | A minimum GPA of 2.75 in endorsement (i.e., major) or any professional education courses | A 2.80 cumulative GPA for undergraduate work, and a 3.0 for any graduate courses taken | A 2.80 cumulative GPA for undergraduate work, and a 3.0 for any graduate courses taken |
| Testing | Passing score on one of the TSPC required basic skills tests: (1) California Basic Educational Skills Test (CBEST) OR (2) Praxis I: Pre-Professional Skills Test (PPST) or (3) Praxis I: Computerized Pre-Professional Skills Test (C-PPST) | Passing scores at the State of Oregon level on tests required for the specific authorization levels desired (i.e., Basic Skills, ORELA, MSAT, Praxis) | None required |
| Recommendations | Receive a positive recommendation from the education faculty admission review team | Two letters of reference dated within six months of application verifying potential for working with children or youth | Two letters of reference dated within one year of application verifying the applicant’s successful work with children or youth |
| Interviews | At discretion of College of Education faculty. | Screening interview with Admissions Office personnel or MAT Director | Interview with a member of the College of Education |
| Formal Acceptance | College of Education plenary faculty vote | Recommendation by College of Education screening committee | Recommendation by Graduate Program Director |
| Character Questionnaire And Fingerprinting | Completion of Oregon Teacher Standards and Practices Commission (TSPC) character questionnaire (PA-1) and fingerprinting card | Completion of Oregon Teacher Standards and Practices Commission (TSPC) character questionnaire | Completion of Oregon Teacher Standards and Practices Commission (TSPC) character questionnaire |
| Teaching Experience | None required | None required | One year of successful full or part-time licensed teaching experience in public schools or regionally accredited private schools (This is not a required for the MCTE or the M.Ed. TESL degree program.) |
*International students must have a minimum score of 230 on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (International Computer Score)
| Criteria | DCE | Post BA DCE |
|---|---|---|
| Official program application | Made during the second semester of the sophomore year or, in the case of upper level transfer students, during their second semester on campus | Candidates may apply at any time |
| College Credits | Complete at least 40 semester hours of college credit prior to applying to the College (minimum of 124 necessary for graduation) | Proof of a Baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university. Have a maturing relationship with Christ, and have been active in an LCMS church for at least one year. |
| Grade Point Average | A minimum GPA of 2.75 in endorsement (i.e., major) or any professional education courses | Achieved a minimum 2.5 gpa in a B.A. |
| Testing | None Required | Not applicable |
| Recommendations | Receive a positive reference from a Pastor or DCE active in a congregation, an education faculty and one other adult | Receive the support of your pastor. Request that two references be sent to the DCE director. One should be from your pastor, the other a work-related reference. |
| Interviews | One interview initiates the admission process and a second determines final admission. | Complete a professional development plan & autobiography followed by scheduling an interview with the director of DCE ministries and CU’s registrar. Participate in on-campus interview. |
| Formal Acceptance | College of Education plenary faculty vote | College of Education plenary faculty vote |
Selection of Partner Schools and Cooperating Teachers
Schools that partner with Concordia in preparing quality teachers must meet specific state standards and contain a student population that reflects variety in ethnic, cultural, and economic backgrounds. All mentor teachers must hold a valid Oregon or Washington license and have a minimum of three years of successful teaching experience (OAR 584-017-0070).
Concordia depends on the partner school’s principal or vice-principal to recommend cooperating teachers that exemplify the very best in teaching. Additionally, all clinical experience students from Concordia complete assessments of their cooperating teachers after EACH field placement (i.e., field experience, practicum, student teaching). Finally, the Concordia supervisors who work with cooperating teachers also make recommendations for quality mentors based on their work with these professionals.
Field Based Activities
Field based activities are experiences where the education candidates are assigned to classrooms at their authorization levels in partner schools to gain the “hands on” practice of planning, delivering, and assessing teaching and learning. Concordia students begin work in schools immediately. They are required to tutor during their first education class, take two field experiences, a practicum (completed in their supplemental authorization levels), and student teaching (at their preferred authorization levels).
| Field Activity | Description | Contact Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Tutoring | Candidates are required to provide tutoring assistance at any Oregon or Washington school. | Minimum of 30 |
| Field Experience | A combination of observation and teaching (a minimum of four lessons [1 credit] or six lessons [2 credits]) at a community school. | 45-hours (1 credit) or 90 hours (2 credits) |
| The Practicum | The practicum experience is a combination of part-time teaching experience while taking Curriculum & Instruction courses during the semester, and an additional 3-5 week full-time experience at the end of the semester in the same classroom. Students begin with observation, teach a minimum of six lessons, and gradually take on more responsibility. During the 3-5 week full-time experience, the elementary practicum students do solo teaching at least half- time and secondary practicum students teach full- time. Students must create and teach from one TSPC required work sample. The practicum experience fulfills clinical experience requirements for a supplemental authorization level. | 180 hours |
| Practicum | Post Baccalaureate Candidates complete a minimum of 90 when adding an authorization level or an endorsement. M.Ed. TESL students complete an additional 45 hours. | 90 — 135 hours |
| Student Teaching | Student Teaching is a full-time experience in a classroom at the preferred authorization level. All the responsibilities of a full-time teacher are assumed. Student Teaching is where the candidate comes as close as possible to planning, executing, and assessing instruction on an every day basis while still enjoying the support of a veteran, licensed mentor and university supervisor. One work sample is created and executed during this semester-long experience. | 600+ |
| DCE Field Experience | The DCE candidate is placed in a Christian school to observe and teach a minimum of four lessons. | 45 Hours |
| DCE Practicum | The DCE candidate is placed in a congregation for two semesters to help gain the practical knowledge and skills needed to effectively serve a parish as a Director of Christian Education. | 150 hours |
| DCE Internship | The candidate is placed in a parish for at least a year and serves the congregation as their Director of Christian Education. This is a salaried placement. | 1 year minimum |
| Program | Education Coursework in Semester Hours | Percentage of field-based activities in each program | Field-based experiences in clock hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| BA | 65 | 34% | 900+ |
| MAT | 44 — 51 | 32% — 39% | 690+ |
| DCE | 66 | 20% | 1400 + |
| Continuing Teaching License | 8 — 33 | 13% - 28% | 135 — 225 |
| M.Ed. C&I | 32 — 33 | 15% | 225 |
Proficiency Assessment Requirements
Each teacher education candidate must pass through five phases of readiness for teacher licensing — general academic coursework, professional testing, professional coursework, field-based experiences, and completion of work samples — prior to recommendation for licensing.
| Proficiency Area | Measure | Standard |
|---|---|---|
| Coursework | General Academic Coursework | Minimum GPA of 2.50 for undergraduates, and a 2.8 for MAT |
| Testing | Professional Testing (i.e., Basic Skills, MSAT, PRAXIS II) | Passing test scores at the state of Oregon required level |
| Coursework | Professional Education classes | Undergraduate — no grade lower than “C” in any professional education course; MAT — no grade lower than “B” in any professional education course |
| Field Based Activities | Tutoring, field experience, practicum, and student teaching | Satisfactory performance in all field based activities based on the Initial Teaching License competencies defined by Oregon’s Teacher Standards and Practices Commission (TSPC) |
| Work Samples* | Completion of two work samples | Successful creation of and teaching from two work samples based on university and TSPC guidelines. |
| Candidate Recommended for Licensing | ||
*What is the Work Sample? A work sample is a viable way for a candidate to document the ability to plan instruction that relates to state and district standards (write goals, objectives, lesson plans, and unit plans), conduct effective teaching and learning activities using instructional variety and different strategies, and design authentic assessment tools to evaluate the teaching-learning process and plan for further instruction.
Teacher Standards and Practices Commission (TSPC) requires teacher candidates to construct and teach from two work samples (OAR 584-017-0185 [2 a-f]). A work sample is a unit of related lesson plans. The length of the work sample can be from two weeks to five weeks in length (minimum of ten lessons). Concordia University requires one work sample during the Practicum and one during Student Teaching.