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The SNC M.Ed. program in Advanced Teaching and Leadership is designed for licensed teachers who desire to enhance their teaching practices and develop their leadership skills in the classroom and in the community. The program seeks to encourage teachers as leaders in schools, in communities and in the world. Within these leadership roles, the M.Ed. program in Advanced Teaching and Leadership will help teachers explore and develop their skills as exemplary teachers, supporters of sustainable education and agents of change. Coursework in this program will prepare teachers to balance innovation and stability, focusing on the importance of creating a classroom environment that supports a diverse community of learners while directing the development of school and community programs that will encourage learning beyond the classroom. Teachers in this program will enhance their abilities to teach by pursuing an area of specialization that will qualify them to work with diverse learning groups and will establish themselves as educational leaders by working with curriculum, becoming mentor/master teachers, developing new initiatives and participating in other activities that improve schooling for children.
Master of Arts in Teaching/Combined Licensure
Sierra Nevada College can put you at the head of your own classroom in record time. In this combined program, you can earn your teaching certification in just three semesters (Phase I), and a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) with just nine additional academic credits (Phase II). Convenient evening, weekend and summer classes are offered at Sierra Nevada College’s Lake Campus in Incline Village, and at locations in Reno and Las Vegas. Small classes, innovative curricula and expert faculty add up to an A+ learning experience for Licensure/MAT candidates at Sierra Nevada College.
Teacher Licensure | Easy as One, Two, Three
Sierra Nevada College’s teacher certification program is based on nationally recognized INTASC standards and features a modular program of study that leads to eligibility for an elementary or a secondary teaching certification. The "fast track" program is divided into three semesters: Educational Foundations, Teaching Methods, and Student Teaching.
Master of Arts in Teaching: Phase I
From Our Classroom to One of Your Own in 12 Months
Semester One | Educational Foundations
In Semester One, Educational Foundations, you will be introduced to the sociological and psychological aspects of education: learning how students learn, what motivates them to learn, and what effects different environments can have on learning. Five courses are taken during Semester One: EDUC 510, EDUC 515, EDUC 540, EDUC 555, ELEM 501 or SECD 501/502, for a total of 14 credits.
Semester Two | Teaching Methods
Semester Two introduces time-tested core teaching methods. You’ll become acquainted with various theories of learning, and compare and contrast an array of teaching styles and classroom practices. For Elementary licensure, five classes are taken during Semester Two: ELEM 502, ELEM 510, ELEM 512, ELEM 520, and ELEM 521, for a total of 14 credits. For Secondary Licensure, four classes are during Semester Two: SECD 511/519, SECD 524, SECD 532, and SECD 580, for a total of 11 credits.
Semester Three | Student Teaching
Once you complete the first two semesters, pass all required testing, and submit a request for student teaching, you will enter the Student Teaching module, a 16-week teaching experience in a school environment. Student teachers enroll and participate in a weekly seminar course during this portion of the program. The student teaching portion of Phase I totals at 8 credits for both Elementary and Secondary licensure.
Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) | Just Nine More Credits
Once you obtain your teaching license and pass all required tests, the MAT can be achieved by completing nine additional credits. Coursework includes two classes in Research Methods, followed by an Action Research Project or Thesis. Students have up to seven years to complete the Licensure/MAT program. Once you have completed the licensing phase, you can continue teaching while completing coursework for your Masters in the Art of Teaching Degree at your leisure with evening, weekend, and summer classes.
Master of Arts in Teaching: Phase II
Class One | Educational Issues and the Research Process
EDUC 610, Educational Issues and the Research Process, explores the current critical issues in the field of education, including the issue of teachers as learners. Students learn the steps of the research process, demonstrate their ability to think critically, develop their own opinions based on research, and apply their findings to their classroom practices. During the course, students develop an annotated bibliography on an educational topic of their choice.
Class Two | Education Research Methods
EDUC 620, Education Research Methods, is designed to familiarize novice researchers with basic research concepts. Students engage in evaluating published research.
Class Three | Action Research Project or Thesis
EDUC 630, Action Research Project or Thesis, engages students in a research topic of their own choosing. Students submit a research proposal, including rationale for a small scale classroom-based research project, which relates directly to personal professional development and identified student need. Students then carry out the project and engage in systematic and rigorous analysis to evaluate the planning processes and outcomes.
Teacher Recertification
Classes are offered to those with a valid Nevada teaching license for license recertification in the areas of Gifted and Talented, TESL, and TESL/Bilingual. The classes also may be used towards an endorsement in those fields. Special Education classes, with specific approval from the Special Education Division of the Nevada Department of Education, are offered which can be used towards a “Generalist” endorsement under the “options” program. To accommodate teachers, all classes are offered late afternoons, evenings, and weekends.
Required Testing & Nevada Department of Education
For information on all required testing please click here or visit the Nevada Department of Education (NDOE) website. The Nevada Department of Education is an excellent resource for information on obtaining your Nevada Teacher Licensure. The website outlines all requirements, fees, stipulations, and licensure descriptions/types; in addition, it provides Nevada Teacher Licensure forms online as well as additional resources. The NDOE website is also a great starting point for students interested in Secondary Licensure, as it contains a list of teachable majors and the guidelines for each.
Teacher Education Department