Teacher Education Program | Combined Licensure/Masters Degree
From Our Classroom to One of Your Own in 12 Months
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Welcome to the Teacher Education Department at Sierra Nevada College. We believe teaching is an exciting and fulfilling career in which the well prepared teacher can make a difference. Our mission is to provide you with the knowledge and training to make you a succesful teacher. Our Program is based on the nationally recongized INTASC standards and incorporates Nevada standards for what students should know and be able to do. This department is committed to continual improvement through the processes of reflection, self-study, and implementation of the most recent educational research.
Welcome to the Program! Teacher Education Department
Nevada Needs Teachers
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
Semester One | Educational Foundations
In Semester One, Educational Foundations, you will be introduced to the socialogical 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 Semseter 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 critcally, 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. Theclasses 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.
Welcome to the Teacher Education Department at Sierra Nevada College. We believe teaching is an exciting and fulfilling career in which the well prepared teacher can make a difference. Our mission is to provide you with the knowledge and training to make you a succesful teacher. Our Program is based on the nationally recongized 