2009-2010 Graduate Academic Catalog

2009–10 Cedarville University Graduate Education 13 Graduate Education Academic Program Licensure and Certification The course requirements in the Master of Education program do not satisfy initial licensure or certification requirements for any license granted by the state of Ohio, but they do help teachers maintain or upgrade ACSI, AACS, or state certification. Admissions Standards • Undergraduate GPA – Successful applicants for the M.Ed . degree typically have a cumulative undergraduate grade point average of at least 2.75 (on a 4.0 scale). Conditional acceptance may be offered in some cases where the overall grade point average in the last 60 hours of coursework is at least a 2.5. (See Conditional Acceptance.) • Experience/licensure – Successful applicants to the M.Ed. program typically have a minimum of two years of successful full-time teaching experience beyond the conclusion of the baccalaureate degree and a valid teaching certificate or the equivalent, such as an expired or out-of-state license. • National exam scores – Students seeking to enter the M.Ed . program typically take the GRE exam. The graduate education department has established a composite score of 1000 as an admission benchmark. The organizations sponsoring these national exams explicitly discourage the use of absolute cutoff scores and urge all educational institutions to consider the scores within the context of the student’s entire application package. Accordingly, scores from nationally standardized exams will be considered along with other factors in making final admission decisions. Admissions Process Applicants should follow steps 1–5 under How to Apply in the Admissions section of this catalog. Application decisions are made by the Graduate Admissions Committee usually within two weeks from the date of submission. The graduate admissions office will then notify applicants of the admission decision. Background Checks for Clinical Experiences Graduate students who participate in clinical experiences may be required to undergo criminal background checks. Ohio residents must have an Ohio “no record” check and an FBI “no record” check. Out-of-state residents must have an FBI “no record” check. Tuition Cost Tuition cost for the M.Ed . program for the 2008–2009 academic year is $320 per credit hour. Tuition cost for the M.Ed . program for the 2009–2010 academic year is $340 per credit hour. Continuing education costs (CEUs) are 50% of standard tuition. Financial Aid and Scholarships Federal aid is available to students who meet established requirements and complete the required forms. Institutional scholarships are also available. For additional information, visit www.cedarville.edu/graduate . Accreditation In addition to University accreditation listed in the Accreditation section of this catalog, the department of education is currently seeking accreditation by the National Council of Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). Academic Course Load Assuming that proficiency requirements have been satisfied, a minimum of 34 semester hours is required for graduation in the M.Ed . program. Transfer Credits Students may transfer no more than 11 credits toward the M.Ed . degree. Graduation Requirements In addition to general graduation requirements listed in the Academic section of this catalog, students seeking the M.Ed . degree must fulfill the following: • Complete 34 semester hours as specified in the program design in good academic standing. A minimum of 23 semester hours of the course requirements must be taken from Cedarville University. • Maintain the following grade performance standards: • Sustain an overall cumulative grade point average of not less than 3.0. • Complete all requirements for the degree within seven years after matriculation in the program (unless the student’s program specifies a shorter period of time). Courses completed more than seven years prior to the date of graduation cannot be used to meet graduation requirements without written approval from the academic department. Requests for such permission must provide explicit evidence that satisfies two criteria: (1) The evidence must demonstrate that the content of these out-of-date courses is still a viable part of the student’s graduate program, and (2) The evidence must demonstrate how the student has kept up-to-date with current content in those courses. Extension of the time to complete degree requirements will be granted rarely and only if steady progress toward a degree is evident AND if there are clearly extenuating circumstances beyond control of the student. Program Delivery Schedules Cedarville University has designed the M.Ed . program to be flexible and responsive to student needs. The University intends to provide a course schedule that meets the demands of students, provided courses have adequate enrollment and are within the University’s resource capabilities. Delivery Formats M.Ed . courses may be offered in the following formats: • On one or two evenings per week • In a series of weekends during the fall and spring semesters • In one- to three-week modules during the summer • Online Housing for M.Ed . Students Single-occupancy summer housing is available for $100 per week. See the Campus Services section for more detailed housing information. For information on meals, see the Campus Services section.