http://www.whitworth.edu/gse

Special Education Endorsement (0-12)
Completion of the prerequisite courses and the M.A.T.'s required special education courses and field experiences will prepare a candidate for an endorsement in special education (P-12). Please see the special education director for advising.

Early Childhood Special Education Endorsement (P-3)
Completion of the endorsement in special education, combined with two additional courses – EDS 534 Early Speech, Language and Literacy and EDS 538 Early Intervention Interdisciplinary Method (or equivalent coursework) – and an advanced practicum in an early intervention or preschool special education setting will prepare a candidate for an endorsement in early childhood special education (P-3). Please see the special education director for advising.

Gifted Education Specialty Endorsement
The gifted education specialty endorsement can be obtained while a student is earning the master of arts in teaching degree, emphasis in gifted & talented (M.A.T./GT), or the master of education in teaching & learning degree. It can also be earned separately in an 11-credit program that includes a field study and a culminating portfolio. For advising, please contact the Whitworth Center for Gifted Education in the graduate studies in education department at 509.777.3226.

English Language Learner Endorsement
The English language learner (ELL) endorsement provides in-depth training in English-as-a-second-language methods, ELL strategies and English language development pedagogy. This program also explores the ways in which issues of cultural diversity, such as poverty, affect instructional and assessment practices. Courses from the ELL endorsement may be applied to elective credits in various master's programs throughout the School of Education. 

Certification

• While every attempt is made to ensure that certification programs are compatible with degree study, certification requirements may go beyond degree requirements.
• Whitworth University certification programs lead to Washington state certification. For certification in another state, the applicant will need to contact the appropriate state's certification agency to determine requirements.
• Whitworth University certification programs must meet requirements instituted by the Washington Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction and the Professional Educator Standards Board. Hence, certification requirements are subject to change upon notification by the OSPI and PESB and must be incorporated into all appropriate certification plans.
• Certification study without the pursuit of a degree is possible where appropriate.
• Only candidates in good standing will be certified. Contact the Educational Certification & Career Services Office, located in Dixon Hall, at 509.777.4403 or 509.777.4405 for further details.

Services Provided by Educational Certification & Career Services

• Administrative certification (principal)
• Educational staff associate certification (school counselor)
• ​Fingerprinting
• ​Clock hour provider
• Career service information:
  • Career fairs
  • Résumé and cover letter building
  • Current job listings

Advising

Call the Whitworth Office of Graduate Studies in Education, 509.777.4360, for an appointment to discuss our various programs. An advisor will be assigned to assist you.

Admission Policies

1. No more than six semester credits should be taken prior to admission to GSE, as there is no guarantee those credits will count toward a graduate degree.
2. Applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university.
3. Complete an application packet by the following dates:
   1. MIT: April 1
   2. M.A./M.Ed. School Counseling and M.A. in Marriage & Family Therapy programs: Feb. 1
   3. All other programs for fall semester: Aug. 1; for spring semester: Jan. 1; for summer semester: May 1
4. There are two levels of admission, as follows:
5. Full admission: cumulative grade-point average of 3.0 or higher, satisfaction of all prerequisites and acceptable recommendations.
6. Restricted admission: cumulative grade-point average of 2.7 or higher, acceptable recommendations, and conditions identified by the admissions committee.
7. The entrance-exam requirement is waived for applicants with an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher. Applicants with an undergraduate GPA below 3.0 must submit official GRE or MAT scores or complete an analytical essay in lieu of GRE or MAT scores. Please see the application for the essay prompt. 
8. Completion/concurrent enrollment in a teacher-education program is required for all School of Education master’s degree and certification programs except MIT; M.Ed. social & behavioral health; M.A./M.Ed. school counseling; M.A. in marriage & family therapy; and M.Ed. in administrative leadership. Photocopies of all Washington teacher, administrator and/or ESA certificates, as well as certificates from other states, must be submitted with the application for admission.
9. Prerequisites prior to graduate study may be required where applicants lack appropriate preparation. Students whose first language is not English may be required to complete prerequisites prior to consideration for admission to GSE. These courses are determined with an advisor to improve expertise in English, math, education methods and study skills.
10. Part of the application process to GSE is completion of the character-and-fitness supplement. Based upon a review and documentation of items disclosed in this supplement, Whitworth may deny admission to any individual applying to GSE. Applicants with suspended or revoked educational certificates (teachers. counselors, principals, psychologists or others) for a program leading to state certification will not be processed for admission to GSE until such certificates have been reinstated. This includes certificates from other states as well as those from Washington.
11. For international students, the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS) and the GRE are required prior to admission. The minimum score accepted is 88 on the TOEFL or an overall score of 7.0 on the IELTS. Testing is also done in English and in math prior to the student’s graduate coursework, to determine any prerequisites that need to be written into the degree plan. International applicants with diplomas from non-English-speaking universities may be required to provide a professional credential evaluation of their university transcripts from World Education Services. International students must also provide a current passport copy and proof of adequate financial resources for graduate study prior to admission.
12. Social & behavioral health, marriage & family therapy, master in teaching, and school counseling applicants will be interviewed.
13. Graduates of the graduate studies in education and master in teaching programs at Whitworth seeking an additional master’s degree may have the core classes waived if they have been completed within the previous six years. These classes include Educational Research, Milestones in Education, Curriculum Development and Psychology of Learning or course equivalents. 

Note: At any given time, one or more of our programs may be undergoing revision to stay current with changing Washington State Board of Education requirements. Please consult your advisor to ensure that you have the most current information on your program.

Academic Policies for Graduate Education Programs

Academic Standards

1. Whitworth GSE offers independent studies (EDA/EDU/EDC/EDG/EDS-591) that may be taken on a tutorial basis. GSE approval is based upon the following criteria: No regular course covers the project materials, and a designated faculty member agrees to supervise the study (with a limit of two such studies during a student's entire program). Students are to submit proposals with the signatures of the faculty supervisor and the director/department chair to the GSE office by the registration deadline of the term during which the study will be taken.

Admission and Expulsion

1. Students who take no courses toward the completion of their master’s degree within a one-year period will be placed on inactive status. Should these students return to active status, they may be responsible for any new university or program requirements.
2. Students may be suspended or expelled for failure to meet academic standards and for plagiarism, cheating, misrepresentation of background information, or violation of program requirements. Subsequent readmission follows the procedures for new admission under the catalog requirements in effect at the time of reapplication.
3. Whitworth reserves the right to withhold transcripts and diplomas until all campus debts are settled.
4. Students are prohibited from bringing children, other family members and/or guests to their classes except in an emergency and with the permission of the instructor.

General Guidelines

1. Whitworth Graduate Studies in Education students may register online. Tuition is paid through student accounting services, in McEachran Hall. If a student enrolls in a course that is not approved for a specific program, that class will be considered an enrichment course only; it will not count toward a graduate degree or certification program.
2. Check with your advisor each term for pre-registration advising and for exit requirements.
3. Online registration is available, with advisor clearance, after a student’s first term.

Student Learning Outcomes

See the Whitworth Graduate Studies in Education website at www.whitworth.edu/gselearningoutcomes for Student Learning Outcomes.

Douglas Jones (Program Director)

M.A. in Administrative & Nonprofit Leadership (36)

Roberta Wilburn (Program Director)

This program is for potential administrators in settings not requiring principalship certification.  (Examples: educational service districts, private schools, special education settings and community colleges, other higher education settings, and nonprofit organizations.)

The courses in the Administrative and Nonprofit Leadership program are subject to change due to program updates. Please check with your advisor for current course offerings.

M.A. Behavior Analysis

Flint Simonson (Program Director)

Requirements for Master's in Behavior Analysis & Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBA) Track 2 (46 credits)

Master of Arts in Teaching, Gifted & Talented (M.A.T.)

Jann Leppien  (Margo Long Chair in Gifted Education)

This program provides educators with in-depth knowledge about identifying and serving students through a continuum of services to develop their gifts and talents; evaluating and utilizing appropriate current trends and research ideas in developing talent in youth; and designing differentiated instruction for the cognitive, and social and emotional differences of exceptional students.

The Washington State Gifted Education Specialty Endorsement is available at Whitworth University. Contact the Center for Gifted Education for a transcript evaluation and advising.

Gifted Education Specialty Endorsement

The Gifted Education Specialty Endorsement can be obtained while earning the Master of Education in Teaching & Learning degree or the Master of Arts in Teaching, Gifted & Talented. It can also be earned separately in an 11-credit program, including a field study and a culminating portfolio. Please contact the Center for Gifted Education for advising.

Master of Arts in Teaching Special Education (M.A.T.)

Flint Simonsen (program coordinator)

This program is designed to extend the skills and knowledge of teachers who wish to work with exceptional children and youth. It emphasizes curriculum needs of pupils rather than disability categories. The program can accommodate teachers who are seeking to complete their endorsement in special education under the new Washington state requirements. It is also intended to provide graduate-level specialized training for teachers who are already endorsed in special education. The program prepares teachers to understand inclusion (working with exceptional children in the regular classroom), as well as to work with special-needs learners in resource rooms or self-contained settings.

Prerequisite competencies are required. Transfer classes (graduate or undergraduate) may be accepted in place of the following courses, but any substitutions must be individually evaluated. The following courses, with the exception of field experiences, may be taken at Whitworth as part of the graduate electives required:

Possible Special Education Prerequisites:

Note: Special education endorsement is also possible without completion of the master’s degree. Students must pass the WEST-E to receive an endorsement. Check with the special education coordinator for information.

M.Ed. Educational Administration

Steve Smedley (Program Director)

This program is for potential principals/program directors in public or private (P-12) schools. Each candidate must have appropriate evaluations/references on file in the GSE office before admission is approved and must schedule a conference with the coordinator of the educational administration program. The program carries with it competency-based certification with recommendations from the Administrative Professional Education Advisory Board. This board is composed of representatives of the Association of Washington School Principals, Washington Association of School Administrators, Washington Education Association and Whitworth University.

Experience Requirement: Candidates must hold or have held a valid teacher’s certificate or a valid educational staff associate certificate, and must have demonstrated successful school-based experience in an instructional role with students, for a minimum of three years by completion of program.

Certification at the Residency Level: Generally achieved together with the completion of the M.Ed. degree in administration. Certification is available for P-12 administration. The certification program is also available for teachers or counselors who have already completed a master’s degree program.

M.Ed. in Teaching & Learning

Debbie Tully (Program Director)

The Master of Education, Teaching & Learning degree extends an educator’s understanding of the key concepts and skills that are the foundation of an effective classroom environment. Students decide on a 12-credit area of concentration to specialize in: gifted education, social emotional learning, cultural and linguistic diversity, administrative leadership, working with special needs populations, reading, educational studies, or Montessori.

* Whitworth recognizes the Association Montessori International (AMI) Elementary Diploma for 12 credits of graduate coursework that can be used toward the completion of a Master of Education in Teaching and Learning degree with an area of concentration in Montessori.   Students selecting this option will need to take the remaining 22 credits of coursework for the degree.

Endorsements

Graduate-level English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), reading, Special Education Endorsement, and Gifted Education Specialty Endorsement courses may be applied toward the 12 elective credits required in the M.Ed. in Teaching & Learning. Consult your academic advisor for additional information.

Teacher Certification Program

Teacher Certification Program courses taken at the graduate level may be applied to the M.Ed. in Teaching & Learning. Consult academic advisor for additional information.

Master of Education School Counseling (M.Ed.)

Wendy Bleecker (Program Director)

This program is designed for the preparation of residency ESA certification for school counselors at both the elementary and secondary school levels.  Students living beyond 50 miles of Spokane will be responsible for paying mileage fee for supervision.

M. Ed. School Counseling (60 credits)

*Additional hours required for Thesis

Master of Education Counseling Studies 

This program includes 37 credits focused on counseling strategies and techniques for school-aged children.  The courses include content supporting legal and ethical issues, social and cultural issues, and action research.  The M.Ed. in Counseling Studies is designed for individuals who are interested in the field of working with school aged children, but who do not complete the requirements to become a certified school counselor. 

M.Ed. Montessori

Kathryn Picanco (Program Coordinator)

In partnership with Montessori Northwest and in affiliation with the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI), the Master of Education, Emphasis in Montessori can be earned simultaneously with an AMI diploma. The AMI diploma coursework is completed at a Montessori Northwest training site. The remaining education courses to complete the master’s degree can be taken online or on campus. 

M.Ed. Montessori, Elementary can be taken with K-8 certification. See your advisor for additional details.

M.Ed Social Emotional Learning

Wendy Bleecker (Program Director)

This program is designed for teachers and community members interested in enhancing children and adolescent learning and reducing behavioral concerns using social and emotional learning. Students will attain a unique knowledge in the area of youth development, complex trauma, neurobiology, social and cultural considerations, the uniqueness of giftedness, and behavioral intervention. Students will engage in an action research project in order to evaluate effectiveness of their social and emotional strategies and practice. 

Master in Teaching Program

David Cherry (Program Director)

www.whitworth.edu/mit

The Whitworth Master in Teaching (MIT) Program was initiated in 1989 as a result of the Washington State Legislature calling for alternative teacher-education programs. It was the first such program in the state. Part of a nationwide movement to strengthen America’s corps of teachers by putting successful members of society’s workforce into teaching positions, MIT programs provide schools with mature teachers who understand the demands of the real world and whose teaching reflects these realities.

Those pursuing this option include professionals who are changing careers, those who are re-entering the workforce, and recent graduates of undergraduate institutions. The professors teaching in the program are from both the higher-education level and K-12 public schools. Coursework and assignments are integrated and are both theoretical and practical. Upon successful completion of the program, candidates earn a Residency Teacher Certificate and a master in teaching degree.

This progressive, performance-based, cohort teacher certification and master’s degree program extends over 13 months of full-time coursework and a yearlong school practicum. This rigorous program is characterized by 1) integration of academic work with an ongoing field experience; 2) programmatic coherence both from course to course and from on-campus to field work; 3) systematic study of classroom practice; and 4) individual self-reflection and renewal. All teacher candidates design a teacher work sample (TWS). Through this performance assessment, MIT candidates provide credible evidence of their ability to facilitate and improve student learning. Because of the significance of the TWS, most of the courses in the program address specific standards of the TWS.

The student learning outcomes of this program prepare students to:

1. Plan for effective instruction and assessment using research-based methods that include differentiation for all learners.

2. Employ effective assessment strategies (formal and informal) throughout the learning cycle to support analysis of student learning and provide informed feedback to students on their progress.

3. Engage K-12 learners in academic and reflective discourse for the purposes of eliciting student voice regarding content understanding and to provide opportunities for student self-reflection.

4. Effectively engage in self-reflection to support continued improvement in instructional practices.

5. Integrate faith and learning by articulating one’s personal faith tradition or principals of one’s personal worldview; examining how professional practices are aligned to or challenge one’s own faith or worldview perspectives; and evaluating one’s own positions and choices using faith/worldview perspectives as a framework.

6. The teacher candidate will identify and describe the role that human development and social, cultural, linguistic, physical and community context play as related to the learner and the learning enterprise; and apply theories, concepts and strategies for culturally responsive pedagogy to promote inclusive communities for learning that foster the values and gifts of each member.

Admission Requirements

• Evidence of successful work with children or youth.
• Bachelor’s degree in an approved teaching endorsement area from a regionally accredited college or university.
• Grade-point average of 3.0 for the last half of college. Graduate coursework and/or work history will be considered.
• Completion of online application available at www.whitworth.edu/mit, where applicants will complete the following:
  • $35 application fee.
  • A written two- to three-page statement on why the candidates have chosen teaching as a profession and why they have selected the MIT program at Whitworth University for professional preparation.
  • A current resume.
  • Submission of three recommendations, requested via online forms once the application process is initiated.
  • Submission of the character-and-fitness supplement.
• Official transcripts from all colleges attended.
• An interview with the MIT faculty, which will be scheduled after all application documents are submitted.
• Basic-skills test: WEST-B (www.west.nesinc.com to register online). There are three sections to this test. The test must be taken prior to the start of the program. SAT and ACT scores can be accepted in lieu of the WEST-B.
• NES/WEST-E subject-matter test (www.west.nesinc.com to register online). The NES/WEST-E must be taken prior to the start of the program for provisional admission. All sections of the NES/WEST-E must be passed by the end of Fall Term (December) for full admission.

All admissions to the MIT program are conditional. Full admittance is granted upon successful completion of summer and fall coursework and passage of all NES/WEST-E and WEST-B tests.

Applications for the program will be accepted through April 1 or until program capacity is reached. It is advisable to apply as early as possible.

Please note: 530 series courses are taken by all MIT students. 540 series are taken by elementary track students, and 550 series courses are taken by secondary track students.

Master of Education in Educational Studies

The Master of Education in Educational Studies Program is designed for individuals who are interested in the field of education, but who do not complete the requirements to become a certified teacher.

This 38-40 credit program is housed within the Master in Teaching (MIT) program. Students will complete all required academic and classroom-based courses, associated teacher work samples, one semester of part-time student teaching during the Fall Term, and one half of the full-time student teaching in the Spring Term along with the intercultural field experience. This degree does not meet the requirements for teacher licensure in Washington state. Students will only be accepted into this program from the MIT cohort upon recommendation from the MIT faculty and director. 

Dean

RONALD JACOBSON

Associate Dean

ROBERTA WILBURN

Margo Long Chair in Gifted Education

JANN LEPPIEN

Marriage and Family Therapy Program Director

DOUG JONES

Master in Teaching Director

DAVID CHERRY

School Counseling Director and Social & Behavioral Health Director

WENDY BLEECKER

Special Education Director

FLINT SIMONSEN

Montessori Program Coordinator

KATHRYN PICANCO

Professors

DAVID CHERRYJANN LEPPIEN

Associate professors

DOREEN KELLERKATHRYN PICANCOFLINT SIMONSEN

Assistant Professors

WENDY BLEECKERGOLDY BROWNHORATIUS GITTENSDOUG JONESREBECCA O'BRIEN

Teacher in Residence

ANNE WILCOX

Instructor

ANGELA HALLBETHANY SUPPES

Lecturers

MEGAN COZZASHARON NEVILLE-MITCHELL