School of Education

Education Program Overview

The Rockhurst University School of Education prepares educators to have a solid background in their chosen fields of study, who are knowledgeable and competent in the craft of teaching, and who bring well-informed perspectives to bear on educational policies and practices.  In accordance with the Rockhurst University commitment to learning, leadership and service in the Jesuit tradition, the School of Education Conceptual Framework emphasizes three interrelated themes of Jesuit education: a focus on moral reflection, teaching for social justice and the liberal treatment of subject matter.  The School of Education is committed to the Rockhurst University tradition of preparing our students for and with service to others.

Ed.D. in Education and Leadership Program Overview

The Doctorate of Education (Ed.D.) in Education and Leadership prepares graduates to advance in careers as faculty and administrators in higher education. There are two concentration areas within the Ed.D. program:  Health Care Education or Higher Education. The program includes 45 credit-hours completed as a cohort over a two-year period, and students are required to have a minimum of 78 total graduate hours beyond the Bachelor’s degree. Students who have not completed at least 33 credit-hours of post-undergraduate coursework prior to admission will take additional elective courses at Rockhurst University to meet the total hours. Classes are offered in the evening and online to accommodate work or teaching schedules. The capstone research experience involves the design and completion of an individual project within the concentration area.

Program Goals

To develop higher education faculty and leaders who can

• Articulate the historical and modern educational frameworks and the key issues shaping today’s higher education landscape,
• Apply learning theories to implement best practices in curriculum design, program assessment, and outcome measures,
• Conduct quantitative and qualitative research to solve problems in practice,
• Make data-driven decisions in diverse environments.

Student Learning Outcomes

• The student applies knowledge of course design, active learning pedagogies, and assessment of learning in higher education classroom-based and online learning environments.
• The student investigates the historical and legal context for higher education.
• The student designs program assessment plans aligned with accreditation processes that impact higher education institutions.
• The student is prepared for faculty roles and responsibilities in diverse higher education contexts.
• The student demonstrates discipline-based knowledge and skills in education and leadership.
• The student demonstrates applied research skills and ethical conduct of research.

Master of Education Program Overview

The Master of Education degree programs call upon educators to analyze alternatives in curricula, teaching methodologies, and assessment strategies, and to consider the implications of such alternatives for a multicultural society.  Through rigorous coursework, varied field experiences, and service learning projects, students acquire a deep understanding of, and special sensitivity to, the challenges and rewards of teaching in educational settings.  Several education courses require graduate students to spend a significant amount of time in diverse school settings during the day.  While Master of Education coursework may be completed during the evenings and online at Rockhurst University, graduate students will need to be flexible in their scheduling to allow for field experiences and service learning projects.

Our program offers two Master of Education degree options: A Master of Education with initial Teacher Certification in elementary, secondary, K-12 Spanish, K-12 French, or special education, or a Master of Education in Educational Studies with the option to choose from four concentration areas, including: Curriculum, Teaching and Assessment; STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics); Special Education; and Teacher Leadership.

Program Goals

• To develop educators who have discipline-specific content knowledge.
• To develop educators who plan and utilize innovative, evidence-based teaching strategies. 
• To develop educators who can assess and adjust teaching methods according to the needs of individual learners.
• To develop educators who gain awareness and feel empowered to work within diverse settings.

Student Learning Outcomes

• The student uses assessment strategies to plan ongoing development using evidence-based decision making to face the challenges of our global society.
• The student is a reflective practitioner who continually assesses the effects of choices and actions on others. The student actively seeks out opportunities to grow professionally in order to improve their professional setting.
• The student knows how others learn, develop, and differ in their approaches to learning. The student provides learning opportunities that support the intellectual, social, and personal development of all.

Education Accreditation

The master level teaching certification programs offered by the Rockhurst School of Education are aligned with the Conceptual Framework, the 9 Missouri Standards for Preparation of Educators (MoSPE), the Missouri Teacher Standards, the InTASC Model Core Teaching Standards, and the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) Standards,  The teacher certification programs are approved on the national level through the Teacher Education Accreditation Council (TEAC) for a period of ten years, from 2011 through 2021. For the next accreditation cycle, the School of Education will be seeking national accreditation through the Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). In addition, both the Masters and Doctorate teacher certification programs are approved on the state level by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).

The M.Ed. program operates according to the general administrative policies governing graduate studies at Rockhurst University.  The Rockhurst University graduate teacher education program provides the necessary professional education coursework to meet initial teacher certification requirements in elementary (1-6), special education in mild/moderate cross-categorical disabilities (K-12), or secondary education in biology, business, chemistry, french (K-12), english, mathematics, physics, spanish (K-12), or social science in Missouri.

Length of Programs

M.Ed. students may complete their degree on either a full-time or part-time basis.  Courses are scheduled during the evening and online to facilitate attendance by working adults. Graduate students have a maximum of six years to complete the M.Ed. degree. Students may transfer up to nine hours of graduate credit for courses completed by another institution, provided that the coursework meets the criteria outlined in the Graduate Academic Policies and Procedures section of the Graduate Catalog.  All coursework not taken at Rockhurst University must be reviewed and approved by the Chair and the Academic Advisor for consistency with degree and state certification requirements.  Students must complete a Pre-Approval of Transfer Credit Form, with course descriptions, and other supporting materials requested by the program to the Academic Advisor.

Ed.D. students complete their degree as a cohort over a two-year period, and students are required to have a minimum of 78 total graduate hours beyond the Bachelor’s degree. Students may transfer into the program a total of 33 post-undergraduate credits. Students who have not completed at least 33 credit-hours of post-undergraduate coursework prior to admission will take additional elective courses at Rockhurst University to meet the total hours. Classes are offered in the evening and online to accommodate work or teaching schedules. The capstone research experience involves the design and completion of an individual project within the concentration area.

Admission Requirements for the M.Ed.

To be considered for admission, applicants for the M.Ed. must show evidence of the following:

1. Completion of a baccalaureate degree at an accredited institution with a cumulative grade point average of 2.75 or higher on a 4.0 scale for all college-level work attempted. Applicants are required to submit one official transcript showing all college-level coursework.
2. Submission of an online application with a written essay describing the applicant’s prior educational experience and professional goals.
3. Submission of two letters of professional recommendations that speak to the applicant’s potential to successfully complete graduate coursework, a description of the applicant’s academic background, and reasoning for pursuing the M.Ed.
4. A personal interview with members of the Education faculty may be required.
   
   NOTE: The above requirements may be subject to change without notice.

Admission Requirements for the Ed.D.

To be considered for admission, applicants for the Ed.D. must show evidence of the following:

• Completion of a baccalaureate degree at a regionally accredited institution with a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale;
• OR submission of official transcripts from all graduate level work submitted for transfer. (Only course grades of B- and above allowed for transfer.)
• Personal Statement with a maximum of 1000 words describing academic background, professional goals and reasons for pursuing an Ed.D., including the area of research applicant is interested in pursuing.
• Three letters of recommendation.

Readmission

Should a graduate student leave the University, the student is subject to the University readmission requirements. A student readmitted will be subject to the degree requirements in place at the time of readmission. The student must complete the Rockhurst University application for graduate readmission.

Master of Education with Initial Teacher Certification Professional Semester Requirements

(Fall and Spring Semesters)

The professional semester is comprised of a minimum of 15 weeks of students teaching (9 credit hours) and the three credit hour Student Teaching Seminar course. During this course, students must complete an e-portfolio capstone project. Students must attend a mandatory student teaching meeting to receive application materials.  Students who plan to student teach in the fall semester must submit their application by the previous March 1st.  Students who plan to student teach in the spring semester must submit their application by the previous September 1st.  All coursework must be completed before the professional semester begins. Students must also pass the Missouri Content Assessment (MoCA) before the professional semester begins; a placement will not be assigned until after a passing score is documented. Students may not fall below the required semester grade point average prior to student teaching.  Students may not be on probation when applying for the professional semester.

Professional Semester Placement

Placement is the process by which those applying to the professional semester are matched with cooperating schools and cooperating teachers.  To provide reasonable certainty to those cooperating entities, it is necessary for professional semester applicants to meet any prescribed deadlines regarding application and full enrollment in the professional semester.  A student teaching placement for the professional semester will be sought upon completion of the following:

1.  Professional Semester of Student Teaching Application

2.  Professional resume

3.  Autobiography

4.  Passing score on the Missouri Content Assessment (MoCA)

5.  Graduate degree application (online)

6.  A Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education substitute license, which requires a fingerprint background check clearance from the Missouri Highway Patrol (MHP) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

Other Professional Semester Requirements

Various school districts may have additional requirements that will need to be met prior to student teaching. These will be identified by the Director of Field Experiences as Professional Semester applications are reviewed.

Certification Requirements, Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE)

1. A baccalaureate degree from a college or university having a teacher education program approved by DESE or from a college or university having a teacher education program approved by the state education agency in states other than Missouri;
2. A recommendation of designated official for teacher education in the college or university;
3. A cumulative grade point average of 2.75 or higher on a 4.0 scale overall; a minimum grade point average of 3.0 in the certification content courses, and a minimum grade point average of 3.0 in all education courses;
4. Completion of the Missouri Content Assessment (MoCA) designated by the State Board of Education with a score equal to or greater than the Missouri qualifying score;
5. Completion of professional requirements, as determined by the recommending college or university, which may exceed these minimum requirements; and
6. Completion of DESE initial teacher certification application, which requires a fingerprint background check clearance from the Missouri Highway Patrol (MHP) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
7. Obtain a passing score as determined by DESE on the Missouri Educator Evaluation System (MEES) Teacher Candidate Assessment Tool.

Regarding Certification Requirements

Definition of Teacher Education Program Completer

Teacher candidates seeking the master of education degree with certification in elementary, secondary, K-12 foreign language, or special education will be construed to be program completers upon successful completion of all education courses and degree requirements.

Graduation Requirements

The Master of Education degree requires the successful completion of all coursework with a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or greater to graduate.

Note: Teacher candidates must achieve a grade of C or better in all certification area courses and all education courses.  A grade of C- will not satisfy this requirement.  Official transcripts for all courses must be submitted to the Office of the Registrar.

The Ed.D. degree requires the successful completion of a minimum of 45 credit hours, to be completed after admission to the program. Up to 33 post-undergraduate coursework may be transferred from any nationally accredited institution.

Programs

• STEAM Graduate Certificate

• Ed.D. Education and Leadership

• M.Ed. Educational Studies
• M.Ed. Secondary Education