2024-2025 Graduate Catalog Teaching and Learning
232 DeGarmo Hall
Campus Box 5330
(309) 438-5425
Interim Director: Erin Mikulec
Programs Offered
M.S. in Teaching and Learning with sequences in Teaching and Learning and聽Bilingual/ESL, M.S.Ed. in Reading and Literacy, Ed.D. in Teaching and Learning, and Post Baccalaureate Library Information Specialist Certificate.
All master's degree programs require a minimum of 50 percent of the non-thesis credit hours applied to the degree to be 400-level courses or above.
Course Finder
M.S. in Teaching and Learning
Degree Offered: M.S.
The M.S. in Teaching and Learning requires either a thesis option or a culminating research experience option.聽 The following sequences are offered.
Teaching and Learning Sequence
This 30-hour degree sequence is designed for current educators that want to deepen their understanding of education and their practice of teaching.
This 30-hour degree program requires:
- 15 hours: , , , ;
- 9 hours of an area of concentration design with an advisor. Areas of concentration often include educational technology, literacy, science education, or library information
- 6 hours of research experience: Either and or 6 hours (Thesis)
Bilingual/ESL Sequence
This 30-hour degree sequence is designed for current educators that want to deepen their understanding of education and their practice in teaching bilingual and/or ESL students. Program completion would complete the coursework needed for the Bilingual or ESL endorsement for the Illinois State Board of Education.
This 30-hour degree program requires:
- 18 hours: , , , , AXX, and (ESL) or (Bilingual)
- 3 hours: Elective (preferably from TCH)
- 9 hours of research experience: and either and or 6 hours (Thesis)
M.S. Ed. in Reading and Literacy Program
Degree Offered: M.S.Ed.
This 36-hour degree program requires:
- 27 hours: , , , , , , , ,
- 6 hours of professional capstone course sequence on literacy coaching ( and )
- 3 hours of electives
Doctor of Education in Teaching and Learning Program
Degree Offered: Ed.D.
This 66-hour degree requires:
- 21 hours: , , , ,听, ,
- 15 hours: of an area of concentration: (could include Independent Study and/or Professional Practice)聽courses selected with the assistance of an advisor based on student area of interest
- 15 hours of research methods:聽, , or ; , , , and .
- 15 hours of dissertation research
- A passed doctoral examination
- Other university requirements for Ed.D. degrees are listed elsewhere in this catalog.
Scholarly Development Requirement (in lieu of Residency Requirement): A doctoral student is expected to work with one or more faculty scholar/mentors to demonstrate scholarly development as a joint or single author. This demonstration is to be completed after 18 semester hours of coursework and prior to undertaking the comprehensive doctoral examination. The demonstration of scholarly development may take the form of, but is not limited to, one of the following: prepare and submit a manuscript for publication; prepare and deliver a conference paper or presentation or prepare and submit a grant proposal for funding. Such scholarly work should be directed to at least a statewide audience.
Endorsing Teaching Certificates
Reading Teacher
The Illinois State Board of Education has identified six areas of study required of all teachers whose major teaching assignment is reading. All teachers assigned departmentalized responsibility in reading or language arts must meet this 24-semester hour requirement. The M.S.Ed. in Reading Program offers all coursework leading to the endorsement of a reading teacher.
Reading Specialist
Coursework leading to the Reading Specialist is offered in the M.S.Ed. in Reading and Literacy Program. The program leading to the K-12 Reading Specialist Certificate requires the completion of 36 semester hours in reading and related educational areas. Students working on the Reading Specialist must first have a current teaching certificate. Other requirements, including any tests required for certification, can be found at the Teaching and Learning website.
Post-Baccalaureate Graduate Certificate in Library Information Specialist
The Post-Baccalaureate Library Information Specialist Certificate provides 18 hours of coursework that prepares teachers to work in school libraries. The program is available to certified teachers and to students who have completed the bachelor's degree and are working on their initial certification. It is designed to help students receive endorsement as Library Information Specialist and to pass the Illinois content area examination. The course of study requires satisfactory completion of the following courses: , , , , and . Some of these courses may apply as electives to a degree program. Information on admission is available from the School of Teaching and Learning.