Marian University to offer new master’s degrees in education

Teachers in Catholic schools eligible for scholarships covering 25 percent of tuition

Special to The Criterion

Marian University recently announced that the Higher Learning Commission has accredited two new master’s degrees in education to be offered this fall at the university’s campus on the west side of Indianapolis.

The university will now offer a master’s degree in special education (M.A.Ed.) and a master’s degree in educational leadership (M.A.Ed.) through its Academy for Teaching and Learning Leadership. Those pursing the M.A.Ed. in educational leadership can also earn a concentration in Catholic education distinction.

The master’s in special education is designed for currently licensed kindergarten through 12th-grade teachers who want to specialize in offering instruction to students with special needs. Most students will earn the M.A.Ed. in special education in four semesters, taking three classes per semester. Two of the classes are offered online.

The master’s in education leadership is designed for currently licensed K-12 teachers who want to become administrators, including principals, in kindergarten through 12th-grade schools.

The curriculum complements the Building Level Administrator license program already offered through the Marian University Academy for Teaching and Learning Leadership, essentially allowing teachers to earn both the license and the master’s degree in a shorter amount of time.

Students in the program will be able to earn their master’s degree in as quickly as 18 months, and then complete an internship in an additional semester. They must then pass a state-required standardized test to earn their Building Level Administrator License, which qualifies them for jobs in school administration.

Teachers with an interest in becoming a principal or administrator in Catholic schools can choose to pursue a curriculum that earns an M.A.Ed. in education leadership with a concentration in Catholic education. Last year, more than 15 percent of Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Indianapolis had openings in administration, and that trend is expected to continue.

Teachers currently employed in Catholic schools will be eligible for scholarships that cover 25 percent of their tuition, if they pursue the M.A.Ed. in education leadership with a concentration in Catholic education. Those who demonstrate exceptional promise may be eligible for scholarships for up to 50 percent of tuition, as funds permit. Individuals in the Archdiocese of Indianapolis may apply for additional funding through the archdiocese. Marian University is Indianapolis’ only Catholic institution of higher learning.

In addition to the Building Level Administrator licensure program, Marian University’s Academy for Teaching and Learning Leadership also currently offers master’s of arts in teaching (M.A.T.) degrees. It also offers a master’s bridge to teaching (M.B.T.) program that leads to initial licensure in Indiana for primary and intermediate grades in elementary schools and various secondary subject areas for middle and high schools, culminating in a M.A.T. degree. The programs provide pathways for bachelor’s degree holders to change careers and become elementary, middle school and high school teachers.

The Marian University Academy for Teaching and Learning Leadership is a Bush Institute Alliance to Reform Education Leadership (AREL) affiliate and a KIPP Leadership Design Fellowship (KLDF) member.
 

(For more information about Marian University’s Academy for Teaching and Learning Leadership, visit www.marian.edu/academy or call 317-955-6128.) †