A vision statement was created by the faculty during the Fall Semester 1999.  It states,
"From this College shall go forth compassionate, productive, ethical lifelong learners who contribute interdependently to a global society."

LHU endorses a model for teacher education that has the teacher as a reflective decision-maker at its core, recognizing that teachers function in a changing society.  Emphasis is placed on the teacher as a thoughtful, evaluative professional who takes action within a changing social, economic, technological, and professional environment.

The teacher education programs at LHU provide educational experiences to prepare future teachers who understand that productive students must engage in problem solving, fill leadership roles, and serve as cooperative group members within an environment that fosters the self-esteem of all involved.  Our candidates know that effective teachers must continuously reflect on their actions as teachers.  The concept of the reflective teacher relates well to the view of teacher as instructional decision-maker that was first developed in the late 1970’s and continues to be discussed today.  The instructional decision-maker must know what to teach and how to teach diverse learners in a variety of learning environments.  Reflection includes action, and thus calls for decision-making on the part of the teacher.  The reflective decision-maker, however, makes instructional decisions in a much more tentative way than a managerial decision-maker, considering a wider range of contextual factors, and maintaining a consciously critical attitude towards decisions.  Although decision-makers must engage in reflection and revision, traditionally they have tended to see the range of reflection as being of narrower scope than do those who see reflection as the governing factor in teaching.

To be effective as reflective decision-makers, candidates in the teacher education programs at LHU must demonstrate knowledge and skills in four elements.  Candidates need to know the content they teach; be able to implement a variety of teaching strategies; plan for instruction giving consideration to contextual factors; and be able to demonstrate professional teaching behaviors including self-evaluation, ethical teaching behaviors, and effective communication skills.  In order to be successful as a reflective decision-maker, LHU preservice teachers must have practice in decision-making and reflection as part of their educational experiences.  The faculty at LHU is committed to providing learning experiences that will equip our students with the knowledge and the experience to be reflective decision-makers.

Lock Haven University is accredited both at the national and state levels.  In April of 2004, Lock Haven University received continuing accreditation by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE).  LHU has continuously received national accreditation since 1954. There are only 18 institutions of teacher preparation in Pennsylvania, including LHU, that have received NCATE approval.  LHU’s education programs are also approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Education with the most recent review occurring in 2004.

Undergraduate Teacher Preparation Program

Individuals applying for their first, Instructional I, Certificate must present evidence of having passed the Praxis Series.  The test is administered six times a year.  Candidates must pass tests in communication skills, general knowledge, professional knowledge, and a specialization area.

Lock Haven University's aggregate pass rate for the Praxis exam assessments for
2006-07 are:

Undergraduate Policies

Clearance and TB Policy:  It is the policy of Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania (LHU) that all teacher candidates must possess a current Pennsylvania Criminal Record Check (Act 34), Child Abuse History Clearance (Act 151), and FBI Clearance, and a valid TB Test to be eligible for early field experiences and student teaching.  Lock Haven University will not make placements for students whose background checks reflect a felony offense.  In addition, due to restrictions from school districts we may not be able to place you in early field experiences or student teaching if a candidate should have a DUI or shoplifting conviction appearing on the criminal record check.

Diversity Policy:  The College of Education and Human Services, recognizing the value of a multicultural dimension to a student's undergraduate experience, established a Multicultural policy:  A potentially life-transforming exercise that immerses individuals as participant observers in diverse environments, which differ from their own.  An experience that makes students deeply value other cultures and instills in them greater sensitivity to issues of diversity such as race and ethnicity, religion, socioeconomic status, language, and exceptionality that affects teaching and student learning.  An experience that awakens in the student an awareness of his or her own value systems and assumptions about life. Upon entrance to the program, each student in teacher education will complete a self-assessment under the guidance of his/her advisor in order to determine an appropriate diversity plan.  The diversity plan will identify two areas of diversity that the student needs to investigate through a minimum of 20 hours of field experiences.  The two areas of diversity, ten hours of field experience in each, must be completed prior to entrance to the professional semester. Upon completion of each of the two field experiences, each student is required to submit a detailed written summary of one of the experiences.  The summary must include reflections on the value of the diverse field experience for the student’s academic and personal growth.  Prior to graduation, during either the professional semester (block II for secondary) or student teaching, each candidate will be assigned to a diverse teaching experience.  Candidates will be evaluated by cooperating teachers and field supervisors using the Student Teaching Competency Form, or the Professional Semester Evaluation Form, demonstrating effectiveness in teaching diverse student populations.  Each department of the College will be responsible for determining the method of implementation and oversight in order to fulfill the intent of this policy.  

Candidacy Policy:  Any student seeking a Baccalaureate Degree and teacher certification (Early Childhood Education, Elementary Education, Health and Physical Education, Secondary Education, Special Education) must formally apply for candidacy. In order to complete the degree and certification requirements in eight semesters of full-time study, students should apply for formal admission to the program at the completion of 45 semester hours and Stage I of the Teacher Education Assessment Plan.  Students must make formal written application and be officially accepted into their department’s undergraduate teacher education program.  Candidacy status will only be awarded when a student has completed the 45 hours, including 6 credits of math and 6 credits of English, Stage I of the Teacher Education Assessment Plan, including passing scores on all three Praxis One Exams, and has achieved an overall GPA of 3.0.  The department, with approval of the Director of Teacher Education, recommends acceptance. Only candidates who have attained candidacy are eligible to enroll in 300 and 400 level education related courses, as designated by each program. Candidates having attained candidacy in teacher education must maintain the 3.0 GPA required for admission into the teacher education program in order to continue taking advanced professional semester course work. 

Requirements and procedures for attaining candidacy in teacher education programs will be explained in detail in mandatory orientation sessions and the Freshman Seminar Course. With the assistance of the program faculty advisor, each student will be guided in completion of the various stages of the Teacher Education Assessment Plan.

All students majoring in teacher education at Lock Haven University must successfully pass the Pre-Professional Skills (PPST) Tests in Reading, Writing, and Mathematics prior to being admitted into the teacher education program.  Furthermore, students may not enroll in 200 level education courses that programs have identified as “gateway courses” until such time that all PPST scores are passed.  Passing scores are to be recorded in the Teacher Education Office.

All candidates in teacher education programs at Lock Haven University must register for or complete the Fundamental Subjects: Content Knowledge and/or Subject Specialty Tests prior to the first day of student teaching.  Passing scores on these two exams will be required for certification, but are not required to student teach.  However, candidates must attempt the tests prior to student teaching.  Candidates must present their admission ticket or praxis score report in the Teacher Education Office for verification that all required tests have
been taken.

The College of Education and Human Services has established, in alignment with the Pennsylvania Department of Education and the NCATE standards, a set of requirements for all teacher education majors to achieve at various stages in their programs.  The education program standards and requirements are defined in our Teacher Education Assessment Plan.   Students choosing Teacher Education as a program of study must complete all requirements within the Teacher Education Assessment Plan.  The Assessment Plan is divided into three stages:  Stage I- Candidacy: admission to teacher education, Stage II- Developing Portfolio required for admission to the professional semester, Stage III- Senior Portfolio required for completion of student teaching and program completion.  Key assessments across the stages include performance assessments, external assessments such as the Praxis I and Praxis II series exams, and evaluation of dispositions.  Each candidate receives a copy of all required assessment elements upon declaring the education major and then receives more detailed descriptions of requirements for each decision point as they matriculate through the program.

Certification Requirements

All credentials for graduation and applications for teaching certification, including transcripts of credit from other institutions, must be filed on or before the last day of the semester or session in which a student expects to graduate, otherwise certification and graduation will be postponed to the next graduating date.  The Pennsylvania Department of Education requires teacher education majors to have a 3.000 GPA in each certificate area in which the candidate plans to teach. Teacher certification candidates must be pronounced medically fit by a licensed physician qualified to practice medicine in Pennsylvania, prior to applying for certification.  Only a citizen of the United States is eligible to receive a teaching certificate. Issuance of a teaching certificate or license is the responsibility of each state’s Department of Education. Meeting requirements for licensure is the sole responsibility of each student. Currently, the PDE requirements that must be met prior to issuance of a teaching license include:

1.  Recommendation from an accredited College.

2.  Application for certification

3.  Passing scores (which are set by the PDE) on all required Praxis exams

4.  Recommendation by the department of the student’s major. (Department recommendation may be contingent upon completion of additional and/or more rigorous requirements than the minimum described above.)

Candidates eligible for certification will receive their teaching certificate as soon as possible after it has been released by the Pennsylvania Department of Education.  

Candidates that will seek certification in states other than Pennsylvania will be responsible for determining the certification/licensure requirements for that state. They should make note of any specific requirements of coursework, tests, degrees and similar requirements for certification in that state. The candidate must be aware that the Department of Education or its counterpart in each state is responsible for certification, not Lock Haven University.

Requirements and regulations regarding certification for Pennsylvania and other states can, and do, change from time to time. It is the responsibility of the candidate to track the requirements and document their progress as part of their application for advanced standing.

**Note:  Students transferring to Lock Haven University will need to complete and/or meet the same criteria for Teacher Education. Proof of the teacher education entrance requirements may be required if attained at a university other than LHU.

In today’s education climate, communities and schools benefit from leaders who are knowledgeable about the educational reform process from diverse and multiple perspectives.  These educators must be prepared to engage in reflective practices that can have a recursive influence upon self-knowledge, skills and, ultimately, student learning outcomes.  Inherent in this process is the concept of the reflective decision maker.

The Master of Education Programs are aligned with the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, and designed to enable individuals who work in education and related settings to develop best practices, competencies, and dispositions that are characteristic of those who assume leadership roles in bringing about improvement.

Graduate courses are those labeled with the number 500 or above in the catalog, course offerings summary and other University materials.  Each program has a specific set of course requirements and a required or recommended sequence. 

Graduate Policies

Program Admission Policy

The following are the general admissions requirements for entry into the program:

• Baccalaureate Degree from an accredited undergraduate institution
• Minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
  • Applicants with a GPA of 2.5 or better may be admitted conditionally with the requirement that they must achieve a “B” or better in their first nine credits.
• State Teaching Certification
  • This requirement is waived for applicants not in education, i.e., corporate trainers, school nurses, etc.
• Three letters of recommendation from people familiar with the candidate’s professional experience.
• A scholarly essay relating to a professional journal article.

Application materials are reviewed by the Admissions office and program faculty.  All admissions decisions are considered final.  To appeal the decision, simply write a letter
to the Associate Director for Graduate Admissions.  The letter should detail any additional information that the applicant would like the program to consider including academic credits and/or performance, relevant life experience and changes in qualifications since submitting the initial application.  Once admitted, the status as a degree candidate is secure for one year.  Failure to enroll after one year requires reapplication to the program.

Meeting the minimal requirements for admission suggests that the applicant is prepared to engage in a master’s level experience.  The degree, GPA and certification requirements provide evidence that the applicant has fulfilled the content and pedagogical knowledge and skills required to meet state standards.  The letters of recommendation provide evidence of the applicant’s disposition toward education as a profession and all that is entailed.  The scholarly essay provides insight regarding the applicant’s ability to analyze and reflect on research and practice within the field of education. 

Transfer Credit Policy

Students may apply to transfer up to nine graduate credits for consideration toward graduation from the Master of Education program.  Students may petition to have additional transfer credits considered toward graduation.  Transfer of more than 9 graduate credits remains the discretion of the Program Coordinator and Registrar whose decision is final.  All credits requested for transfer must meet the following minimum requirements:

• Issued from an accredited institution;

• Carry graduate designation (i.e. 500, 600 or 700 numbers – 400 level numbers may be considered if this represents a graduate designation at a particular institution.  Evidence of such must be provided from the institution.);

• Grade of “B-” or better.

• Courses completed within the past seven years

• An official transcript must be submitted for transfer credit to be considered

All transfer credit requests must be approved by the student’s academic advisor, Program Coordinator and the Registrar.  Grades for transferred credits are not used in calculating the students Lock Haven University grade point average.

Enrollment Policies

The student must:

1. Be in the last semester of the Bachelor’s program and eligible for graduation at the completion of the semester.
2. Be in Good Academic Standing with a minimum GPA of 3.0.
3. Apply to the graduate program and be provisionally accepted.
    

1. Registration is limited to a maximum of 6 graduate credits.
2. The graduate credits will not be counted toward requirements needed for the Baccalaureate degree.
    

Advising

Master of Education candidates are assigned a faculty advisor from the chosen program.  Candidates should contact the faculty member upon receipt of the admissions letter naming their assigned advisor.  Advisors are instrumental in answering questions about program requirements, registration, course scheduling, course content, eCollege access, and many other program concerns and University processes.

Graduate students may request a change of advisor at any time by submitting the request in writing to the Program Coordinator. 

Degree Requirements

Graduation is contingent upon successful completion of all course requirements with an overall GPA of 3.0 or better on a 4.0 scale.  Course requirements include: 

• ALTE/EDTL 600 – Introduction:  Inquiry and Educational Change
• Core Requirements as defined by degree program.
• Reflective Practice and Action Research courses
• Elective courses

In addition to completing all required courses, a professional development portfolio is required.  This portfolio will be reviewed and assessed by the student’s faculty advisor.  The portfolio will contain artifacts required by the program in addition to artifacts selected by the student as evidence of successful performance in the program. 

An Application for Graduation must be completed and submitted to the Academic Advisor and Department Chair for review, approval and signature in accordance with the university calendar. 

The Master of Education degree requires 36 semester hours in the following categories: department, core, research, field experience, and electives.  There are two programs available for Master of Education candidates, Alternative Education and Teaching & Learning.