Master of Education in Education
The Education M.Ed. program is designed for candidates with a bachelor’s degree who want to become a teacher but have not yet earned an initial teaching license. There are three licensure tracks: 1) The Education licensure track is for earning initial licensure in teaching various content areas, such as art, music, math, science, English Language Arts, and social studies, etc, (K-12th grade, 4-12th grade, or 7-12th grade); 2) the Middle Childhood Education licensure track is for earning initial licensure in teaching two of four major content areas in 4-8th grade; and the Special Education licensure track is for earning initial licensure in teaching special education K-12th grade. The courses for all licensure areas are online.
The three licensure areas share common courses but also have courses specific to the licensure and content areas. Please see the specific licensure areas for more information.
Candidates may be eligible for Provisional Licensure in any of the three licensure areas. Provisional licensure allows the candidates to teach in the area that they are seeking licensure as a teacher of record while completing the Education M.Ed. program.
State Requirements for the Provisional License
A candidate must meet the following criteria to be considered for the provisional license:
- Be fully admitted to the UALR Graduate School and in good standing in an educational program of study (the Masters of Education, initial licensure program for which the candidate is seeking licensure) and continually be taking classes. If the candidate drops out of the program or discontinues taking classes, the candidate will be reported to the State Department of Education.
- Meet the required entrance exam requirements and the state-required Praxis II content exam(s) for the specific licensure area (see https://www.ets.org/praxis/ar/requirements/).
- Complete and clear background checks. (Police and FBI)
- Complete required ADE Professional Development modules including ProEthica, Complete the application for the provisional license. NOTE: Completion of an application does not guarantee approval. All sites must be approved by the School of Education.
- Secure a teaching position and a mentor from the employing school. The school will assign a mentor. The candidate must have the mentoring form included in the licensure packet sent to the State Department for the provisional license application.
- Complete Arkansas History (if the candidate is in social studies) before being recommended for a provisional license.
- (To attain Provisional Licensure in special education, the candidate must also complete SPED 7301 Foundations of Special Education and one more required special education course before applying for provisional licensure, as well as all other requirements above for provisional licensure).
Contact the School of Education Director of Licensure and Placement for more specific information on the requirements for and process of applying for the provisional license.
Education (content areas)
The Masters of Education, Education licensure track is for earning initial licensure in teaching various content areas, such as art, music, math, science, English Language Arts, and social studies, etc, (K-12th grade, 4-12th grade, or 7-12th grade). Candidates may pursue licensure in any first-time 7-12, K-12, or 4 -12 licensure area excluding Special Education K-12 and School Guidance and Counseling K-12: http://www.arkansased.gov/public/userfiles/Educator_Effectiveness/Educator_Licensure/Licen
sure_Areas_Chart_2018.pdf.
Regular Admission Requirements
- Baccalaureate degree from an institutionally or regionally accredited institution with a cumulative GPA of at least 2.75 (4.0 scale), or
- Grade point average of 3.0 for the last 60 hours of undergraduate courses
The UA Little Rock graduate level, first-time licensure programs (MEd in Education, for all content areas, middle childhood, and special education licensure tracks and the Graduate Certificate in Education content area licensure tracks) will accept as an admission exam:
- ACT scores at or above a minimum
- Math 19
- Reading 19
- Writing 6 or English/Writing combined 19.
- If an individual has taken the ACT multiple times, we will consider the highest score in each category from those multiple exams.
- SAT at or above the minimum
- Math 510 (Before 3/2016 = 470)
- Evidence-Based Reading and Writing 510 (Before 3/2016 Writing = Critical Reading Seciton= 910)
- Writing 5 (Before 3/16 = No Equivalent)
- If an individual has taken the SAT multiple times, we will consider the highest score in each category from those multiple exams.
- If a prospective student has ACT scores below the minimum score, or if they do not have ACT scores:
- They may take the corresponding Accuplacer Next Generation exam or exams at the UA Little Rock Testing Center (testing services site: https://ualr.edu/testing/ and to the exam registration site https://www2.registerblast.com/ualr/Exam/List and must make at least a score that corresponds to the comparative ACT minimum score:
- Accuplacer WritePlacer a score of 5 = Comp I or ACT 19
- Next Gen Reading 253 = ACT 19
- Next Gen Math (Quantitative or College Algebra) 250 = ACT 19
- They may choose to retake the ACT:
- ACT – Reading 19; Math 19; Writing 6 or English / Writing combined 19
- Or, they may also choose to take one of the following exams:
- GRE – (after 2011) Verbal=142; Quantitative=142; Writing=3.5; (before 2011) Verbal=370; Quantitative=370; Writing=3.5
- Praxis Core – Reading 156; Math 150; Writing 162
Please Note: If a prospective student has taken the Praxis Core and not passed all sections, the EPP will consider Praxis Core minimum scores (reading 156; math 150; writing 162) in conjunction with their ACT passed sections. If a prospective student has taken the PPST the EPP will consider PPST minimum scores of Reading 172, Math 171, and Writing 173.
We are trying to be as inclusive as possible in our application process and we do understand that we need to consider other information for admission to one of our initial licensure programs, such as:
- the most important requirements for specific licensure (for example, math scores are not as crucial for an art teacher as they will be for a math teacher),
- grades in certain courses (such as an A in a college-level math course but a low score on the math exam),
- performance on assignments in certain courses (good grades on intensive writing assignments despite a low score in writing), or
- how close scores are to the minimum required score (for example, passing scores in reading and writing, and a score in math that is 1 point away from the minimum required score).
In these cases, there is a process for considering admission even if students do not meet the minimum requirements described above. If you still have questions about admission and this process, please get in touch with education@ualr.edu.
Legal Requirements Before Field or Internship Placements
Students who apply to the Education program must complete the following requirements and submit documentation to the Field Placement Office in the College of Education and Health Professions before field or internship placements:
- Proof of liability insurance. This insurance is provided through the School Workers Defense Program or by joining the Student Arkansas Education Association (SAEA).
- A negative tuberculosis test (Health card is available through the Arkansas Department of
Health.)
- Criminal records check: state civil record check must be completed and submitted to an advisor.
- Completion of the Criminal Background Disclosure
Before being recommended for licensure and placement, candidates must complete a criminal record, state civil record, and FBI record check. The student is responsible for the fees associated with these checks.
Program Requirements (30 hours)
Graduation Requirements
- A minimum of 30 graduate credit hours with a GPA of at least 3.0
- A portfolio accepted by the committee
- Passing scores on all Praxis II examinations required by the Arkansas Department of Education (see https://www.ets.org/praxis/ar/requirements/ for specific requirements for the various content areas, Secondary Education, and All Grades).
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