The requirements for the Master of Science in Teacher Education are as follows:
Number of Courses
There are 15 courses required to complete the MSEd degree. All 15 courses must be taken as an admitted student in the MSEd program. Any courses required for teacher certification not met previous academic coursework must also be taken at Northwestern University. For further information please refer to the University's certification standards.Build Your Own Program
We now offer an online tool that lets you Build Your Own Program based on your starting quarter, degree type, part-time vs. full-time status and what you choose to do during the summer. By using this tool you can see exactly which courses you need to take in each quarter to complete your degree requirements.Master's Project
The educational community within the School of Education and Social Policy believes that professional practice must be guided by inquiry and reflection. This inquiry and reflection yields understanding and action that promote positive educational change. We believe that committed educators should value and incorporate systematic inquiry and reflection into their practice, using these skills to help them act as agents of change within the educational community. Within the MSEd program, therefore, we believe that it is important to prepare candidates to engage in educational research with the idea that they will, as professionals, be practitioner researchers. Reflection and inquiry are embedded throughout the program but are perhaps most evident in the Master's Project.Certification
State certification is mandatory in all public school settings. Students in elementary and secondary concentrations must pursue state certification in addition to the degree.More about Certification | Illinois Certification Testing Service
Applicants must take and pass the Illinois Basic Skills Test before being formally admitted to the MSEd program as a matriculated (degree-seeking) student, although they may be provisionally admitted prior to passing the exam. Please note that an application that does not include either a passing score report or a verification of registration for the Basic Skills Test will be considered incomplete and will not be reviewed by our admissions committee. The latest possible date you may take the Basic Skills Test is during the first month during which you plan to be enrolled as a matriculated student in the Master of Science in Education program.
There are three categories of requirements for teacher certification in the state of Illinois: general education requirements, teaching subject requirements and public education requirements (which include fieldwork). The MSEd course work is designed to meet this last category of requirements.