Master of Arts Program
Education

Hello, all interested MAP students, graduate advisors, faculty, and anyone else who may be perusing this Frequently Asked Questions page. This list will be updated, as more questions come in, and please remember always to reference your green MAP handbook first, whenever a question arises, as chances are, the answers will be contained within it.
(Please note: Not all questions that were generated during the colloquium’s FAQ workshop or Networking Session are answered here, as some were individual questions and not queries that we see surface on a regular basis. If you have a question that is not addressed below, please contact your Graduate Advisor or Associate Faculty/Core Faculty. Thanks!)

Contents:

• What are the requirements for Early Childhood Education? Who has to do them? Will Elementary Certification still be valid for K-3?
• Who needs an Early Childhood Education endorsement, and how does a MAP Elementary Ed. student obtain one?
• What are the requirements to teach in an AZ bilingual school
• What are the SEI requirements and how do we meet them??
• If I take SEI courses through my district, what do I need to submit to PC to be applied toward my certification?
• Do we take our state exam results, Prescott College transcripts and SEI results to the state of Arizona Department of Education when we are ready to be certified?
• How do you get feedback on QP’s (all readers)? When do you get feedback?
• What happens when you get conflicting feedback from the two QP readers?
• When (prior to thesis term) will we receive QP’s back?
• If QP is evaluated after the thesis term, what is the purpose of the QP?
• Can I see a full text QP in my field?
• How many QP’s do I have to submit?
• Can you do practicum and thesis at the same time?
• Can you do a practicum during the summer?
• Do you have to do study packets during practicum? What kind of packets? How many?
• How far in advance must we notify PC of our intended practicum?
• What if our practicum doesn’t pan out (extensions, reassignments, etc)? How are the hours calculated if we switch or cannot complete practicum?
• Can I “place” myself in a practicum?
• If I challenge student teaching, do I still pay for it? If I have to replace the credits, am I better off just student teaching?
• With an ADP student teaching challenge, how many practicum hours do I need for teacher certification?
• If you do a thesis extension, must you attend Colloquium during the extension term?
• Can part-time students be exempted from some Colloquia (financial concerns)?
• I heard that some paperwork must be submitted in both electronic and hard copies. What paperwork does this apply to?
• Do I need to mail any papers to Noel, too?
• How closely should our papers adhere to the APA style?
• How do our study packets move us toward our thesis?
• What is the deadline for submitting a thesis draft to a second reader for Spring 2007?
• Are presentation evaluation forms reviewed by the CF/AF?
• How can MOODLE be used to help students communicate with other PC students?
• What documents go into our permanent records?
• How do I know I’m on track?
• How can activism be part of my program?
• Will graduation be incorporated into Colloquium rather than waiting six months?

Teacher/School Guidance Counselor Certification:

What are the requirements for Early Childhood Education?  Who has to do them?  Will Elementary Certification still be valid for K-3?
The Arizona Department of Education is in the process of approving all Early Childhood Education (ECE) Programs within the state. While this process takes some time, we have developed a program that meets all of the state’s requirements. The Prescott College ECE program can be viewed on the website: http://www.prescott.edu/academics/teachercert/ece_adp.html.
Students wishing to earn an ECE Certification (teaching in Birth through age eight) must complete all requirements noted on the Prescott College website.
At this time the ADE will accept Elementary Education certification for teachers in K-3 settings. We anticipate that the state will change this to require both an Elementary Education Certificate and an ECE endorsement for teachers in K-3 classrooms. Prescott College will keep students informed when these changes occur. 

Who needs an Early Childhood Education endorsement, and how does a MAP Elementary Ed. student obtain one?
If you want to earn an Early Childhood Education endorsement in addition to your Elementary Education certification, you will need to complete the additional courses in ECE.

What are the requirements to teach in an AZ bilingual school?

The basic requirements for Elementary and Secondary certification remain the same.  However, some schools may require a bilingual endorsement.  If so, the courses are offered by Prescott College (we offer all courses necessary to gain an endorsement), but only the state can grant the endorsement.  Please refer to the following Arizona Department of Education link:  http://www.ade.az.gov/certification/requirements/Endorsements/Bilingual.pdf

What are the SEI requirements and how do we meet them?

Please contact Linda Baker, Teacher Certification Officer, in the Registrar’s Office. 

If I take SEI courses through my district, what do I need to submit to PC to be applied toward my certification?
As long as your district has a state-approved SEI program that is equivalent to 45 hours or 3 semester credits, you district’s SEI requirements for certification will be met. Please send a copy of the documentation of your participation in this course (electronic and hard copy) to the Prescott College Teacher Certification Officer, Linda Baker (lbaker@prescott.edu).

Do we take our state exam results, Prescott College transcripts and SEI results to the state of Arizona Department of Education when we are ready to be certified?
When you complete all your teacher certification or school guidance counseling program requirements you will be eligible to receive an Institutional Recommendation from Prescott College for certification in the state of Arizona. Please contact the Prescott College Teacher Certification Officer, Linda Baker (lbaker@prescott.edu) for further information. You do not need to send your transcripts or exam results to the state.

Qualifying Packets:

How do you get feedback on QP’s (all readers)?  When do you get feedback?

The procedures for submission, review, revision and approval of the Qualifying Packet can be found in the MAP handbook in Section 5.  Please refer to that. 

What happens when you get conflicting feedback from the two QP readers?

The student and Graduate Advisor will decide together which suggested revisions will most enhance the paper.  A cover letter should be submitted with the revised QP itemizing all feedback points from each reader and explaining what was revised and why.

When (prior to thesis term) will we receive QP’s back?

The Qualifying Packet is to be submitted (hard and electronic copy) according to the same due date as the student’s 6th study packet or earlier (ideally, at the first colloquium of the student’s second term).  Students should allow for plenty of time for the QP reading and approval process to be completed.  Remember that, in addition to the hard copies, the QP should be e-mailed by the Graduate Advisor to Judy with a cc to the student.  Please refer to Section 5 in the MAP handbook.

If QP is evaluated after the thesis term, what is the purpose of the QP?

If the Qualifying Packet is submitted (hard and electronic copy) at the same time as the student’s 6th study packet or earlier (ideally, at the first colloquium of the student’s second term), it will be reviewed and returned in plenty of time to be useful to the student for future scholarly writing in subsequent study packets and, ultimately, in the student’s thesis.  Students will not be allowed to register for the thesis term until the thesis plan and QP have been approved. 

Can I see a full text QP in my field?
Yes. All QP’s are on file at the MAP office, and you can request to see an example of an approved QP in your field, provided the MAP office receives permission to show it.

How many QP’s do I have to submit?
Just one. J

Practicum:

Can you do practicum and thesis at the same time?

While the handbook says it is possible (Section 7), we strongly encourage you not to do so.

Can you do a practicum during the summer?

Yes, as long as the student is enrolled and has GA and CF/AF approval.

Do you have to do study packets during practicum?  What kind of packets? How many?

Yes. Three packets (essentially, one packet per 3 credits) exhibiting graduate-level synthesis between your theoretical work and your praxis experience must be submitted per 9 credit practicum. For those seeking certification, your student teaching/counseling contributes to your certification requirements, and your scholarly packets contribute to your graduate degree.

How far in advance must we notify PC of our intended practicum?
This timeframe is negotiable for non-certification students, though it is important to inform your advisor, as soon as you know, and ideally, prior to the term in which you intend to do your practicum. For cert students, the student teaching application packet must be completed and uploaded to Moodle at least three months prior to the start of your student teaching or school guidance counseling practicum, whether you’re being certified in a state other than AZ or in AZ.

What if our practicum doesn’t pan out (extensions, reassignments, etc)?
How are the hours calculated if we switch or cannot complete practicum? For non-cert students, you and your advisor will need to negotiate a new practicum and, potentially, a course extension, in which to complete it. For cert students, with the advance time of having to submit the student teaching application, you should know well before your practicum term, if it is not going to pan out, in which case, there should be time beforehand to find another placement. If you are unable to complete your student teaching at a site or have to switch, again, that must be approved by your GA and AF/CF, and if it happens too late in the course of a term, you’ll need to file for a course extension in which to complete it. In all cases, the same number of hours for practicum are expected to be completed.
*Please note: For certification students, if your practicum does not pan out due to your own lack of preparedness, a conflict of personality, or other negligence on your part, you will be required to participate in an individualized remediation plan.. In this case, there is not a guarantee of credit.

Can I “place” myself in a practicum?
Not if you are a teacher/school guidance counseling certification student. While your GA and AF/CF will take your recommendation for where you would like to student teach/counsel, you must complete the application and have your cooperating/mentor teacher/counselor, as well as official observers, approved prior to the start of your practicum. All materials germane to your practicum application must be uploaded onto MOODLE. Similarly, for non-cert students, your GA must approve your practicum and practicum supervisor, prior to its start.

If I challenge student teaching, do I still pay for it? 
If I have to replace the credits, am I better off just student teaching?  MAP does not transfer life experience into academic credit. If you do not have student teaching on your transcripts, you will need to complete a student teaching practicum. If you are already a teacher and still do not have a student teaching practicum on your transcripts, your CF/AF and graduate advisor will help you design an adapted student teaching practicum (still 9 semester credits) that will be valuable for you.

With an ADP student teaching challenge, how many practicum hours do I need for teacher certification?
Although you have met your student teaching requirement necessary to complete your teacher certification program, you will still need to complete the MAP program requirement of a 9-credit practicum

Colloquium Attendance:

If you do a thesis extension, must you attend Colloquium during the extension term?
No. Nor do you need to attend colloquia, if you do a course extension prior to your thesis term.

Can part-time students be exempted from some Colloquia (financial concerns)?
With the exception of those students taking course or thesis extensions, colloquium attendance is a mandatory requirement for all enrolled students, regardless of the credit hours within the enrollment period. This is part of the Prescott College accreditation agreement with our regionally accrediting body, the Higher Learning Council of the North Central Association. See MAP Policy Handbook, Section 4.

Study Packets, Submission Expectations, and APA

I heard that some paperwork must be submitted in both electronic and hard copies. What paperwork does this apply to?
All paperwork must be submitted in electronic and hard copy forms:
Study Plans (including Thesis Plan), cover letters and study packets, Qualifying Packet, student teaching application materials, colloquium evaluations, End of Term materials, and Thesis.
Please remember to include pre-addressed, postage-paid return envelopes with your hard copies.

Do I need to mail any papers to Noel, too?
No. All papers should be mailed (or e-mailed) directly to your GA. When you are ready to submit your QP, and it has been approved by your GA, you send an e-mail copy and the hard copy to Judy Beurie. When your Thesis Plan has been approved by your GA, he/she should forward an electronic copy to Judy, and you should mail the hard copy with your GA’s signature to Judy, as well. When it is time for Noel (or Lloyd or Jordana) to be your thesis’ third reader, you e-mail a copy and send a hard copy to Judy, who will pass it on to the appropriate AF/CF. Again, please remember always to include pre-addressed, postage paid return envelopes with all of your work.

How closely should our papers adhere to the APA style?
To the letter, literally. The sooner you become comfortable writing all of your papers in APA 5th edition format, the better off you will be, in terms of submitting your QP, your Thesis Plan, and your Thesis, as none of these will be accepted, if they are not in APA format.

How do our study packets move us toward our thesis?
Ideally, your initial study plan proposed the direction of your thesis, and with that in mind, all of your study packets should build the theoretical foundation, both for the praxis of your practicum and the Literature Review of your thesis. Consider including in every cover letter to your advisor how you feel that particular packet addresses your thesis.

What is the deadline for submitting a thesis draft to a second reader for Spring 2007?
The mailing date for your first thesis draft to be sent to the second reader is the 4th study packet. Please refer to the MAP Process Handbook, Section 7.

General:

Are presentation evaluation forms reviewed by the CF/AF?

Yes.  Copies of your evaluation forms should be attached to the colloquium narrative forms and sent to Judy.

How can MOODLE be used to help students communicate with other PC students?
Currently, Moodle is used to house your electronic portfolios and to allow your GA and AF/CF access to your work. At some point, we may be able to enlist Sam McCallum’s help in creating a web space for dialogue exchange between students, but it does not exist, now. If you would like to expedite this process, please contact Sam directly: smccallum@prescott.edu

What documents go into our permanent records?
Each term’s End of Term Course Descriptions, E.O.T. Formal Evaluations (Self and Graduate Advisor’s), and your Qualifying Packet. Cert students, please also remember to upload these documents, all of your study packets, and your advisor’s feedback letters to Moodle.

How do I know I’m on track?
Observing the study packet, Qualifying Packet, Thesis Plan, etc. mail dates for each term and being in consistent contact with your GA are crucial to keeping abreast of your progress. Your GA should provide you feedback, as to whether or not your study packets are meeting graduate level scholarship expectations. If you are a cert student you are responsible for meeting and tracking all of the required course work for your certification. If you fall behind with your courses/packets, you should expect to take a course extension.

How can activism be part of my program?
Not only do we think integrating activism into your program is a good idea, but we will also help you to think through how you can do this effectively and with respect for all parties involved. Each student’s approach to activism will be slightly different and for this reason the answer to this question is unique to each student. In the same way you begin discussion of your curriculum as a whole, your first interactions and planning sessions should be with your graduate advisor. Once this is a well-established process your CF/AF will gladly join the dialogue.

Will graduation be incorporated into Colloquium rather than waiting six months?
Because of the impact on other Prescott College events, the graduation ceremony will continue to be held twice a year in December and June.

Last Updated April 27, 2007.