Department of Graduate Teacher Education

Cunningham, Herndon, Matchell (department head), Winslett

John Brown University’s Department of Graduate Teacher Education offers master’s degrees for those who desire to become licensed teachers, school administrators, or counselors in public and private elementary and secondary schools. The department offers programs in Curriculum & Instruction, Educational Leadership, Special Education (K-12), School Counseling, and Teaching.

Instructional Specialist
Curriculum Specialist
Classroom Supporter
Classroom Teacher
Instructional Facilitator
School Leader
Building-Level Administrator
Mentor Teacher

Students in the Master of Education (M.Ed.), the Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.), or the Master of Science (M.S.) programs benefit from these distinctive features:

Christian values-based learning
Academically and professionally qualified faculty
Interactive learning environment
Online synchronous and asynchronous course designs that include F2F opportunities
Authentic action research opportunities with public school partners

Education Programs

The M.Ed. and M.A.T programs prepare candidates to improve student performance by analyzing classroom and standardized assessment data to select and implement a differentiated curriculum that meets the needs of today’s diverse learners. Students will also develop leadership skills to support and facilitate the development of curriculum and instruction in their schools.

The M.Ed degree in Educational Leadership program prepares effective educational leaders who are visionary, use data to drive decisions, value collaboration, are good communicators, and maintain high ethical standards.

The M.Ed degree in Special Education K-12 prepares licensed teachers to differentiate curriculum to meet the needs of all students, but especially those with special learning needs. The program also prepares students for the paperwork, and legal/ethical issues involved in working with special needs students.

The M.Ed. degree in School Counseling prepares students to become licensed school counselors through the Arkansas Department of Education.

The M.A.T. degree in Secondary Education prepares students for Standard Licensure through the Arkansas Department of Education. The M.A.T. program includes three transition points. At each transition point, students meet with a faculty advisor to monitor progress in the program, and to discuss dispositional and professional growth goals.

Transition points occur:

After the completion of 6 hours in the program.
After the completion of 18 hours in the program.
Prior to enrolling for internship

The M.A.T. degree in Teaching is a 36-hour master’s program designed for individuals who have a bachelor’s degree, can demonstrate content knowledge, and who want to teach. Upon completion of the program, students will earn a Master of Arts in Teaching degree and may apply for licensure through the Arkansas Department of Education. The JBU M.A.T. Program provides preparation for the following Arkansas teaching licensure areas:

Grades 4-8: Math, English, Social Studies or Science (You must select two content areas)
Grades 4-12: Computer Science
Grades K-12: Instrumental Music, Vocal Music, Art, Drama/Speech, Physical Education/ Health, or Foreign Languages
Grades 7-12: English, Math Social Studies, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Physical Science, Physics/Mathematics, Drama, or Speech,
Career Education Grades 7-12: Business Technology, Agriculture Science & Tech, Family and Consumer Science, or Industrial Technology

The Graduate School at JBU also offers an M.A. in Higher Education through the Department of Graduate Higher Education.

As required by the Arkansas Department of Education for licensure, all programs include significant practicum, field experience, and internship hours in the schools. Before working in a school, students without a teaching license must complete a background check. The results of the background check will be reviewed during the student’s transition conference, and any issues pertaining to the results will be addressed by the division faculty. All non-licensed students must also pass a state and federal background check, and a child maltreatment check prior to entering internship. The results of the background check will remain in the student’s academic file. Students will not be allowed to enroll in an internship course until their background checks have cleared.

The College of Education and Human Services at John Brown University is approved by the Arkansas State Department of Education (ADE), http://www.arkansased.org/. The education preparation programs are accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). On July 1, 2013 NCATE consolidated with the Teacher Education Accreditation Council (TEAC) and formed the Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) as the new accrediting body for educator preparation http://caepnet.org, (202) 223-0077.