Master of Arts in Inclusive Education - Faculty and professional staff from the Literacy and Language Development, Regular Education, and Special Education programs are developing an integrated educator preparation program that will offer teacher candidates both general education and cross-categorical special education certification. This master’s degree would better prepare candidates to meet the needs of an increasingly diverse student population within inclusive educational settings, while simultaneously addressing the chronic shortage of special education teachers in Wisconsin. Offered as a cohort model with members attending class one evening per week in concert with a weekly accompanying clinical experience or study team task, this program will include online hybrid courses and specialized summer course options.
Online Master of Education - The online format of the Master of Education program began offering its courses January 2007. It is the first totally online program at Cardinal Stritch University and includes 18 students, most of whom live and work in the greater Milwaukee area. It was developed for students who wanted the online experience but also needed more face-to-face contact with instructors and classmates. The M.E. department added a "blended" option, in which students attended some classes on campus, during the summer of 2007. Both the online and blended formats have been favorably received by students who are independent, self-motivated and desire flexibility in a program.
Off Campus Accelerated MAT Program - In January 2006, Cardinal Stritch University began offering an accelerated Masters of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program “off campus” in Madison. This graduate-level teacher certification program is an 18-month program delivered in a cohort format. The course work consists of two class periods a week and clinical work for 12 months followed by a 20 week full day student teaching experience. In January 2007, two additional cohorts in Madison were started and one cohort in Kenosha. Because of the success of this program, it is expected that three additional cohorts will start January 2008 in Madison and another cohort in Kenosha.
Scholarship & Grants to Support Undergraduate Teacher Candidates
Palmer and Carpenter Scholarship - Opportunities such as the Palmer and Carpenter scholarships expand the opportunities available to our undergraduate students. The Palmer Scholarship funds overseas travel for one student a semester to study abroad, expanding the student's worldview in ways otherwise not possible. The Carpenter Scholarship funds science method content courses to encourage and support elementary education students who have committed to a science minor that will lead to excellent science instruction in our local elementary schools.
Undergraduate Literacy Scholarship - A bequest of approximately $150,000 has been received for future scholarships to support undergraduate literacy minors. The undergraduate literacy minor at Cardinal Stritch University is unique in the entire state of Wisconsin. It enables the minors to graduate as novice teachers with superb literacy training and return for only four graduate credits in order to receive the #316 K-12 Reading Teacher License.