Middle Grades Education/Language Arts, M.Ed.

About the Program

The Middle Grades Education graduate program prepares students for middle-level teaching in grades 4 to 8. Middle grades teachers are increasingly sought out and in high demand in Pennsylvania and across the country.

The College of Education and Human Development program in Middle Grades Education is designed to ensure that our students graduate highly knowledgeable about learning and teaching as well as committed to pre-adolescent learners from diverse ethnic, economic, and geographic backgrounds. The goal is to produce certified teachers to fill the growing vacancies. Toward that end, our program focuses on building deep content-specific pedagogical knowledge aligned to the breadth of academic standards and the wide-ranging developmental needs of middle grades students.

Our newly designed program stands out as cutting edge because we prepare graduate students to teach in both upper elementary and middle grades classrooms. In addition to becoming certified to teach all elementary subjects in grades 4 to 6, Middle Grades Education students can pursue single or dual certification for seventh and eighth grades in one of the following concentrations:

Language Arts/English
Mathematics
Mathematics and Language Arts/English
Mathematics and Science
Science
Science and Language Arts/English
Social Studies
Social Studies and Language Arts/English
Social Studies and Mathematics
Social Studies and Science

Time Limit for Degree Completion: 5 years

Campus Location: Main

Full-Time/Part-Time Status: The degree program can be completed on a full- or part-time basis. Classes are offered to accommodate working adults.

Accreditation: The program is approved as a teacher certification program by the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE).

Job Prospects: Graduates typically pursue teaching positions in elementary or middle schools for grades 4 to 8.

Licensure: Upon successful completion of the degree requirements and passing all Praxis® examinations, candidates may apply for a Pennsylvania Instructional I Teaching Certificate.

Non-Matriculated Student Policy: Students may take up to, but not more than, 9 credits of graduate study in the program before being admitted to the program. The credits transfer into the program, if the student is admitted. Students completing non-matriculated courses before being admitted to the program are NOT guaranteed admission.

Financing Opportunities: Financial support opportunities may include scholarships, tuition remission, and other financial aid such as grants, loans, and federal work study.

Admission Requirements and Deadlines

Application Deadline:

Fall: March 1
Spring: November 1
Summer II: March 1

Applicants should submit all required admissions documents by the application deadline to receive priority consideration for admission and financial support.

APPLY ONLINE to this graduate program.

Letters of Reference:
Number Required: 2

From Whom: Letters of recommendation should be obtained to provide insight regarding the applicant's academic competence and should ideally attest to the candidate's academic ability and readiness to work with children. References from college/university faculty are recommended.

Coursework Required for Admission Consideration: Significant coursework (i.e., the equivalent of a minor or better) and/or professional experience related to the intended certification area are preferred.

Bachelor's Degree in Discipline/Related Discipline: A bachelor's degree is required. A minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale is expected.

International applicants should also submit an official document that validates completion and conferral of a degree, diploma, and/or certificate. While not required, international applicants are encouraged to submit transcript(s) to the World Education Services (WES) for evaluation.

Statement of Goals: In 500 to 1,000 words, outline your interest in seeking a master’s degree with a specific focus on the career to which you aspire, your interests, and your academic and job-related experiences that are relevant to the program.

Standardized Test Scores:
The official score report must demonstrate a passing score on these two tests:

Praxis® PA Grades 4-8 Core Assessment: English Language Arts and Social Studies (5154)
Praxis® PA Grades 4-8 Core Assessment: Mathematics and Science (5155)

Additionally, to be eligible for certification, all applicants must pass the relevant Praxis® Subject Assessment in their intended content area. Although not required, we recommend that applicants pass the subject-area test prior to admission:

Praxis® PA Grades 4–8 Subject Concentration: English Language Arts (5156) – 156 minimum score

Applicants who earned their baccalaureate degree from an institution where the language of instruction was other than English, with the exception of those who subsequently earned a master’s degree at a U.S. institution, must report scores for a standardized test of English that meet these minimums:

TOEFL iBT: 79
IELTS Academic: 6.5
PTE Academic: 53

Resume: Current resume required.

Transfer Credit: Courses may be transferred from an accredited institution provided they were completed less than five years ago and are relevant to the program. The academic advisor makes the decision about the relevancy of the courses that the student desires to transfer. The maximum number of credits a student may transfer is 6.

Clearances: All admitted students must submit copies of the required Pennsylvania criminal background check, FBI criminal history, Child Abuse check, and TB test to the College of Education and Human Development's Office of Field Placement prior to enrolling in their first term. These clearances are required by law prior to entering pre-kindergarten through 12th-grade classrooms to complete field experience requirements, starting with the first term and continuing throughout the program.

Pennsylvania clearances are not required for application completion. All new students who possess required Pennsylvania clearances more than one year old must submit updated clearances to the Office of Field Placement. Please note that obtaining these clearances may take up to six weeks. For instructions, please visit the Office of Field Placement's website at https://education.temple.edu/ofp/clearances.

Other Requirement: Official undergraduate and graduate transcripts from all accredited institutions attended and/or from which credit was earned must be submitted.

Program Requirements

General Program Requirements:
Number of Credits Required Beyond the Baccalaureate: 31

Required Courses:

Course List
Code	Title	Credit Hours
Core Courses
EDUC 5402	Child and Adol Develop	3
MGSE 5196	Reading and Writing in the Middle Grades	3
MGSE 5296	Citizenship, Cultures, and Social Studies Education	3
MGSE 5404	Teaching Math in the Middle Grades	3
MGSE 5405	Teaching Science in the Middle Grades	3
SPED 5106	Literacy Instruction for Students with Disabilities	3
SPED 5109	Classroom Management and Positive Behavior Support	3
TESL 5631	Foundations of Language Teaching: Meeting the Needs of English Language Learners	3
Culminating Courses
Select either Residency or Non-Residency Student Teaching and Seminar:		7
Residency Student Teaching and Seminar
EDUC 5801	Residency Practicum Capstone
EDUC 5802	Residency Student Teaching Capstone
EDUC 5888	Supervised Teaching
Non-Residency Student Teaching and Seminar
EDUC 5409	Research Methods and Induction Capstone
EDUC 5888	Supervised Teaching
Total Credit Hours		31