Secondary School Teaching, M.Ed.

Master of Education in Secondary Teaching (with Initial Teacher Certification)

These programs are designed for college graduates who have earned a degree in an endorsable content area who are seeking teaching certification in Nebraska with a master’s degree. These programs are accredited/approved by state, regional, and national accrediting agencies, including the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation and the Nebraska Department of Education.

Many courses include field experience at an elementary or secondary school and the Creighton preservice teacher must arrange his or her own transportation. Prior to any education program coursework or field experience, the teacher education candidate must sign and have notarized two affidavits assuring that, a) he or she does not have a felony or misdemeanor conviction involving abuse, neglect, or sexual misconduct; and b) the teacher education candidate is in sound mental capacity. The candidate must maintain this status throughout the program. Also, prior to the first field experience, and again prior to student teaching, the preservice teacher must have a satisfactory background check through the Education Department.

Candidates will be provisionally licensed in Nebraska during their first summer in the program before they assume teaching responsibilities in the Magis placement in August of the first year. Certification for other states will vary.

Program Goals for M.Ed. Secondary School Teaching   

At graduation, Creighton teachers will:

  1. Use student personal data to adjust teaching and learning opportunities.

  2. Differentiate instruction so that all learners have the opportunity to succeed.

  3. Facilitate student responsibility for behavior and classroom environment.

  4. Have a passion to open up their subject area to student led inquiry.

  5. Engage all students in critical thinking and collaborative problem solving.

  6. Use student assessment data to redesign teaching and learning opportunities.

  7. Prepare lessons in which students have multiple opportunities to demonstrate understanding.

  8. Use research-based classroom strategies, including technological tools, to facilitate student engagement in learning.

  9. Be ethical practitioners who seek to continually grow through ongoing professional learning and personal goal setting.

  10. Communicate and collaborate with colleagues, families, and communities to enhance student learning opportunities.

  11. Be faith leaders in religious schools, especially Catholic schools.

  12. Understand their profession as a calling to serve (magis, Ignatian Pedagogical Paradigm).

There are two ways that this Master's degree can be pursued:

Teacher Residency track

This 30-33 credit hour option is for students seeking to receive a standard master’s degree and teaching certificate. It involves a year-long residency in a middle school or a high school, and, other than a six week face-to-face summer experience on Creighton's campus, is entirely online. Student teaching experience is important in order to provide students ample opportunities to apply the knowledge and skills of teaching practice and to learn the professional ways of acting required of a school teacher.  Some courses may be online, and some courses may have online components.  Scholarships for 1/2 of tuition costs are available to qualified students. Courses required are:

GRD 600Orientation to Creighton0
EDU 510Growth And Development3
EDU 521Teaching Residency Integrated Seminar1
EDU 522Foundations of Education Seminar I1
EDU 523Foundations of Education Seminar II1
EDU 535Human Relations And Cultural Diversity 13
EDU 547Teaching Residency in Grades 7-123
EDU 548Differentiating Instruction & Literacy Strategies in Grades 7-121-3
EDU 551Facilitating Student Learning3
EDU 575Contemporary Teaching Methods in Your Content Area, Grades 7-123
EDU 583Facilitating Student Responsibility3
EDU 591Clinical Practice (Student Teaching)3-6
EDU 601Instructional Technology for the Classroom3
Optional course:
Foundations of Catholic Education
Total Credits28-33

Magis Catholic Teacher Corps track

This 33-hour option seeks to develop a core of highly motivated teachers to work in under-served Catholic Schools. Each year a new cohort is admitted into the program. Upon acceptance, Magis teachers will make a commitment for two years to live in community and pursue professional and spiritual development while serving as full-time teachers in selected Catholic schools. This program is offered at no tuition cost to the participants. Courses required are:

GRD 600Orientation to Creighton0
EDU 510Growth And Development3
EDU 522Foundations of Education Seminar I1
EDU 523Foundations of Education Seminar II1
EDU 535Human Relations And Cultural Diversity 13
EDU 548Differentiating Instruction & Literacy Strategies in Grades 7-121-3
EDU 551Facilitating Student Learning3
EDU 572Action Research and Assessment for Teachers3
EDU 575Contemporary Teaching Methods in Your Content Area, Grades 7-123
EDU 583Facilitating Student Responsibility3
EDU 591Clinical Practice (Student Teaching)1
EDU 601Instructional Technology for the Classroom3
EDL 605Foundations of Catholic Education3
EDU 685Magis Capstone: Forming lgnatian Educators3
Total Credits31-33