Teacher Education - Graduate

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Education Department Mission Statement

The Simpson College Teacher Education Program nurtures empowered educational leaders who think critically, reflectively, and creatively; compassionately practice inclusive, equitable, and transformative education; and are continuously engaged in professional growth in order to build a socially just and enlightened society.  

Simpson College offers two graduate teacher education programs for candidates pursuing secondary licensure in the areas of business, world/foreign languages, English/language arts, math, natural sciences, and social sciences:

• Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT), which results in both licensure and a master’s degree.
• Transition to Teaching (T-to-T) program, which results in licensure.

Graduate candidates for the MAT or the T-to-T program must complete the requirements for Iowa Teacher licensure, which includes completion of:

• a major of at least 30 semester hours/credits; 
• at least one of Simpson’s endorsement programs;
• the Graduate Education Professional Core;
• the Iowa Board of Educational Examiner’s (BOEE) liberal arts requirements for licensure;
• the Levels of Admission to the Graduate Education Program; and
• an electronic portfolio

Admission Requirements for the Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) and Transition to Teaching Program (TtoT):

Prospective students must have:

A) Earned a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution with a major (minimum of 30 semester hours).

B) Earned a cumulative GPA of 2.750 with a minimum of 3.00 in the major for admission to the MAT program.  If seeking admission into the T-to-T program, earned a cumulative GPA of 2.750 with a GPA in the major of at least 2.750.  An applicant with a cumulative GPA lower than the required level may enroll in the college and take courses in departments other than education on a provisional basis.  If the candidate earned grades below a “B-” in courses required for an endorsement, they will be required to complete additional course work in the endorsement area as determined by the admissions committee. 

C) Earned a bachelor’s degree within the past ten years.  Students with degrees older than ten years may enter the program with the understanding that they will need to complete content area coursework in the endorsement area(s). 

D) Met with the Simpson Online and Graduate Studies program advisor to complete an initial transcript analysis.  The initial analysis may involve contact with the chairs of the education and content area departments or their degrees. 

E) Approved by the Graduate Admissions Committee before enrollment in Educ 500 Graduate Foundations in Education which is the first education class taken by graduate students seeking secondary education licensure.

F) Approved for Level 1 Admission to the Graduate Teacher Education Program (approval determined by the Teacher Education Department Chair, Teacher Education Department, and Director of MAT). 

G) Provided three letters of recommendation from approved sources.  Recommending sources are employers, supervisors, college instructors, or clergy.  Family and friends are not appropriate sources.  These letters may address knowledge and work skills in the content area, suitability for the teaching profession, and/or character assessment and should include a contact phone number or email address for the referral source. 

H) Provide the names of three references who would recommend the candidate to the program.  A contact phone number or email address for the referral source should be provided.  Recommending sources are employers, supervisors, college instructors, or clergy.  Family and friends are not appropriate sources.  These sources may be asked to address knowledge and work skills in the content area, suitability for the teaching profession, and/or character assessment. 

Program Completion Requirements for Graduate Students

A. MAT candidates must earn a B- or higher in each education course taken at Simpson to remain eligible for the master’s program. 

B. Candidates must meet Simpson’s requirements for at least one initial endorsement program; candidates may meet minimum state standards for additional endorsements. 

C. All students develop and maintain an electronic portfolio (e-Portfolio) containing a set of artifacts indicating that they are competent in a variety of areas essential to successful teaching.  All students must pass several e-Portfolio checkpoints. 

D. All teacher candidates must pass a DCI/FBI criminal background check. 

E. All candidates must demonstrate progessionalism, ethics, and dispositions that are characteristic of effective teachers. 

Note: If a student allows more than two years to lapse in pursuing graduate coursework, the student must apply for re-admittance. 

Levels of Admission for the Graduate Teacher Education Program

Graduate education students must qualify for, and pass through, a variety of gateways en route to their teaching license. Candidates are provided with ongoing feedback regarding their progress in the program. Additional information about the Graduate Levels of Admission may be found on the Education Web Page.

Level 1: Admission to the Teacher Education Program (Must be admitted to the MAT or T to T Program and enrolled in EDUC 500 )

Level 2: Full Admission: Approval to Continue in the Teacher Education Program (During the term following the EDUC 500  semester)

Level 3: Provisional Admission to Student Teaching (Semester before student teaching)

Level 4: Full Admission to Student Teaching (Immediately following the first methods course)

Level 5: Recommendation to Licensure

Transition to Teaching (T-to-T) Licensure Program

Candidates seeking graduate level initial licensure, but not a master’s degree, may complete the T-to-T Program.  Candidates in the T-to-T Program complete all of the course work and requirements for the MAT Degree Program with the exception of Educ 573 Master’s Projects. 

Graduate Endorsement Programs

Simpson offers three endorsement programs, for previously licensed teachers, at the graduate level: early childhood, K-8 reading, and special education (Instructional Strategist I at the elementary and secondary levels).  Candidates enrolled in the MAT or T-to-T programs may seek an additional graduate level endorsement in special education (Instructional Strategist I) only.

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