Worcester State University offers the Initial Licensure Program in Secondary School Education. Certain grade levels covered by licensure differ based on subject areas (see table below). For more information about licensure areas, please see an academic advisor from the Education Department.  Students who complete the 4+ Initial license in Secondary School will earn a Master’s Degree in Education in Secondary School. The Massachusetts Test for Educator Licensure (MTEL) is embedded in the program at various stages and must be passed for completion of the program and licensure.

Fieldwork accompanies most education courses and is a necessary component of the program. Student pre-practicum experiences include a wide variety of field settings. Students attend different and varied schools in urban, rural, and suburban settings. They also vary their placements and grade levels in different school buildings within districts to insure a well-rounded experience.

The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education offers Initial Licensure programs in the following areas in cooperation with liberal arts and sciences departments in the Worcester State University Education Program.

For required courses in these subject areas students should consult their liberal arts/science advisor.

Admission Requirements: Undergraduate Program

Students planning to do a 4+ program in Secondary School Education will progress through a three-stage process. Each stage must be completed satisfactorily prior to passage to the next stage. Students will pursue a major in the content area relevant to their licensure as listed above.

Students must complete all LASC and Major requirements and take the following undergraduate courses:

In order to apply to the 4+ Initial license and MED Secondary School Program, students must:

• pass the four above education classes with minimum grades of B-, 

• pass their Communication and Literacy MTEL,

• pass their Subject Area MTEL,

• have a 3.0+ GPA average in a minimum of 60 credits, and

• have 2 letters of recommendation.

Students can be conditionally admitted to the program, prior to student teaching/initial license. Once a student successfully completes all initial license coursework including student teaching/seminar and earns an initial license, they can be fully admitted into the M.Ed. in Secondary School program.

Application Priority Deadlines:  for Fall entry, March 30.

Application Priority Deadlines:  for Spring entry, October 30.

Students admitted to the 4 + Initial License and MED in Secondary School program use the four undergraduate stage 1 Education courses (ED-149/ED150, ED-207, ED-251, and ED-270) to meet the Adolescent growth and development requirement and the Multicultural and foundations in education competencies (like ED-949 American Education Contexts and Influences at the graduate level).

After admission to the 4+ program, students could take 1 to 5 courses for a maximum of 13 credits:

Students who complete the requirements for a Bachelor's degree graduate.

ES-911 Teaching Practicum (Student Teaching) and ES-908 Teaching Practicum Seminar are completed at the graduate level in the fall or spring, upon completion of all other required classes in the program (ED-149/150, ED-207, ED-251, ED-270, ED-573/ED-973, ED-509/ED-909, ES-525/ED-925, ES-505/ES-506/ES-905/ES-906 with ES-521/ES-921). The following classes may be completed at the 500(part of undergraduate program) or 900 (graduate only) level: ED-573/ED-973, ED-509/ED-909, ES-525/ES-925, ES-505/ES-506/ES-905/ES-906 with ES-521/ES-921.

M.Ed. in Secondary School Education