Department website: https://www.vanguard.edu/academics/academic-programs/graduate/education

Jeff Hittenberger, PhD, Director

Mission: Providing a supportive, reflective learning community in which teachers develop the professional relationships, skills, and knowledge base necessary to empower ALL students to reach their highest potential. This program integrates vibrant Christian faith with all facets of learning and life.

Graduate Program in Education

California Preliminary Multiple Subject Teaching Credential (Accelerated or 3-semester)

California Preliminary Single Subject Teaching Credential (Accelerated or 3-semester)

Master of Arts (M.A.) in Education

• Curriculum and Instruction with a Preliminary Teaching Credential
• Christian Education Leadership with a Preliminary Teaching Credential
• Christian Education Leadership
• Teacher Leadership

Accreditation

Vanguard University is accredited by the Western Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC). The credential program is accredited by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) and has approval for the offerings of Multiple Subject and Single Subject teaching credentials.

The Preliminary Teaching Credential program is subject to change as prescribed by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC).

The Vanguard University Graduate Program in Education reserves the right to make necessary changes in procedures, policies, calendar, curriculum and costs.

Institutional Affiliations

Vanguard University is a member of the Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities (AICCU) and is one of 91 members of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU) which was founded in 1976 to serve and strengthen Christian liberal arts colleges and universities.

Through the Graduate Program in Education, Vanguard University is affiliated with the California Council on Teacher Education (CCTE), the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI), Christian Educators Association International (CEAI), the California Association of Colleges of Teacher Education (CACTE), the State of California Association of Teacher Education (SCATE), the California Educational Placement Association (CEPA), and the Credential Counselors and Analysts of California (CCAC).

Academic Policies

Refer to the Academic Policies and Procedures section of the catalog for additional information.

Academic Advisors

The faculty cohort leaders and the Student Teaching Coordinator serve as academic advisors for credential students. The M.A. faculty and the Program Coordinator serve as academic advisors for M.A. students. Advisors provide students with current program information and recommended courses.

Admission Requirements

• A Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution
• A graduate program application with the corresponding fee
• Official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate courses
• Three letters of recommendation addressing potential success in a teacher education program
• An interview with Graduate Education personnel
• Official acceptance into the program

(NOTE: It is strongly recommended that students have taken a statistics course before beginning the MA Core component - the last 12 units of any of the M.A. options)

California Preliminary Teaching Credential

The requirements listed below must be satisfied by April 1 prior to beginning the Fall term and by October 1 prior to beginning the Spring term to qualify for Clinical Practice classroom assignments.

Grade Point Average Requirement

A cumulative 2.7 Grade Point Average (GPA) in undergraduate work is required for regular status admission into the credential program (for MA in Education, see requirements below).

- or -

• Students with a 2.5-2.69 GPA may be admitted with provisional status. The provisional status student will be eligible for regular status in the credential program upon completing all the following 3 conditions:
  1. Student must complete an additional 6-15 units of post-baccalaureate course work with a minimum 3.0 GPA. All coursework must be pre-approved and completed at VU prior to enrolling in the credential program.
  2. Student must complete the first required 12 graduate units of the program with a 3.5 GPA or higher.
  3. Student will meet with the Coordinator and/or Director for a progress evaluation conference.

(Note: the B.A. GPA requirement is waived for a candidate with a Master’s degree from an accredited institution)

Basic Skills Requirement (BSR)

The Basic Skills Requirement may be satisfied in a variety of ways, as explained on the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) Web site here: Basic Skills Requirement

1. Pass the California Basic Educational Skills Test (CBEST)

2. Pass the California Subject Examination for Teachers (CSET) Multiple Subjects plus Writing Skills examination

3. Pass the CSU Early Assessment Program or the CSU Placement examinations

4. Achieve qualifying score on the SAT or ACT

      SAT – Mathematics score 550 or above and Critical Reading score of 500 or above

      ACT – Mathematics score of 23 or above and English score of 22 or above

5. Achieve qualifying score on College Board Advanced Placement (AP) examinations

      Scores of 3 or above in AP English and AP Calculus or AP Statistics

6. Pass a Basic Skills examination from another state

      Further information here: Out-of-State BSR

7. Meet the Basic Skills Requirement by coursework

      Further information here: BSR Options

8. Meet the Basic Skills Requirement by coursework and examination

      Further information here: BSR Options

Subject Matter Competency Requirement (SMR)

The Subject Matter Competency Requirement may be satisfied in a variety of ways, as explained on the (CTC) Web site here: Subject Matter Requirement

1. Completion of a CTC approved Subject Matter Preparation Program

Vanguard University offers Subject Matter Preparation Programs in: English, Mathematics, and Music; and an Elementary Subject Matter Preparation Program through the Liberal Studies undergraduate program.

2. Passage of California Subject Examination for Teachers (CSET).

3. Completion of a baccalaureate or higher degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher education in the same content area as the desired credential.

4. Completion of coursework at one or more regionally accredited institutions of higher education that addresses each of the subject matter domains adopted by the CTC in the specific credential content area. Access the Domain information here: CTC Domains

M.A. in Education:

• A minimum 3.0 GPA in undergraduate work is required for regular standing.

- or –

• For M.A in Education, Curriculum and Instruction with a Preliminary Teaching Credential: A student with a 2.7-2.9 GPA in all undergraduate work is eligible for admission with provisional status. The student is eligible for regular status upon successful completion of the first required 15 graduate units of the credential program with a minimum of a 3.5 GPA or higher.
• For all other M.A. options: A student with a 2.7-2.9 GPA in all undergraduate work is eligible for admission with provisional status. The student is eligible for regular status upon successful completion of the first required 12 graduate units of the M.A. program with a minimum of a 3.5 GPA or higher.

- or -

A student with a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 2.5-2.69 may be admitted with provisional status on a provisional status. Upon completion of the following conditions, the student will be eligible for regular status:

• Complete an additional 6-15 units of post-baccalaureate course work with a 3.0 GPA or above. All course work must be pre-approved prior to enrolling in any of the M.A. options.
• For M.A in Education, Curriculum and Instruction with a Preliminary Teaching Credential: Student must complete the first required 15 graduate units of the credential program with a grade point average of 3.5 or higher.
• For all other M.A. options: Student must complete the first required 12 graduate units of the M.A. program with a grade point average of 3.5 or higher.
• Student will meet with the M.A. cohort professor for a progress evaluation conference to determine continuation in the degree program.

(Note: the grade point average requirement is waived for a candidate with a previous Master’s degree from an accredited institution. It is strongly recommended that students have taken a statistics course before beginning the MA Core component (the last 12 units of any of the M.A. options)

SEE ACADEMIC POLICIES AND PROCEDURES CATALOG SECTION FOR:

• Academic Policies
• International Students
• Grading System
• Special Class Enrollment Options
• Veteran’s Benefits

University's Leave of Absence and Withdraw Policy

Academic Program Leave of Absence Policy

Students who find it necessary to interrupt the regular sequence of enrollment are expected to file an official Leave of Absence form, which can be obtained from the Graduate Program in Education Office. Time spent on leave of absence is included in the M.A.7-year time limit for graduate course work and 5-year time limit for credential course work. Credential students must enroll in EDUG-599 Continuous Registration. M.A. students must enroll in EDUG-699 Continuous Registration.
 
Any student granted a leave during the add/drop period (as outlined in the University Catalog) for the semester will be dropped from their classes. If the leave is granted after 75% of the semester, the student may, with faculty approval, receive an Incomplete Grade for one or more courses. If an Incomplete Grade is not deemed appropriate, a grade of W will be issued. No refund of charges will be made for courses in which an Incomplete Grade is given. No credit is earned for any course in which a W is issued. Refunds, if any, will be granted based upon the University’s refund policy.

Military Leave of Absence

See Military Leave of Absence Policy in Academic Policies and Procedures section.

Re-Entry from a Leave of Absence

Graduate Education students who have filed an official withdrawal or leave of absence must submit a Readmission Application when they are ready to resume enrollment. If the student’s application is accepted, he/she will be held responsible for academic regulations and program requirements in effect at the time of the student’s initial enrollment, excluding any changes required by the CTC or by legislative action. If the student’s application is denied, he/she will be required to reapply through the Graduate Admissions Office.

Readmission

Graduate Education students who have been absent from the program for more than one semester and did not file an official withdrawal form or leave of absence, will be administratively withdrawn from the program and must reapply through the Graduate Admissions Office. Readmitted students will be subject to current academic catalog requirements. Credential students are subject to any changes due to CTC and/or legislative action.

Student Academic Load

A full-time academic load at the graduate level is 5-12 unit hours or more per semester, depending upon specific program requirements. Credential students seeking financial aid must be enrolled in a minimum of 6 units. Credential students may not enroll for more than 16 unit hours in a regular semester without the approval of the Director of the Graduate Program in Education. M.A. students seeking financial aid must be enrolled in a minimum of 5 units.

Course Numbering System

In order to interface with the undergraduate program, academic units at the graduate level are also measured in semester hours. The course numbering system is as follows:

• 500 level = credential and/or M.A. students
• 600 level = M.A. students only

Program Grade Requirements

Students must maintain a B grade (3.0 GPA). A D grade is not acceptable in any of the course work in the sequence. No more than one C grade is acceptable in credential coursework. Courses may not be taken on a pass/fail or credit/no credit basis, with the exception of student teaching. Credit will be granted for student teaching based on an overall evaluation of B- or better.

Students are expected to gauge the course load for each semester so they will achieve a minimum of a B grade in each course attempted. Any grade below B is considered below minimal performance and indicates improvement is needed if the student expects to complete the program. If the student receives a second grade that is below a B, he/she will be required to meet with the Candidate Support Committee (CSC) composed of faculty and staff from the Graduate Program in Education. This will determine whether or not the student should continue in the credential or graduate program. All grades will remain on the permanent record of students.

Students accepted under provisional status for the credential or degree program should carefully review the grade requirements for change of status for their specific program.

Incomplete Work

The institution grants an Incomplete Grade when a student has been prevented from completing some or all of the requirements of a course due to circumstances that were beyond the student’s ability to prevent or foresee, and who has requested additional time to complete the course requirements. It is the responsibility of the student to obtain a Petition for Incomplete Grade in a Graduate Course form from the Graduate Program in Education office and to contact the course professor(s) as early as possible. The professor is under no obligation to assign an Incomplete Grade. Examples of acceptable grounds for granting an Incomplete Grade include: personal or family illness of more than brief duration, serious personal or family crisis, or an unplanned increase in job responsibilities. Unacceptable grounds include heavy or difficult class load, heavy work schedule, or computer problems.

All incomplete work for full-semester courses (16 weeks) is due 6 weeks from the last day of that semester. Incomplete work for accelerated courses (5-8 weeks) is due 30 days from the last day of that module. Failure to complete and submit the required work on time will result in a grade of F or a grade commensurate with the completed work up to that point.

Grade Change Policy

​See Grade Change Policy in Academic Policies and Procedures.

Grade Appeals

​See Grade Change Policy in Academic Policies and Procedures.
 

Academic Deficiencies

If a student has provisional standing due to coursework deficiencies, he/she may still enroll in graduate classes. However, all deficiencies must be removed before completing 20 credit hours of graduate work and before making an application for advancement to candidacy

Credential Candidate Dismissal

According to CTC regulations, the institution has an obligation to public schools to deny admission or to dismiss candidates who are not suited to be teachers. The institution reviews each candidate’s competence throughout the program, informs candidates of their strengths and weaknesses, provides opportunities for corrective learning, places marginal candidates on probation, dismisses candidates who are deemed unsuitable as teachers, and considers candidate appeals.

Time Limits 

Credential Study: All work for the preliminary credential must be completed within 5 years from the time of official admission into the Graduate Program in Education. Time spent on leave of absence is included in the 5-year time limit for the credential. A credential student who interrupts the sequence of study may be subject to changes in requirements when returning, particularly for CTC credentialing modifications.

Master's Degree: All work for the Master’s degree must be completed within 7 years from the time of official admission into the Graduate Program in Education. Time spent on leave of absence is included in the 7-year time limit for the M.A. degree.

Transfer of Credits/Units

Students transferring from an accredited graduate program may transfer a maximum of 6 unit hours when the courses transferred are equivalent and have direct applicability to the students’ program design. Only courses with a grade of B (3.0 GPA) or higher will be considered for transfer toward the M.A. degree. Units being considered for transfer must have been taken no more than 5 years prior to the time of admission. The Director of the Graduate Program in Education must approve all transfers of units prior to admission.

No transfer unit can be granted for coursework applied to a degree awarded by another institution. All core courses must be taken at VU.

M. A. Graduation Requirements

• Be accepted into the Graduate Program in Education with regular status. 
• Upon completion of EDUG-605 Current Issues in Education, EDUG-606 Introduction to Educational Research, make an application for advancement to candidacy no less than 4 calendar months before the expected date of graduation.
• Achieve a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher on all required 500- and 600-level graduate course work with no more than one (1) course grade of C. All M.A. Core courses must be completed with a B grade or above.
• The Graduate Education Committee will make the final decision on the application for candidacy by determining if:
  • The student has demonstrated both academic and professional ability in the program.
  • The student’s preparation constitutes a satisfactory foundation from which to complete the program.
  • The student has the necessary value priorities, research skills, professional attitudes, and qualities of mind to complete the M.A. degree.
  • The student has settled all financial obligations to the University.

Application for Graduation

An application for graduation must be filed with the University Registrar’s Office during the first week of the student’s final semester in which the degree is granted. Students who have filed an application for graduation and do not complete their requirements by the projected date of completion for which they have filed are required to file again in a later semester. Failure to comply with these regulations will preclude the granting of the Master’s degree. Degree bound students must be officially enrolled in EDUG-610 Educational Assessment and Evaluation or EDUG-699 Continuous Registration in the semester in which they intend to submit the Application for Graduation.

Commencement

Commencement exercises are held at the end of the Spring semester for students who wish to participate. Degrees are formally awarded at the end of the fall and spring sessions. The date of degree posted on the transcript is the last day of the semester in which the graduation requirements were met.

Degree Programs

Credential Program

Professional Development