Education

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Grading System

Grades are recorded as follows:

Master of Education

Goals

The master of education program has a commitment to the development of advanced learning experiences that are appropriate to the needs of practicing professionals and provide opportunities for professional enrichment and development.

Admission

Application for admission to the certificate and master of education programs should be completed online through Widener’s Office of Graduate Studies (https://widener.edu/apply).

A bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher education is a prerequisite for admission to graduate study. Occasionally, undergraduate students in their senior year are admitted into the graduate program. In order for an undergraduate student to be admitted, he or she must submit a current transcript of all undergraduate studies and a list of all courses in which he/she is currently enrolled. A student must submit a final transcript once the undergraduate program of study is completed.

The following requirements must be met for admission:

• Complete the application form.
• Have an official transcript sent from all previous graduate and undergraduate programs.
• Submit two letters of recommendation from colleagues, supervisors, or college professors.
• Complete a writing sample. Contact the Writing Center at 610-499-4332 to schedule an appointment.

Additional Admission Criteria for the Principal Certification Program

• Writing sample is an essay on how principals shape learning in their schools.
• Compliance with state requirements of teaching experience in Pennsylvania.
• Application includes documented evidence of leadership potential and excellent communication skills, including evidence of being able to give an oral presentation.
• Two letters of recommendation that refer to the candidate’s potential.
• Undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher.

Additional Admission Criteria for the Assistant Superintendent & Superintendent (Letter of Eligibility) Program:

• Application portfolio.
• Writing sample is an essay on how superintendents shape learning in their districts.
• Personal interview with the program director incorporating a problem-based learning activity and an explanation of the candidate’s educational philosophy.
• Compliance with state requirements of teaching and administrative experience in Pennsylvania (in current criteria).
• Application includes documented evidence of leadership potential and excellent communication skills, including evidence of being able to give an oral presentation.
• Two letters of recommendation that refer to the candidate’s potential.
• Undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher.

International Students

International students should consult the International Student Services web page at www.widener.edu for international graduate student guidelines or contact the Office of International Student Services at Widener University, One University Place, Chester, PA 19013; phone: 610-499-4499.

Master of Education Programs

• Counselor Education, MEd  
• Counselor Education: Student Services in Higher Education Track  
• Educational Foundations, MEd  
• Elementary Education: The Early Years (Pre-K-4), MEd  
• Higher Education Leadership, MEd  
• Home and School Visitor, MEd  
• Instructional Technology, MEd  
• K-12 Educational Leadership/Principalship, MEd  
• Reading, MEd  
• Secondary Education, MEd  
• Special Education (Pre-K-8), MEd  
• Special Education: Assistive Technology, MEd  

Certification

The State Board of Education adopted changes that affect all of Pennsylvania’s teacher certification programs by adding 9 credits, or 270 hours or equivalent combination, for adaptations and accommodations for diverse students in an inclusive setting and 3 credits, or 90 hours or equivalent combination, to meet the instructional needs of English language learners. The State Board of Education also adopted changes specific to early childhood, elementary (K–6), and special education. The new certification guidelines went into effect on January 1, 2013, regardless of a candidate’s enrollment date.

Initial certification in Pennsylvania as a teacher (Instructional I) can be earned through the graduate division. Students seeking certification must complete a separate application form available from the Office of Field Experiences and Certification. To earn a certificate at the graduate level, students must successfully complete an approved program of study, which includes a student teaching experience. In addition, students must maintain a grade of B (3.0) or better in all courses and must successfully complete a writing sample requirement. Students may also be required to complete certain prerequisite undergraduate courses, which include a minimum of 6 credits of college-level mathematics, 3 credits of English composition, and 3 credits of American or British literature. When this is required, students must maintain a minimum grade of B in those courses. Students wishing to pursue a  teacher certification program must be admitted into the graduate program.

All candidates for teacher certification in Pennsylvania must receive a passing score on the PECT series of tests, including PAPA and content area tests. All candidates must also complete a portfolio according to the guidelines established by the Center for Education.

Classroom teachers in Pennsylvania holding Instructional I certification are required to complete 24 semester hours of post-baccalaureate studies and complete three years of successful teaching to qualify for the Instructional II certificate. Graduate courses taken at Widener University can be used to meet the course work requirement for the Instructional II certificate.

Specialist, supervisor, principal, and superintendency certificates have additional requirements for entry completion. Please consult with an advisor for more information.

The Center for Education at Widener University offers programs of study that can prepare individuals for the following professional certifications:

Teacher Certification

Biology*
Chemistry*
Earth and Space Science*
Elementary Education: The Early Years, PreK–4
English*
Mathematics*
Physics*
Social Studies*
Spanish*
Special Education (PreK–8)*
*Contact the Center for Education to consult with an advisor about course requirements for this particular certification.

Specialist Certification

Home and School Visitor (School Social Worker)
Instructional Technology
Reading
School Counselor (K-12)

Supervisor Certification**

Curriculum and Instruction
Pupil Personnel Services
Reading
Special Education

Principal Certification**

K–12 Principal

Letter of Eligibility**

Superintendent

**Must have appropriate previous certification and experience.

Doctor of Education

Goals

The goals of the doctor of education programs at Widener University are rooted in the mission and goals of the university itself. To that end, the doctoral programs are committed to the following:

• to foster an understanding of theory and its relevance to problem solving, and the expansion of our knowledge base.
• to contribute to the improvement of leadership by encouraging the spirit of critical inquiry and analysis through problem solving.
• to anticipate future societal trends and needs, and to be able to develop plans of action to meet those needs.

Admission

Criteria for admissions to the doctoral programs include:

• a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.
• documentation of appropriate professional background and experience in postsecondary education or in related fields.
• satisfactory academic performance in previous baccalaureate and post-baccalaureate activity. (To satisfy this criterion, students must have achieved a GPA of 3.5 in academic work completed at the master’s level or a GPA of 3.0 for work completed at the bachelor’s level.)
• two letters of recommendation.
• a professional statement (part of the application packet).

International Students

International students should consult the International Student Services web page at www.widener.edu for international graduate student guidelines or contact the Office of International Student Services at Widener University, One University Place, Chester, PA 19013; phone: 610-499-4499.

Matriculation and Academic Progress

A matriculated student is one who has been officially accepted into a doctoral program. Students may register for a maximum of six credits prior to achieving matriculated status. Students should meet regularly with their assigned academic advisors, beginning as soon as possible after admission, to plan their program of study.

All students are expected to maintain satisfactory rates of progress toward their degrees, beginning with the first course in which they enroll and in all subsequent courses. If a student earns a grade of B – or below, the course may be repeated only once. Both grades will be recorded on the transcript, but only the most recent grade will be used in calculating the GPA. When a student is found to have violated Widener’s academic fraud policies, that student is prohibited from exercising the repeat-of-course option to remove the F grade (given as a result of fraud) from the GPA calculation. To graduate, students must achieve an overall GPA of 3.0 on a standard 4.0 system. No student will graduate from education programs with an incomplete grade.

Doctoral Candidacy

Doctoral candidacy occurs upon successful completion of the coursework leading up to the start of the dissertation process and requires continuous enrollment. Doctoral candidacy starts with the ED 901 course.  Policies and procedures governing the dissertation process are available in the Handbook for Doctoral Students.

Continuous Enrollment

Once a student enters doctoral candidacy, continuous enrollment of at least 3 credit hours each semester is required. To stay on course to complete the three-year course plan, coursework in the summer will be required. Once a student completes a successful dissertation proposal defense, the student will take a minimum of 12 semester hours (two three-credit semesters) of ED 999 . If the dissertation is not completed and successfully defended within these six semester hours, students must continuously enroll for additional dissertation credit until they have successfully defended the dissertation. (See “Dissertation” section for additional information.) Students must be enrolled or pre-registered for the upcoming semester to maintain library privileges during the  summer and winter break.

Leave of Absence

Those individuals who have achieved doctoral candidacy and are unable to remain continuously enrolled during any semester must petition the dissertation chair for a leave of absence. The “Petition for an  Approved Leave of Absence” is available from the Center for Education. A petition must be submitted during any semester when a student is not continuously enrolled. A leave of absence may not exceed two years or four academic semesters. Exceptions may be granted only by the Director of the Center for Education in consultation with the student’s dissertation chair. Students who are on leave of absence shall have no access to professors or facilities. On returning from the leave of absence, students must petition to be reassigned to a dissertation chair. Students should also know that in taking a leave, the currency of their dissertation study may be affected.

Financial Clearance

Students must be financially cleared if they are to be advised during the dissertation process. Students who are not financially cleared by the census date set by the Registrar’s Office forfeit continuous enrollment status. Such individuals may either (a) complete a “Petition for an Approved Leave of Absence,” or (b) request retroactive reinstatement from the dean of the School of Human Service Professions. Students who have achieved candidacy must petition their dissertation chairs for a leave of absence as stated above in the Leave of Absence policy.

Dissertation

The doctoral research sequence, which includes the dissertation experience, requires a minimum of 27 semester hours. Teh sequence of courses in the dissertation experience (12 credits) should be as follows:  ED 901  (3 credits), ED 902  (3 credits), and two semesters of ED 999A (3 credits each for a total of 6 credits). If a student has not defended the dissertation proposal in ED 902 , then the student must register for ED 903  each semester until the proposal has been accepted. (See “Continuous Enrollment” section for additional information.) If the dissertation has not been completed, then the student must register for 3 credit hours of ED 999A each succeeding semester. (See the Handbook for Doctoral Students for more information regarding dissertations.)

The dissertation problem addressed by the candidate’s research must pertain to higher education, reading/language arts, or K–12 educational leadership. The scope of the project must be such that it will contribute to improved practice within the field and not be limited to an institutional problem. The EdD program was redesigned in 2019 to allow students to complete all coursework and dissertation in three calendar years. Some students may take longer, but all must complete their doctoral dissertations within four years from the start of ED 901.

Transfer Credit

Transfer credit will be considered on an individual basis. This decision will be made after the time of admission, by a student’s academic advisor. A decision to award transfer credit will be based on the recency and similarity of courses required by a program of study. A grade of A, B, or Pass is required for transfer credit. All decisions regarding transfer credit rest with the faculty of the Center for Education. Research courses can only be approved for transfer credit following a syllabus review by the instructor of the comparable research course in the Center for Education.

Areas of Study - EdD

Common Core:

Research

All doctoral students will take the same core research courses, which will examine research methodology, educational measurement, and educational statistics. The research series is intended to achieve the following aims of inquiry: becoming independent scholars; becoming critical consumers of educational research; making connections between quantitative/qualitative research and educational policymaking; applying statistical  techniques to solve pedagogical problems; understanding how statistical methods can be used to show how information about school-based practices can lead to development of educational theory; and making decisions about practices that are informed by quantitative/qualitative analysis.

Content Area Coursework

These courses include both foundational knowledge and professional knowledge. Students will investigate fundamental concepts, theories, and principles, which ground the study of historical and philosophical aspects of pedagogy, administration, and governance, as well as curriculum and contemporary problems of leadership. Students may choose a content area from among the following three areas of study:

• Cognitive Studies in Reading, EdD  
• K-12 Educational Leadership, EdD   
• Higher Education Leadership, EdD  

Electives

Some areas of study in the doctoral program permit elective courses within the content area coursework. Students select elective credits in consultation with their advisors.

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