2022-2023 Academic Catalog

School of Education

Credential Program Learning Outcomes

  1. The teacher candidate plans and delivers instruction. The teacher candidate plans and delivers engaging, developmentally appropriate instruction based on the California Content Standards. The teacher candidate incorporates a variety of teaching strategies and resources to make the subject matter accessible and engaging to the needs of diverse students.
  2. The teacher candidate uses assessment for a variety of purposes. The teacher candidate designs and interprets a variety of assessments, and also uses assessment data to plan instruction, monitor instruction, design and monitor the classroom environment, and learn about and place students. In addition the teacher candidate uses reflective practice as a means of self-assessment.
  3. The teacher candidate provides a supportive learning environment. The teacher candidate creates a positive social environment and a safe and welcoming physical environment that supports learning for all students. The teacher candidate uses instructional time wisely and efficiently.
  4. The teacher candidate models a servant-leadership lifestyle. The teacher candidate models servant-leadership, exhibits a professional attitude, and communicates effectively with students, families, and school personnel. The teacher candidate is aware of and carries out legal and ethical responsibilities.

Master's Degree Program Learning Outcomes 

Master of Education with Credential (M.Ed.)

The Combined Credential and M.Ed. program prepares teachers who demonstrate knowledge of theory and practice by making informed decisions leading to exemplary instruction for all learners.

This program of study will enable each candidate to:

  1. Integrate Intentional Design (IID): Research and develop instructional content and pedagogy in order to apply learned skills to support and assess the attainment of learning outcomes for all students.
  2. Apply Disciplinary Competencies (ADC): Demonstrate analytical skills and knowledge necessary to develop and implement effective and ethically informed content and pedagogy. 
  3. Model Ethical Leadership (MEL): Model Servant leadership by supporting, collaborating, and sharing expertise within a diverse professional community. 
  4. Exercise Informed Reflection (EIR): Implement a balanced approach to the analysis and development of the teaching and learning processes. 
  5. Promote Active Learning (PAL): Identify effective strategies for lifelong learning in a global and digital world, including shaping a personal learning network to support continuous professional growth in curriculum and instruction. 

Master of Arts in Education (MAED)

The MAED program helps established professional educators develop skills to become exemplary educators by enhancing their teaching abilities, keeping them up-to-date with recent developments in the educational field, and enabling them to use current technologies in their classroom.

Curriculum and Instruction

  1. Integrate Intentional Design: Research and develop instructional content and pedagogy in order to apply learned skills to support and assess the attainment of learning outcomes for all students. 
  2. Apply Disciplinary Competencies: Demonstrate analytical skills and knowledge necessary to develop and implement effective and ethically informed content and pedagogy. 
  3. Model Ethical Leadership: Model servant leadership by supporting, collaborating, and sharing expertise within a diverse professional community. 
  4. Exercise Informed Reflection: Implement a balanced approach to the analysis and development of teaching and learning processes.  
  5. Promote Active Learning: Identify effective strategies for lifelong learning in a global and digital world, including shaping a personal learning network to support continuous professional growth in curriculum and instruction.  

Educational Administration with Preliminary Administrative Services Credential 

  1. Integrate Intentional Design: Facilitate the development and implementation of a vision of learning that recognizes the needs of the school community.  
  2. Apply Disciplinary Competencies: Collaborate with the community to promote teaching and learning within school systems. 
  3. Model Ethical Leadership: Model servant leadership while actively nurturing and sustaining a school culture and instructional programs conducive to student learning and professional growth for faculty and staff. 
  4. Exercise Informed Reflection: Implement a balanced approach to decision making in an educational environment. 
  5. Promote Active Learning: Identify effective strategies for lifelong learning in a global and digital world, including shaping a personal learning network to support continuous professional growth in educational administration. 

Learning, Design, and Technology

  1. Integrate Intentional Design: Develop an understanding of the dynamic relationship between technology, pedagogy, and content in order to creatively apply a variety of technologies to support and assess the attainment of learning outcomes for all students. 
  2. Apply Disciplinary Competencies: Demonstrate and apply the requisite technical skills and knowledge necessary for effectively integrating technology into the curriculum. 
  3. Model Ethical Leadership: Model servant leadership as applied to the role of an effective and ethical technology steward by supporting, collaborating, and sharing expertise within a professional community. 
  4. Exercise Informed Reflection: Demonstrate a balanced, informed, and reflective approach to the integration of technology into the teaching and learning processes. 
  5. Promote Active Learning: Identify effective strategies for lifelong learning in a global and digital world including shaping a personal learning network to support continuous professional growth in educational technology.  

School Counseling with Pupil Personnel Services Credential

  1. Integrate Intentional Design: Research and create comprehensive school counseling programs that focus on student outcomes.  
  2. Apply Disciplinary Competencies:  Demonstrate legal, ethical, and professional knowledge and skills in pre-K-12 public and private school settings.  
  3. Model Ethical Leadership: Model servant leadership to actively promote ethical school counseling practices in pre-K-12 public or private schools. 
  4. Exercise Informed Reflection: Implement an impartial and balanced approach to deliver services within diverse school settings.  
  5. Promote Active Learning: Identify effective strategies for lifelong learning in a global and digital world, including shaping a personal learning network to support continuous professional growth in school counseling. 

Master of Arts in Educational Leadership (MAEL)

During this program of study, each candidate will:

  1. Integrate Intentional Design (IID):  Facilitate the development and implementation of a vision of learning that recognizes the needs of the school community.  (IL, SR).  Faith Foundation – God is hidden in human vocations as He works beneath appearances and through people to minister to the needs of all of His creation.  As Isaiah wrote, “Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?’ and I said, ‘Here am I; send me!’” (Isaiah 6:8)

  2. Apply Disciplinary Competencies (ADC):  Collaborate with the community to promote social emotional learning, character, and ethics within school systems.  (CE, IL).  Faith Foundation – Acting with gratitude for God’s gracious blessings, we are called to be wise and faithful stewards of all that He provides for us as we serve His purposes.  “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace.” (1 Peter 4:10)

  3. Model Ethical Leadership (MEL):  Model servant leadership while actively nurturing and sustaining a school culture and instructional programs conducive to student learning and professional growth for faculty and staff.  (CE, EL, RP).  Faith Foundation – Jesus said, “Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.” (Mark 9:35)  In our new baptismal identity, the Holy Spirit daily works in our hearts to shape us into the image of Christ Himself, whose sacrifice on the cross is the ultimate leadership model for lives lived in service to others.  (See also Ephesians 4:15-16)

  4. Exercise Informed Reflection (EIR):  Implement a balanced approach to decision making in an educational environment.  (IL, RP).  Faith Foundation – Successful navigation through our ever more complex and rapidly changing world demands pause for reflection to discern God’s plans for His creation.  St. Paul cautioned “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is –his good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Romans 12:2)

  5. Promote Active Learning  (PAL):  Identify effective strategies for lifelong learning in a global and digital world, including shaping a personal learning network to support continuous professional growth in servant leadership.  (EC, CE).  Faith Foundation – Christians value the processes of forgiveness, healing and learning through which God continually works to make us whole.  “Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance, to understand a proverb and a saying, the words of the wise and their riddles.  The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge…” (Proverbs 1:5-7a)

Doctor of Education Program Learning Outcomes

  1. Scholarly Research: Graduates will initiate, assemble, arrange, and reformulate ideas, concepts, designs, and methods in carrying out a research project directed at a problem in the field of educational leadership. (Aligns with GLOs Scholarly Research, Integrated Learning)
  2. Systems Thinking: Graduates will analyze and apply concepts and skills necessary to create, lead, and manage learning organizations as complex, responsive, and adaptive systems. (Aligns with GLOs Integrated Learning, Community Engagement)
  3. Ethical Leadership: Graduates will analyze and apply standards of ethical leadership and management, utilizing a shared vision informed by Christian principles and values. (Aligns with GLO Ethical Leadership)
  4. Effective Communication: Graduates will communicate clearly through appropriate methods and media, while monitoring, analyzing, and adjusting for diverse settings and context. (Aligns with GLO Effective Communication)
  5. Reflective Practice: Graduates will engage in reflective practice balancing data driven decision making, informed logical thinking, and human dynamics. (Aligns with GLO ReflectivePractice)
  6. Community Engagement: Assess and develop cogent positions on significant issues in their field to respond to diverse needs in their respective communities. (Aligns with GLO Community Engagement)

Application and Admission Information

Multiple Subject, Single Subject, Education Specialist: Mild to Moderate Support Services, Dual Credential

Clear Teaching Credential

Master of Arts in Education

Master of Arts in Educational Leadership

Combination of Master of Education (M.Ed.) and Credential

Doctor of Education

Certificates

Multiple Subject, Single Subject, Education Specialist: Mild to Moderate Support Services, Dual Credential 

Core Application:

  1. Submit online or paper application form.
  2. Submit application fee. 

Items required to complete the admission file:

  1. Baccalaureate Degree
  2. Official transcripts from all college/universities attended.
  3. Minimum GPA of 2.75. If GPA is lower than 2.75, applicant may submit a Letter of Petition to be considered by the program director.
  4. Personal Statement of Intent (on CUI form).
  5. Two letters of recommendation (on CUI form).
  6. Certificate of Clearance.
  7. Health Clearance (negative tuberculosis [TB] test in last 6 months).
  8. Basic Skills Requirement met.
  9. Submission of the Basic Skills/Subject Matter Evaluation Form with supporting documents.

Clear Teaching Credential

Core Application:

  1. Submit online or paper application form.
  2. Submit application fee. 

Items required to complete the admission file:

  1. Baccalaureate Degree
  2. Official transcripts from all college/universities attended.
  3. Personal Statement of Intent (on CUI form).
  4. Two letters of recommendation (on CUI form).
  5. Hire letter or contract stating you are a teacher of record.
  6. Official proof of CSET (California Subject Examinations for Teachers) passage OR proof of registration for next available testing date (dependent on congruency of undergraduate degree with type of credential sought) in which case CSET must be passed prior to student teaching semester.
  7. Preliminary Teaching Credential.

Master of Arts in Education (MAED)

General Requirements:

For acceptance, the applicant must:

  1. Hold a valid bachelor's degree or higher from a regionally accredited institution, or an international evaluation by a NACES-approved evaluation agency verifying the equivalent of a regionally accredited U.S. bachelor's degree or higher.
  2. Submit an application for admission to the Office of Graduate Admissions along with a non-refundable application fee  (see Tuition and Fees).
  3. Forward one official transcript from a regionally accredited college/university that shows a confirmed bachelor's or master's degree. If an earned degree is from a non-U.S. institution, applicants must provide an official detailed transcript evaluation from a California Commission of Teacher Credentialing (CCTC)-approved international credential evaluation service that shows the equivalent of a regionally accredited U.S. degree. All transcripts must be received in official sealed envelopes or an official electronic transcript.
  4. Submit transcript evidence showing a cumulative GPA of 2.75 or higher on a 4.0 scale (undergraduate and/or graduate work).

Specific Program Requirements:

School Counseling:

  1. Provide documentation that you have fulfilled the Basic Skills requirement.
  2. Submit copy of Certificate of Clearance.

Educational Administration:

  1. Provide documentation that you fulfilled the Basic Skills requirements.
  2. Submit a Verification of Experience (VOE) documenting two (2) years of successful full-time teaching experience for at least a minimum day of 75% of the total days in the school year (substitute or part-time service does not apply).  Documentation of teaching experience must be on the district or employing agency letterhead and signed by the superintendent, assistant superintendent, director of personnel, or director of human services.
  3. Hold a CA Clear Teaching Credential (or other CA Clear credential as defined by the CTC).

Master of Arts in Educational Leadership (MAEL)

General Requirements:

For acceptance, the applicant must:

  1. Hold a valid bachelor's degree or higher from a regionally accredited institution, or an international evaluation by a NACES-approved evaluation agency verifying the equivalent of a regionally accredited U.S. bachelor's degree or higher.
  2. Submit an application for admission to the Office of Graduate Admissions along with a non-refundable application fee  (see Tuition and Fees).
  3. Forward one official transcript from a regionally accredited college/university that shows a confirmed bachelor's or master's degree. If an earned degree is from a non-U.S. institution, applicants must provide an official detailed transcript evaluation from a  NACES-approved evaluation agency that shows the equivalent of a regionally accredited U.S. degree. All transcripts must be received in official sealed envelopes or an official electronic transcript.
  4. Submit transcript evidence showing a cumulative GPA of 2.75 or higher on a 4.0 scale (undergraduate and/or graduate work).

Combination Master of Education (M.Ed.) and Teaching Credential

Core Application:

  1. Submit online or paper application form.
  2. Submit application fee. 

Items required to complete the admission file:

  1. Bachelor's Degree
  2. Official transcripts from all college/universities attended.
  3. Minimum GPA of 3.0
    1. If GPA is lower than 3.0, applicant may NOT apply for M.Ed. program.
    2. Application must be approved by the program director of add the M.Ed. prior to the student teaching semester.
  4. Personal Statement of Intent (on CUI form).
  5. Two letters of Recommendation (on CUI form).
  6. Certificate of Clearance.
  7. Health Clearance (negative tuberculosis [TB] test in last 6 months).
  8. Official proof of CBEST (California Basic Educational Skills Test) passage.
  9. Official proof of CSET (California Subject Examinations for Teachers) passage OR proof of registration for next available testing date (dependent on congruency of undergraduate degree with type of credential sought) in which case CSET must be passed prior to student teaching semester.

Acceptance Procedures

  1. When admission file is complete students will be scheduled for a 30-minute faculty-panel oral interview and a 20-minute writing sample time.
  2. A letter of full acceptance will be mailed to the applicant. In the case of conditional acceptance, a letter will be mailed to the applicant outlining the steps to be followed in regards to course load and GPA requirements.
  3. The acceptance letter will include an enrollment checklist outlining the steps that need to be taken prior to registering for classes.

Additional Admission Criteria

No reference forms received from relatives will be accepted.

Doctor of Education

The Doctor of Education program is designed for candidates who have demonstrated potential for doctoral study and leadership as substantiated during the admission process and have obtained a master's degree in education or a closely related field from a regionally accredited institution. The admission process for acceptance to the doctoral program involves four steps:

  1. The applicant must submit the following documents to the graduate admissions office:
    1. Official application for admission.
    2. A nonrefundable application fee (see Tuition and Fees); this fee is not required from students previously admitted to a graduate program at Concordia University Irvine.
    3. Official sealed academic transcripts from each postsecondary institution attended.
    4. Verification of a master's degree in education or a closely related field from a regionally accredited institution.
    5. Verification of a minimum graduate GPA (grade point average) of 3.5 (on a 4-point scale).
    6. Three letters of recommendation on university-approved forms as follows:
      1. one letter completed by the applicant's supervisor
      2. two letters from persons who can attest to the applicant's potential for doctoral study and leadership
    7. A current professional résumé.
    8. A typed statement of 5-7 pages, double-spaced detailing the following:
      1. educational goals
      2. short- and long-term professional goals
      3. professional activities
      4. research interests to be pursued in the program
      5. research experience
      6. distance learning experience
      7. reason(s) for choosing Concordia University Irvine’s doctoral program.
    9. A 7-10 page writing sample that demonstrates the applicant’s ability to write cogently and use research and professional literature effectively in developing ideas and arguments (e.g., a master’s thesis, a scholarly article published in a journal, a comprehensive course paper, a major district report, etc.).
    10. A valid California Certificate of Clearance (copy of a valid California credential may be used in lieu of a certificate).
    11. All program admission documents must be submitted before an application file is considered complete.
  2. Each application file is evaluated as a whole by a doctoral faculty committee to determine if the prospective candidate should be contacted for an in-person interview.
  3. During the in-person interview the candidate will meet with the program director and possibly one or more program faculty at which time they will be asked to discuss how their interest in the program relates to their career goals, experience with online learning environments, interests in scholarship, prior research activities, and how future educational pursuits align to the overall mission of Concordia University Irvine.
  4. Within 2 weeks of the interview, the candidate will be notified regarding program acceptance.

Certificates

The applicant must submit the following documents to the graduate admissions office:

  1. Official application for admission.
  2. Doctoral degree or Master's degree official transcript with a degree in education or closely related field from a regionally accredited university, college, or seminar.
    1. A 3.5 cumulative GPA is required for a Master's degree.

International Application Requirements

International applications are available for: 

  • Credential Program (Multiple Subject, Single Subject, Education Specialist: Mild to Moderate Support Services)
  • Combined Credential and M.Ed. Program
  • MAED:  Curriculum and Instruction 
  • MAED: Learning, Design, and Technolgy
  • MAEL: Social-Emotional Learning, Character, and Ethics
  • Doctor of Education

If an international student has an undergraduate or master's degree from an English speaking university, a Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is not required.  A TOEFL or IELTS score is required if the international student has an undergraduate or master's degree from a non-English speaking university.  The required scores are:

  • TOEFL
    • 88 or higher  
    • 100 or higher (EDD program)
  • IELTS
    • 7.0 or higher
    • 7.5 or higher (EDD program)
International Student I-20 requirements can be found here.

Special Admission Circumstances

Candidates with a GPA below 2.75 who meet one of the following criteria may petition to be considered for conditional acceptance:

  • If the candidate has 3 or more years of credible service in schools (credible service is defined as full-time teaching after completing a teacher preparation program) they may request, complete, and submit the Verification of Experience form available from the graduate admissions office.

OR

  • If the candidate has submitted documentation of meeting minimum scores for the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) or Miller Analogies Test​ (MAT) as follows:

    • GRE minimum score of 900 combined verbal and quantitative scores OR a 450 verbal score and 3.5 analytical writing score.

    • MAT minimum raw score of 41.​​

To initiate the petition, the candidate must submit a letter of explanation for previous low grades including why grades in the new program will be acceptable. The school's dean may accept, deny, or refer the petition to an application review committee.

Candidates admitted with conditional status must achieve full admittance by the end of the first 8-week term in order to continue in the program. If full admittance is not achieved, the candidate will be ineligible to continue as only fully admitted students may matriculate toward a degree. Full admission is defined as all admission criteria having been met and the student receiving written confirmation regarding full admittance.

Admission Appeals on GPA

Applicants who do not meet the minimum GPA requirement for the program to which the applicant is applying may appeal the denial. In appealing the denial, the candidate must submit a letter of explanation for the low grades and why the candidate’s grades in a new program would be acceptable. The Dean may sustain the denial, reverse the denial, or refer the matter to an application review committee.

The application review committee will consider the potential of the candidate for academic and teaching success by reviewing a variety of factors including the following:

  • Significant life experience since completing the B.A.
  • Second language issues
  • Teaching experience, teacher aiding, classroom volunteering
  • Undergraduate coursework

​Any credential candidate approved by the application review committee must demonstrate subject competency by passing the appropriate CSET before admission. In this case, a single subject matter preparation program cannot be submitted in lieu of the test. A candidate whose appeal is accepted will be permitted to proceed through the admission interview step, and is classified as “Candidate for Admissions.” A Candidate for Admissions will not be permitted to enroll for courses until submitting passing test scores to the School of Education. Candidates accepted into the credential program on the basis of an appeal are not eligible for the M.Ed. program.

Admission with Conditional Status (MAED)

MAED students admitted with conditional status must achieve full admittance by the end of the first 8-week term in order to continue in the program. Students not achieving full admittance by the end of the first term will be removed from the program.  Only a student with full admission may matriculate toward a degree. Full admission is defined as all admission criteria being met and the student having received written confirmation of full acceptance into the program.