Master Your Teaching Field Fully Online
Our 42-credit, fully online Master of Education degree in secondary education, which can lead to an initial teaching certification in Pennsylvania, is designed for students who hold a bachelor's degree in a content area or related field and seek initial secondary certification (grades seven through 12) in one of the following areas:
- Biological Sciences
- Chemistry
- Citizenship
- Communications
- Computer Science
- English
- General Science
- Mathematics
- Physics
- Social Studies
"The School of Education faculty really care about your progress, and they go above and beyond for their students. I’m really looking forward to incorporating everything I've learned into my own classroom."
Courses & Topics
Some of the courses in our fully online master's degree in Secondary Education cohort program include:
- Evolving School Landscapes: Challenges and Reforms
- Special Education Inclusive Practices
- Culturally Responsive Schools, Teachers and Classrooms
- Assessment Strategies and Data-Driven Instruction
- Instructional Methods for Secondary Teachers
- Human Behavior and Classroom Management
- Student Teaching Seminar and Practicum
Frequently Asked Questions
The classes have been developed and adapted to meet PDE competencies. While some M.Ed. courses may have the same name as undergraduate courses, the M.Ed. courses contain advanced graduate-level material designed to meet the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) criteria. These courses cover the most recent work in the field, and your instructors will address how to apply this information in the classroom.
Students are required to complete a 15-week practicum/student teaching experience as part of the program. Because this is a full-time, supervised clinical experience, students should plan for a schedule that allows them to meet the program and Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) requirements. Individual employment arrangements should be discussed with the program director.
Students are required to complete a 15-week practicum/student teaching experience. Pennsylvania regulations also establish requirements for the location and duration of educator preparation field experiences. Students completing the experience in Pennsylvania should plan to meet the required 30 consecutive days of in-state experience as part of their overall practicum requirements.
Graduate students work with the program to identify an appropriate student teaching placement. Public, charter, and eligible private schools may serve as placement sites when they meet PDE and university requirements. The program will assist students who need support identifying an appropriate placement.
Completing the M.Ed. alone does not automatically issue a Pennsylvania teaching certificate. Students must successfully complete the approved certification program, meet all PDE-required testing requirements, and apply for certification through Pennsylvania’s Teacher Information Management System (TIMS). Once PDE verifies that all requirements have been met, the student may receive the appropriate Pennsylvania instructional certificate.
On our website, students can find the books required for their classes. Using the drop-down menus, select the Semester and the appropriate department name (EDUC or SPED), course number, and section (you may use any online section designation as books are the same no matter the section – for example, OAON, O2ON, OCON, etc.) ISBNs are provided for your use. Rental and digital download options may be available from the bookstore. Students can arrange to have books shipped to them for a nominal shipping fee through our bookstore. If a course does not list required books, the instructor may be using a combination of open source materials, research articles, book chapters and online resources.
Learn more: step-by-step guide to ordering books on our website.
Learn More
Contact Lynn Ribar, director of the Office of Graduate and Online Admissions, at 412-392-3908 or lribar@pointpark.edu. Schedule a call with Lynn.