Teaching and Learning (MTL), Extended Teacher Education Program (ETEP), M.S.Ed.

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The Extended Teacher Education Program (ETEP) prepares candidates for initial teacher certification in Maine. Faculty are committed to providing our teacher candidates simultaneous classroom experiences and course work that help them connect the everyday work with students to theories and research. Through the Extended Teacher Education Program (ETEP), students engage in an intense graduate level internship and post-internship course work to complete the Masters of Science in Education with a concentration in Teaching and Learning (M.S.Ed.- MTL) ETEP. ETEP is a nationally recognized teacher certification program, includes options of an intensive nine-month, full-time program or a 2 year program with methods courses in the first year and internship courses in the second year. Faculty in ETEP are dedicated to ensuring that USM’s teacher candidates have the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to teach in the increasingly diverse and demanding schools of today. We are committed to providing our teacher candidates classroom experiences and course work that help them ground their daily practice in current research-based best practices and educational theory.

We work closely with practicing administrators and teachers in partner schools to place our teaching candidates in the collaborative, professional environments that allow them to observe and reflect on excellent teaching. In university classes, USM teaching candidates work together in teaching cohorts to share and challenge ideas. Through all of these experiences, USM teaching candidates come to understand the complexities and joys of teaching.

Program Requirements

The Extended Teacher Education Program (ETEP) consists of the internship and the master’s degree in Teaching and Learning. The program offers two different options to meet the various needs of students.

Nine-Month Option (K-6 or 6-12)
Two-year Option (K-6 or 6-12)

This is an intensive experience that integrates both theory and practice in a school-based program. Interns progress through the program as part of a cohort with other teacher education candidates and complete two semesters of mentored internship in public school classrooms. The internship prepares students to teach in one of the following areas:

Elementary (K-6)
English (6-12)
World Languages (PreK-12)
Life Science (6-12)
Mathematics (6-12)
Physical Science (6-12)
Social Studies (6-12)

The teacher education programs hold national accreditation from the Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).

Course Requirements

All courses are 3 credit hours unless otherwise noted. The exact sequence of courses will vary, depending on cohort, concentration, and program option.

Elementary (K-6) (42 credits)

Secondary (6-12) and World Language (PreK-12) (39 credits)

Content Area Methods Courses: One of the following (3 credits)

After the Certification Year

After the certification year, students have five years to complete the additional six credits for their MSEd. Asynchronous online degree completion is possible during this course sequence.

EDU 643 may be substituted with EDU 607 (for K-6 certified), or EDU 667 - Teacher Leadership Capstone .

ETEP Policy

The faculty of the School of Education and Human Development reserve the right to accept and retain only those students who, in the judgment of the faculty, satisfy the requirements of scholarship, maturity, and personal suitability for teaching. The program maintains the ability to change admission and/or program requirements as needed to meet changes in state certification standards.

The following are pathways to additional certifications or endorsements an MSEd graduate might consider.

Endorsement for teaching English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) may be obtained through our TESOL program.

Initial certification in Teacher of Students with Mild to Moderate Disabilities (282) and receive the Master of Science in Special Education may apply to the Special Education Program.

Tk20

Tk20 by Watermark is the comprehensive web-based, assessment management and reporting system used by all students in Educator Preparation programs at USM. All undergraduate and graduate students who matriculate into an Educator Preparation program at USM and are accepted as a candidate for their internship/student teaching year are required to subscribe to Tk20. Students use Tk20 to provide evidence that they have mastered state and professional standards for their profession. There is a one-time subscription fee related to the administration and assessment of the program that must be paid by each student before their internship begins. For loan purposes, Tk20 is eligible for consideration as part of educational costs. Subscription instructions (including the current fee) are posted on the Office of Educator Preparation page on MyUSM at https://mycampus.maine.edu/group/usm/office-of-educator-preparation.

Please note Professional Education Council Policy: In order for USM’s Education Preparation Unit program completers to be recommended by the institution to the Maine Department of Education for certification or licensure, the candidate must provide evidence of meeting all certification requirements including proficiency on the standards relevant to their state-approved professional program and this evidence must be compiled and assessed within the context of the Unit’s data management system.

Professional Licensure and Certification Notice

Students who are pursuing degrees leading to application for professional licensure or certification, and/or who will be participating in clinical placements, internships, or practica through their USM program should be aware that their host facility may require a criminal background check, finger printing, or drug screening. In such situations, each student is responsible for obtaining and paying for the background check or other screening process and for delivering required documentation to the facility. Although the University will make reasonable efforts to place admitted students in field experiences and internships, it will be up to the host facility to determine whether a student will be allowed to work at that facility. Students should further be aware that a criminal record may jeopardize licensure by the state certification body. Students may consult the certification body corresponding to their intended occupation for more details. Successful completion of a program of study at USM does not guarantee licensure, certification, or employment in the relevant occupation.