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Education, M.A.

Program Description

For years, the traditional school-as-factory model has dominated teacher education programs. In contrast, La Salle’s Master of Arts in Education program offers unique alternatives that view each child as an individual learner with needs that cannot be met through an industrialized approach to education. This assembly-line method of schooling encourages teachers to overlook individual differences and the interconnected aspects of a child's education, often leading to stereotypes based on grade, label, and subject.

La Salle-prepared educators are far from semi-skilled production workers. They possess a comprehensive understanding of children and adolescents as unique learners. They are trained to consider the diverse needs of their students and to develop innovative instruction that works in the real world of the classroom. This emphasis on the individual learner is the hallmark of an expert teacher.

La Salle-educated teachers are also well-versed in analytic techniques that enhance their ability to evaluate the impact of educational institutions, develop a critical understanding of educational thought and practice, and contribute to educational policy-making. This approach nurtures genuinely reflective professional practitioners who are capable of leading and innovating rather than merely following established routines.To ensure a strong union of theory and practice, clinical teaching begins early in the program. These practica are managed and directed by La Salle University to provide optimal conditions for professional growth.

This program can lead to a Master of Arts degree or a Master of Arts degree with certification, providing flexible pathways to meet diverse professional goals.

We offer a Master of Arts in Education and Teacher Certification in the following areas:

We offer Pennsylvania Certifications and Pennsylvania Endorsements in the following areas:

Mission

Consistent with the mission of Graduate Studies, the mission of the Master of Arts in Education program is to prepare 21st-century educators through project-based, problem-based service learning and community engagement grounded in Lasallian values.

Program Goals

As students progress through the program, each will gain skills in the following areas:

Professional Learning Stance 

  • Address practice through the lenses of learning and inquiry stances  
  • Develop critical habits of mind to address assumptions of practice by evaluating and interrogating significance, perspective, evidence, connection, and supposition  

21st Century Communication Skills  

  • Use effective and articulate expression of thoughts and ideas effectively using multiple modalities and technologies in multiple and diverse settings   
  • Use active and effective listening skills to surface underlying meaning, values, attitudes, and intentions  
  • Infer message effectiveness and impact before, during, and after delivery  

Social Justice and Leadership  

  • Engage in respectful collaboration to address professional and community issues 
  • Display awareness and sensitivity to an ethnically, linguistically, cognitively, physically, and socially diverse group 
  • Demonstrate a belief in educational equity ​