Secondary Education
Graduate College of Education
Dean: Jacob Perea
Department of Secondary Education
BH 41
415-338-1201/1202
Chair: Nathan Avani
Graduate Coordinator: Jamal Cooks
Middle/Junior High School Studies Coordinator: Nathan Avani
Faculty
Professor: Avani, Kysh
Associate Professors: Cancino, Cooks, Irvine, Watanabe
Assistant Professors: Bloom, Fan, Horvath
Lecturers: Adisa-Thomas, Allender, Bender, Danel, Fischer-Kohn, Kell, Lee
Programs
M.A. in Education: Concentration in Secondary Education
M.A. in Education: Concentration in Mathematics Education
Program Scope
The Master of Arts in education, concentration in secondary education program, is uniquely designed to provide experienced teachers with new perspectives and challenges that will result in practical pedagogic outcomes. The program affords teachers the opportunity to pursue the study of teaching and learning in their subject area and special interests such as urban education, multi-cultural education, implications of social and technological change for teaching, adolescent values, middle school education, mathematics education, science education, and alternative education. The aim of this program is to improve educators' effectiveness as teachers, leaders, and educational scholars and to contribute to the knowledge base for teaching and learning.
Graduate study for this degree may be combined with programs leading to the Reading Specialist or Bilingual Specialist Credentials.
Students are urged to observe the general requirements in this Bulletin as well as the specific departmental requirements stated here and in the special bulletins available from the department upon request.
Flexibility in the selection of courses from secondary education and related fields allows for a wide range of individual interests. The program offers each candidate a thorough grounding in responsive education that is sensitive to the needs of the working professional. Evening and summer courses are offered.
Career Outlook
Career possibilities for middle and high school teachers are variable, with a particularly good outlook for mathematics and science teachers and for teachers who are bilingual in Spanish and/or one or more Asian languages.
Career possibilities for middle school teachers are excellent, particularly for those with specialized middle level training
Master of Arts in Education: Concentration in Secondary Education
Admission to Program
The Master of Arts in education, concentration in secondary education is open to all qualified teachers. All applicants must hold bachelor's degrees from accredited universities. Additional entrance requirements include:
- A 3.0 GPA in the last 60 semester (90 quarter) units attempted.
- A valid preliminary or clear single subject teaching credential.
- Completion of at least two years of successful full-time teaching.;
- Evidence of written English proficiency.
- An interview with the graduate coordinator and/or other graduate advisers.
Admission to the MA in Education, concentration in secondary education program is a two-part process that should be completed simultaneously:
- Apply to San Francisco State University: Complete the on-line CSU Mentor application. Follow all other requirements for admission to the University by accessing www.sfsu.edu/~grad stdy/.
- Apply to the Department of Secondary Education.
A limited number of students not meeting the 3.0 GPA may be admitted conditionally, particularly applicants who have been identified as highly promising or particularly talented teachers.
Written English Proficiency Requirement
Level One: Written English proficiency will be assessed based on the Personal Statement, submitted to the department as part of the application. This statement should be about 750 words and should demonstrate writing skills appropriate for graduate level work in secondary education. For the statement, students respond to a prompt explaining their goals for pursuing the degree and describing their readiness for the program based on professional and academic preparation, and dispositions as a student.
Students admitted conditionally or not meeting stated written English proficiency standards must demonstrate that they have met the Level One written English proficiency requirement prior to enrolling in SED 895 or SED 898. Students must meet Level One written English proficiency requirement prior to advancing to Level Two.
Level Two: Writing proficiency will be assessed based on the quality of the Field Study Report or Thesis submitted as the culminating experience for, S ED 895 or S ED 898. All students in the program must complete an 895 or 898 project.
Courses are 3 units unless otherwise indicated. On-line course descriptions are available.
Master of Arts in Education: Concentration in Secondary Education
| Course | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| ISED 797 | Seminar in Educational Research | 3 |
| S ED 850 | Research Seminar: Critical Issues in Secondary Education | 3 |
| S ED 895 or S ED 898 |
Field Study Master’s Thesis |
3 |
Electives in secondary education approved by graduate major adviser: 9 - 21 units
Related or distributed field (selected on approval of graduate major adviser): 6 - 12 units
Minimum Total: 30 units
Culminating Experience
Early in the semester prior to enrollment in either S ED 895 or S ED 898, the student must submit his/her Advancement to Candidacy (ATC), the Proposal for Culminating Experience, and the Human Subjects Protocol forms. Enrollment in these courses is contingent upon approval.
Courses Taken in the Single Subject Credential Program
Up to 12 units of course work in secondary education completed to satisfy the requirements of the Single Subject Credential program may be used to fulfill the requirements for the Master of Arts, as long as they were taken within the seven-year time limit for the master's degree. Credential courses that may be counted as electives or as "related or distributed field" courses include S ED 701, 720, 759, 769, 778, 780, 781, 785, 790, 800. Student teaching and the associated seminars. S ED 710, 751, 752, may not be counted. Curriculum and instruction courses taken in other departments may be counted.
Master of Arts in Education: Concentration in Mathematics Education
Admission to Program
Admission to the Master of Arts in Education: Concentration in Mathematics Education is based upon:
- Possession of a single subject teaching credential.
- At least two years experience teaching mathematics in a secondary classroom.
In the event the candidate has not met the requirements in (1) or (2) above, he/she may meet with a mathematics education adviser to evaluate his or her academic and professional background.
Admission to the graduate program is a two-part process that should be completed simultaneously:
- Apply to San Francisco State University: Complete the on-line CSU Mentor application. Follow all other requirements for admission to the University by accessing www.sfsu.edu/~grad stdy/.
- Complete a department application which includes a written statement of purpose. Include two letters of recommendation regarding the ability to pursue graduate-level work and successful experience teaching adolescents.
Written English Proficiency Requirement
Level One: Written English Proficiency will be assessed based on the Personal Statement, submitted to the department as part of the application. This statement should be about 750 words and should demonstrate writing skills appropriate for graduate level work in Mathematics Education. For the Statement, students respond to a prompt explaining their goals for pursuing the degree and describing their readiness for the program based on professional and academic preparation, and disposition as a student.
Students admitted conditionally or not meeting stated written English proficiency standards must meet Level One written English proficiency by the end of their second semester of enrollment in the program. Students must meet Level One written English proficiency prior to advancing to level two.
Level Two: Writing proficiency will be assessed based on the quality of the Field Study Report or Thesis submitted as the Culminating Experience, E ED/S ED 895 or E ED/S ED 898. All students in the program must complete an 895 or 898 project.
Master of Arts in Education: Concentration in Mathematics Education
Mathematics Courses
Units selected from upper division or graduate mathematics courses with adviser approval. The following, or similar, courses are recommended: 12 units
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| MATH 300 | History of Mathematics |
| MATH 301 | Exploration and Proof |
| MATH 324 | Probability and Statistics |
| MATH 325 | Linear Algebra |
| MATH 350 | Geometry |
| MATH 475 | Capstone Course for Teaching Emphasis |
| MATH 575 | Mathematics in the Middle School Classroom I |
| MATH 576 | Mathematics in Middle Schools II |
| MATH 577 | Mathematics in Middle Schools III (4) |
| MATH 578 | Mathematics in the High School |
Education Courses
| Course | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| S ED 761 | School Mathematics: Problem Solving | 3 |
| S ED 796 | Analyzing Cases of Mathematics Teaching | 3 |
| S ED 856 | Assessing Mathematical Thinking | 3 |
| S ED 807 | Leadership Development Seminar in Mathematics Education | 3 |
Core Courses
| Course | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| ISED 797 | Seminar in Educational Research | 3 |
| S ED 895 | Field Study | 3 |
Minimum total: 30 units
Culminating Experience
Early in the semester prior to enrollment in either S ED 895 or S ED 898, the student must submit his/her Advancement to Candidacy (ATC), the Proposal for Culminating Experience, and the Human Subjects Protocol forms. Enrolment in these courses is contingent upon approval.
