Master of Science in Education - Teaching & Learning with Teacher Licensure

Concordia University Wisconsin offers an accelerated, graduate teacher licensure program known as CAPTL (Concordia Accelerated Programs for Teacher Licensure), for adults who wish to be licensed to teach in:

  • Early Childhood: Birth - Grade 3 
  • Elementary Education: Grades K-9 (Kindergarten is defined as 4-year old Kindergarten)
  • Secondary Education: Grades 4-12 or K-12 (depending on content area)
  • Special Education: Grades K-12 

Individuals interested in these programs must hold a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university, and meet our program entrance requirements. Once students finish the licensing portion of the program and successfully complete both CAPTL Capstone courses (EDC 7440 and EDC 7445), the Master of Science in Education with a Teaching and Learning emphasis will be awarded.

In addition to initial teacher licensure opportunities, CAPTL also offers add-on licensure options. These additional options include ESL, Bilingual, and Gifted & Talented.

Program Highlights

  • CAPTL cohorts begin twice each year.  All face-to-face and virtual cohorts will start each fall and online/blended cohorts will start in spring.  Cohorts run given an adequate number of qualified accepted applicants. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis
  • Face-to-face and virtual classes meet once a week for four hours in the evenings (example: 5:00 - 9:00 p.m.) 
  • Online/blended courses are offered in a blended format with 75% of coursework taking place online, and 25% in a face-to-face setting. The face-to-face classes take place on the Mequon campus on Saturdays from 9:00 am - 3:00 pm
  • All CAPTL, provisional (initial) licensure programs require a semester of full-time student teaching
  • Students must have a Bachelor’s degree with a cumulative GPA of a 3.0 or higher, as well as a 3.0 GPA in all certification areas which the student is seeking licensure. Students must have an official transcript evaluation conducted by CUW staff to determine if all secondary core requirements have been met
  • Additional licensure areas are available, including ESL, Bilingual, and Gifted & Talented, to add to the major/initial teaching license. Participants in the ESL, Bilingual and Gifted & Talented programs are required to complete 18 additional CORE credits in the traditional Teaching and Learning Master’s track in order to earn a Master of Science in Education - Teaching and Learning

Program Specifications

  • Praxis Tests: Students must pass the Praxis I (CORE) exam OR demonstrate proficiency via alternative assessments (grades of B or better in related course content) and the Praxis II exam OR maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0 within content courses prior to student teaching.  Some secondary content areas require the Praxis II exam for licensure
  • Clinical Hours: Clinical hours are aligned and completed concurrently with program coursework prior to student teaching. Observation reflections are due at the end of each class
  • Pre-Student Teaching Field Experience: Students will complete a supervised Pre-Student Teaching Field Experience prior to student teaching

*Please note: changes are occasionally made to the requirements; the information described within this handbook is subject to change without notice

Master’s Degree Eligibility

  • Only for students who have successfully completed CUW’s CAPTL - Graduate Program
  • The Master of Science in Education - Teaching and Learning is earned when the EDC 7440: CAPTL Capstone Research (2 cr) and EDC 7445: CAPTL Capstone Project (1 cr) courses are successfully completed
  • Students have 5 years to complete the Master’s degree following the licensure portion of the program

Early Childhood & Elementary Licensure  

Master of Science in Education - Teaching and Learning - Early Childhood & Elementary Courses – 52 Credits

EDC 5400Foundations of the Teaching Profession3
EDC 5405Educational Psychology: Understanding Theory of Teaching and Learning3
EDC 5430Language Arts Development and Strategies3
EDC 5420Teaching Diverse Students, Families, and Classrooms3
EDC 5425Co-Planning and Planning for all Students3
EDC 5410Interdisciplinary Instruction: Teaching in the Middle School3
EDC 5435Curriculum and Methods: Language Arts and Social Studies3
EDC 5415Analysis of Instruction and Assessment3
EDC 5440Curriculum and Methods: STEAM3
EDC 5445Curriculum and Methods of Mathematics3
EDC 6470Writing with Young Children3
EDC 6472Early Childhood Literacy3
EDC 6474Curriculum for Early Childhood Education3
EDG 6500Books & Pictures3
EDC 7405Pre-Student Teaching Field Experience1
EDC 7400Clinicals0
EDC 7410Student Teaching Placement 13
EDC 7415Student Teaching Placement 23
EDC 7420CAPTL Portfolio I0
EDC 7421CAPTL Portfolio II0
EDC 7422CAPTL Portfolio III0
EDC 7440CAPTL Capstone Research2
EDC 7445CAPTL Capstone Project1
Total Hours52

Elementary Licensure  

Master of Science in Education - Teaching and Learning - Elementary Courses - 40 credits 

EDC 5400Foundations of the Teaching Profession3
EDC 5405Educational Psychology: Understanding Theory of Teaching and Learning3
EDC 5430Language Arts Development and Strategies3
EDC 5420Teaching Diverse Students, Families, and Classrooms3
EDC 5425Co-Planning and Planning for all Students3
EDC 5410Interdisciplinary Instruction: Teaching in the Middle School3
EDC 5435Curriculum and Methods: Language Arts and Social Studies3
EDC 5415Analysis of Instruction and Assessment3
EDC 5440Curriculum and Methods: STEAM3
EDC 5445Curriculum and Methods of Mathematics3
EDC 7405Pre-Student Teaching Field Experience1
EDC 7400Clinicals0
EDC 7410Student Teaching Placement 13
EDC 7415Student Teaching Placement 23
EDC 7420CAPTL Portfolio I0
EDC 7421CAPTL Portfolio II0
EDC 7422CAPTL Portfolio III0
EDC 7440CAPTL Capstone Research2
EDC 7445CAPTL Capstone Project1
Total Hours40

Secondary Licensure  

Master of Science in Education - Teaching and Learning - Secondary Courses- 34 Credits

EDC 5400Foundations of the Teaching Profession3
EDC 5405Educational Psychology: Understanding Theory of Teaching and Learning3
EDC 6400Disciplinary Literacy in Secondary Education3
EDC 5420Teaching Diverse Students, Families, and Classrooms3
EDC 5425Co-Planning and Planning for all Students3
EDC 5410Interdisciplinary Instruction: Teaching in the Middle School3
EDC 5415Analysis of Instruction and Assessment3
EDC 5440Curriculum and Methods: STEAM (Optional for Secondary)3
EDC 6405Secondary Methods0
Must also take one of the content area methods course below
EDC 6410English Methods3
EDC 6411Social Studies Methods3
EDC 6412Math Methods3
EDC 6413Science Methods3
EDC 6414Business Methods3
EDC 6415World Languages Methods3
EDC 6416Art Methods3
EDC 6417Physical Ed and Health Methods3
Additional required courses for Mathematics or English/Language Arts License Candidates
EDC 5480Math in the Middle School3
EDC 5485Teaching Writing3
Field components, portfolio, and capstone
EDC 7405Pre-Student Teaching Field Experience1
EDC 7400Clinicals0
EDC 7410Student Teaching Placement 13
EDC 7415Student Teaching Placement 23
EDC 7420CAPTL Portfolio I0
EDC 7421CAPTL Portfolio II0
EDC 7422CAPTL Portfolio III0
EDC 7440CAPTL Capstone Research2
EDC 7445CAPTL Capstone Project1

Business Vocational License Courses

EDC 5495Principles of Career and Technical Education3
EDC 5490Organization and Administration of Cooperative Programs3

Special Education Licensure

Master of Science in Education - Teaching and Learning - Special Education Courses - 40 Credits 

EDC 6420Foundations of Special Ed: Instructing Diverse Populations3
EDC 6422Legal Foundations in Special Education3
EDC 6424Teaching Mathematic Strategies3
EDC 6426Classroom and Behavior Management in Special Ed3
EDC 6428Foundational Reading and Literacy Strategies3
EDC 6430Differentiated Reading Interventions for Special Ed3
EDC 6432Evidence-Based Instructional Strategies in Special Ed3
EDC 6434Characteristics of and Interventions for Students with Significant Disabilities3
EDC 6436Assessment and Progress Monitoring in Special Ed3
EDC 6438Collaboration and Teaming for Effective Instruction3
EDC 7405Pre-Student Teaching Field Experience1
EDC 7400Clinicals0
EDC 7410Student Teaching Placement 13
EDC 7415Student Teaching Placement 23
EDC 7420CAPTL Portfolio I0
EDC 7421CAPTL Portfolio II0
EDC 7422CAPTL Portfolio III0
EDC 7440CAPTL Capstone Research2
EDC 7445CAPTL Capstone Project1
Total Hours40