Prepare to Lead & Serve at Milligan
- Complete in 4 semesters (14 months if you start in June) or at your own pace
- Lowest MEd tuition in region
- GRE not required with a high SAT or ACT
- NCATE (now CAEP) accreditation means your degree is instantly recognized nationwide for quality
- One of only 9 programs with an “Exceeds Expectations” rating on the State Board of Education Report Card
- Second and third-year employment retention rates exceed the state average
- Our employed teacher graduates “exceed expectations” on measures related to teacher observations and student-growth scores, scoring well above the state average
We have had a successful on-campus experience in 2020-21, with relatively low virus numbers. Our Fall 2021 semester also will be offered on-campus. We look forward to welcoming you to our campus community, where we provide a distinctive educational experience while ensuring everyone’s health and safety. See our COVID-19 response plan »
What Makes Our Program Unique
Beginning with their first education class, our students are heavily involved in field experience in the schools. Our students gain practical, hands-on experience both in the classroom and in their field experiences. Our students are recognized as caring servant-leaders who desire to make a difference. Committed and caring faculty work with you through each step of the program. And we have fun while learning!
Affordable
Milligan’s Master of Education program is one of the most economical education programs in our region and is even priced below the local state university rate. Students in this program are eligible to apply for state and federal tuition assistance programs and for employer reimbursement when applicable. Ask us how our costs compare to other similar institutions and programs! Cost and financial aid info »
Also, the state of Tennessee offers several scholarship and grant programs for undergraduate and graduate students (Tennessee residents). Visit https://www.tn.gov/collegepays/money-for-college/loan-forgiveness-programs.html to learn more.
Outstanding Reputation
For many decades, Milligan has enjoyed a strong partnership with area school systems. The University’s reputation for producing well-prepared, creative, committed teachers is unparalleled. School administrators consistently look to Milligan as a resource for both hiring and training, regularly calling on faculty to lead workshops for in-services and to collaborate on various education issues. Thousands of our graduates are serving as teachers, coaches, counselors, and administrators in schools across the United States.
Caring Faculty & Personal Attention
At Milligan, graduate courses are taught by professors with doctorates in education or related fields, or by individuals with master’s degrees who have been recognized as outstanding in elementary or secondary teaching. The teaching staff includes faculty with a wide variety of experiences in education in both urban and rural settings.
Graduate courses at Milligan are small, allowing professors to interact closely with students for individual attention and supervision throughout their program. Our faculty are role models and mentors, and they will challenge you and stretch your mind and spirit.
Teaching you is more than a job to our faculty — it’s a mission. They are dedicated teachers, experienced professionals, and trusted mentors who invest time, energy, and ideas to inspire you and help you reach your highest potential. It’s not just a degree. It’s your future.
Convenient Design & Schedule
Complete your master’s and teaching licensure in as few as 4 semesters (14 months if you start in June). The Initial Licensure program is a professional education program that prepares students for the high level of teaching competence expected by public and private educational institutions.
Course offerings are scheduled in a summer-fall-spring-summer sequence. However, you may begin during any semester and pursue the program completion at a more gradual pace to meet your scheduling needs. The program is 45-47 semester hours. See the Catalog for curriculum details.
Licensure Areas
If you already have a baccalaureate (B.A. or B.S.) degree, see our chart for graduate initial licensure options at Milligan:
GRADUATE INITIAL LICENSURE PROGRAMS »
Professional Licensure: This program prepares students for licensure in Tennessee. A determination of eligibility for licensure in other states has not been made. Students should check specific state requirements before applying to the program.
Recent Licensure Changes
Middle Grades Mathematics (6-8) Endorsement:
Effective October 19, 2018, candidates seeking endorsement in Middle Grades Mathematics 6-8 have the option of choosing between an ETS Praxis Series assessment and a new assessment offered by the National Evaluation Series (NES). The ETS Praxis Series will no longer be accepted after August 31, 2019; however, qualifying scores on assessments taken prior to September 1, 2019, will be accepted for five (5) years from the date the assessment was taken.
Option 1: ETS Praxis Series assessment Middle School Math, test code 165 (qualifying score of 165). *This ETS Praxis Series exam will be replaced by the NES assessment on August 31, 2019.
Option 2: National Evaluation Series (NES) assessment Mathematics (Middle Grades and Early Secondary), test code 105 (qualifying score of 220). This is the only exam the Tennessee Department of Education will accept after August 31, 2019.
For more information about the National Evaluation Series (NES) assessments, visit their website at www.nestest.com.
Mathematics (6-12) Endorsement
Effective October 19, 2018, educators now have the option to choose between an ETS Praxis Series assessment and a new assessment offered by the National Evaluation Series (NES). Candidates may submit qualifying scores on either the ETS Praxis Series assessment Mathematics: Content Knowledge, test code 5161, or the National Evaluation Series (NES) assessment Secondary Mathematics 6-12, test code 304. At this time, there are no plans to discontinue acceptance of the ETS Praxis Series assessment for the Mathematics (6-12) endorsement.
Option 1: ETS Praxis Series assessment Mathematics: Content Knowledge, test code 5161 (qualifying score of 160)
Option 2: National Evaluation Series (NES) assessment Secondary Mathematics (6-12), test code 304 (qualifying score of 220)
Elementary (K-5) Endorsement
Effective August 31, 2019, ETS Praxis Series assessment Elementary Education: Content Knowledge, test code 5018, will be replaced by ETS Praxis Series assessment Elementary Education: Multiple Subjects, test code 5001. Elementary Education: Multiple Subjects has four (4) subtests:
- Reading and Language Arts, test code 5002 (qualifying score of 157)
- Mathematics, test code 5003 (qualifying score of 157)
- Social Studies, test code 5004 (qualifying score of 155)
- Science, test code 5005 (qualifying score of 159)
To pass the Elementary Education: Multiple Subjects assessment you must receive a passing score on each subtest. If you wish to take all four subtests (5002, 5003, 5004, and 5005) at the same time, select Elementary Education: Multiple Subjects, test code 5001 when registering. If you wish to take or retake an individual subtest, you may register to take just that subtest.
Professional Learning and Teaching (PLT)
Effective January 1, 2019, the Tennessee Department of Education will no longer accept the PLT exams for licensure. The PLT exams have been replaced by edTPA. edTPA is a subject-specific assessment focused on three tasks: Planning, Instruction, and Assessment. To get more information about edTPA, visit their website at www.edtpa.com.
Instructional Leader License
Effective August 31, 2019, the ETS Praxis Series assessment School Leader Licensure, test code 6011, will be replaced by the ETS Praxis Series assessment School Leader Licensure, test code 6990 (qualifying score of 151)
If you have any questions about testing requirements for a Tennessee teaching license, please:
- visit www.ets.org
- visit www.tn.gov
- or contact Karen Presnell, Certification Officer, at KPresnell@milligan.edu
Curriculum & Requirements
View all details and course requirements for this program in the Milligan University Catalog (link below). The Milligan University academic catalog is the official, authoritative source for all academic requirements and policies. Any discrepancies in curricular requirements from other sources will default to the Catalog.
Internship: Classroom Experience
The initial licensure program provides you with extensive field experience in local schools through a required internship. You experience the school year from beginning to end during this two-semester internship in teaching, assessment, and classroom management. It provides a sustained supervised experience in classrooms of community-partner schools, working directly with master teachers as mentors. Placement in at least two grade levels is required for each licensure area.
Portfolio & Research: Prep for Board Certification
Initial M.Ed. students benefit from the required portfolio and research components to prepare you for the profession of teaching. The portfolio, aligned with InTASC standards, documents your mastery of applicable Milligan University graduate program outcomes. The research project features action research related to the school setting of your internship.
Christian Worldview
Today’s schools are challenged as never before. Faced with increasingly diverse student bodies and phenomenal technological change, contemporary schools need to provide quality services for all children. Now more than ever, children need teachers who are committed to excellence in the classroom and to Jesus Christ. It is our belief educators prepared in such a way will make a difference in the school and community where they live and serve.
“Caring and Reflective Teacher,” the theme of our department, is interwoven throughout our program. Our primary goal is to produce caring and reflective professional educators who will affect the lives of children in a markedly positive manner.
Accreditation
NCATE (now CAEP) accreditation means your degree from Milligan is instantly recognized in Tennessee and the nation for its quality. Milligan’s commitment to meet NCATE quality standards means we take great care in seeing you gain the knowledge, skills, and dispositions needed for success as a professional educator.
The teacher education program at Milligan is accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) (2010 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20036; 202-466-7496). This accreditation covers initial teacher and advanced educator preparation programs. This accreditation means your degree from Milligan is instantly recognized in Tennessee and the nation for its quality. We take great care in seeing you gain the knowledge, skills, and dispositions needed for success as a professional educator.
In 2013, NCATE and TEAC consolidated into the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) as the new accrediting body for educator preparation. CAEP Annual Report Disclosure »
EARN BOTH: Accelerated BS+M.Ed. Plan
Earn your bachelor’s and Master of Education (M.Ed.) degree in five years and get a fast start on your teaching career. This is a 4+1 (5 year) plan that gives you the opportunity to complete the M.Ed. degree in one academic year (+ May term) after receiving a bachelor’s degree. Learn more »
