Course List
Undergraduate Level Courses
Graduate Level Courses
- ECE 500-level
- EDU 500-level
- EDU 600-level
- HCE 500-level
- HCE 600-level
- HRD 500-level
- HRD 600-level
- SED 500-level
- SED 600-level
- SPY 600-level
- SPY 700-level
ADS 300 Ethics and Youth with Exceptionalities
There are two major outliers when discussing youth: youth with disabilities and youth who are gifted and talented. In addition, there is a fascinating subset of these two groups, which is youth who are dually exceptional, having both a disability and gifts and talents. Through the use of case studies and court decision analysis, panel discussions, and reflections this course will focus on these three groups of youth and how they are marginalized in general society, and in educational settings. This course will explore why and how these youth are marginalized and how the marginalization of them is continued in mainstream society and by others, many times unconsciously. This course requires a four-hour field placement working with youth with exceptionalities. Cr 3.
EDU
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EDU 100 Exploring Teaching as a Profession
An exploration of teaching as a professional career through field-based experiences and faculty-led seminars. Cr 3..
EDU 120 Early Literacy Development
Through this course students will develop a basic understanding of children’s literacy development through the integration of educational theory and a field experience in a public school setting. The main objective of the course is for students to develop an understanding of how children’s literature can support growth in reading, writing, and oral language in elementary school children. In order to do this, students will learn about stages of literacy development, characteristics and qualities of children’s literature, and ways to integrate the two in classroom settings. Co-requisite: EDU 121. Prerequisite: open to matriculated students in TEAMS or by Teacher Education Department (TED) permission. Cr 3..
EDU 121 Early Literacy Development Field Experience
This K-5 public school-based field experience is designed to develop in students a basic understanding of children’s literacy development through the integration of educational theory into a field experience in a public school setting. The main objective of the field experience is for students to develop an understanding of how children’s literature can support growth in reading, writing, and oral language in elementary school children. Co-requisite: EDU 120 Prerequisite: open to matriculated students in TEAMS or by Teacher Education Department (TED) permission. Cr 1.
EDU 200 Education in the United States
This course engages students in the study of U.S. education, schooling, and teaching from social, historical, political, and legal perspectives. Special emphasis is placed on identifying pivotal issues and problems with which our public educational system has grappled both in the past and in the present. Through research initiatives and related investigations, students develop the necessary background to analyze and evaluate topics under study, and formulate and defend positions on educational issues. Prerequisite: None. Cr 3..
EDU 210 Theoretical Foundations of Learning
This course is intended for those exploring teaching as a career, providing an examination of theories of learning and their application to teaching. Prerequisite: None, HRD 200J recommended. Cr 3..
EDU 211 Culture and Community
This course supports students in examining and reflecting upon issues related to cultural diversity and supports them in developing culturally responsive teaching practices. Prerequisite: open to matriculated students in TEAMS, the Secondary Mathematics Education TED Pathway, the Modern and Classical Languages and Literature (MCLL) Education TED Pathway, or by Teacher Education Department (TED) permission. Co-requisite: EDU 212. Cr 3..
EDU 212 Culture and Community Field Experience
This field experience supports students in examining the relationship between theory and practice through field observations in community settings related to cultural diversity and developing culturally responsive teaching practices. Prerequisite: open to matriculated students in TEAMS, the Secondary Mathematics Education TED Pathway, the Modern and Classical Languages and Literature (MCLL) Education TED Pathway, or by Teacher Education Department (TED) permission. Co-requisite: EDU 211. Cr 1.
EDU 220 Middle School Community
This course extends students’ knowledge and understanding of the developmental characteristics of early adolescents and supports the students’ examination of how the contexts of middle schools and the best teaching practices in middle schools are responsive to the developmental characteristics and needs of early adolescents. Prerequisite: Open to matriculated students in TEAMS, the Secondary Mathematics Education TED Pathway, the Modern and Classical Languages and Literature (MCLL) Education TED Pathway, or by Teacher Education Department (TED) permission. Co-requisite: EDU 221. Cr 3..
EDU 221 Middle School Community Field Experience
This course supports students in examining the relationship between theory and practice through field placements in middle school classrooms. These classroom experiences extend students’ knowledge and understanding of the developmental characteristics of early adolescents and support the students’ examination of how the contexts of middle schools and the best teaching practices in middle schools are responsive to the developmental characteristics and needs of early adolescents. Prerequisite: open to matriculated students in TEAMS, the Secondary Mathematics Education TED Pathway, the Modern and Classical Languages and Literature (MCLL) Education TED Pathway, or by Teacher Education Department (TED) permission. Co-requisite: EDU 220. Cr 1.
EDU 300 Educational Media and Technology
An examination of educational media and technology with special emphasis on school-based developments and applications. Cr 3..
EDU 305 Foundations of Cultural and Linguistic Diversity
This course supports students in exploring and critically analyzing topics, themes, and issues related to cultural and linguistic diversity and helps them build a strong theoretical and practical foundation for becoming successful multicultural educators. 24 hours of fieldwork will be required. Prerequisites: HRD 200: Multicultural Human Development. Cr 3.
EDU 310 What is the Purpose of Schooling in a Democracy?
This course explores the role of public schooling in the United States and world with respect to ethical dimensions of equity and justice. Using a framework of education rights for a democracy, students analyze ethical dilemmas found in texts, videos, and personal stories, engage in multicultural field experiences, and present grounded perspectives in response to the question in the course title. A 12-15 hour field placement is required for this course. Prerequisites EYE 108 or EDU 100, and College Writing, and HRD 200. Cr 3.
EDU 320 Applied Skills for Teaching and Learning
This course supports students in examining the relationship among the theories of human development, how people learn, and teaching and learning. Prerequisite: open to matriculated students in TEAMS, the Secondary Mathematics Education TED Pathway, the Modern and Classical Languages and Literature (MCLL) Education TED Pathway, or by Teacher Education Department (TED) permission. Co-requisite: EDU 321. Cr 3..
EDU 321 Applied Skills for Teaching and Learning Field Experience
This course supports students in examining the relationship between theory and practice through observation of and interaction with K-8 public school students and teachers. This field experience is designed to develop in students a basic understanding of fostering a positive classroom environment and instructional planning and assessment. Prerequisite: open to matriculated students in TEAMS, the Secondary Mathematics Education TED Pathway, the Modern and Classical Languages and Literature (MCLL) Education TED Pathway, or by Teacher Education Department (TED) permission. Co-requisite: EDU 320. Cr 1.
EDU 323 Independent Study in Teacher Education
This course provides students the opportunity to pursue a project independently, planning and exploring an area of interest within the field of teacher education. Most independent study projects are library based; all are intellectually sound and reflect a high caliber of performance. Specific content and methods of evaluation are determined in conjunction with the instructor. An approved proposal is a necessary prerequisite to registration. Prerequisite: matriculation in an education program and junior or senior standing. Cr 1-3.
EDU 324 Student Teaching
For students matriculated in a USM undergraduate teacher education program in music education, technology education, or art education, a supervised student teaching experience of one full semester, carried out in an off-campus field setting, is required. Students must have met their program’s requirements to register for student teaching. Prerequisites: vary according to major. This course requires health insurance. Cr 12.
EDU 335 Teaching Children with Exceptional Needs
This course is an introduction to the unique characteristics and needs of special education students. Topics will include understanding characteristics of students with disabilities, implementing instructional strategies, working with parents, and understanding state and federal laws and policies. Prerequisite: matriculation in an education program or by Department permission. Cr 3..
EDU 336 Children’s Literature
This course is a survey of children’s literature with special emphasis on the selection of appropriate books for children from preschool through the elementary school years. Cr 3..
EDU 390 Portfolio Development
Various uses, purposes, formats, and criteria for developing and evaluating portfolios will be explored. Portfolio development as a reflective, dynamic mode of presenting one’s teaching and learning experiences will be emphasized. Each student will develop and present a portfolio during the course. Prerequisite: open to matriculated students in TEAMS, the Secondary Mathematics Education TED Pathway, the Modern and Classical Languages and Literature (MCLL) Education TED Pathway, or by Teacher Education Department (TED) permission. Cr 3..
EDU 405/505 Teaching Mathematics K-8
This course provides experiences to develop and apply mathematical content knowledge and pedagogical skills in elementary and middle school classrooms. Major areas of focus include: how students learn mathematics, conceptual development of mathematical understandings, problem-solving instructional strategies, appropriate and effective uses of tools and technology, assessment of student learning, and providing equitable access to learning for all students. Prerequisite: open to matriculated interns in ETEP and TEAMS programs or by permission of the Teacher Education Department. Cr 3..
EDU 441/541 Seminar in Teaching, Learning, and Assessment I
The primary purpose of this course is to build a learning community where members of the cohort are supported in their internship through the assessment system. The assessment system includes the video reflections and journals as well as a sequential system of conferences, a collection of evidence, and observations. This course is based on helping the participants develop their personal philosophy of teaching and perfect their craft through ongoing discourse, reflection, and inquiry. Specific topics include instruction, lesson and unit planning, classroom management, assessment, diversity, technology, and professionalism. Prerequisite: open to matriculated students in TEAMS and ETEP, the Secondary Mathematics Education TED Pathway, the Modern and Classical Languages and Literature (MCLL) Education TED Pathway, or by Teacher Education Department (TED) permission. Co-requisite: EDU 544, EDU 644 or EDU 613. Cr 3..
EDU 442/542 Seminar in Teaching, Learning and Assessment II
The primary purpose of Seminar II is to sustain a learning community where members of the cohort are supported in their internship through the assessment system. This course is based on helping the participants develop their personal philosophy of teaching and professional portfolio. Participants perfect their craft through ongoing discourse, reflection, and inquiry. Specific topics include instruction, lesson and unit planning, classroom management, assessment, diversity, technology, and professionalism. Prerequisite: open to matriculated students in TEAMS and ETEP, the Secondary Mathematics Education TED Pathway, the Modern and Classical Languages and Literature (MCLL) Education TED Pathway, or by Teacher Education Department (TED) permission. Co-requisite: EDU 613 or EDU 644. Cr 3..
EDU 444/544 Applied Pedagogy
This course is a part-time, supervised internship experience in applying knowledge and skills under study in coursework to the practice of teaching. An intern completes a semester-long classroom placement in which she/he is assigned to a mentor teacher in an elementary, middle, or secondary classroom in a school. The intern completes a minimum of one week of lead teaching. Prerequisite: open to matriculated interns in ETEP and TEAMS or by permission of the Teacher Education Department. Co- requisite: EDU 541. Cr 3..
EDU 451/551 Teaching Social Studies K-8
This course is designed to provide students with a general understanding of the guiding principles and the strands of social studies. Students will gain a working knowledge of the best practices in social studies instruction and the goals of social studies education. Students will create lesson plans and incorporate appropriate instructional methods and materials as part of the course requirements. Prerequisite: open to matriculated interns in the ETEP and TEAMS programs or by permission of the Teacher Education Department. Cr 3..
EDU 452/552 Teaching Science K-8
The course has an interactive laboratory/discussion field-based approach, modeling and focusing on the teaching and learning aspects of science in the elementary and middle school. The emphasis is on content, process, and methodology. The course will be framed by the Department of Teacher Education’s Core Practices, Maine’s Learning Results, the National Science Education Standards, and students’ goals about the teaching and learning of science. Students will learn strategies for planning and providing core academic and behavioral experiences to all learners and differentiated academic and behavioral experiences for learners with special needs. Prerequisite: open to matriculated students in the ETEP or TEAMS programs, or by Teacher Education Department permission. Cr 3..
HRD
HRD 110 Choices, Changes, and Careers
The focus of this course is on self and career exploration and the critical role of personal decision making in identifying and pursuing fields of interest. Students will learn to understand their own decision-making process and the factors that influence this process. Course activities will include assessments of self, assessments of interest, and explorations of the world of work. Throughout the course, students will be introduced to available resources and support systems and be engaged in activities that will help them become involved in the University community. Prerequisite: fewer than 45 earned credit hours. Cr 3.
HRD 200 Multicultural Human Development
This course introduces developmental theory and research that encompasses the entire lifespan. Emphasis will be on prenatal development through adolescence, with an overview of adult development. A multi-disciplinary and multicultural view of human development will be taken by examining theories from a socio-cultural context and in consideration of change as well as stability throughout the life cycle. The interaction of hereditary, environmental, and socio-cultural factors will be considered in studying physical, cognitive, and psychosocial development. Prerequisite: Second semester freshmen or above; must have completed College Writing and EYE course. Cr 3.
HRD 310 / HRD 510 Aging and the Search for Meaning
This course explores psychosocial and spiritual aspects of successful human aging. Multidisciplinary perspectives on aging will be examined including historical, psychological, sociological, cultural and religious. Learners will discuss key issues related to aging and the search for meaning through the lens of various genres (e.g., research, theory, fiction) as well as their own personal experiences. Prerequisite: HRD 310 students will be expected to have taken one college-level writing course and one sociology or psychology course. HRD 510 students will be expected to have earned a bachelor’s degree. Cr 3.
HRD 337 Peer Leadership Seminar
This course is intended for students who participate in organized student leadership programs or are interested in learning more about leadership within higher education organizations. The course examines the nature of higher education organizations, leadership theory, college student development theory, as well as both interpersonal and group communication skills. Through written and oral projects students learn how to integrate theory with practice. Assignments and projects draw their focus from the individual’s particular interests regarding student leadership. Cr 2.
HRD 339 Adult Learning and Development
This course explores various areas of adulthood, including topics in adult learning theory and adult development. Topics covered include: how adults learn and the motivation to learn, life cycle theories and maturity myths, learning styles and experiential learning. Learning is facilitated through a framework of small group interaction. Participants are encouraged to share ideas and experiences of adulthood and to determine how relevant themes apply to their own lives. Cr 3..
PHE
PHE 106 NCAA Life Choices
This course is designed for student athletes in their first or second year at USM. The goal of the course is to enable students to develop their academic potential and to realize their personal and athletic goals during their college experience. Through large and small group work, topical readings, and community service projects, students will clarify goals, values, healthy lifestyles, leadership, and study skills. Prerequisite: open to first- and second-year students only. Cr 3..
PHE 198 Physiology of Health Fitness
The purpose of this course is to provide the student with a scientific background in exercise physiology and health concepts in order to develop and maintain a lifetime program of high-level physical fitness and quality health. Cr 3..
PHE 203 Athletic Training for Coaches
This introductory course in sports medicine/athletic training will provide the student with information about prevention and management of sports-related injuries. Pertinent anatomy and common injuries will be discussed. This course is geared toward individuals involved in or pursuing allied health professions as well as coaching or teaching fields. Cr 3..
PHE 302 Coaching Philosophy and Fundamentals
This course covers various approaches to planning, organizing, and implementing practice sessions in preparation for athletic competition. The psychological and emotional aspects of coaching are also investigated. One segment of the course will be concerned with society’s view of coaching as illustrated by today’s literature. Cr 3..
PHE 303 Coaching and Officiating Basketball
Coaching philosophy, coaching style, choosing a team, individual fundamentals, team play development, and the ability to organize and maintain a quality program will be stressed. The course will also cover rules of basketball and techniques of officiating. Cr 3..
PHEX 309 Coaching and Officiating Track and Field
Part of the University of Southern Maine’s coaching certification program, this course is designed to prepare students for track and field, and cross country coaching at the high school and/or middle school levels. Particular aspects of the sport will not be discussed in detail. Rather, the course is intended as an overview of coaching philosophies, sports science, and the training required for each event. Students will have an opportunity to explore areas of interest in depth. Cr 3..
PHE 310 Experiential Learning: Logistics and Skills
Construction and Use
Participants may expect to gain hands-on knowledge and experience through participation in all phases of course construction, maintenance, and operation. Learning outcomes include the importance of operational safety considerations and appropriate selection of materials. Cr 3. - 6.
Sea Kayaking< br />Designed to provide sea kayak paddling and rescue instruction, chart reading, and basic navigational techniques combined with team building concepts. Includes expedition planning, low/no-impact island camping, and coastal/estuary exploration. Fee course. Cr 3..
PHE 311 Coaching and Officiating Soccer
The course will cover individual techniques and team tactics, drills to implement these techniques and tactics, practice and season organization and methods of starting, maintaining and improving programs at various levels. The course will also cover rules of soccer and techniques of officiating. Cr 3..
PHE 312 Coaching and Officiating Football
Emphasis on the methods of teaching and coaching football. Offense and defense, player-coach relationship, team selections, planning of practice sessions and game situations will be areas of concentration. The course will also cover rules of football and techniques of officiating. Cr 3..
PHE 314 Organization and Administration of Athletics
This course covers the principles and practices of athletic administration as related to middle schools, junior, and senior high schools. Cr 3..
PHE 315 Coaching and Officiating Field Hockey
Emphasis on the methods of teaching and coaching field hockey. Offense and defense, player-coach relationship, team selections, planning of practice sessions, and game situations will be areas of concentration. The course will also cover rules of field hockey and techniques of officiating. Cr 3..
PHE 316 Coaching and Officiating Volleyball
Emphasis on the methods of teaching and coaching volleyball. Offense and defense, player-coach relationship, team selections, planning of practice sessions, and game situations will be areas of concentration. The course will also cover rules of volleyball and techniques of officiating. Cr 3..
PHE 325 Workshop in Experiential Education
This course is designed to promote personal growth through a group workshop in experiential education. Experiential education is an adventure-based model of the learning process; learning takes place through action. Learning opportunities in this course will explore relationship building, small group problem solving, personal and group challenge as a concept, taking action, taking risks, reflection, metaphorical transfer, and action planning. Course is offered in a classroom setting and at the University’s Action Learning Center in Freeport, Maine. Low and high ropes course elements are included in the curriculum. Students are supported in challenge-level choices. Fee course. Cr 3..
PHE 335 Coaching and Officiating Baseball and Softball
The course will cover individual and team techniques, drills to implement these techniques, practice organization and methods of starting, maintaining and improving programs at various levels. The course will also cover rules of baseball and softball plus techniques of umpiring. Cr 3..
PHE 343 Experiential Education/Internship
This experiential education internship will be co-designed by the student and the instructor to include elements of study/practicum in the following areas: ropes course construction and operations; experiential education group facilitation; appropriate application of experiential models for varied demographics and special interest groups; in-depth research of experiential education concepts and benefits; expedition planning; gear knowledge and selection; and hard-skill building in the disciplines of camping, climbing, mountaineering and/or kayaking, wilderness travel and trail maintenance, and environmental awareness. Prerequisite: instructor permission. Cr 3. - 9.
PHE 353 Teacher Training in Experiential Education
This course focuses on facilitating techniques for leading groups through experiential activities. Group assessment, program design, sequencing, briefing, debriefing, group management, safety, and technical skills are included in the course curriculum. Methods and techniques for utilizing no/low-prop field activities, indoor activities, and low- and high-ropes course elements will be explored and applied to a wide range of groups. Students will discover ways to maximize the transfer of learning from the activities to best meet the goals of the participating group. A practicum component is included where students get hands-on facilitating experience. Students may gain additional practicum time and perform related research for additional credits. Prerequisite: PHE 325 or instructor permission. Cr 3.-6.
PHE 389 First Aid and CPR
This course will cover the topics prescribed by the American Red Cross including respiratory emergencies, artificial respiration, wounds, poisoning, water accidents, drugs, burns, sport safety issues, and CPR. Successful completion of the course requirements will lead to: Red Cross First Aid, CPR, and Sport Safety certification. Cr 3..
PHE 391 Field Experience/Internship
Practical field work in a coaching area. The student will be assigned as an assistant coach in a sport for a season. Supervision, evaluation, and guidance of the student will be provided by a staff member who is responsible for that coaching area. Prerequisites: PHE 203, PHE 302, PHE 314. Restricted to students in coaching certificate program. Cr 1-6.
PHE 398 Independent Study in Physical Education
Provides students who have demonstrated critical and analytical capability an opportunity to pursue a project independently, charting a course and exploring an area of interest, bearing upon it previous course experience and emerging with an intellectually sound, coherent synthesis reflecting a high caliber of performance. Prerequisite: permission of instructor. Cr 1-6.
SED
SED 335: Students with Exceptionalities in General Education
The primary goal of this course is to construct an understanding and knowledge of the range of exceptionalities, including students with disabilities and those identified as gifted and talented. The course is based on the premise that students with exceptionalities should be educated and socially interact to the greatest extent possible with their peers in the general education curriculum and program. The general educator’s role in teaching learners who are exceptional will be emphasized. Topics include characteristics of areas of exceptionality; classroom management; assistive technology; state and federal legislation regarding exceptional students; Response to Intervention (RtI); Universal Design for Learning (UDL); individual education plans (IEP); building relationships with parents; students who are culturally and linguistically diverse; and inclusion and collaboration philosophy and practices. This course includes a 24-hour field placement. Cr 3.
SED 420: Multi-Tiered Systems of Educational Support (MTSS)
This course introduces participants to the concepts of multi-tiered systems of supports, both for academics and behavior including students with suspected or identified disabilities. Students will develop an understanding of the defining characteristic of MTSS: data-based decision making and problem solving, continuous progress monitoring, and using a continuum of evidence-based interventions for Tiers 1 and 2. Students will develop behavior and classroom design strategies for establishing a productive learning environment. The course includes an applied project as part of a school-based field experience. Prerequisites: SED 335 or Instructor permission. Cr 3.
ECE 510 Montessori Overview: Elements of Teaching and Learning in a Montessori Early Childhood Environment
This course, as the introductory course for the Montessori Early Childhood Teacher Education Program concentration, offers an overview of the philosophy and methods of Montessori education in early childhood settings. In this interactive format, participants will explore the possibilities of utilizing the elements of the Montessori model for practical applications in their classroom environments. Teachers will have the opportunity to design original Montessori based materials. This course gives students the opportunity to connect Montessori theory and practices and incorporate them into best practices in their educational environments. Prerequisites: Open to matriculated students in the Montessori Early Childhood Teacher Education Program (MECTEP) or by instructor permission. Cr 3.
ECE 511 Classroom Leadership and Environmental Design in an Early Childhood Montessori Classroom
This course covers Montessori’s theory of the interrelated curriculum, as it relates to strategies of classroom leadership and strategies that gain the child's confidence, cooperation and attention, thereby helping to develop a pattern of respect for authority. Environmental design techniques that can be applied to the physical environment and their application to classroom management are also discussed. Prerequisites: Open to matriculated students in the Montessori Early Childhood Teacher Education Program (MECTEP), or by instructor permission. Cr 3.
ECE 512 Montessori Principles and Philosophy
Through a series of readings, lectures, class discussion, writing assignments, and evaluations this course will discuss Maria Montessori’s life, the beginning of the Montessori Method and theory of the interrelated curriculum as developed by Maria Montessori in the early 1900’s, its growth over the years, and the specifics of the Montessori Philosophy (i.e., absorbent mind, sensitive periods, logical-mathematical mind, spiritual and moral development of the child, etc.). It will also look at how the Montessori principles, materials, teacher, and environment relate to and respect the developing child from birth through 6 years. Prerequisites: Open to matriculated students in the Montessori Early Childhood Teacher Education Program (MECTEP) or by instructor permission. Cr 3.
ECE 513 Child Development, Family, and Community in an Early Childhood Montessori Classroom
This course examines Montessori’s theory of the interrelated curriculum, in a study of the developmental patterns of young children. The major emphasis is on the intellectual and emotional development of children during the first six years of life. Major topics covered in this course are the writings and philosophies of past and current theorists; current trends in family dynamics; and local community resources. This course also looks at the interactions among children, family, school, peers, media, and community, with an emphasis on ethnic and ability/learning diversity, social class, gender roles, and their impact on behavior, values, morals, and attitudes. Prerequisites: Open to matriculated students in the Montessori Early Childhood Teacher Education Program (MECTEP), or by instructor permission. Cr 3.
ECE 514 Practical Life and Daily Living in an Early Childhood Montessori Classroom
This course examines Montessori’s theory of the interrelated curriculum, as it relates to five major categories: Care of the Self; Care of the Environment; Grace and Courtesy; Control of Movement; and Food Preparation. Along with presenting the philosophy and rationale of Practical Life and Daily Living in the Montessori method, this course covers information and lessons on classroom guidelines, courtesy, control of movement, care of the person, care of the environment, and food. Prerequisites: Open to matriculated students in the Montessori Early Childhood Teacher Education Program (MECTEP), or by instructor permission. Cr 3.
ECE 515 Sensorial in the Early Childhood Montessori Classroom
This course examines Montessori’s theory of the interrelated curriculum, as it relates to the philosophy and rationale of the sensorial area and presentation of the sensorial materials aiding the development and refinement of the senses. Prerequisites: Open to matriculated students in the Montessori Early Childhood Teacher Education Program (MECTEP), or by instructor permission. Cr 3.
ECE 516 Assessment and Observation in an Early Childhood Montessori Classroom
This course provides a framework for studying Montessori’s theory of interrelated curriculum, by examining the formative use of classroom assessment in an early childhood Montessori classroom. This includes developing skills using direct observation as a tool for studying children, gathering evidence of their learning, using that evidence to design instruction, communicating clear expectations and giving appropriate and meaningful feedback to children and their parents. Prerequisites: Open to matriculated students in the Montessori Early Childhood Teacher Education Program (MECTEP), or by instructor permission. Cr 3.
ECE 520 Language Arts in the Montessori Early Childhood Classroom
Montessori’s theory of interrelated curriculum is examined as it relates to the philosophy and rationale of the language arts area and its materials. Major topics covered are the materials and exercises that foster receptive and expressive language experiences, visual and auditory perceptual experiences, vocabulary development and enrichment along with reading and writing development: pre-writing exercises: metal insets, small muscles exercises; vocabulary cards, story reading, letter recognition games, sequencing activities, etc.; early writing exercises: tracing and writing individual letters; early reading exercises: sounds of individual letters, moveable alphabet to form words, object or picture classification to isolate individual vowel and consonant sounds; non phonetic words; blends; diagraphs; long vowel patterns; reading as a tool: word definition cards; grammar: noun, verb, adjective; writing simple sentences; writing poetry; and writing descriptions. Students will also become familiar with children’s literature and learn skills in reading books to children using expression, intonation, inquiry and prediction. Prerequisites: Open to matriculated students in the Montessori Early Childhood Teacher Education Program (MECTEP), or by instructor permission. Cr 3.
ECE 521 Mathematics in an Early Childhood Montessori Classroom
Montessori believed that a child's' mind was mathematical and based on the order and perceptual awareness found in the development of the senses. The acquisition of mathematical principles is seen as developing logically from concrete to abstract and simple to complex. This course examines Montessori’s theory of interrelated curriculum, by exploring the philosophy and rationale of the Montessori curriculum in the mathematics area and the presentation of the Montessori math materials that aid in the development of Mathematical concepts and skills: introduction to numbers, counting, the decimal system, the four basic operations of the decimal system, understanding and recall of facts, and fractions. Prerequisites: Open to matriculated students in the Montessori Early Childhood Teacher Education Program (MECTEP), or by instructor permission. Cr 3.
ECE 522 Science in an Early Childhood Montessori Classroom
Montessori's theory of the interrelated curriculum holistically joins the sciences. Students will become familiar with the Montessori presentations in science as they relate to contemporary educational thought. Activities are demonstrated that focus on the characteristics, parts, and classification of plants and animals as well as simple science experiments that children can do independently. Prerequisites: Open to matriculated students in the Montessori Early Childhood Teacher Education Program (MECTEP), or by instructor permission. Cr 3.
ECE 523 Social Studies in an Early Childhood Montessori Classroom
Montessori's theory of the interrelated curriculum holistically joins history and geography. Students will become familiar with the Montessori presentations in these subject areas through study of globes, landforms, puzzle maps, flags, timelines, and the concept of time. Prerequisites: Open to matriculated students in the Montessori Early Childhood Teacher Education Program (MECTEP), or by instructor permission. Cr 3.
ECE 525 Early Childhood Practicum in a Montessori Classroom
The purpose of the Practicum is to provide the intern with the opportunity for personal and practical experiences in a teaching / learning experience as an Early Childhood Montessori teacher with children ages 2 ½ through 6 year age. It also provides a period of observation, internalization, and further study, to bring together the theory and practice of Montessori education. This course is intended to allow the student time to experiment with teaching the cosmic lessons, develop new curriculum materials, as well as manage the daily routines of an early childhood classroom. Prerequisites: Open to matriculated students in the Montessori Early Childhood Teacher Education Program (MECTEP), or by instructor permission. Cr 3.
ECE 526 Early Childhood Internship in a Montessori Classroom
This course is a full-time, supervised internship experience in applying knowledge and skills to the practice of teaching in an early childhood Montessori classroom. The purpose of the internship is to provide the intern with the opportunity for personal and practical experiences in a teaching / learning experience as an Early Childhood Montessori teacher with children ages 2 ½ through 6 years of age. It also provides a period of observation, internalization, and further study, to bring together the theory and practice of Montessori education. This course is intended to allow the student time to experiment with teaching the cosmic lessons, develop new curriculum materials, as well as manage the daily routines of an early childhood classroom. Prerequisites: Open to matriculated students in the Montessori Early Childhood Teacher Education Program (MECTEP), or by instructor permission. Cr 3.
- EDU 500-level (Back to top)
EDU 501 Secondary Science Methods
The course has an interactive laboratory/discussion field-based approach, modeling and focusing on the teaching and learning aspects of science in the high school and middle school. The emphasis is on content, process, and methodology and will help interns develop knowledge of how to teach (pedagogy) and, more specifically, knowledge of how to teach science (pedagogical content knowledge). Students will learn strategies for planning and providing core academic and behavioral experiences to all learners. Prerequisites: Open to matriculated interns in the ETEP program or by Teacher Education Department permission. Cr 3.
EDU 502 Secondary English Methods
This course focuses on ways to organize and teach English classes at the middle school and high school levels based upon current research in literacy and national and state standards in English Language Arts. Various strategies involved in designing and managing a student-centered literacy program will be presented. Different theories for teaching English will serve as a backdrop for creating classroom activities that connect the literature to the students' lives. The writing process and the reading-writing connection will be emphasized to assess and enhance both literacy and learning. Prerequisites: Open to matriculated interns in the ETEP program or by Teacher Education Department permission. Cr 3.
EDU 503 Foreign Languages Methods
This course provides an introduction to the theory and practice of teaching and learning foreign languages at the middle and high school based upon current research and national and state standards with a central focus on communicative language teaching. Students examine theories of second language acquisition, techniques for teaching interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational modes of communication, as well as literature and culture. The course explores task-based instruction, the use of culturally authentic materials, the integration of technology as well as means of performance-based assessment and grading Prerequisite: Open to matriculated students in ETEP, the Modern and Classical Languages and Literature Education TED Pathway or by Teacher Education Department permission. Cr 3.
EDU 504 Secondary Social Studies Methods
This course focuses on ways to organize and teach social studies classes at the middle school and high school levels. Various theories for teaching social studies, national and state standards, and current research work to serve as the backdrop for creating classroom activities that connect the topics to the students’ lives. The instructor will demonstrate various strategies involved in designing and managing a student-centered curriculum. Prerequisite: Open to matriculated ETEP students or by permission of the Teacher Education Department. Cr 3.
EDU 505 Teaching Mathematics K-8
This course, intended for those preparing to be K-8 teachers, provides experiences to develop, critique, and apply knowledge, skills, and research findings in mathematics, pedagogy, and mathematical learning theory in elementary and middle school classrooms. Major areas of focus include learning and assessment of all children, instruction to support all students’ mathematical understanding, reasoning, communication, and collaboration; standards (national, state, and local); content integration; resources; issues; and the discipline’s philosophical framework. Prerequisite: ETEP, CLASS, or TEAMS program admission. Cr 3.
EDU 511 Children’s Literature
This course is designed for teachers who wish to develop a deeper understanding of the literature written for children ages 4-12 and who want to become competent and creative catalysts in bringing children to books. Attention is given to standards of selection, curriculum implications, and methods of using books to individualize reading instruction. Students are expected to read widely in juvenile collections in order to establish a basis for selecting appropriate literary fare. Cr 3.
EDU 513 Adolescent Literature
This course is designed for middle or secondary teachers who wish to develop a deeper understanding of literature for adolescents and who needs to learn how to help young people read widely. Attention will be given to the dynamics of adolescence, individualizing reading, standards of selection, and creative methods of introducing books. Cr 3.
EDU 514 Improving Teaching in Content Areas through Literacy
This course explores literacy techniques and processes that can be applied by content teachers to enhance learning. Emphasis is on competencies that students use in content areas and strategies for teaching them how to apply them—a process of integrating the teaching of reading, writing, and study skills while teaching subject matter. The course has practical application for all classroom teachers. Cr 3.
EDU 521 Digital Literacies and Education
In this course, students explore the use of technology in K-12 education with a focus on literacy in the 21st century. Learners gain insight and experience in the effective integration of technology in literacy education through experiential learning, discussion, readings, and design of lessons and activities. Students examine related educational and societal issues through both academic and mainstream lenses in the context of relevant standards Cr 3.
EDU 527 Understanding and Teaching Diverse Learners
This course introduces students to the diversity of learners in schools in the 21st century. Students will understand the principles and practices of universal design in education, differentiation, and culturally responsive pedagogy in curriculum and lesson planning and implementation. Prerequisites: Open to matriculated students in TEAMS and ETEP, the Secondary Mathematics Education TED Pathway, the Modern and Classical Languages and Literature (MCLL) Education TED Pathway, or by Teacher Education Department (TED) permission. Cr 1-3.
EDU 541 Seminar in Teaching, Learning, and Assessment I
The primary purpose of this course is to build a learning community where members of the cohort are supported in their internship through the assessment system. This course is based on helping the participants develop their personal philosophy of teaching and perfect their craft through ongoing discourse, reflection, and inquiry. Specific topics include instruction, lesson and unit planning, classroom management, assessment, diversity, technology, and professionalism. Corequisite: EDU 544, EDU 644 or EDU 613. Prerequisites: Open to matriculated students in TEAMS and ETEP, the Secondary Mathematics Education TED Pathway, the Modern and Classical Languages and Literature Education TED Pathway, or by Teacher Education Department permission. Cr 1-3.
EDU 542 Seminar in Teaching, Learning and Assessment II
The primary purpose of Seminar II is to sustain a learning community where members of the cohort are supported in their internship through the assessment system. This course is based on helping the participants develop their personal philosophy of teaching and professional portfolio. Participants perfect their craft through ongoing discourse, reflection and inquiry. Specific topics include instruction, lesson and unit planning, classroom management, assessment, diversity, technology and professionalism. Corequisite: EDU 613 or EDU 644. Prerequisites: Open to matriculated students in TEAMS and ETEP, the Secondary Mathematics Education TED Pathway, the Modern and Classical Languages and Literature (MCLL) Education TED Pathway, or by Teacher Education Department (TED) permission. Cr 3.
EDU 544 Applied Pedagogy
This course is a part-time, supervised internship experience in applying knowledge and skills under study in their coursework to the practice of teaching. An intern completes a semester-long classroom placement in which she/he is assigned to a mentor teacher in an elementary, middle, or secondary classroom in a school. The intern completes a minimum of one week of lead teaching. Prerequisites: Open to matriculated interns in ETEP and TEAMS or by permission of the Teacher Education Department. Cr 3.
EDU 550 Instructional Strategies for Secondary Teaching
This course explores the historical, philosophical and political foundations of contemporary secondary schools, pedagogy and curriculum as means to understand how instructional and curricular choices are made. It also assists students in developing a repertoire of instructional strategies through modeling, practice, and reflection. Students hone their skill in choosing and using student-centered, thinking-orientated instructional strategies, addressing students’ diverse learning needs through varied learning activities. Open to matriculated students in the Secondary Mathematics Education TED Pathway. Cr 3.
EDU 551 Teaching Social Studies K-8
This course is designed to provide students with a general understanding of the guiding principles and the strands of social studies. Students will gain a working knowledge of the best practices in social studies instruction and the goals of social studies education. Students will create lesson plans and incorporate appropriate instructional methods and materials as part of the course requirements. Prerequisites: Open to matriculated interns in the ETEP and TEAMS programs or by permission of the Teacher Education Department. Cr 3.
EDU 552 Teaching Science K-8
This course has an interactive laboratory/discussion field-based approach, modeling and focusing on the teaching and learning aspects of science in the elementary and middle school. The emphasis is on content, process, and methodology. The course will be framed by the Department of Teacher Education’s Core Practices, Maine’s Learning Results, the National Science Education Standards, and by the students’ goals about the teaching and learning of science. Students will learn strategies for planning and providing core academic and behavioral experiences to all learners and differentiated academic and behavioral experiences for learners with special needs. Prerequisites: Open to matriculated students in the ETEP or TEAMS programs, or by Teacher Education Department permission. Cr 3.
EDU 554 Secondary Mathematics Methods
This course, intended for those preparing to teach mathematics at the 7-12 level in the state of Maine, provides experiences to develop and apply mathematical content knowledge and pedagogical skills in middle and secondary school classrooms. Major areas of focus include: how students learn mathematics, conceptual development of mathematical understandings, problem-solving instructional strategies, appropriate and effective uses of tools and technology, assessment of student learning, and providing equitable access to learning for all students. Prerequisites: Open to matriculated students in ETEP, the Secondary Mathematics Education TED Pathway, or by Teacher Education Department (TED) permission. Cr 3.
EDU 557 Teaching Writing to Multilingual Learners
This course focuses on developing and improving writing skills for English language learners (ELLs), by examining second language acquisition and writing theories and how they inform classroom practice. It is designed to equip teachers with the dispositions, knowledge, skills and strategies to implement writing instruction for ELLs at all levels of proficiency. Students gain firsthand experience using the writing process. They will draw on current research, theory, and classroom practice, leading to the development of instructional programs that will meet the needs of their ELLs. Cr 3.
EDU 558 Content Based Curriculum for English Language Learners
This course focuses on the factors necessary for the development and implementation of relevant content learning for second language students of all age and proficiency levels in the public school setting. The course explores the theoretical background and models of strategies for insuring competent delivery of appropriate language and content in a multilingual context. A co-construction approach incorporating the backgrounds and experiences of course participants is the principle methodological approach. The framework of the course is a pedagogical focus that incorporates scaffolding, differentiated instruction, independent learning strategies, critical thinking, and assessment. Cr 3.
EDU 559 Aspects of Reading for Multilingual Learners
This course examines the role of literacy for learners of linguistic and cultural diversity. The influence of first language on reading in another language, contrasting differences between first and second language reading, the role of vocabulary, and aspects of comprehension are among the topics of study. The differences between learning how to read in a second language for the first time and reading English with first language literacy are highlighted. Cr 3.
EDU 561 Aspects of the English Language
This survey course examines the elements of English and their relevance in second language acquisition. The course analyzes the phonetic, morphological, syntactic, and semantic structure of English; the social aspects such as variation, change, and register; and the communicative aspects such as pragmatics, psycholinguistics, and acquisition. Application of these language aspects will be accomplished through problem solving and discussion activities integrating the aspects of English within the second language classroom context. Cr 3.
EDU 562 Linguistic and Cultural Diversity in the Classroom
This course examines second language and cross-cultural communication and their role in the classroom. Second language acquisition principles and challenges, aspects of culture, and multicultural education are among the topics to be studied. Specific emphasis is on how language and cultural diversity impact teaching and learning. Cr 3.
EDU 563 ESL Testing and Assessment
This course examines the variety of assessments, formats, and procedures for evaluating ESL proficiency in the classroom. Participants develop appropriate approaches to testing and evaluation as an integral part of the language teaching and learning process. Cr 3.
EDU 565 Teaching Reading
This course traces the development of literacy and examines conditions that foster its growth. Topics relate to major stages of literacy development and include: preschool influences on literacy, initial reading, the development of fluency, vocabulary development, comprehension, study skills, and refinement of reading. Informal diagnostic techniques are demonstrated and practiced. The invariant nature of literacy acquisition among students of all ages is stressed. Prerequisite: ETEP, CLASS, or TEAMS program admission. Cr 3.
EDU 566 Introduction to the Writing Process
This course is designed to introduce preservice teachers to the development of writing proficiencies through a process approach. A thorough study of current research and theory relating to the composition process leads to the development of instructional programs that will foster students’ growth as writers. Many strategies are modeled to meet the needs of diverse learners and an exploration of technology and standards is included. Students gain experience with the writing process through participation in an ongoing, in-class writing workshop. Prerequisite: ETEP, CLASS, or TEAMS program admission. Cr 3.
EDU 599 Independent Study in Teacher Education
This course provides students the opportunity to pursue a project independently, planning and exploring an area of interest within the field of teacher education. Most independent study projects are library based; all are intellectually sound and reflect a high caliber of performance. Specific content and methods of evaluation are determined in conjunction with the instructor. An approved proposal is a necessary prerequisite to registration. Prerequisite: Matriculation into MTL program. Cr 3.
- EDU 600-level (Back to top)
EDU 600 Research Methods and Techniques
This course studies the concepts, principles, and techniques of educational research with an emphasis on scientific inquiry and problem solving, designed for both the producer and consumer of educational research. Individual critiques and research reviews are completed. Prerequisite: open to matriculated students only. Cr 3.
EDU 601 Naturalistic Inquiry and Qualitative Research
This course introduces students to an approach to educational research that studies schools as natural settings. Depending largely on qualitative methods, students learn the assumptions underlying field research and develop the ability to read qualitative/naturalistic studies critically and to do small site-based research projects. Prerequisite: EDU 600 or permission of instructor. Cr 3.
EDU 603 Analysis of Teaching
This course provides an opportunity to view teaching from the perspective of selected conceptual frameworks and research findings in the theory and practice of teaching. Analysis of individual teaching behavior is an important aspect of this course. Cr 3.
EDU 604 Curriculum Development
This course provides students with an understanding of curriculum and curriculum development. Using a collaborative approach, teachers and administrators plan the design of a curriculum consistent with personal ideals and a given context. Students analyze the curriculum in terms of knowledge, skills, learning processes, and affective dimensions. Special emphasis is given to the processes of curriculum implementation and curriculum evaluation. Cr 3.
EDU 605 Teaching, Learning, and Assessment
This course develops students’ knowledge of testing and assessment and provides opportunities for students to apply that knowledge to instruction and curriculum issues. Students will review the critical roles of teachers and administrators in testing and assessment. Participants will examine concepts such as curriculum alignment, opportunity to learn, equity, and fairness, and relate these concepts to classroom assessments and other common district and statewide standardized assessments. Participants will address issues such as validity, reliability, and standard setting in the context of diverse perspectives about the construction, production, and interpretation of knowledge. Cr 3.
EDU 607 Teacher Research in Literacy
This course enables students to become generators of new knowledge through their own classroom-based research and inquiry. Students learn the history and current policies of responsible conduct of research with human subjects. They analyze the methodology of published classroom research studies and learn and practice techniques of data collection and analysis. During the semester each student selects a problem, designs a pilot study using qualitative methodology, collects and analyzes sample data, and summarizes findings. Working in collaborative groups, students reflect upon and critique their work as it proceeds. Prerequisites: EDU 620, EDU 626 .or EDU 557, 559; Open to matriculated students only. Cr 3.
EDU 612 Practicum/Seminar
This practicum/seminar, for experienced teachers in the teacher leadership program, is a two-semester, field-based project and concurrent seminar requiring a culminating activity in which the student utilizes the major learnings from the program in identifying and applying problem-solving strategies to a specific area of concern in a field setting. A written practicum report will be presented and discussed in an open forum. Cr 6 (3 credits each semester). This course will not be offered in the 2010-2011 academic year.
EDU 613 Professional Internship in Secondary Education
This course is a full-time, supervised internship experience in applying knowledge and skills to the practice of teaching. An intern completes a semester-long classroom internship in which she/he is assigned to a mentor teacher and classroom. The intern completes a minimum of two weeks of lead teaching. Prerequisites: Open to matriculated interns in ETEP, the Secondary Mathematics Education TED Pathway, the Modern Classical Language and Literature Education TED Pathway. Cr 3-9.
EDU 615 Middle Level Curriculum
This course provides an opportunity to examine realities and possibilities of middle school curriculum design and content and to explore various longstanding controversies about the relationship between curriculum and the world, curriculum and learners, curriculum and the academic disciplines, and curriculum and educational aims. Moreover, it delves into conceptions of knowledge, knowing, and learning and into who has access to all three. The course investigates both middle school curriculum theory and curriculum practices, invites students to critique current and past approaches, and then develop a curricular approach of their own. It looks closely at the impact of curricular practices on the welfare of students and society. An important goal of the course is to provide opportunities for students to develop their own standards and naming the institutional contexts necessary for supporting those standards. Students should leave the course with a clear idea about what curricular approaches they think serve the welfare of middle school students and the larger society. Cr 3.
EDU 617 Teaching in the Middle Level
This course provides an understanding of the role the teacher plays in the intellectual, social, emotional, and personal development of young adolescents. Students investigate, try out, and evaluate responsive teaching strategies and explore the design and structure of advisor/advisee programs and curricula. Cr 3.
EDU 620 Reading Development and Instruction
Becoming a skilled reader is a developmental process. Although literacy acquisition is continuous, distinct stages of reading growth may be discerned as students become accomplished readers. The course provides a theoretical framework for sound instructional practices based on a cognitive, developmental perspective. Major emphasis is on using literature-based instruction. Current issues in the teaching of reading will be examined and the application of literacy practices to ESL, adult basic education, and special needs populations will be addressed. Suggested readings represent current research and practice. In addition to the texts, students are expected to read professional books and journal articles, synthesize information from readings, and generate implications for literacy instruction. Case studies and simulation exercises will be used to provide practical applications of the course content. This course is intended for classroom teachers and administrators, and other educators. Cr 3.
EDU 621 Literacy Problems: Assessment and Instruction
This course conceptualizes reading assessment as a process of becoming informed about learners. The course focuses on the development of diagnostic insights and corrective strategies for struggling readers of all ages. Current trends from research and practice are explored. Case studies and in-class practica help teachers implement effective procedures in the classroom. Cr 3.
EDU 622 Designing and Managing Literacy Instruction, PS-3
This course focuses on the development of language (both oral and written) in children 3-8 years of age. Content includes the characteristics of language learners, the conditions that promote emergent literacy, and organization and management of literacy instruction in the primary grades. Cr 3.
EDU 624 Schools and the Classroom
This course relates cultural, historical, philosophical, sociological, and curricular foundations of education. Students study how schools work as organizational cultures and how classrooms function as learning environments through an analysis of personal teaching contexts. Prerequisites: Completion of one of the following teacher certification programs: TEAMS, ETEP, CLASS, the Secondary Mathematics Education TED Pathway, or the Modern Classical Language and Literature Education TED Pathway. Cr 3.
EDU 626 The Writing Process
This course focuses on the study of writing development in children and how teachers can facilitate writing through a process approach. Many writing strategies for the classroom and the individual writer will be modeled and put into practice. In addition, students will investigate specific areas of interest to improve their own writing and writing instruction. Through participation of writing lessons and workshops, students will develop their own pieces of writing, examine the needs of diverse learners, design instruction for varying developmental stages of writers, explore the use of technology, and understand the implications of national, state, and local standards. Prerequisite:This course is intended for classroom teachers, administrators, and other educators. Cr 3.
EDU 633 Special Applications in Literacy
Independent study opportunities to apply course experiences in field-based situations are encouraged. Considerable latitude is possible in pursuing options of professional interest with approval of an advisor. Examples of activities include: writing project (meeting standards of professional journals), intensive clinical experiences, educational consultation and research. Independent options must be approved in writing by the program coordinator. Cr 1-6.
EDU 634 Seminar in Literacy Research
The course provides a cultural-historical lens to literacy and reviews of current research trends in literacy theory and practice. Students will review and analyze contemporary research. This course is intended to be the last class in master’s sequence (except EDU 639); C.A.S students may request permission to enroll. Prerequisites: By program permissionCr 3.
EDU 635 Seminar in Second Language Literacy
This course integrates the knowledge base acquired in core ESL literacy courses by focusing on the characteristics of a fluent second language reader and writer. There will be an analysis of first language reading models and their relevance to literacy acquisition in English as a second language. The impact of variables such as native language proficiency, perception, lexical knowledge, cognition, metacognition, and culture will be examined. This course is intended to be the last class in master’s sequence (except EDU 639); C.A.S students may request permission to enroll. Prerequisites: By program permission. Cr 3.
EDU 638 Advanced Second Language Acquisition
This course examines a broad range of second language acquisition (SLA) theories and applies them to English as a Second Language (ESL) pedagogy. This advanced course focuses on the exploration of second language acquisition as a complex phenomenon and aims to generate in the students a personally meaningful, context-relevant understanding of the phenomenon. Students will be able to relate current theories of SLA and existing empirical research to their daily needs as teachers. Prerequisites: EDU 561: Aspects of the English Language. Cr 3.
EDU 639 Practicum in Literacy Education
This course requires the application of strategies for planning and implementing literacy programs for students at different stages of reading progress. Tutoring experiences are augmented and related to the professional literature and research through frequent opportunities to explain and discuss observations in seminars. Extensive reading from basic texts, current references, and periodicals are stressed. Emphasis is on the appropriate application of research-validated teaching and diagnostic techniques in supervised settings. Prerequisites: program permission. Cr 6.
EDU 640 Professional Internship in English as a Second Language
This internship is a full-time, supervised clinical experience in applying knowledge and skills to the practice of teaching. An intern completes a classroom placement in which she/he works cooperatively with a mentor teacher and a University supervisor in addressing the USM teaching standards. The culminating event is a lead teaching experience during which the intern had primary responsibility for guiding the instructional program for students who have been part of the internship. Prerequisite: Open to matriculated candidates in certification programs. Cr 3.
EDU 642 Classroom Assessment
This course focuses on the formative use of classroom assessment, including developing a repertoire of valid and reliable assessment methods, communicating clear expectations, giving meaningful feedback, and involving students in assessment. Students share experiences and practices with each other, discuss and reflect upon relevant readings, apply learning in classroom settings. The course is not recommended for first-year teachers or those who have just completed the certification program and are still seeking employment as teachers. There is a practicum requirement for those who are not employed as teachers or education technicians. Prerequisites: Completion of ETEP or TEAMS 9-month teacher certification internship. Cr 3.
EDU 643 Inquiry in Education
This course focuses on inquiry in the field of education, including the development, implementation and evaluation of research project focused on classroom practice or educational policy issues. This course is designed as a capstone for the master’s in Teaching and Learning and is taken in the last semester of the MTL program. Candidates completing special education or ESL certification will conduct research in their respective field. Prerequisites: Completion of ETEP or TEAMS 9-month teacher certification internship and EDU 600; or by special permission of the instructor. Cr 3.
EDU 644 Professional Internship in Elementary Education
This course is a full-time, supervised internship experience in applying knowledge and skills to the practice of teaching. An intern completes a semester-long classroom internship in which she/he is assigned to a mentor teacher and classroom. The intern completes a minimum of two weeks of lead teaching. Prerequisites: Open to matriculated interns in ETEP and TEAMS. Cr 3-6.
EDU 651 Instructional Strategies for Secondary Teaching
This course explores the historical, philosophical, and political foundations of contemporary secondary schools, pedagogy, and curriculum as a means to understand how instructional and curricular choices are made. It also assists students in developing a repertoire of instructional strategies through modeling, practice, and reflection. Students hone their skill in choosing and using student-centered, thinking-oriented instructional strategies, addressing students’ diverse learning needs through varied learning activities. Prerequisites: Open to matriculated ETEP interns and by Teacher Education Department permission. Cr 3.
EDU 652 Curriculum Design
This course is designed to develop an understanding of the levels of policy decisions about curriculum selection and implementation and how teachers develop curriculum for units, grade levels, and subject areas. Major areas of focus include the governance of curriculum, backward planning design process, curriculum mapping, and the development of a conceptual framework which demonstrates the interconnections of curriculum, instruction, and assessment. Prerequisites: EDU 550 or 651 and matriculation in ETEP, the Secondary Mathematics Education TED Pathway, the Modern and Classical Languages and Literature (MCLL) Education TED Pathway, or by Teacher Education Department permission. Cr 3.
EDU 665 CAS Directed Study
This course provides CAS students with an opportunity to focus on long-term applied research projects near the beginning of their programs of study, rather than wait until they have completed their regular CAS coursework. Some students enter the program having embarked upon long-term projects that will positively impact their schools or school systems. This capstone option gives them the opportunity to combine work on those projects at the same time that they take other graduate courses in their individual CAS programs. This project will be carried out through the program, but the culminating synthesis should take place in the last academic year of the program. Cr 3-6.
EDU 667 Professional Educator Capstone
This course is designed for students who are completing the Professional Educator program. It provides students with the opportunity to conduct an action research project in which they develop strategies to solve a problem of practice. Students will identify a problem that present barriers to student learning, conduct a review of relevant literature, collect and analyze data, devise a solution or intervention, and present findings to an authentic audience. The course takes the form of a professional community where students engage in collegial interaction, peer learning, and reciprocal feedback. Prerequisite: completion of 30 credits towards the M.S. Ed: Professional Educator. Cr. 3
EDU 670 Introduction to Educational Leadership
This course is designed to be the first course taken in the educational leadership program which may lead to certification as a principal, special education director, or curriculum coordinator. The course has two major foci: the characteristics of good leadership and the skills of effective educational leadership. Since many students who enroll in this course are exploring a career transition into administration, a goal of the course is to give participants a clear understanding of the decisions faced by educational leaders, the skills and knowledge necessary to perform effectively, and to give participants an opportunity to explore strategies for balancing the demands of the job, personal commitments, and responsibilities. Cr 3.
EDU 671 Organizational Behavior
This course will explore the interactions between individuals and the systems in which they live and work. Organizational behavior is the utilization of theory and methods of academic disciplines for understanding and influencing behavior in people in organizations. Individual and group level of analysis are included in covering such topics as diversity, perception, communication, motivation, power, group development and performance, innovation, quality, individual effectiveness and development, leadership, and intergroup behavior. Cr 3.
EDU 672 Political and Community Leadership
Educational leaders must be influential beyond the school system as well as within it. Distribution of power and influence across interrelated social systems is seldom equal leading to competition for bases of influence. This course examines the ramifications of this social circumstance for education with emphasis on administrative decision making. Cr 3.
EDU 677 Seminar in School Management
This course, through the use of case studies, simulations, readings, presentations, and discussions will focus on students: (1) learning the nuts and bolts needed for daily management, (2) examining current issues facing the principalship, (3) learning strategies for managing and understanding oneself within the principal’s role, (4) studying specific financial skills required of the principal and, (5) articulating positions on current educational practices, and developing an educational leadership philosophy. Prerequisite: instructor permission. Cr 3.
EDU 678 School Law
This course acquaints students with general principles of school law as found in the interpretation of constitutional and statutory provisions by the higher courts. Laws governing pupils, teaching personnel, and boards of education and special education will be stressed with particular emphasis on Maine school law. Cr 3.
EDU 679 Evaluation and Supervision of Teaching
This is an introductory course focused on evaluating and supervising teaching performance. As the teaching students may supervise ranges from preschool through adult education in a variety of subject areas, this course offers a framework of supervisory concepts and asks students to apply these concepts to the settings and clientele they would likely encounter. The major product of this course is a platform for articulating one's beliefs and espoused practices for evaluating and supervising teaching in a setting specified by the student. Cr 3.
EDU 680 Professional Learning in Schools
This course is designed for students in administration and teacher leadership and examines the theory and practice of staff development in schools and other human service settings. Building on current research on adult development, organizational analysis, and school improvement, students develop an understanding about the structure and process of staff development planning, programming, implementation, and evaluation. A final project applying class learnings to a work setting is required. Cr 3.
EDU 683 School Finance
This course provides a working knowledge and understanding of Maine state law and of school system finances and the funding process. An historical perspective is explored as well as current issues and problems on a statewide and national level. Specific emphasis is given to revenue generation and distribution, state and federal influences, local tax issues, budget development, budget management, and budget administration and control. Cr 3.
EDU 685 Internship in School Administration
This three-semester, nine-credit course (three credit hours each semester) combines the 240-hour internship field experience with the development of an applied research project in educational administration. The early focus of the course is on the internship in a school setting designed jointly by the student, the internship supervisor, and a school-based field supervisor. The internship is designed to encourage application of formal coursework to the management issues that face school leaders in the workplace. Out of the internship activities students complete a journal, develop a leadership platform (portfolio), conduct an investigation on an aspect of financial management and a study of community demographics and formulate a leadership project based on an issue of importance to the school. Each student will be required to produce a written report on the project and to defend it verbally at the conclusion of this course. Prerequisite: Instructor permission. Cr 9.
EDU 686 Internship in Special Education Administration
This three-semester nine-credit course (three credit hours each semester) serves as the capstone experience in the educational administration program for aspiring special education directors. The internship is designed to immerse the student in the everyday tasks of the special education director, providing an opportunity for the student to actually apply the skills and knowledge gained throughout the educational leadership program. The early focus of the course is on the internship in a district setting designed jointly by the student, the internship supervisor, and a district special education director. Out of the internship activities students complete a journal, develop a leadership platform (portfolio), conduct an investigation on an aspect of financial management related to special education and a study of community demographics/child find and formulate a leadership project based on an issue of importance in special education at the school or district level. Each student is required to produce a written report on the leadership project and to present it at the conclusion of the course. Prerequisite: Instructor permission. Taken at the conclusion of a student's program. Cr 9.
EDU 687 Internship in the Superintendency
This two–semester, six-credit course (three credits each semester) is designed to immerse the student in the everyday tasks of the superintendent of schools providing an opportunity for the student to actually apply the skills and knowledge gained throughout the educational leadership program. This course, made up of field experiences in the school superintendency, is designed to meet certification requirements and to prepare individuals for the position. The internship is designed to encourage application of formal coursework to the leadership and management issues that face superintendents in the workplace. Out of the internship experience, students will develop a project, in which they will be expected to take a leadership role in designing, implementing, and assessing a project that addresses an important district-wide educational issue. Prerequisite: Instructor permission. Program capstone. Cr 6.
EDU 688 Internship in Curriculum Administration
This three-semester, nine-credit course (three credits each semester) serves as the capstone experience in the educational leadership program for aspiring curriculum coordinators. The internship is designed to immerse the student in the every day tasks of the curriculum coordinator, proving an opportunity for the student to actually apply the skills and knowledge gained throughout the program,. The early focus of the course is on the internship in a district/central office setting designed jointly by the student, the internship supervisor, and a curriculum coordinator. Out of the internship activities, students complete a journal, develop a leadership platform (portfolio), conduct an investigation on an aspect of financial management related to special education and a study of community demographics and formulate a leadership project based on an issue of curriculum/instructional importance to the district/school. Each student is required to produce a written report on the leadership project and to present it at the conclusion of the course. Prerequisite: Instructor permission. Program capstone. Cr 9.
EDU 690 Introduction to Athletic Administration
The course will give students an overview of the roles and responsibilities of athletic administrators and the knowledge and skills necessary to become effective athletic program leaders. In addition, students will gain understandings of themselves and of their potentials to function as effective leaders within federal, state, and local regulatory frameworks. Cr 3.
EDU 691 Sports Law and Regulation Compliance
The course will give students an overview of the roles and responsibilities of athletic administrators and the knowledge and skills necessary to become effective educational leaders. In addition, students will gain understandings of themselves and of their potentials to function as effective leaders within federal, state and local statutory and regulatory frameworks.
EDU 695: Topics in Professional Education
This course is a Foundations Course that is designed for students who are beginning the Professional Educator Program. It will serve students who enroll in a cohort concentration through the Professional Educator, providing them with the opportunity to become familiar with a topic of common interest or concern (example STEM education, English education, etc.) that lays the foundation for future study. The course takes the form of a professional community where students and the instructor engage in collegial interaction, peer learning, and reciprocal feedback. Prerequisite: Enrollment in a cohort concentration of the Ms. Ed in Professional Educator. Cr 3.
EDU 697/SPY 698 Statistics I
This course provides training in the knowledge and skills necessary to select and use a range of statistical methods for educational and psychological research. Students will learn and use basic parametric and non-parametric statistical procedures, including Chi Square, t-tests, and Analysis of Variance. Prerequisites: EDU 600 or equivalent and permission of instructor. Cr 3.
EDU 698/SPY 698 Statistics II
This course provides training in advanced applications of statistical methods for educational and psychological research. Students will learn and use complex statistical procedures, such as Multiple Analysis of Variance, multiple regression, and structural equation modeling. Prerequisites: EDU 697 and permission of instructor. Cr 3.
EDU 699 Independent Study
This course provides an opportunity for students to pursue a topic of interest on an independent basis. The specific content and evaluation procedures are arranged with an instructor. Prerequisite: Permission of supervising instructor and the department chair. Cr var.
- HCE 500-level (Back to top)
HCE 500 Orientation to the Counseling Profession
This introductory course is designed to acquaint individuals who are preparing to enter the counseling profession with a broad overview of the profession’s historical and theoretical foundations and to begin the development of their professional identities. This course must be taken the first semester following matriculation. Cr 3.
HCE 507 Spirituality and Religion in Counseling
This course will address, in an ecumenical and inclusive format, the growing renaissance in the psychotherapeutic community and in the larger American society of the integration of spirituality and religious values. Various aspects of spirituality and religion will be explored as they relate to the counseling process. The course will seek to increase the awareness of counselors to potential areas of client concern, including spiritual journeys, early religious training, search for meaning, personal relationship with the divine, and death and bereavement. Participants will explore various religious and spiritual practices, including, but not limited to, Islam, Buddhism, Native American beliefs, Hinduism, Christianity, and Judaism. Cr 3.
HCE 510 Introduction to Rehabilitation Counseling and Services
This course will provide an orientation to the counseling profession, focusing on rehabilitation concepts, services, and settings. Included will be: history, trends, and related legislation; critical components of the rehabilitation process; contemporary counselor roles and functions; professional education, associations, standards, and credentials; ethical and legal issues; technology issues and practices; and rehabilitation agencies and services. Field visits and the examination of rehabilitation services from various participant perspectives will be required. Cr 3.
HCE 514 Principles of Psychosocial Rehabilitation
This course provides a foundation of knowledge and skills useful in habilitation and rehabilitation work with persons who have psychiatric disabilities. A major emphasis of this course addresses skill development and attitudinal changes needed by the helper/counselor/caseworker in implementing a compensatory model vs. a medical model of treatment for persons with psychiatric disabilities. Text material, research articles, guest presentations, videos, community site visits, and “real play” through extensive dyad/small group student interaction are used to promote learning. This course is required for master’s degree candidates in psychosocial rehabilitation. It is also open to persons interested in this innovative approach to mental illness. Cr 3.
- HCE 600-level (Back to top)
HCE 604 Career Development
This course examines the ways in which counselors assist people of all ages in their life/career development. Emphasis will be on understanding theories, information systems, materials, activities, and techniques for fostering career awareness exploration, decision making, and preparation. The interrelationships among work, family, and other life roles, including multicultural and gender issues, will also be addressed. Cr 3.
HCE 605 Psychological Measurement and Evaluation
This course focuses on group tests and related measurement techniques. The course content includes a review of the history of testing, current issues, fundamental statistics for understanding, evaluating, and using tests, including selected aptitude, intelligence, achievement, interest, and personality tests. A variety of standardized and non-standardized evaluation measures will be reviewed. Cr 3.
HCE 606 Counseling Services for Students with Exceptional Needs
This course will meet the needs of graduate students who will be counseling in schools or agencies with children and adolescents who may have special needs. The course will provide an overview of exceptionalities. In addition to this overview, it will provide a basis for consultation, collaboration and counseling in both individual and small groups. This course will meet the state requirement for certification for the professional school counselor. Prerequisites: Open to matriculated students in Counselor Education, Special Education and School Psychology or by permission of instructor. Cr 3.
HCE 607 School Guidance Programs and Services
This course is intended for those preparing to be school counselors. It considers the conceptual framework for comprehensive developmental guidance and counseling practices in elementary and secondary schools. Major areas of focus include program management, guidance curricula, individual planning and advising, and responsive services that are organized to meet the educational, personal, and career needs of students. Prerequisites: HCE 609, matriculation in the counselor education program or by permission of the instructor. Cr 3.
HCE 609 The Practice of School Counseling
This course will provide students with an introduction to the practices of consultation and large group guidance for counselors working within a developmental model of school counseling. Assignments will incorporate field experiences that promote reflective learning and skill building. Prerequisite: open to matriculated students or by permission of instructor. Cr 3.
HCE 611 Medical and Psychological Aspects of Disability and Rehabilitation
This course explores the medical and psychological issues surrounding the concepts of disability and rehabilitation. Particular emphasis will be given to examining: a) the medical model as an organizing framework for viewing disability and rehabilitation; b) the diagnoses and treatment of various physical, developmental, sensory, and emotional conditions; c) the perspectives and responses of people with disabilities toward their diagnosed conditions and prescribed treatments; d) the principles and practice of functional assessment; and e) the ethical issues surrounding medical and rehabilitation services. Also examined will be psychological explanations of disability, their applications, and their implications for rehabilitation practice. A primary focus throughout the course will be on highlighting the perspectives that people with disabilities hold toward their life situations as well as the medical and rehabilitation settings and professionals they encounter. Cr 3.
HCE 612 Multicultural Counseling: Family and Disability Issues
This course provides an in depth analysis of the effects of developmental, mental, and physical disability on individuals and their families within the context of a pluralistic society. It will explore the experience of living with a disability and family dynamics in the context of the broader community and society. Students will study multicultural issues relative to disability, counseling, and rehabilitation. The course also examines the reactions, adjustments, and accommodations to disability as perceived by individuals with disabilities, their families, and rehabilitation counseling professionals. Cr 3.
HCE 615 Vocational Counseling and Placement in Rehabilitation
This course encompasses the theoretical foundations of vocational counseling, the vocational implications of disability, the application of occupational and labor market data, and vocational choice with rehabilitation consumers. The use of job selection, analysis, and modification, and matching skills in the development of work and career options for persons with disabilities is included. The course also presents the role, functions, and strategies used by rehabilitation professionals in job placement and the supported employment of persons with severe disabilities. Accommodation of rehabilitation consumers in accordance with federal statutes, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), is examined in the context of a multicultural society. Cr 3.
HCE 619 Myth, Madness, and Mental Illness
This course covers the historical, scientific, professional, and societal beliefs that have surrounded the concepts of madness and mental illness. Particular emphasis is given to issues related to recovery, ex-patient movement, legal rights and protections, medications, alternative treatments, trauma, and ethical issues in service delivery. Students also will explore their own values and motives for entering the field and examine the strengths and liabilities they may bring to their work. Cr 3.
HCE 620 Fundamentals of Counseling Theories
This course is for those who are or will be engaged in counseling in an educational or mental health setting. Selected theories and related techniques are closely examined. Research literature that has a bearing on the effectiveness and noneffectiveness of counseling is reviewed. Cr 3.
HCE 621 Fundamentals of Counseling Skills
This course emphasizes the development of fundamental counseling skills, such as attending behavior, listening, reflection of feeling, paraphrasing, and questioning. The course examines the process and content of the counseling interview as well as verbal and nonverbal factors that influence the interactions within the counseling relationship. The primary focus is to help the student develop greater self-knowledge and skills in interpersonal communication within the counseling relationship. Prerequisite: Prerequisite: Open only to matriculated graduate students; HCE 500 and HCE 621. Cr 3.
HCE 622 Counseling Children and Adolescents
This course examines selected theories, related techniques, and skills for counseling children and adolescents. Attention is given to examining personal philosophies about working with children and adolescents and to the exploration of possible interventions for various counseling situations with these populations. Counselor effectiveness literature is reviewed. Prerequisites: matriculation in counselor education or school psychology and HCE?620 and HRD 688 (HRD 688 may taken concurrently with permission of the instructor). Cr 3.
HCE 623 Theories and Applications of Play Therapy: Summer Institute
This intensive, one-week summer institute presents an overview of the various theories of play therapy and examines them in the social, cultural, and economic contexts in which they were first implemented. Applications of the theories to special settings and with special populations are explored. The course is an introductory course and is one of the required courses for becoming a registered play therapist. Prerequisite: none. Cr 3.
HCE 624 Child-Centered Play Therapy
This course is intended for students who wish to use a child-centered theory of play therapy in counseling children. It presents the theoretical framework of a child-centered approach to working with children and begins the necessary training for skill development in using this theory. Prerequisites: HCE 621 and HCE 622. Cr 3.
HCE 625 Adlerian Play Therapy
This course will examine Adlerian theory as it applies to clinical work with children and adolescents. Topics will include an overview of Adlerian theory and of play therapy, consultation with parents and teachers, encouragement, setting limits, understanding the goals of discouraged children, phases of therapy, and ethical and legal implications. Classes will include brief lectures, skill building exercises, discussion, and reflection. Prerequisite: graduate-level status. Cr 3.
HCE 626 Group Process and Procedures
This course focuses on basic principles of group development and on dynamics of group interaction. The improvement of facilitative skills is emphasized. Open to matriculated graduate students only. Cr 3.
HCE 627 Group Counseling Practicum
This course focuses on the development of concepts, attitudes, and skills necessary to lead counseling groups effectively in a variety of settings. Integration of group dynamics with counseling theory and group techniques is emphasized. Additionally, the behavior of the leader and participants is analyzed to promote a deeper understanding of group roles and functions. Prerequisites: HCE 621 and HCE 626 or by permission of the instructor. Cr 3.
HCE 640 Professional Issues for Mental Health Counselors
Mental health clinics, hospitals, substance abuse facilities, and social service agencies are among the various organizations involved in helping people through mental health counseling. This course examines the mental health needs of people in rural and urban communities and the views of mental health counseling held by those organizations who serve these people. Students will examine problems that organizations encounter in helping people and the consequences of services that interfere with helping. Attention is given to interprofessional and interorganizational approaches to improving the quality of mental health counseling. Mental health counselor roles, functions, professional associations, credentialing, and ethical standards will also be examined. A special emphasis of the course is on examining mental health counseling from an historical, ethical, legal, philosophical, and developmental perspective. Cr 3.
HCE 641 Mind/Body Techniques
This course addresses the relationship between cognitive processes and physiology from a healing/personal wellness perspective. Various aspects of Eastern thought/religion, as well as Western behavioral medicine are explored in regard to physical health and emotional well-being. Research on the mind/body relationship is reviewed and discussed. Participants will be required to learn and practice meditative and mind/body techniques. Cr 3.
HCE 642 Perspectives on Chemical Dependency
This course focuses on the overall dynamics of chemical dependency and will serve as an introduction to understanding the various stages, processes, and effects of such addictions. Specific topics will include social and psychological dynamics of chemical dependency involving family, peers, and co-workers. The roles that professional educators, human service workers, and other helping professionals play in prevention, early intervention, and the various approaches to recovery and aftercare are considered in depth. Cr 3.
HCE 643 Psychopharmacology and Substance-Related Disorders
This course provides participants from non-scientific backgrounds with a basic understanding of the effects of licit and illicit drugs. The role of these drugs in distorting brain chemistry and promoting substance-related disorders is explored. Relationships between substance-related disorders and mental illnesses are outlined. Interactions among the biological, psychological/emotional, and behavioral aspects of substance abuse are examined in relation to symptom reduction and identification, intervention strategies, and the treatment of substance abusing clients. Cr 3.
HCE 644 Crisis Intervention
This course introduces students to the theory and practice of crisis intervention. A theoretical perspective is established, and short-term crisis counseling strategies are examined. Several different crisis situations will be discussed in relationship to agencies or persons responsible for interventions. Prerequisite: HCE 621 or by permission of the instructor. Cr 3.
HCE 645 Diagnosis and Treatment Planning
This course focuses on the diagnostic systems and their use in counseling. The development of treatment plans and the use of related services are reviewed. The roles of assessment, intake interviews, and reports are examined. Prerequisite: HCE 621 or by permission of the instructor. Cr 3.
HCE 650 Basic Concepts in Couple and Family Counseling
This course will provide a historical context for the field of family therapy, as well as an exploration of the major theories that inform the current application of family therapy. Cr 3.
HCE 655 Human Sexuality for Counselors
This course provides information about human sexuality to heighten individual’s awareness of his/her own sexuality and sexual issues, and to integrate this knowledge to improve the overall effectiveness of counseling skills. The course explores a wide spectrum of sexual behaviors and examines the relationships between sexuality, self-esteem, sex roles, and life styles. Emphasis is placed on developing an awareness of personal values associated with human sexuality. Prerequisite: HCE 621 or permission of instructor. Cr 3.
HCE 681 Clinical Supervision
This course introduces students to the practice of clinical supervision within the counseling profession. The course focuses on such topics as the history of supervision, supervision models, tasks and functions of supervision, relationships in supervision, supervisory responsibilities, administration, cultural differences, and ethical standards. An organizing principle of this course is to examine these topics from three perspectives: theoretical knowledge, skill development, and self-awareness. Prerequisite: master’s degree in counseling, matriculated Psy.D. students, or by permission of the instructor. Cr 3.
HCE 686 Internship in Counselor Education
This course provides an opportunity for students to integrate formal coursework with on-the-job experience in selected institutions. Prerequisite: HCE 690. Cr 1-12.
HCE 687 Internship in Clinical Supervision
This course provides an opportunity to develop advanced skills in clinical supervision. Interns will be assigned to supervise master’s level students in such courses as practicum and internship. Prerequisites: HCE 681 and HCE 694. Cr 3.
HCE 690 Individual Counseling Practicum Seminar
Through lecture, discussion, and group supervision students learn to apply professional knowledge and skills to the practice of counseling with individuals. Role playing, video and audio tapes, and demonstrations are used in helping students develop an integrated counseling style. This course is taken concurrently with HCE 691. Prerequisites: HCE 620, HCE 621, HCE 622 (school counseling specialty only), and HCE 626. Cr 3.
HCE 691 Individual Counseling Practicum Laboratory
This laboratory is an intensive experience in the direct application of counseling skills and techniques to individual clients within the context of counseling sessions. Audio and video tapes will be reviewed individually with a faculty supervisor. This course must be taken concurrently with HCE 690. Prerequisites: HCE 620, HCE 621, HCE 622 (school counseling specialty only), and HCE 626. Cr 3.
HCE 692 Advanced Individual Practicum
This is the advanced course in counseling practicum. In addition to building on the skills developed in HCE 690 (practicum), emphasis is placed on the structural analysis of typical client problems and the use of appropriate strategies of intervention. Other emphases include the staffing of actual cases and knowledge of community resources available to the counseling clientele. Prerequisite: HCE 690. Cr 3.
HCE 695 Practicum in Play Therapy
This course is an intensive supervised experience, applying professional knowledge and skills in the practice of counseling children using play therapy techniques. Role-playing, video tapes, and demonstrations are used in helping each student develop an integrated counseling style. Prerequisites: HCE 621, HCE 622, HCE 623, HCE 624, and HCE 690. Cr 3.
HCE 696 Advanced Group Counseling Practicum
This course is an intensive supervised experience in applying professional knowledge and skills to the practice of counseling groups. Role-playing, video and audio tapes, and demonstrations are used in helping each student develop an integrated leadership style in working with groups. Prerequisites: HCE 690 and approval of the supervising professor. Cr 3.
HCE 699 Independent Study in Human Resource Development
This course provides students the opportunity to pursue a project independently, planning, and exploring a topic of interest within the field of human resource development. The project must be library-based, intellectually sound, and reflect a high caliber of performance. Specific content and methods of evaluation will be determined in collaboration with the instructor. An approved proposal is a necessary prerequisite to registration. Cr 1-6.
- HRD 500-level (Back to top)
HRD 545 Gender and Learning
In this course students explore the multiple and complex relationships of gender and learning from diverse theoretical perspectives, including topics such as feminist theories and pedagogies, historical perspectives on gender and education, and identity development. Gender is analyzed from infancy through adulthood in connection with other aspects of identity that impact learning, including race, class, sexual orientation, disability, and ethnicity. Cr 3.
HRD 551 Spirituality in Adult and Higher Education
This course examines the role of spirituality in adult and higher education. Historical and contemporary perspectives on ways in which spiritual issues influence the lives of educators and learners are explored. Questions this course investigates include: What is spirituality? How are core practices in adult and higher education such as learning, facilitating, advising, training, and managing affected by spiritual principles? In what ways has spirituality influenced social change in adult education? How does understanding and practicing spiritual virtues influence the personal and professional lives of educators and learners? Cr 3.
HRD 555 Introduction to Student Affairs in Higher Education
This course provides students with an overview of student affairs in colleges and universities. Particular attention will be given to historical developments as rooted in the emergence of the unique model of higher education in the U.S., to models of student development, to evaluation of the various models of student affairs organizations, and to emerging issues in managing student affairs programs. The intent is to provide students with the information and skills necessary to understand and evaluate the field as well as to assess their own interest and commitment to student affairs. Cr 3.
HRD 556 Summer Institute in Student Affairs
This summer institute is designed to provide students with a week-long immersion experience in a topic selected because of its significance to student affairs in higher education. Topics addressed are those that have been identified as timely by student affairs professional organizations and/or highlighted in recent student affairs literature. The topics for the institute and the faculty to teach it will change each summer. Recent institutes have covered assessment in student affairs, legal issues in student affairs, and academic advising. The institute is required for students concentrating in student affairs as part of their adult education master’s program. Cr 3.
HRD 557 The Older Learner
This introductory course examines key issues such as demographic trends, theories of aging, problems and opportunities in later-life learning, productive retirement, and educational opportunities for elders. A major goal of the course is to invite professional educators to explore human aging with an eye toward improving teaching and/or program development with elder populations. Cr 3.
HRD 558 Aging and Life Review
This course examines the process of life review and its role in human aging. The phenomena of memory, imagination, and identity in later age are examined. Students develop practical methods of facilitating life review of themselves and older clients. Cr 3.
HRD 559 Aging, Death, and Bereavement
This course examines the phenomenon of death in modern society, with a special emphasis on implications for older persons. Issues such as the meaning of death, the dying process, survivorship, and suicide are treated. Special attention is paid to the role of the professional in death education. Cr 3.
- HRD 600-level (Back to top)
HRD 600 History and Philosophy of Adult Education
This course examines historical and philosophical foundations of adult education. Key trends and theoretical frameworks are explored. Students will be introduced to a range of adult education practice domains in Maine and elsewhere. Creating a “community of learners” and modeling other adult education practices is a central goal of this course. Cr 3.
HRD 601 Marketing Training and Adult Education
This course acquaints the student with the purpose, organization, function, methods, tools, and techniques of marketing within the setting of adult education, continuing education, and training programs. Attention is given to the development of a customized marketing plan, focusing on the research and planning phases of the plan. This is an applied course in which students spend a significant amount of time participating in hands-on learning experiences, working in teams. Cr 3.
HRD 604 Self-Directed Education: Orientation
This is the first of three, one-credit core courses that establish the foundational concepts and skills of self-directed education. This course introduces students to the adult education program, emphasizing educational planning, key ideas and themes, professional networking, reflective writing, and development of an educational portfolio. This course is intended to help students succeed by introducing requirements, opportunities, and self-directed educational skills at the beginning of their program. Cr 1.
HRD 605 Self-Directed Education: Review and Focus
This is the second of three, one-credit core courses that establish the foundational concepts and skills of self-directed education. The course is intended for students who have completed half or more of their coursework, to enable them to reflect upon and strengthen their interest in adult education and to plan the rest of their program, especially their directed study or internship and their capstone paper. Students carry out explorations of resources that can enhance their professional knowledge and practice. Prerequisite: Open to matriculated students who have taken HRD 604. Cr 1.
HRD 606 Self-Directed Education: Comprehensive Essay
This is the third of three, one-credit core courses that establish the foundational concepts and skills of self-directed education to be built on throughout the program. The course is intended to be taken as the final course of the program to prepare students for the comprehensive essay and future learning and work. Prerequisite: Open to matriculated graduate students who have taken HRD 604 and HRD 605. Cr 1.
HRD 630 Facilitating Adult Learning
This course examines the theory and practice of facilitating adult learning. The aim of the course is to develop a working knowledge of numerous approaches to facilitation including analysis of students’ strengths and weaknesses in particular learning contexts. Special emphasis is placed on developing skills in making presentations and leading group discussions. Cr 3.
HRD 631 The Adult Learner
This course examines the social, psychological, economic, and cultural situation of the variety of adults served by adult education programs today. The aim of the course is to develop a theory of learning which is applicable to adults in diverse circumstances and with diverse goals, needs, and styles of learning. Attention is given to stages of adult growth, the development of learning goals, learning environments, and to a variety of theories on learning. Cr 3.
HRD 633 Managing Adult Education and Human Resource Development
This course examines the administrative and leadership skills necessary for the development and management of units such as adult education centers, continuing education offices, and training and staff development departments in profit and nonprofit organizations. Particular attention is given to the development of mission statements, the use of advisory boards, community needs assessment approaches, personnel management, and the development of a management style. Cr 3.
HRD 636 Planning Programs for Adult Learners
This course presents the purpose, structure, functions, methods and techniques of planning programs for adult learners. The course emphasizes practice, skill acquisition, and competence in curriculum design and program development for adults with diverse needs and in diverse learning environments. The course covers both educational and training programs within organizations with attention given to the strategic role of program design and development in helping organizations achieve their mission and organizational objectives. This is an applied course in which students plan a specific program for adult learners. Cr. 3.
HRD 637 Community Education
Community education is concerned with major issues and trends affecting the lives of all citizens of a community. It measures well-being by the extent to which people have the opportunity to learn all they need to survive and flourish. It is a philosophy, a movement, an approach to school organization, and a mode of community development. Community education is examined in such forms for relevance to improved practice of educators and other community human resource developers. The course begins with social trends bearing upon the quality of community life as context for analysis of community and community change; then, moves to community education process, program, and skills of delivery as studied in specific community settings. Cr 3.
HRD 639 The Heart of Teaching
This course explores the elements of fostering and supporting fundamental changes in adult learners through the process of teaching. Transformational learning theory is examined and applications to teaching are explored through exercises and discussion. Cr 3.
HRD 643 Multicultural Adult Development
This course examines adult cognitive and psychosocial developmental theory and practice from a multicultural perspective. It considers multiple identities within different social and cultural populations (gender, ethnicity, sexuality, disability, socioeconomic class), and presents an overview of the multicultural adult development literature intended for masters students preparing to work with young or middle-aged adults in educational, training, or supervisory settings. Cr 3.
HRD 646 Global Perspectives of Adult Education and Practices
This course provides students with a broad overview of some of the historical roots and current practices of adult education internationally. It provides information about significant leaders and agencies, as well as subjects such as: women’s education, literacy, peace and human rights, research, the environment, and new technology, as they relate to adult education. Cr 3.
HRD 649 Seminar in Adult Education and Human Resource Development
This seminar addresses current issues, problems, and topics in adult education and human resource development. Participants are to select, develop, and present topics of interest to them as well as benefit from presentations prepared by the instructor. Usually taken toward the end of the program, this seminar is an opportunity to apply knowledge and skill to problems of current interest in the field of adult education. Prerequisite: Open to matriculated students. Cr 3.
HRD 653 Consulting: Fundamentals and Practice
This course provides students with an overview of consulting theory and practice. Particular attention is given to understanding a collaborative framework for establishing a consulting practice. Additionally, consulting is explored from a process perspective. This intent is to provide students with the background and skills to work more effectively as clients and as internal consultants. This is an applied course and students will work in teams doing a hands-on consulting project. Cr 3.
HRD 664 Culture, Tradition, and Diversity
This course focuses on developing multicultural awareness, understanding the role of culture and tradition in the life cycle, examining issues of diversity in human interactions, and exploring the attitudes and perceptions of diverse populations. The course surveys world views, values, and beliefs of specific groups to better understand and appreciate diversity as it relates to professional applications. This course includes a field experience. Cr 3.
HRD 667 Action Research and Evaluation Methodologies
This course provides an overview of the role of action research within organizations and community settings. Techniques in survey development and evaluation strategies are emphasized. A number of methodologies is presented, such as: the normal group, the Delphi technique, assessment centers, performance appraisal, interviews and observation. Cr 3.
HRD 668 Human Development
This course examines the processes underlying growth and development across the life span from conception through childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and aging to death. The interaction of biological, cultural, and environmental factors will be considered in studying physical, cognitive, and psychosocial changes throughout the stages of life. This course includes a field experience. Cr 3.
HRD 669 Adolescent Development
This course introduces developmental theory and research as it relates to adolescence. A multi-disciplinary view of adolescent development is taken to examine the processes underlying growth, development, and behavioral changes during adolescence. The interaction of biological and environmental factors is considered in studying the physical, cognitive, social, affective, and moral aspects of adolescent development. The primary focus is on the adolescent as a learner. Note: This course is intended for students matriculated in the Extended Teacher Education Program and middle level education program. Cr 3.
HRD 685 CAS Completion Project in Adult Learning
Students will undertake a major project of their own design as a final requirement for completion of the certificate of advanced study in adult learning. Students will participate in a support seminar and will make a formal presentation to an audience of program peers, faculty, colleagues, family, and friends. There are four options for projects: (1) field based study, (2) public policy initiative, (3) publishable theory paper, or (4) personal learning curriculum for adults. Prerequisite: open to graduate students accepted into the CAS in Adult Learning who have completed twenty-four credit hours. Cr 3.
HRD 687 Internship in Adult Education and Human Resource Development
Designed to provide professional experience in the student’s selected area of concern. A plan for the internship is presented for approval to the student’s advisor. On approval, the intern completes his/her planned program under the supervision and evaluation of a responsible person for the internship assignment. Prerequisite: Open to matriculated graduate students who have taken HRD 605 and with permission of the instructor. Cr 1-9.
HRD 693 Life Stories, Personal Mythmaking, and Spiritual Development
Life stories offer a subjective, developmental frame of reference for understanding and integrating life experiences, and can serve as tools for personal transformation and healing. This course examines a pattern of growth shared by the mythic journey of the hero and the mystic journey of the soul that might be viewed as a framework for understanding psycho- spiritual development. It views classic myth as enduring truth, personal mythmaking as sacred storytelling, and spiritual development as a conscious, practical, everyday path and practice for achieving optimal growth across the life cycle. The course provides a theoretical and methodological foundation for the in-depth study of individual lives within the context of world mythology and world religions. It serves as a reflective, self-exploration component of master's level programs, using a workshop approach in a seminar format, and suggests practical tools for educational and clinical applications. Cr 3.
HRD 698 Directed Study in Adult Education and Human Resource Development
This course provides students the opportunity to pursue a project independently, planning, and exploring an area of interest within the field of human resource development. The project must be field-based, intellectually sound, and reflect a high caliber of performance. Specific content and methods of evaluation are determined in conjunction with the faculty supervisor. An approved proposal is a necessary prerequisite to registration. Prerequisite: Open to matriculated graduate students who have taken HRD 605 and with permission of instructor. Cr 1-6.
HRD 699 Independent Study in Human Resource Development
This course provides students the opportunity to pursue a project independently, planning, and exploring a topic of interest within the field of human resource development. The project must be library-based, intellectually sound, and reflect a high caliber of performance. Specific content and methods of evaluation will be determined in collaboration with the instructor. An approved proposal is a necessary prerequisite to registration. Cr 1-6.
- SED 500-level (Back to top)
SED 518 Instructional Strategies for Learners with Special Needs
The primary goal of this course is to learn and analyze principles and skills of teaching and learning that are effective with students with a wide range of abilities. The course will include: (a) applying and analyzing principles of learning in designing, leading, and assessing a learning environment; (b) applying and analyzing assessment strategies in establishing a cycle of continuous improvement and progress for students; (c) applying strategic learning strategies, differentiated instruction and effective instructional strategies. Participants will work individually and cooperatively in reading and analyzing current learning theory; designing, leading, and assessing learning activities. Participants will complete a minimum of 6 hours of practicum experience. Prerequisite: Open to ETEP and TEAMS interns or by Teacher Education Department permission. Cr 3.
SED 527 Understanding and Teaching Students with Diverse Abilities in the General Education Curriculum
This course develops knowledge of the characteristics of students with disabilities, students identified as gifted and talented, and students who are English Language Learners. That knowledge is used to examine cultural, developmental, and instructional issues and practices for providing students equitable access to an appropriate education. Students learn about principles and practices of universal design in learning and culturally responsive pedagogy. Upon profiling the developmental, cultural, and learning characteristics of students in their internship placements, students use the principles of culturally responsive pedagogy and universal design in education to create and implement lessons and curriculum in a classroom. Prerequisites: Open to matriculated interns in the ETEP and TEAMS programs or by permission of the Teacher Education Department. Cr 1-3.
SED 540: Learners Who Are Exceptional in General Education
The primary goal of this survey course is to construct an understanding and knowledge of the range of exceptionalities, including students with disabilities and those identified as gifted and talented. The course is based on the premise that students in special education and who are gifted and talented should be educated and socially interact to the greatest extent possible with their peers engaging in the general education curriculum and program. Topics include characteristics of areas of exceptionality; planning and strategies for differentiating instruction and universal design; classroom management; assistive technology; state and federal laws regarding students who are exceptional; working with parents; Response to Intervention (RtI); and inclusion philosophy and practices, including collaboration between general education and special education teachers. Cr 3.
SED 550 Teaching Gifted Students in the Regular Classroom
This course is for teachers who serve gifted/talented students within the structure of the regular classroom. Topics include adapting the “required” curriculum to meet the needs of students; teaching/facilitating independent/small group activities; using learning centers, task cards, and student contracts; working successfully with parents, resource teachers, and administrators; and considering current issues in gifted child education specific to the regular classroom environment. Cr 3.
- SED 600-level (Back to top)
SED 601 Introduction to Student Programming and Master’s Goal Setting
This is an introductory master’s course focusing on different types of student programming. The course will explicitly introduce Differentiated Instruction and Universal Design, along with other programming options. In addition, students will design their goals and objectives that they will use for designing their master’s portfolio. Prerequisite: matriculation into a degree program or by permission of program coordinator. Cr 1.
SED 612 Youth with Moderate-to-Severe Disabilities
This course is designed to assist and instruct educators about working with and supporting students who have moderate-to-severe disabilities. Person-first language and thinking are the basis of this course as different disabilities that fall into the moderate-to severe range are examined with attention to the definition, identification, causalities, needed environmental accommodations and adaptations, and general characteristics. In addition, a focus will be on issues and concerns related to youth with moderate-to-severe disabilities, including person-centered planning, transitioning out of school and into the community, assistive technology, sensory integration, life skills, mobility, assessment, and different therapies will also be investigated and discussed. Different educational approaches that may be used with students with moderate-to-severe disabilities will be examined. In accordance with person-first thinking, this course will use memoirs and autobiographies as the main texts. There will also be a six-hour requirement of interacting with a youth with a moderate-to-severe disability in a non-educational setting. Cr 3.
SED 614 Methods of Teaching Mathematics for Students with Special Needs
This course for practicing teachers focuses on teaching methods and new teaching approaches in mathematics used with students with special needs. Current issues of concern, major curriculum thrusts, such as the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Standards, Maine’s Learning Results, promising practices, and methods to differentiate instruction and assessment techniques are addressed in this course. Approaches for students of different age levels from early childhood through secondary school are included. Cr 3.
SED 615 Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports
This course examines the foundations and essential features of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) at two levels; classroom and individual. Students will gain an understanding of basic principles and measurement of behavior and conduct applied projects that include creating, implementing, and evaluating data-driven intervention plans. Cr 3.
SED 616 Reading Development and Instruction for Students with Moderate to Severe Disabilities
In this online course students will focus on selecting and designing effective reading instruction for K-12 students with moderate to severe disabilities in a range of educational settings. Topics include: the power of students’ owning their growth as readers, hooking readers through their interests, reviewing reading programs and designing interventions and curriculum-based probes to assess progress. Prerequisites: EDU 620 and SED 540, or instructor permission. Cr 3.
SED 618 Programming for Learners with Special Needs
This course is for individuals who provide educational services to learners with special needs. This may include learners with mild handicapping conditions and/or students with academic gifts and talents. Participants will learn strategies for planning and providing differentiated learning experiences within appropriate learning environments. Cr 3.
SED 621 Teaching Functional Life Skills
An education that includes the acquisition of functional life skills is critical for children and young adults with autism, intellectual disabilities, and other developmental disabilities. This course addresses: selection of and teaching methodologies for an array of functional life skills, including assessment of pre- and post- intervention skill levels, data collection and the selection of evidence-based methodologies to enhance student learning. Cr 3.
SED 622 Within School Transitions
The purpose of this course is to improve current transition practices between, among, and across schools for students with special needs in the pre K-12 grade span. Course participants will explore barriers to a thematic and seamless approach for changing grade levels, schools, and programs for students with special needs. Best practice transitioning models will be presented, along with the strategies, resources, and oversight needed to ensure successful and sustainable transitions for youth. Teachers, educational technicians, program directors, and school administrators are the target participants for this course. Cr 3.
SED 653/SPY 672 Assessment of Academic Achievement
This course is designed to prepare special educators, school psychologists, and other professionals who work in schools to select, administer, score, and interpret measures of academic achievement. Numerous measures of academic achievement, including published norm-referenced tests, criterion-referenced tests, curriculum-based assessment and measurement, and performance-based assessments will be studied. Students will develop an understanding of how to use measures of academic achievement as part of a comprehensive problem-solving process that fits with responsive interventions in schools. Prerequisites: Open to matriculated USM school psychology, special education, ETEP, and TEAMS students or with permission of an instructor. School psychology students must complete EDU 600 and HCE 605 prior to taking SED 653/SPY 672. Cr 3.
SED 659 Education of the Gifted/Talented
This course is for individuals responsible for initiating, mainstreaming, and/or extending services for gifted/talented students. Topics for study include: a) identification procedures, b) curriculum development and implementation, c) administration and classroom management, d) staff development and community involvement, and e) evaluation of student growth and program effectiveness. Cr 3.
SED 660 Curriculum and Methods for Teaching the Gifted
This course is for individuals responsible for a) developing or modifying learning experiences for gifted/talented students at the elementary or secondary school level, b) implementing differentiated learning experiences within the regular classroom or through a special grouping arrangement, and/or c) creating/selecting instructional materials to support the implementation of differentiated learning experiences. Cr 3.
SED 662 Productive Thinking and the Gifted Learner
This course is for individuals responsible for a) identifying creative potential within students, b) planning and implementing learning experiences for nurturing creative thinking, c) selecting or developing instructional materials for enhancing creativity, d) establishing learning environments conducive to creativity, and/or e) evaluating program effectiveness and student growth in creativity training. Cr 3.
SED 664 Gifted Students in Special Populations
This course is for individuals responsible for identifying and serving gifted students from special populations. These populations include underachievers, females, culturally diverse and/or economically deprived, rurally isolated, bilingual, artistic, creative, physically challenged, and highly gifted. Cr 3.
SED 665 Institute for Program Planners in Education of the Gifted/Talented
This course is for individuals and teams of individuals responsible for planning district-wide programs for gifted and talented students. Participants develop a procedural written plan of action for guiding the development and the implementation of programs. Planning areas include: a) identification, b) curriculum, c) administration, d) staff development, and e) evaluation. Cr 3.
SED 666 Models in Education of the Gifted
This course is for individuals responsible for choosing, adapting, or designing a model to serve gifted/talented students. Selected models prominent in the field are reviewed and critiqued. Prerequisite: SED 659 or SED 660 or permission of instructor. Cr 3.
SED 667 Social/Emotional Needs of the Gifted
This course is for classroom teachers, program coordinators, parents, and other individuals who interact with gifted and talented students. Topics for examination include: a) factors affecting social and emotional development, b) achievement and underachievement, c) curriculum and the affective domain, and d) resources/strategies for responding to the needs of the gifted/talented. Cr 3.
SED 670 Secondary Programs for the Gifted/Talented
This course is for administrators, program coordinators, and teachers who are responsible for planning, implementing, maintaining, and/or extending programs for gifted and talented students at the secondary school level. Cr 3.
SED 679 Consultation and Special Education
This course is for individuals who are responsible for the planning and the coordination of programs for exceptional learners. The focus of the course is on utilizing a non-categorical, process-oriented approach to providing services for students. Cr 3.
SED 682 Special Education Law
This course will review the statutory and regulatory foundations of U.S. public policies pertaining to children and youth with disabilities. Key judicial interpretations of those policies will also be reviewed. The course will provide comprehensive overviews of The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act and other relevant federal and state legislation, regulations, and policy. Cr 3.
SED 684 Introduction to Special Education Administration
This course is designed to offer experience in administering special education programs. The course emphasizes the organization and administration of special education programs. A goal of the course is to give participants clear understandings of the decisions faced by regular and special educational leaders and of the skills and knowledge base necessary to perform effectively as leaders. Prerequisite: SED 540 or permission of instructor. Cr 3.
SED 685 Advanced Seminar in Special Education
This is an advanced course that integrates and synthesizes research and practices across disciplines in exceptionality. Individual and group presentations are required as well as development of a portfolio. Prerequisites: matriculated students who have completed nine (or more) courses, and program permission. Cr 3.
SED 687 Technology for Learning and Communicating
This course introduces students to the use of technology, including assistive technology, with all students, including those individuals with special learning and communication needs. A range of technologies will be examined from “low tech” devices such as simple switches to computers, adaptive devices, and software appropriate for individuals with disabilities. A variety of equipment, materials, software, and hardware will be available for student use. Cr 3.
SED 688 Internship in Teaching Students with Mild to Moderate Disabilities
Interns complete a 15 week semester-long or part-time equivalent mentored internship in special education services for students with mild or moderate disabilities in accordance with the Maine Teacher Certification Standards. A successful review of all the teaching standards is required for a passing grade for internship. Pre-requisites: Open to matriculated candidates in the Teaching Students with Mild to Severe Disabilities program or by permission of the Department of Educational Psychology and Exceptionality. Cr. 3
SED 692 Transition From School to Adult Life
This course introduces participants to the concepts of transition from school to work and community living for secondary students (grades 7-12) with disabilities. Students develop skills in interdisciplinary team planning and an awareness of community resources necessary to aid students with disabilities in achieving career goals and a satisfactory adjustment to adult life. Cr 3.
SED 693 Transitions Among Agency, School, and Community
This course introduces participants to the concepts of transition in four phases of special education services: (a) birth to five child development services to school programs, (b) special purpose schools and related services to school programs, (c) between schools in a school district, and (d) from school programs to post-secondary education and community life. Students develop knowledge of services and resources provided by agencies and special purpose schools birth to adult and skills in multi-disciplinary team planning. Prerequisite: one special education course or permission of instructor Cr 3
SED 694: Seminar in Teaching Students with Differing Abilities
Through discussions and reviews of research, collaboratively and on their own, students in this course will explore and investigate different situations and their concerns occurring in their classrooms pertaining to students with learning differences. Cr 1. May be repeated twice, for a total of three credits.
SED 695 Internship in Teaching Students with Severe Disabilities
Interns complete a 15 week semester-long or part-time equivalent mentored internship in special education services for students with severe disabilities in accordance with the Maine Teacher Certification Standards. A successful review of all the teaching standards is required for a passing grade for internship. Pre-requisites: Open to matriculated candidates in the Teaching Students with Mild to Severe Disabilities program or by permission of the Department of Educational Psychology and Exceptionality. Cr 3
SED 697 Universal Design Implementation
This is a capstone course for different programs in special education. Through the use of Universal Design, this course brings together all of the different ways students have learned to work with and support students in learning. Students will use Universal Design to create lessons and curriculums, and then will implement them in a classroom. Students will also analyze the effectiveness of their lessons and curriculums in terms of meeting the goals of these curriculums and lessons, and in supporting all students in the classroom as well as others that may have other differences in learning. Prerequisites: EDU 600, SED 601, SED 614, SED 615, SED 679 or 687, SED 550, SED 659, SED 662, EDU 559, EDU 561, EDU 562, EDU 563, or by permission of program coordinator. Cr 3.
SED 698 Capstone Seminar and Portfolio
This is the capstone course for different programs in special education. One of the major components of this course is that students will complete their portfolio requirement. In addition, students will research and present to classmates and the professor, topics that they want to do further research in based on what they learned in a previous course, or an area of interest not already covered in their program. Prerequisite: All other courses in planned study. Cr 2.
SED 699 Directed Study
This course is an opportunity to gain, apply, and integrate knowledge and skill in exceptionality by planning and conducting a project. The project must be intellectually sound, have direct applicability to the student, and produce a high quality product. Specific content and methods of evaluation are determined in conjunction with instructor. Prerequisites: EDU 600, matriculated students only, and program permission. Cr var.
- SPY 600-level (Back to top)
SPY 603 Consultation in School Psychology
This course examines how school psychologists can provide consultation services in school and clinical settings. A review of research that outlines a variety of consultation roles and procedures is incorporated with case studies and opportunities to explore the use of consultation as part of a problem-solving, data-based approach to school psychology. Prerequisites: Satisfactory completion of SPY 659, SPY 676, SPY 678, SPY 684, and/or permission of instructor. Cr 3.
SPY 609 Professional Ethics in Psychology
This course provides in-depth preparation for ethical practices in school psychology. Drawing from national and international ethical standards from the American Psychological Association (APA), Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards (ASPPB), and the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP), the course includes readings and application of ethical standards for school settings. The course is designed to meet the ethics training standards set by APA, ASPPB, NASP, the Maine Board of Examiners of Psychologists, and the Maine Department of Education. Prerequisites: Matriculation in the Psy.D. in school psychology. Cr 3.
SPY 610 Developing a School-wide System of Behavior Support
Today’s schools are charged with improving school climate with a broad range of systemic and individualized strategies for achieving important social and learning outcomes. School-wide support includes procedures and processes that are intended for all students, all staff, and all settings. The school-wide PBIS process emphasizes the creation of systems that support the adoption and durable implementation of evidence-based practices and procedures, and fit within on-going school reform efforts. Participants in this course will work in collaborative groups to gain awareness, knowledge, and skills regarding SW-PBIS and to create action plans to build (or further develop) school-wide leadership teams who want to move more toward a preventative, positive, and educational model of school-wide discipline. Cr 3.
SPY 620 Introduction to Multi-Tier Systems of Student Support
This course provides training in knowledge and skills for the use of Response to Intervention (RTI) methods in school settings. Students learn how to select and use scientifically -validated intervention and assessment methods for three distinct instructional levels. Through readings, discussion, and practice, students will develop the skills necessary to design, implement, and evaluate comprehensive RTI programs in school settings. This course is appropriate for general and special educators, school-based specialists (e.g., schools psychologists, speech/language clinicians, and math/reading specialists) as well as other professionals interested in scientifically -based methods of learning outcomes for all children. Cr 3.
SPY 625 Multi-Tier Math Instruction and Intervention for General and Special Education
This course includes lectures, discussions, guided practice and applied learning experiences in the scope and sequence of progressively more intensive math instruction for students in kindergarten through grade 12, including students with disabilities. Starting with the five foundations of math instruction (e.g., conceptual understanding, procedural fluency, strategic competence, adaptive reasoning, productive disposition), the course describes the features of universal (e.g., Tier 1) core math instruction then provides guided practice and applied learning experiences to prepare teachers to use progressively more intensive math instruction based on student learning needs. Students will learn how to select and use scientifically validated math instruction practices for students needing supplemental (e.g., Tier 2) and intensive (e.g., Tier 3), and special education mathematics instruction math instruction. The course will review the key features of assessment of math difficulties, as well as prepare teachers to develop data-based math interventions and collect data to determine the effectiveness of interventions for students in general and special education . Prerequisite: Permission of Instructor. Cr 3.
SPY 627 Multi-Tier Reading Instruction for General and Special Education
This course includes lectures, discussions, guided practice and applied learning experiences in the scope and sequence of progressively more intensive reading instruction for students in kindergarten through grade 12, including students with disabilities. Starting with the five foundations of reading instruction (e.g., phonemic awareness, alphabetic principle, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension), the course describes the features of universal (e.g., Tier 1) core reading instruction then provides guided practice and applied learning experiences to prepare teachers to use progressively more intensive reading instruction based on student learning needs. Students will learn how to select and use scientifically validated reading instruction practices for students needing supplemental (e.g., Tier 2), intensive (e.g., Tier 3), and special education reading instruction. The course will review the key features of assessment of reading problems, as well as prepare teachers to develop data-based reading interventions and collect data to determine the effectiveness of interventions for students in general and special education. Prerequisite: Permission of Instructor. Cr 3.
SPY 628 Behavior Therapy
The primary focus of this course is to provide students with exposure to assessment and intervention models that are used within ABA-based programs serving individuals with depression, anxiety, and other related disorders. Students learn the ways that ABA methods can be used to assess the needs of individuals with depression, anxiety, and other related disorders and to design interventions, including cognitive behavior therapy techniques that meet the needs of these individuals. Prerequisites: SPY 676, or permission of instructor. Cr 3.
SPY 629 Applied Behavior Analysis and Developmental Disabilities
This course provides students with exposure to assessment and intervention models that are used within ABA-based programs serving individuals with developmental disabilities. Students learn the ways that ABA methods can be used to assess the needs of individuals with developmental disabilities and to design interventions that meet the needs of these individuals. Prerequisite: Open to matriculated students in the school psychology, special education, and certificate in applied behavior analysis programs or by instructor permission only. Cr. 3
SPY 659 Clinical Research Methods
This course examines research techniques appropriate for educational and clinical settings. The research techniques covered in the course emphasize a problem-solving assessment methodology with a particular focus on measuring progress toward reduction or elimination of problem behaviors. The research methods taught in the course are utilized by students to conduct a pilot study of a specific individual target behavior of concern, including academic, social-emotional, or social skill problems. Using a single-subject research design, students design, implement and monitor the efficacy of an applied intervention. Prerequisites: Satisfactory completion of EDU 600, HCE 605, SPY 609, SPY 671, SPY 672, SPY 673, SPY 674, SPY 675, SPY 676, SPY 677, SPY 678, SPY 684, SPY 694, SED 611, SED 682, or permission of instructor. Cr 3.
SPY 670 Cognitive Affective Bases of Behavior
This course is an introduction to major models of cognition and affecting, including perception, attention, memory, information processing, and problem solution. The course addresses features of human learning based on research in the above areas. Cr 3.
SPY 671 Physical Bases of Behavior
This course examines neural, endocrine, and response systems that are related to attention, motivation, emotion, memory, and psychological and/or learning disorders. It includes consideration of typical and atypical patterns of development and neurological and health problems of children and adolescents. Cr 3.
SPY 672 Assessment of Academic Achievement (co-listed with SED 653)
This course is designed to prepare special educators, school psychologists, and other professionals who work in schools to select, administer, score, and interpret measures of academic achievement. Numerous measures of academic achievement, including published norm-referenced tests, criterion-referenced tests, curriculum-based assessment and measurement, and performance-based assessments will be studied. Students will develop an understanding of how to use measures of academic achievement as part of a comprehensive problem-solving process that fits with responsive interventions in schools. Prerequisites: Open to matriculated USM school psychology, special education, ETEP, and TEAMS students or with permission of instructor. School psychology students must complete EDU 600 and HCE 605 prior to taking SED 653/SPY 672. Cr 3.
SPY 673 Social Foundations of Behavior
This course provides knowledge and skills in the area of social psychology. The course includes an overview of basic social psychology methods and research findings as well as preparation of students to conduct assessment and intervention for social skills problems among school-age children. The course includes discussion of the importance of social skills and provide a rationale for promoting and teaching pro-social behavior. Students review and learn how to administer, score, and interpret both screening level and evaluation-level social skills assessment instruments. In addition, students review a variety of interventions and develop social skills interventions based on assessment information. Prerequisites: Matriculation in USM school psychology or special education program or permission of instructor. Cr 3.
SPY 674 Psychopathology
This course acquaints the student with definitions of and development of normal versus abnormal behavior from infancy through adulthood as well as presents common classification systems for psychopathology. Continuity from normal to abnormal behaviors, behavior problems in children as indices of pathology, and the prediction of psychopathology in adolescence and adulthood are also considered. The course takes a developmental orientation to psychopathology and discusses specific disorders in terms of symptoms, age considerations, and family and sociocultural dynamics. Cr 3.
SPY 675 Indirect Behavioral Assessment
This course examines a variety of analog behavior assessment methods addressing social-emotional behavior issues. Assessment techniques covered in the course include psychosocial interviews, behavior rating scales, and adaptive behavior assessments. This course includes practica experiences in which students are supervised in the administration, scoring, and interpretation of assessment procedures. Prerequisites: Satisfactory completion of EDU 600, HCE 605, Cr 3.
SPY 676 Behavioral Principles of Learning
This course introduces behavioral principles and processes that are involved in learning.?Starting with a foundation of knowledge delineated through basic research, the course includes a review of findings from an array of studies of learning mechanisms. Topics include respondent behavior and conditioning, operant behavior and conditioning, discrimination and stimulus control, establishing operations, schedules of reinforcement, and verbal behavior and cognition. The content of this course provides the basis for SPY 684 Advanced Applied Behavior Analysis. Cr 3.
SPY 677 Cognitive Assessment
This course is an examination of the historical and theoretical bases of individual differences and intellectual testing. It includes supervised practice in selection, administration, scoring, interpretation, and reporting of cognitive assessment results. Prerequisites: Satisfactory completion of EDU 600, HCE 605 or permission of instructor required; open only to matriculated USM school psychology program students. Cr 3.
SPY 678 Functional Behavioral Assessment
This course prepares students to conduct functional behavioral assessments. Incorporating a variety of methodologies including interviews and different types of systematic observations, this course includes practica experiences in which students are supervised in the practice of functional behavioral assessment procedures and evaluation reports. Prerequisites: Satisfactory completion of SPY 676, SPY 684 and /or permission of instructor. Cr 3.
SPY 679 Diversity in the Science and Practice of Psychology
This course provides conceptual foundations and skills needed by psychologists to work with diverse client populations. Major topics include the history of psychology’s role in diversity practices, building competencies to work with individuals from diverse backgrounds, and the role of research in promoting diversity.Cr 3.
SPY 684 Applied Behavior Analysis
This is an intermediate level examination of the behavioral technologies that have been developed from the application of basic behavioral principals to change socially meaningful behavior. The behavioral technologies examined will include those based on positive and negative reinforcement, punishment, stimulus control, stimulus shaping and fading, simple and complex schedules of reinforcement, establishing operations, the matching law, response co-variation, and behavioral momentum. Emphasis will be placed on behavioral technologies used to improve children’s social and academic behavior. The course will also introduce students to the Association for Behavior Analysis, the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, and credentialing for ABA practitioners. Prerequisite: SPY 676 (or its equivalent) or instructor permission. Cr 3.
SPY 688 Internship in School Psychology
The internship is a 1,500-hour field experience in school psychology under a qualified supervisor in a public school setting. It is undertaken at the end of the program. Prerequisites: Satisfactory completion of EDU 600, HCE 605, HRD 668, SED 540, SED 682 SPY 603, SPY 609, SPY 671, SPY 672, SPY 673, SPY 674, SPY 675, SPY 676, SPY 677, SPY 678, SPY 684, SPY 694, and advisor approval. Cr var.
SPY 693 School Psychology Practicum I
The 300-clock-hour practicum is an introductory supervised experience within a public school. Practicum I provides the student with introductory experiences in the culture and systems of school settings, instructional methods and materials, and school psychology practices. Graded Pass/Fail. Prerequisites: Matriculation in M.S. or Psy.D. in school psychology program. (Students must complete three credits during the first two years in the program.) Cr 1.
SPY 694 School Psychology Practicum II
The 300-clock-hour practicum is an advanced supervised experience within a public school setting. Practicum II provides the student with experiences in psychological assessment, consultation, intervention, and other aspects of school psychology practice. Graded Pass/Fail. Prerequisites: Satisfactory completion of three credits of SPY 693. (Students must complete three credits during the first two years in the program.) Cr 1.
SPY 699 Independent Study in School Psychology
This course provides students with opportunity to pursue a project independently, planning and exploring a topic of interest within the field of school psychology. The project must be research-based, intellectually sound, and reflect a high caliber of performance. Specific content and methods of evaluation will be determined in collaboration with the instructor. An approved proposal is a necessary prerequisite to registration. Prerequisites: Matriculation as a student in the school psychology program or permission of instructor. Cr var.
- SPY 700-level (Back to top)
SPY 709 History and Systems of Psychology
This course covers the history of modern psychology. Beginning with the history of Western psychology, the course reviews the major historical, social, economic, and cultural factors that contributed to the rise of psychology as a distinct branch of science in Europe and the United States. The course includes readings and discussion of the similarities and differences between the science of human behavior and other scientific disciplines. Additionally, the course includes readings and discussion of the study of human behavior from other cultural traditions. Prerequisites: Psy.D. matriculants only. Cr 3.
SPY 727 Advanced Academic Intervention Methods
This course provides training in knowledge and skills for the use of advanced educational intervention practices in school psychology. Students learn how to select, use, and interpret data from advanced academic achievement assessment and intervention methods appropriate for school psychology practice. Through readings, discussion, practice, and report-writing, students will develop the skills necessary to provide comprehensive intervention services for students with academic achievement difficulties. Prerequisite: matriculated Psy.D. students or permission of instructor. Cr 3.
SPY 729 Advanced Intervention Methods for Individuals with Behavioral and/or Developmental Disabilities
This course provides training in knowledge and skills for the use of advanced intervention practices in school psychology. Students learn how to select, use, and interpret data from advanced intervention measures appropriate for use with individuals who have developmental disabilities. Through readings, discussion, practice and report-writing students will develop the skills necessary to provide comprehensive intervention services for low-incidence and high-risk student populations. Prerequisities: SPY 659, SPY 676, SPY 684. Open to matriculated School Psychology degree students or with instructor permission only. Cr 3.
SPY 730 Advanced Behavior Therapy
The primary focus of this course is to provide students with advanced training in the application of evidence-based behavior therapies in the assessment and treatment of depression, anxiety, and other related disorders in children, adolescents, and young adults. This advanced course includes role play, performance feedback, and self-evaluation of skills in implementing behavior therapies. This course includes instruction in methods for documenting the effectiveness of behavior therapies (data-based progress monitoring). Prerequisite: Open to matriculated students in the School Psychology, Educational Psychology, Counselor Education and Certificate in Applied Behavior Analysis, or by instructor permission, and SPY 628 Behavior Therapy or an equivalent graduate course. Cr 3.
SPY 751 Advanced Research Seminar
This course examines research techniques appropriate for educational and clinical settings. The research techniques covered in the course emphasize a problem-solving assessment methodology with a particular focus on measuring progress toward reduction or elimination of problem behaviors. A selection of the research methods taught in the course will be utilized by students to conduct an intensive, year-long doctoral research related to best practices in school psychology. This course is taken in the semester before internship and is a prerequisite for SPY 759 Psy.D. Research Project. Prerequisites: matriculated Psy.D. students only. Cr 3.
SPY 752 Readings in Behavioral Research Methods
This elective course examines the conceptual and methodological foundations of research in fields relative to behavior analysis. Evidence-based research conducted in educational and clinical settings published in the primary journals of the discipline and in texts seminal to the establishment of behavior analysis as a science and research area will be critically examined. Prerequisites: EDU 600, SPY 659, and matriculation in Psy.D. program, or by permission of instructor. Cr 3.
SPY 759 Psy.D. Dissertation
This course includes the activities necessary to design, implement, evaluate, and summarize a dissertation related to the field of school psychology. Course participants will conduct a literature review and needs assessment to identify a dissertation. The project will be matched to an identified subject or sample to address specific research questions. Once appropriate informed consent for research is obtained, students will conduct the research and report the findings. This course is taken during the fall and spring semesters of the pre-doctoral internship. Prerequisites: matriculated Psy.D. students who have taken SPY 751 and all other prerequisite courses. Cr 3.
SPY 788 Pre-Doctoral Internship in School Psychology
The pre-doctoral internship is a 1,500-hour field experience in school psychology under the supervision of a licensed psychologist in a public school and/or clinical setting. It is undertaken at the end of the Psy.D. program. Prerequisites: Satisfactory completion of all Psy.D. doctoral program course requirements and permission of the program faculty. Cr var. (total of 9 semester hours for the internship).
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