Education Certificates and PDE Endorsements

In response to the increasing demand for certified In response to the tremendous growth in the number of school-age children diagnosed with autism, Delaware Valley University has developed an autism spectrum disorder endorsement program. This 12-credit program is designed for Pennsylvania regular and special education-certified staff who are interested in gaining additional expertise in this area and a competitive advantage in the job market. Our endorsement prepares you to work with children and adults of all ages in this expanding job market.

Delaware Valley University’s autism spectrum disorder endorsement program integrates national standards with the current research in evidence-based practices. Our intent is to provide you with the tools and techniques needed to work with students on the autism spectrum, as well as their families. Topics include historical background, diagnostic criteria, assessment, behavioral interventions, language interventions, social skill interventions, and the impact of executive functioning on daily school and home life.

Educators seeking a Delaware Valley University/PDE autism spectrum disorder endorsement are required to complete four courses (12 credits) that focus on the development and application of autism initiatives and pedagogy that is transdisciplinary and applicable to both elementary and secondary education. You will design, implement and reflect upon curriculum that has its roots in evidence-based practices. In each of the four courses, you will complete a 17-hour project-based field experience. Each project is developed in conjunction with the autism competencies included in the coursework.

The Pennsylvania Department of Education defines program endorsements as certifications in new or emerging areas of knowledge where formal certification does not exist. These endorsements are added to existing Level I or Level II teaching certificates. Applicants for the program must apply to Delaware Valley University and hold a valid teaching certificate.

Required Courses

• GE 6183 - Communication and Social Competence For Students on the Autism Spectrum Disorder (3 credits)
• GE 6180 - Introduction to Autism: Characteristics, Etiology and Family/Community Supports (3 credits)
• GE 6181 - Applied Behavior Analysis Supports For Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder (3 credits)
• GE 6182 - Autism Methodology and Interventions for Classroom Practice (3 credits)

Online learning is defined as the ability to learn in a virtual platform. It has become an expectation for K-12 institutions to provide online formats to students as our digital world evolves and traditional classrooms move to hybrid or online formats. 

Educators are being asked to transition from more traditional methods of instruction to virtual formats that allow for flexibility, access, and innovation during societal interruptions (snow days, pandemic, natural disasters, etc.) and for families who require more personalized schedules. 

This endorsement will provide the knowledge to address questions related to the field, as well as the skills needed to assist in the conversion of a classroom setting to online education. This endorsement focuses on the theories of distance education related to program design and development, delivery and strategies for online instruction, professional responsibilities, and assessment. 

A field experience is incorporated into each course. All courses will be taught 100% online. Courses will incorporate asynchronous and synchronous learning opportunities for all learners. Once completed, the endorsement can be added to an existing PA Instructional Level 1 or 2 teaching certificate.

Educators seeking a Delaware Valley University/PDE online instruction endorsement are required to complete four courses (12 credits) that focus on the development and application of the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to provide online formats to students as our digital world evolves and traditional classrooms move to hybrid or online formats. The program applies to both elementary and secondary education. 

Required Courses

• GE 6190 - Design and Development of K-12 Online Instruction (3 credits)
• GE 6191 - Delivery and Strategies for Teaching Online (3 credits)
• GE 6192 - Assessing Students in an Online Learning Environment (3 credits)
• GE 6193 - Emerging Trends and Professionals In an Online Teaching Environment (3 credits)

In response to the increasing demand for certified special education teachers, Delaware Valley University offers a program for Pennsylvania teachers already certified in another area to add special education PreK-12 to their Pennsylvania teaching certificate. The program integrates practical, classroom-based experiences with coursework developed and taught by local special education practitioners. Both coursework and practicum experience help make you more marketable as you pursue employment as a special educator in Pennsylvania public schools. 

Educators seeking Delaware Valley University/PDE special education certification are required to complete five courses (16 credits) that focus on the development and application of the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to understand and provide instruction for students who have unique learning needs.

Required Courses

• GE 6121 - Sp. Ed Law, Process & Best Practices (3 credits)
• GE 6122 - Pos Behav & Social Skills in School (4 credits)
• GE 6123 - High Incidence Disabilities (4 credits)
• GE 6124 - Lang, Literacy & Acquisition (4 credits)
• GE 6125 - Low Incid Disabilities in School (4 credits)

Created with working educators in mind, the educational leadership program blends sound educational theory, authentic learning experiences, and attention to the needs of our students, and is delivered by a faculty of practicing educational leaders.

Future school leaders participate in a variety of classroom learning opportunities that include:

· Tasks designed to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of standards-based systems theory and design through the application of analysis, critical thinking and problem solving for school-based reform.

· Reviews of case studies and legal beliefs to further their understanding of management, leadership and problem solving situations, including the values of integrity, reliability and honesty.

· Advanced skill acquisition projects in research, using Internet sources, applicable databases, and appropriate software to master essential concepts, knowledge, and methods concerning accessing and using appropriate data to inform decision-making at all levels of the system.

· Demonstrations of the ways in which an educational leader collaborates, communicates, engages, and empowers others in order to pursue excellence in education.

· Group discussions on how to apply knowledge and skills to think and plan strategically, in order to create an organizational vision around student success, which includes managing resources, and creating a culture of teaching and learning.

A shorter, more focused curriculum is available for advanced degree-holders, completing just the courses and advanced fieldwork required for Pennsylvania certification in those school leadership areas.

Required Courses

• GE 6115 - Principles, Methods, Development, and Assessment of Curriculum (3 credits)
• GE 6130 - School and Community Relations (3 credits)
• GE 6140 - School Personnel Administration (3 credits)
• GE 6220 - School Law (3 credits)
• GE 6240 - School Finance and Accounting (3 credits)
• GE 7020 - Field Experience: Educational Leadership  (1 credit)
• GE 7021 - Advanced Fieldwork 2 (1 credit)
• GE 7022 - Advanced Fieldwork 3 (1 credit)
• GE 7023 - Advanced Fieldwork 4 (1 credit)

Students seeking PA state certification also complete four one-credit sections of advanced fieldwork (GE-7020, GE-7021, GE-7022, GE-7023) to achieve the 360 required practicum hours.

The Reading Specialist Certification is designed for educators holding a PDE Instructional I or Instructional II certificate seeking to gain certification in Reading based on the science of Reading based on a multi-sensory structured literacy framework. 

The Reading Specialist Program strives to: Prepare practitioners to be diagnostic and prescriptive through data-driven instruction and targeted intervention based upon the pedagogy and methodology of Orton-Gillingham in order to meet the diverse needs of today’s learners. 

Educators seeking a Delaware Valley University/PDE reading specialist certificate are required to complete seven courses (24 credits) The curriculum equips educators to be instructional leaders in literacy to establish research-based curriculum, instruction, and assessment within our schools and to promote policies and effective practices that foster parent, community, and school partnerships that result in systemic and sustainable change in reading and writing.

Required Courses

• GE 6041 - Leading a Comprehensive Literacy Curriculum: Design and Implementation (3 credits)
• GE 6042 - Literacy Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment: K-3 (3 credits)
• GE 6043 - Literacy Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment: 4-12 (3 credits)
• GE 6044 - Pedagogy and Methodology based on Orton-Gillingham (3 credits)
• GE 6045 - Reading Difficulties: Special Education and Interventions (3 credits)
• GE 6046 - Reading across the Curriculum/English Learner (EL) (3 credits)
• GE 6047 - Reading Practicum based on Orton-Gillingham (6 credits)

This endorsement focuses on the theories and practices for District wide, School Wide, Classroom and Community engagement in the whole child, through social and emotional learning standards. 

As the world continues to change and become more complex, experts believe that students need to receive explicit instruction and application of skills in the 5 core concepts: Self Awareness, Self- Management, Social Awareness, Relationship Skills and Responsible Decision Making. 

Decades of research has demonstrated that Social and Emotional Learning leads to improvement in students’ social and emotional skills, attitudes, relationships, academic performance, and perceptions of the classroom and school culture.

A field experience is incorporated into each course. All courses will be taught 100% online. Courses will incorporate asynchronous and synchronous learning opportunities for all learners. Once completed, the endorsement can be added to an existing PA Instructional Level 1 or 2 teaching certificate. 

Educators seeking a Delaware Valley University/PDE social and emotional learning endorsement are required to complete four courses (12 credits) that focus on the development and application of the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions applicable to both elementary and secondary education.

Required Courses

• GE 6195 - Foundations of Social and Emotional Learning (3 credits)
• GE 6196 - Trauma and Resiliency Learning (3 credits)
• GE 6197 - Behavior Supports Learning (3 credits)
• GE 6198 - Multi-Tiered Systems for Support Learning (3 credits)

Develop a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) mindset through problem-solving, collaborative learning, and effective communication, through this sequence of four specialized courses based on a STEAM approach to PDE STEM Endorsement. 

In an effort to boost student engagement across the sciences, teachers and school leaders began the search for teaching practices which would increasingly pursue authentic curricular and teaching approaches in classrooms across America.

The aim of the innovators was to increase student (STEM). motivation and achievement in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math

The main teaching methods emphasized in the approach to the STEM curriculum included, inquiry-based learning and project- or problem-based instruction. These approaches engage students in rich learning experiences, in that students are engaging with authentic problems that actually exist in their world: Why does our city need a sustainable transportation system? How can we help reduce the incidence of cancer in our community? What are some ways I can help my family eat a more healthful diet? 

The process of answering these questions is a jumping-off point for learning in mathematics, health, geography, and biology. Rooting curricular content and processes in the real world gives students a “need to know” and keeps them engaged in learning significant content so that they can access higher-level courses as they progress through school.

Required Courses 

• GE 6336 - Introduction to STEAM Education (3 credits)
• GE 6337 - Integrative STEAM Innovations (3 credits)
• GE 6338 - STEAM Applications and Establishing a Community of Practice (3 credits)
• GE 6339 - STEAM Implementation in Schools and the Community (3 credits)

Created with working educators in mind, the educational leadership program blends sound educational theory, authentic learning experiences, and attention to the needs of our students, and is delivered by a faculty of practicing educational leaders.

Future school leaders participate in a variety of classroom learning opportunities that include:

· Tasks designed to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of standards-based systems theory and design through the application of analysis, critical thinking and problem solving for school-based reform.

· Reviews of case studies and legal beliefs to further their understanding of management, leadership and problem solving situations, including the values of integrity, reliability and honesty.

· Advanced skill acquisition projects in research, using Internet sources, applicable databases, and appropriate software to master essential concepts, knowledge, and methods concerning accessing and using appropriate data to inform decision-making at all levels of the system.

· Demonstrations of the ways in which an educational leader collaborates, communicates, engages, and empowers others in order to pursue excellence in education.

· Group discussions on how to apply knowledge and skills to think and plan strategically, in order to create an organizational vision around student success, which includes managing resources, and creating a culture of teaching and learning.

A shorter, more focused curriculum is available for advanced degree-holders, completing just the courses and advanced fieldwork required for Pennsylvania certification in those school leadership areas.

Required Courses

• GE 6015 - Introduction to Statistical Data and Research (3 credits)
• GE 6030 - Theory and Application of Educational Administration (3 credits)
• GE 6035 - Teaching and Supervising Diverse Student Populations (3 credits)
• GE 6060 - Organizational Development, Change Theory and Staff Development (3 credits)
• GE 6070 - Instructional Leadership and Supervision (3 credits)
• GE 6080 - Foundations of Instructional Technology for Teaching and Learning (3 credits)
• GE 6091 - Assessment Theory and Design to Support 21st Century Learners (3 credits)
• GE 6115 - Principles, Methods, Development, and Assessment of Curriculum (3 credits)
• GE 6130 - School and Community Relations (3 credits)
• GE 6140 - School Personnel Administration (3 credits)
• GE 6220 - School Law (3 credits)

Students seeking PA state certification also complete four one-credit sections of advanced fieldwork (GE-7020, GE-7021, GE-7022, GE-7023) to achieve the 360 required practicum hours.

The M.S. in special education program of studies allows both general and special education instructors to improve their individual instructional skills to meet the new demands of the 21st century classroom. In today’s inclusive educational arena, regular education teachers must be prepared to provide instruction and accommodations for special needs students in regular classroom settings, while special education teachers must acquire advanced skills to work with regular education instructors in co-teaching classroom models. The program develops talents in teaching which will allow all students to learn from content experts in their field of expertise, while receiving the assistance needed from the instructors trained in the area of special education. 

REQUIRED COURSES

• GE 6035 - Teaching and Supervising Diverse Student Populations (3 credits)
• GE 6065 - Leadership and Management of Special Education Programs (3 credits)
• GE 6211 - Building Exemplary School Curriculum by Design (3 credits)
• GE 6247 - Action Research I (3 credits)
• GE 6250 - Curriculum and Strategies for Instructing Students With Special Needs (3 credits)
• GE 6260 - Introduction to Transition ServicesyIn Special Education (3 credits)
• GE 6270 - Applied Behavior Analysis and Positive Behavior Supports (3 credits)
• GE 6280 - Technology and Universal Design for Special Education Students (3 credits)

PDE SUPERVISOR OF SPECIAL EDUCATION CERT SPECIALIZED COURSES

• GE 6070 - Instructional Leadership and Supervision (3 credits)
• GE 6225 - Special Education Law (3 credits)
• GE 7020 - Field Experience: Educational Leadership (1 credit)
• GE 7021 - Advanced Fieldwork 2 (1 credit)
• GE 7022 - Advanced Fieldwork 3 (1 credit)
• GE 7023 - Advanced Fieldwork 4 (1 credit)

The Delaware Valley University Online Superintendent Letter of Eligibility Certification program prepares educational leaders for certification as Pennsylvania school superintendents. This Pennsylvania Department of Education's (PDE) certification program includes twelve credits of coursework and is completed in one calendar year.

The 12-credit program is made up of three online academic classes and three one credit internship seminars in the candidate's school district, and culminating portfolio and internship projects. PDE requires 360 hours of internship, which are supervised by the practicum instructor throughout the one-year program. The practicum meets six times over the year.

All classes are online, and internships take place in the student’s school district. The courses are offered each semester. (fall-spring-summer). This format allows the candidate to focus on one academic class and the practicum each term. The program is designed to be completed in one calendar year.

The mission of the Delaware Valley University Superintendent Letter of Eligibility Program is to prepare superintendents as strategic system leaders who effectively and ethically bring about continuous system improvements that result in increased student achievement. Upon successful completion of this online superintendent preparation program, graduate learners will have completed the coursework required for certification by the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE).

Students will experience an online program that gives busy professionals the opportunity to complete their coursework with much more flexibility than a traditional face-to-face program.

• Competitive tuition.

• Based on a transcript review, the program has twelve credits.

• A cohort model with a group of educators that offers networking opportunities with other future school district leaders.

• Adjunct faculty members who are also educational practitioners. This provides a pragmatic link between theoretical applications and present-day instructional practices and regulations. DelVal’s Superintendent Letter of Eligibility adjunct faculty is comprised of superintendents and principals who present a realistic and firsthand view of theoretical models that are valid and applicable in today's classrooms.

• Personal contact with a DelVal University practicum advisor throughout the internship process, meeting face-to-face and / or online on a regular basis.

Required Courses

• EDU 8011 - Superintendent Leadership, Policy And Politics (3 credits)
• EDU 8044 - Superintendent Practicum and Field Experience I (1 credit)
• EDU 8045 - Practicum & Field Exp Hi-Ed II (1 credit)
• EDU 8048 - Practicum & Field Exp Hi E III (1 credit)
• EDU 8055 - Legal and Ethical Leadership, Diversity, and Societal Change (3 credits)
• EDU 8058 - Negotiations & Conflict Management/Managing Financial Resources (3 credits)

Note: Students who decide to pursue the full 60 credit Ed.D. in Educational Leadership, will receive credit for the courses taken (12 credits) for the Superintendent’s Letter of Eligibility.

Assistive Technology is an umbrella term that includes assistive, adaptive, and rehabilitative devices and practices for students with disabilities and also includes the process used in selecting, locating, and using them across all academic settings, as well as for use under the domains of independent living, accessing the community and leisure activities. 

REQUIRED CORE COURSES

• GE 6035 - Teaching and Supervising Diverse Student Populations (3 credits)
• GE 6065 - Leadership and Management of Special Education Programs (3 credits)
• GE 6211 - Building Exemplary School Curriculum by Design (3 credits)
• GE 6247 - Action Research I (3 credits)
• GE 6250 - Curriculum and Strategies for Instructing Students With Special Needs (3 credits)
• GE 6260 - Introduction to Transition ServicesyIn Special Education (3 credits)
• GE 6270 - Applied Behavior Analysis and Positive Behavior Supports (3 credits)
• GE 6280 - Technology and Universal Design for Special Education Students (3 credits)

SPECIALIZATION COURSES

• GE 6282 - Assistive Technology: Devices & Services Instructing Students With Special Needs (3 credits)
• GE 6284 - Assistive Technology: Planning Collaboration, & Implementation (3 credits)
• GE 6288 - Assistive Technology Capstone Instructing Students With Special Needs (3 credits)

The process of instruction is essential to meeting the needs of all levels of learners in the classroom. The field of teaching is evolving faster than ever before. This degree program will bring you the most up-to-date and current trends in the field from new technologies, teaching diverse student populations, and special needs students to current school law.

REQUIRED CORE COURSES

• GE 6015 - Introduction to Statistical Data and Research (3 credits)
• GE 6035 - Teaching and Supervising Diverse Student Populations (3 credits)
• GE 6080 - Foundations of Instructional Technology for Teaching and Learning (3 credits)
• GE 6115 - Principles, Methods, Development, and Assessment of Curriculum (3 credits)
• GE 6136 - Educational Trends and Development (3 credits)
• GE 6178 - The Special Needs Student (3 credits)
• GE 6220 - School Law (3 credits)

SPECIALIZATION COURSES

This specialization includes a research study into a topic of interest to you that is also a topic of interest of school stakeholders whether they are parents, administrators, teachers, students, or community members.

• GE 6091 - Assessment Theory and Design to Support 21st Century Learners (3 credits)
• GE 6092 - Problem Based Learning Design for 21st Century Learners (3 credits)
• GE 6093 - Teaching Math for Success in the 21st Century Elementary Classroom Policy (3 credits)
• GE 6247 - Action Research I (3 credits)

Transition services are a current necessity of the Individualized Education Program (IEP) for student services under IDEA outlining transition goals and services for all students in K-12 education. This specialty area allows graduate students to gain the required knowledge, skills, and competencies to assist youth and young adults with disabilities as they transition to postsecondary opportunities. Graduate students will learn to design and implement transition and career assessment strategies to help ensure the success of youth as they transition to adult life, as well as gain the expertise necessary to guide families, schools, and districts through this process.