The School of Education University of Colorado offers the Master’s degree in Social Multicultural Foundations (SMBF): Bilingual/ESL Special Education. Completion of this program qualifies one for a teacher certification double endorsement in the areas of Special Education Generalist and Linguistically Diverse Education (K-12). Graduates of this program are typically employed in school special education programs. The program offers courses in foundations in special and bilingual/multicultural education; assessment issues and practices in bilingual/ESL special education; methods of bilingual, ESL and special education; and a field-based practicum. This program is not suitable for international students seeking preparation in teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL). This is a “part-time” program with courses offered evenings and summers. This program is designed to be completed over a three year period.

Requirements for Admission
All persons seeking admission to the MA-SMBF program must meet the following minimum admission requirements. Admission to all graduate programs in the School of Education is competitive. Meeting minimal admission criteria does not guarantee admission.

1. Have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.
2. Have a minimum 2.75 undergraduate grade point average (GPA), and in all previous course work in Education.
3. Have a minimum 3.0 post-baccalaureate GPA.
4. Must be certified as an elementary or secondary teacher (exclusive of art, music, and PE). Certified secondary teachers are required to have course work in methods of teaching reading and mathematics, or take such courses in addition to the course work required for the degree.
5. Must have a minimum of one year of teaching experience, or verified experience working with children with special needs.

Practicum Experiences
K-12 Practicum experiences are required and include elementary and secondary level placements. Prerequisites for practicum experiences are EDUC 5465, 5505, 5515, 5545, and 5535. Practicum (EDUC 5555) is a full term in-school experience. The practicum experiences are not always available during the summer term. One practicum may be waived only if the candidate has at least two years verified acceptable experience in a, special education setting, in which case the candidate must go through a complete review process. All students must complete at least one practicum through the University of Colorado, Boulder.

Course Work Requirements and Planning Worksheet
The suggested order for taking the following courses should be discussed with the student’s advisor prior to registering for the first term of enrollment. Please bring this sheet with you when consulting with your advisor. A total of 36-37 semester hours are required for the master’s degree and double endorsement program.

Transfer Credit
Transfer credits from accredited institutions are accepted by CU Boulder only after approval by the department chair/program director and under the special conditions outlined in the Graduate School Rules. Transfer credit is defined as any credit earned at another accredited institution, credits earned on another campus of the CU system, or credits earned as a non-degree student within the CU system. The maximum amount of work that may be transferred from another accredited institution to CU Boulder is nine semester hours and is accepted only after approval of the program director. All courses accepted for transfer must be graduate level courses. A course in which a grade of B- or lower was received will not be accepted for transfer. Transfer course work must have been completed in the five years prior to acceptance to the program. Credit may not be transferred until the student has completed 6 credits of graduate level course work as a degree-seeking student on the CU Boulder campus with a 3.0 GPA.

Comprehensive Exams
A comprehensive examination must be completed during the student’s last term of study for the MA degree. The examination will cover the content of all work in the program. Students transferring course work from other institutions to this program (up to 9 hours may be taken at other approved institutions) are responsible for the same knowledge as those whose work has been entirely at the University of Colorado Boulder.

Students must be registered for the term in which they take the exams.

Application Materials
Individuals interested in graduate programs in the School of Education must seek admission to the Graduate School of the University of Colorado at Boulder. Materials for admission to the Graduate School are available from the School of Education website:

http://www.colorado.edu/education/prospective/gradmasters.html

If you have specific questions regarding the program or application process, please contact our general information number 303-492-6555 or e-mail: Edadvise@Colorado.EDU. Please specify the program to which you wish to apply.

Deadlines
The following are the deadlines for submitting complete application materials.  Any applications completed after the deadline will be processed only if program openings still exist.

• Summer Term and Fall Semester — February 1
• Spring Semester — September 1

Program Advisor(s)
Dr. Lorenso Aragon              303/492-5419         Office-Education Room 247B        
e-mail:  lorenso.aragon@colorado.edu

Dr. Leonard Baca                   303/492-5416         Office-Education Room 202        
e-mail:  leonard.baca@colorado.edu

Dr. Janette Klingner                  303/492-0773         Office-Education Room 203        
email:  janette.klingner@colorado.edu

Dr. Kathy Escamilla                  303/492-0147         Office-Education Room 205        
e-mail:  kathy.escamilla@colorado.edu

Dr. Rocky Hill                           303/492-3414         Office-Education Room 255        
e-mail:  raymond.hill@colorado.edu

Dr. John J. Hoover                  303/735-2015         Office-Education Room 255        
e-mail:  john.hoover@colorado.edu

Dr. Guillermo Solano-Flores         303/492-7695         Office-Education Room 205
e-mail:  guillermo.solano@colorado.edu

Dr. Lucinda Soltero-Gonzales        303/492-8863         Office-Education Room 217
e-mail:  lucinda.soltero@colorado.edu