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FAQs
1. Tell me about the University of San Diego School of Leadership and Education Sciences/JTC Teacher Education Program. The Program is a joint venture between the University of San Diego and the John Tracy Clinic, though all classes take place at the John Tracy Clinic campus in Los Angeles. The program confers a Master’s Degree in Special Education, and, upon completion of additional requirements, a California Credential as an Education Specialist: Deaf and Hard of Hearing. 2. What is the emphasis of the program? The John Tracy Clinic is a world-renowned center for parents and their young children with a hearing loss. The Teacher Education Program reflects the mission of the Clinic in providing candidates with specific skills in building collaborative partnerships with parents and their young children from birth through age 5. The Program has a spoken language focus, specifically, auditory-oral and auditory-verbal. The candidate’s education is geared to provide a skills set appropriate to teaching language, listening, speech, and cognition to students with a hearing loss from birth to age 22. Candidates must be committed to a spoken language focus to be considered in the application process. 3. Does that mean that the program can certify me as an Auditory-Verbal Therapist or Auditory-Verbal Educator? No. The certification process for a Listening and Spoken Language Specialist: Auditory-Verbal Therapist® or Auditory-Verbal Educator® requires education and experience more extensive than a year or two of coursework can provide. However, since auditory-verbal principles and practices are integrated into many courses in the Program, coursework and hours of practicum may be used to satisfy some of the requirements of the certification process involved in becoming an Auditory-Verbal Therapist® or Auditory-Verbal Educator®. Please see www.agbell.org for more information. 4. How do the Onsite and Distance Learning Programs differ? There are two program options: Onsite and Distance Learning. The Onsite Program runs from August to June of the next year, about 11 months total. The Distance Learning Option runs from August in Year 1 through July of Year 2. The Onsite Program is an intensive course of study, including coursework, fieldwork, and practicum experiences at the John Tracy Clinic, and school programs in the Los Angeles County area. Candidates are involved in classes generally from approximately 8 am to 6 pm daily, and until 9 pm every other Tuesday. For candidates in the Onsite Program, coursework, fieldwork, and practica at the Clinic provide candidates with daily hands-on experiences with parents and young children from birth to three in the Demonstration Home, and with parents and children from ages three to five years in the Preschool. Coursework and practica in auditory-verbal therapy for families and their children are provided at the Clinic as well. Elementary education fieldwork and practica are accomplished through our partnerships with auditory-oral schools in the Los Angeles area. For candidates in the Distance Learning Program, there are requirements that ensure training of highly qualified teachers. Employment of Candidate at a Center of Excellence The emphasis of the University of San Diego School of Leadership and Education Sciences/JTC Teacher Education Program is on spoken language. Therefore, to complete course assignments and meet credential standards, including student teaching, throughout the entire program, all Distance Learning Option candidates must be employed at auditory-oral Centers of Excellence, as evaluated by the Alexander Graham Bell's "Components of a Quality Auditory-Oral Program" http://www.agbell.org/uploads/ComponentsAuditoryOralEducation.pdf The site must be approved by the John Tracy Clinic Teacher Education Director. The Centers of Excellence must agree to:
The candidate must be able to attend two summer residencies at the John Tracy Clinic in Los Angeles for 4 weeks each summer. 5. May I take just one or two courses? Could some of my coursework be waived because of past experience or coursework? Both program options, Onsite and Distance Learning, are designed as complete programs only. Candidates must be able to commit to the entire program of study (either the 11-month Onsite option or the 2-year Distance Learning option). Candidates must maintain progress with their cohort, or they will not be allowed to finish the program. All candidates must take all courses in the program, no matter what their background or training. The sequence of study is highly integrated, so that all courses build on those taken previously.
6. Does the program accommodate internships? The California Commission on Teacher Credentialing has established internships as a way to deal with the severe teacher shortage for children with hearing loss. The Program is exploring ways to work within the framework of California internships, while at the same time maintaining the quality of the Onsite Program. Requirements for the candidate in an internship program would be the same as those for a candidate in the Distance Learning option (see #4 above). The Distance Learning candidate does not simply "sign up" to be an intern. The application procedures for the Distance Learning candidate include the regular application process for the master's degree, as well as evaluation of the employment/training site, using "Components of a Quality Auditory-Oral Program," by Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf. 7. What are the tuition and other costs of the program? Tuition for the University of San Diego as of Summer 2008 is $1,129 per unit. There are 44 units in the program, with a total cost for tuition of approximately $49,676. Books and materials usually run about $1500 for the program. Then there are the living expenses incurred. For Onsite candidates, living expenses over the 11-month program would include room and board in Los Angeles, reliable transportation (a car, fuel and maintenance costs, car insurance), and miscellaneous costs (for example, an application fee to apply for the credential, etc.). For Distance Learning candidates, the same living expenses (as listed for the Onsite Program) are required over the two 4-week summer residencies in Los Angeles. 8. Are there any scholarship programs available? U.S. citizens may receive substantial scholarship support, which may cover the full cost of tuition. Available federal grant monies vary from year to year, so scholarship support varies from year to year. Student loans may also provide additional monies for the candidate, up to $20,500 a year for graduate students. The candidate may obtain a student loan, and if employed in an eligible California school for two years, the APLE program will forgive a significant part of the loan. Please contact Mary McGinnis for further information. If the candidate accepts the federal grant scholarships to attend the program, the government requires completion of the program, plus a two-year commitment to teach in the field of deaf education, or the scholarship must be returned. 9. What are the program prerequisites? Prerequisites include the following coursework:
In addition, the following tests are required for those seeking a California credential (for both Distance Learning and Onsite Programs). For those in the Distance Learning Program employed in a state other than California who are seeking a master's degree only, the GRE is the only test required.
10. Are there other requirements? Besides the requirements listed above, candidates must be committed to a spoken language approach, fill out an application form, and submit it with official copies of transcripts of all college coursework, and all test scores. Candidates must also be available for an interview, submit 3 letters of recommendation, and pass the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language), if English is not the candidate's native language. Candidates must also be eligible for a Certificate of Clearance through the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing. TECHNOLOGY REQUIREMENTS:
Webcam (if not already a part of the laptop)
11. How do I apply for the program? If you feel that your philosophy, goals, and dispositions are a match with the program, and if you also meet the requirements listed, and can commit to the rigorous program described, contact:
Leave your name, mailing address, e-mail, and telephone number.
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