Introduction  

Accelerated Master's Programs (AMP IU) gives motivated, ambitious students a competitive advantage in the global marketplace — and saves time. Accelerated master’s degrees, sometimes referred to as 3+2 or 4+1 programs, are programs which allow admitted students to take graduate courses during their IU undergraduate career for subsequent completion of an IU master’s degree. 

The School of Education at Indiana University has degree combinations for students in the College of Arts and Sciences (COAS) that lead to initial certification in mathematics, language arts, historical perspectives, political science, geography, economics, biology, chemistry, physics, Earth & Atmospheric Sciences, and several World Languages.  

The IU Secondary Education AMPs are designed to save students time, money, and prepare them to work in classrooms in Indiana and across the United States. All IU Secondary Education AMPs follow similar curricular pathways but provide students with specialized preparation.   

Requirements

Students may apply to the Masters of Secondary education and Transition to Teaching programs by November 1 of their senior year and begin fulfilling graduate program requirements during the spring of their senior year.

Graduate courses count for both graduate and undergraduate degree requirements. Before starting the graduate program, students must have satisfied all general education requirements.

Students pursing the accelerated master's program must maintain a 3.0 undergraduate GPA. 

Education Minor Pre-Requisite  

A pre-requisite for the IU Secondary Education AMPs is the completion of specific coursework in the Education Studies minor. The 15-credit minor is designed for students who want to learn more about public education and/or student development and learning. The following courses will be required for IU Secondary Education AMPs: 

• G203: Communication for Youth Serving Professionals (3 credits)  
• K306: Teaching Students with Special Needs in Secondary Classrooms (3 credits)  
• F200: Examining Self as Teacher (3 credits) 
• Licensure Area Specific Methods/Field Experience (5 credits)  

One of the following Professional Distinction Courses:  

• F203: Self-Care for New Teachers (1 credit)  
• F203: Preparing for Life as a Teacher (1 credit)  
• F203: Professional Development for Educators (1 credit)  

Senior Year: COAS Electives 

Students will complete six credits in graduate level courses in the College of Arts and Sciences that count toward their major. Those determinations will be made by the degree granting department and follow the rules and regulations of the College of Arts and Sciences.  

Spring Senior Year: Licensure Area Method and Field Experience  

During the spring semester of a student’s senior year, they will enroll in a graduate-level version of the first methods course and field experience/practicum that are currently offered in our secondary mathematics, language arts, science, and social studies blocks.  

The five credits completed during spring senior year will count toward the Education Studies minor and the Master’s in Secondary Education.  

Summer, Fall, and Spring Semesters: Transition to Teaching+  

During the summer, fall, and spring semesters, students in the IU Secondary Education AMPs will complete coursework that parallels the coursework in our Secondary Transition to Teaching Program. Completion of this coursework will allow students to both make progress toward a Master’s in Secondary Education and secondary licensure.  

The Secondary Transition to Teaching program is a full-time, 18 credit hour, year-long field-based programs intended to develop and support reflective teaching, promote thoughtful and innovative practices in secondary schools, and make optimal use of the professional resources that currently exist in schools, the community, and the university. 

Coursework from the Transition to Teaching Program will include: 

• L517: Advanced Study of Content Readings (3 credits)  
• P510: Psychology of Reading (3 credits)  
• H520: Education and Social Issues (3 credits)  
• M500: Integrated Professional Seminar (1 credit)  
• S555: Diversity of All Learners (3 credits)  

Typically, students in the T2T program enroll in S503: Curriculum in Secondary Schools. However, for IU Secondary AMP students, they will continue into the second methods/field experience courses. Like the first methods course/field experience, they will enroll in a graduate-level version of the course that will be co-listed with the undergraduate version of the courses.  

To meet the requirements of the Master’s Degree in Secondary Education, students must also meet the General Education Requirement of the degree, which is J500: Instruction in the Context of the Curriculum. This course is included in the required courses during the fall semester.  

Spring: Student Teaching & Practicum  

The final semester of the IU Secondary AMPs will be a traditional student teaching experience and seminar that will be managed by the Office of Clinical Experiences in the Office of Undergraduate and Teacher Education. Students will be placed in licensure area specific secondary classrooms with a cooperating teacher and university supervisor.  

Master’s Degree in Secondary Education Requirements  

The IU Secondary Education AMPs meet the 36-credit requirements of the Master’s Degree in Secondary Education as follows:  

General Curriculum Requirements (3 credits)  

J500: Instruction in the Context of Curriculum (3 credits)  

Foundational Areas & Skill Requirements (3 credits)  

H520: Education and Social Issues (3 credits)  

Focus Requirements (15 credits)  

L517: Advanced Study of Content Reading (3 credits)  

P510: Psychology in Teaching (3 credits)  

S555: Diversity and the Communities of All Learners (3 credits)  

M5XX: Second Methods Course (3 credits)  

M500: Integrated Professional Seminar (1 credit)  

M5XX: Second Field Experience (1 credit)  

M500: Field Based Seminar (1 credit)  

Electives (9 credits)  

MXXX: First Methods Course (3 credits)  

CAS Elective (3 credits)  

CAS Elective (3 credits)  

Thesis or Practicum (6 credits)  

M550: Practicum (Student Teaching) (6 credits)  

At the end of the IU Secondary Education Accelerated Master’s Program, students will leave Indiana University in five years with a B.A./B.S. in a COAS subject area, a Master’s in Secondary Education, and licensure/certification from the Indiana Department of Education.