Education

An introduction and orientation to the counseling profession, including an overview of the theories, professional roles, training and credentialing standards of the profession, problems, issues, trends and ethical responsibilities in the field of counseling, and multiple approaches to service provision with all populations.

This course studies the history and trends of the modern school guidance and counseling movement and examines the challenges and situations the school counselor faces in the school setting. Curriculum development and teaching methods utilizing best practices for the effective delivery of a comprehensive guidance program encompassing cultural diversities and special needs are emphasized. Ethical and legal standards, as well as organizations governing the profession of school counseling are addressed.

This course provides an overview of the history, philosophy, and current trends in clinical mental health counseling. Attention is paid to the role and scope of practice of the mental health counselor, including prevention, intervention, consultation, education, and advocacy, as well as the operation of programs and networks that promote mental health in a multicultural society. Ethical and legal standards, as well as organizations governing the profession of clinical mental health counseling are addressed.

This course studies the various theories, practices, methods, and processes of career development and educational planning and provides information on the interpretation and utilization of current data pertaining to career development and counseling.

This course will highlight the importance of cultural factors on the counseling relationship. It provides a study of social changes and trends in sex roles stereotyping, societal subgroups, and all lifestyles. Attention is given to how stereotyping and personal world views may influence counselors' judgments and dynamics within the counseling relationship.

This course provides an understanding of the philosophical bases of the counseling processes. It focuses on the application of counseling theories and inculcation of core counseling micro-skills, emphasizing the analysis of solution-focused brief counseling approaches to bring an integrative perspective to problems of parents and their children.

This course provides an overview of the personality theories with application to counseling and education and includes adjustment issues and various perspectives of mental health with application to education and counseling settings.

This course provides students with an overview of the theories and etiology of addictions and addictive behaviors. Topics to be covered include substance abuse and other addiction issues, diagnosis, comorbidity, treatment planning, and psychopharmacology. Students will explore treating all populations from individual, family, and group counseling approaches.

This course investigates the historical, philosophical, psychological, and sociological foundations influencing American education policies and practices. This course also examines the history of literacy beliefs and practices and special education services beliefs and practices in America to contextualize current national, state, and local literacy trends and practices. Controversial educational issues are explored, and personal philosophies of education are formulated. This course is a core requirement for MEd EL, IL and IP.

This is a masters-level course that provides education candidates with an overview of the historical, legal, and foundational characteristics of the American education system. Candidates will examine the basic legal and ethical issues in education and includes a survey of case law dealing with the rights, obligations, and responsibilities of educators. Through critical analysis and evaluation, students will develop the skills needed to engage in informed discussions about the future of education in America.

This course focuses on preparing candidates to attain and demonstrate a deep understanding of the essential role literacy plays in equipping students to acquire, comprehend, and communicate content-specific information, as represented in the Tennessee Student Academic Standards.

This course examines research methodologies and basic statistical approaches. Research skills including but not limited to information retrieval, critical evaluation, report organization, and statistical methodology are developed and reflected in formal research proposals related to improved literacy instructional practices. Core requirement for M.Ed. candidates.

This course focuses on school functions, strategies, and support that encourage the highest level of student learning and academic achievement, with an emphasis on literacy practices and achievement across subjects. These school functions, strategies, and support include improving instruction through support of teachers, curriculum development, staff development based on current research and best practices, professional learning communities, evaluation of teachers, and action research.

This course equips educational leaders with a comprehensive understanding of literacy instruction, focusing on both content and pedagogy. It explores the progression of literacy development and strategies for fostering a literacy-rich environment that supports all learners. Special attention is given to the foundation of phonics and phonological awareness, as well as identifying and supporting struggling readers. Leaders will also learn to implement literacy screeners and progress monitoring tools to effectively assess and address learner needs. The course emphasizes evidence-based practices, scaffolding techniques, and strategies aligned with grade-level rigor and Tennessee Academic Standards, ensuring all students receive the support they need for success.

This course includes a study of concepts essential to becoming a teacher leader. Basic and advanced strategies in curriculum, instruction, assessment, current research, technology, educating all students, leadership, and philosophy are addressed. 

This course focuses on the role of the teacher as leader. Candidates demonstrate their understanding of the teacher as leader role by applying relevant concepts to the development of an interdisciplinary unit of study and a personal philosophy statement. Prerequisite: EDUC 570

This course is an overview of early childhood and adolescent development designed for K-12 licensure and masters candidates. The cognitive, social/ emotional, and physical domains will be studied in relation to planning, implementing, and assessing developmentally appropriate K-12 curriculum. Research will focus on the work of theorists who have shaped current child development educational theory. Existing developmental expectancies as well as individual differences will be examined throughout the course.

This course provides teacher candidates with an evidenced-based foundation in literacy and language development through cognitive, linguistic, and pedagogical theory, research, and practice based in the science of reading. Candidates will begin their instructional skills development in the areas defined by the National Reading Panel: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. Topics include understanding reading research, the reading process, language development, the sequence of learning to read, the essential components of reading instruction and assessment. 

The Phonological Awareness and Phonics course presents the fundamental principles and concepts of the structure of language, with a focus on phonological awareness and phonics through evidence-based methodologies. Candidates learn sound-symbol/phoneme-grapheme correspondences of language and understand the relationship of phonemic awareness and the phonological system of language to the reading process through the Simple View of reading.

The Elementary Content Area Literacy course provides an overview of literacy instruction in the domains of comprehension, fluency, vocabulary acquisition, and writing in the elementary content areas leading to enhanced conceptual knowledge for students. Exploration of the developmental and instructional implications related to fluent reading, vocabulary acquisition, comprehension and writing instruction through fiction and nonfiction texts as applied in Social Studies and Science will be explored. Candidates conclude their instructional skills development in the areas defined by the National Reading Panel.

This course examines research-based reading assessment (screening/diagnosis) and intervention for elementary classrooms. Candidates will build foundational knowledge of and essential skills in developmentally appropriate practices in reading assessment and intervention. Candidates will work with wide-ranging reading assessments, emphasizing the universal screening process, reading-readiness, curriculum-based measurement, progress-monitoring procedures and diagnostic assessment protocols. This course highlights assessment as part of the multi-tiered, problem-solving process of the Response to Intervention protocol, stressing early identification of and support for struggling readers. Candidates will develop instructional skills, addressing (1) phonological awareness; (2) phonics; (3) fluency; (4) comprehension; and (5) vocabulary development. Candidates will observe reading assessment and instruction in elementary classrooms and develop lesson plans using current standards and evidence-based strategies. Candidates will conduct action research to investigate assessment, progress monitoring, and differentiated-instruction for reading instruction with learners in the elementary grades.

This course examines research-based theory, foundations, principles, procedures, and practices centering on teaching elementary literacy—reading, writing, grammar, speaking, listening, spelling, viewing, and visual representation. Candidates will build knowledge of, and essential skills in developmentally appropriate practices in literacy instruction. Candidates will integrate differentiated instructional strategies, methods, and resources into curriculum they design to help elementary students develop and reinforce their literacy skills. Candidates will develop an understanding of literacy as a system of cultural competencies including reading and writing, synthesis, and critical analysis, along with 21st century literacies within a global arena. Candidates will conduct action research to investigate evidenced-based assessment and instruction for literacy instruction in the elementary grades, creating literacy lesson plans for elementary students.

Students will learn about the development of pedagogy from sociological, philosophical, historical and theoretical perspectives for use in the 21st Century classroom. They will focus on teaching and learning in secondary schools and include the study of curriculum and methodology. The students will address the role of today's schools, characteristics of young people of middle-level and high school years, identify the fundamental characteristics of quality public education, and build an understanding of the variety of characteristics and needs of students.

This methods course prepares candidates to design and implement integrated STEM instruction aligned with the Tennessee Academic Standards for Mathematics and Science. Candidates will develop mathematical proficiency through conceptual understanding, procedural fluency, and problem-solving, emphasizing NGSS Disciplinary Core Ideas, Science and Engineering Practices, and crosscutting concepts. This course fosters innovation and real-world applications to inspire student engagement and mastery of STEM disciplines.

The required Capstone Electronic Portfolio for the MEd Educational Leadership programs is an evidence-based assignment. Candidates in the program are expected to demonstrate knowledge, skills, and dispositions that reflect the understanding and application of the competencies as described in the Tennessee Instructional Leadership Standards (TILS) and the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) standards. 

This comprehensive examination is required at the end of the MEd Educational Leadership (EL) program. This examination consists of questions and/or case studies pertinent to a candidate's focus within their program of studies. Candidates will also be asked to further explore their philosophy of education vision as it pertains to their future aspirations after attaining the MEd in Leadership. This comprehensive examination will be scheduled in the candidates last semester of required coursework.

This course provides full-time teaching experience in a public PK-12 classroom setting under the direction of a mentoring classroom teacher and a university supervisor. Placement will be arranged by the Program Director in consultation with faculty. Bi-monthly seminars are required. Student teaching is required for all candidates seeking licensure through the Master of Education-Initial Licensure program. Before registering for this course, candidates must have completed and passed EDUC 570/571, passed all required Praxis exams and taken and passed all undergraduate courses required for licensure. This course is Module III in the Master of Education - Initial Licensure program.

This course provides full-time teaching experience in a Tennessee public or state-approved classroom setting under the direction of the building level administrator and a university supervisor. Placement is completed by a partner school district’s human resources department with the input of the Lincoln Memorial University Program Director in consultation with faculty.  Candidates completing the Job Embedded clinical practice shall spend the school year in direct teaching activities. The Job Embedded clinical practice will include classroom teaching, observation, coursework, and seminars, the Job Embedded clinical practice will occur in a state approved school. During the field experiences the candidate will have direct teaching experiences with students with a variety of learning needs and varied backgrounds. This course is taken two semesters for a total of 6 credit hours.

This course will address a topic of interest enriching the existing course offerings and expanding candidate learning and experiences. Topics will be developed by an assigned faculty member as approved by the Dean of the School of Education. The course will be offered as required.

This course focuses on supervised application of skills that approximate employment in various educational settings. Master's level course.

This course focuses on supervised application of skills that approximate employment as a school principal. Field-based experiences are completed which are related to courses required in the Leadership program. A total of 9 semester hours is required. Leadership program candidates only.

This course provides a foundational understanding of content and pedagogical knowledge of literacy instruction, the progression of literacy development, and the cultivation of a literacy-rich learning environment that is responsive to all learners. Emphasis is given to foundational and disciplinary literacy and the use of evidence-based practices and scaffolds and supports matched to individual students’ strengths and needs while maintaining grade-appropriate rigor and alignment to Tennessee Academic Standards.

This is the companion practicum for EDUC-609. Candidates will design a professional development project for teachers and staff related to literacy. Co-requisite: EDUC 609.

This course explores the action research model and will culminate in a scholarly written project designed to empower leaders to improve educational practice and to produce environments more conducive to learning. Candidates will construct a problem statement and work through the methodology of reviewing literature, choosing participants, gathering data, and analyzing results. Candidates will draw conclusions and create recommendations based on their problem statement.

EdS Educational Leadership (EL) and Instructional Practice (IP) candidates will complete the electronic portfolio including their final philosophy of education, specific assignments from coursework and other artifacts as required by the Tennessee Instructional Leadership Standards (TILS) and the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). Pass/Fail grade.

EdS Educational Leadership (EL) and Instructional Practice (IP) candidates will complete the electronic portfolio including their final philosophy of education, specific assignments from coursework and other artifacts as required by the Tennessee Instructional Leadership Standards (TILS) and the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). Pass/Fail grade.

EdS Educational Leadership (EL) and Instructional Practice (IP) candidates will complete the electronic portfolio including their final philosophy of education, specific assignments from coursework and other artifacts as required by the Tennessee Instructional Leadership Standards (TILS) and the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). Pass/Fail grade.

This course will address a topic of interest enriching the existing course offerings and expanding candidate learning and experiences. Topics will be developed by an assigned faculty member as approved by the Dean of the School of Education. The course will be offered as required.

This course focuses on supervised application of skills that approximate employment in various educational settings. Ed.S. level course.

This course examines the role of the school leader to establish and share the vision and mission for academic success of all students including a positive school culture, databased decision-making, stakeholder involvement, and parent and community collaboration. Heavy emphasis is given to all aspects of becoming an effective literacy leader.

This course allows candidates to further their learning by participating in clinical practices that can be used for Capstone Electronic Portfolio evidence and Practicum Field Activity evidence. In addition, candidates will enlist the expertise of school leadership to delve into the role of a school leader in literacy achievement within a school setting and the leader’s role in creating a School Improvement Plan that serves to make the school environment more conducive to improving literacy instruction and enhancing student literacy learning.

This course examines the role of the school adminstrator and instructional leader in responding to and influencing the larger political, social, economic, legal, and cultural context in the classroom, school, and local community. It will also address diverse candidate and student needs to ensure the success of all candidates and their students.

This course examines the basic legal and ethical issues in education. Candidates will become familiar with the requirements of ADA compliance for schools and the policies for the safe, legal, and ethical use of digital information and technology. In addition, candidates will develop an understanding of important law cases which deal with the rights, obligations, and responsibilities of teachers, administrators, and counsellors and their subsequent impact on the school and district.

This course examines the law, theory, and practice of local, state, and federal funding of education, budget preparation, and control of funds. Related topics include the function of personnel management, including the hiring and retention of qualified personnel; insurance; and risk management; facility planning, financing, construction, maintenance, and operations; auxiliary services including food service and pupil transportation; and purchasing, inventory, and distribution.

The required Capstone Electronic Portfolio for the MEd Instructional Leadership Program is an evidence-based assignment. Candidates in the program are expected to demonstrate knowledge, skills, and dispositions that reflect the understanding and application of the competencies as described in the Tennessee Instructional Leadership Standards (TILS) and the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) standards. 

Instructional Leadership (IL – Leading to Initial Tennessee Leadership Licensure) candidates are required to take and pass the SLLA in accordance with Tennessee state licensure and University graduation requirements. Prerequisite: Admission to the Instructional Leadership Licensure Program.

This course focuses on developing a culture and climate of school improvement. Emphasis will be placed on setting a strategic direction for school improvement, organizational alignment, data collection, and analysis. Ed.S. core requirement.

This course is the companion practicum for IL 611, Assessment for School Improvement, which provides field experience in educational settings with an emphasis on promoting the success of all students by establishing a positive school culture, providing an effective instructional program, applying research-based best practices for student learning, utilizing assessment data, and designing comprehensive professional growth for staff. Experience collecting, analyzing, and utilizing data to inform practice, instruction, and assessment is stressed. 

This course provides Educational Specialist candidates a foundation in the federal legal and ethical issues in education. A survey of case laws dealing with the rights, obligations, and responsibilities of teachers, administrators, and counselors. Topics include law of education, ethics, and legal decision making in education; children with disabilities (IDEA) and 504; the federal court system; Title IX; and law, ethics, and the educational leadership connection. 

This course provides a foundation for improvement in educational programs within the school and district. Candidates will frame their research around the TILS standards, the Leadership Literacy standards, and High-Level Practices. Focusing on leadership within a school, candidates will become familiar with making decisions regarding the changes taking place in the educational setting, strengthening and maintaining interpersonal relationships with stakeholders, and leading in an ethical and equitable way to improve the educational environment making it more conducive to learning.

This course is the companion practicum for IL 652, Leadership for Educational Programs, which focuses on leadership, with an emphasis on leading literacy efforts, managing the change process, and strengthening and maintaining interpersonal relationships to provide the foundation for improvement in teaching and learning in diverse educational settings. The aim of the course is to move from theory to practice by providing emerging educational leaders with craft knowledge, especially in the areas of curriculum, teaching, and learning, while developing a professional vision, mission, and philosophy of school leadership.

This course provides Education Specialist candidates a foundation in the standard financial operating procedures and routines in educational settings in Tennessee. Candidates also develop an understanding of resource management. Topics include, but not limited to, evaluating staff, and liability in the local district, school, and classroom pertinent to students, faculty and staff.

Instructional Leadership (IL) licensure candidates will complete the electronic portfolio including their final philosophy of education, specific assignments from coursework, and other artifacts as required by the Tennessee Instructional Leadership Standards (TILS) and the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). Documentation of the 100 Hour Practicum is also a requirement for the completed portfolio.  Pass/Fail grade.

Instructional Leadership (IL) licensure candidates will complete the electronic portfolio including their final philosophy of education, specific assignments from coursework, and other artifacts as required by the Tennessee Instructional Leadership Standards (TILS) and the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). Documentation of the 100 Hour Practicum is also a requirement for the completed portfolio.  Pass/Fail grade.

Instructional Leadership (IL) licensure candidates will complete the electronic portfolio including their final philosophy of education, specific assignments from coursework, and other artifacts as required by the Tennessee Instructional Leadership Standards (TILS) and the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). Documentation of the 100 Hour Practicum is also a requirement for the completed portfolio.  Pass/Fail grade.

Initial Instructional Leadership Licensure candidates are required to take and pass the SLLA in accordance with Tennessee state licensure requirements. A passing score is required for licensure and graduation. Prerequisite: Admission to the Instructional Leadership Licensure Program

This course explores research-based best practices to increase student achievement for all learners. Candidates will become familiar with strategies that incorporate a range of responsive frameworks that will help all students make connections in the classroom. In addition, candidates will establish the key concepts needed for a school improvement plan that embraces best practices and evaluate the plan through the lens of the school leader. The relevant topics of students in poverty, cultural and social groups within the classroom, English language learners, and special needs learners will be incorporated into the discussions and assignments to further the candidate’s knowledge of meeting the needs of all learners. 

This is the companion practicum for IP 610 Differentiated Instruction Strategies for All Learners. Candidates in this course will examine school-level data that is associated with the adherence to research-based best practices. Using the data, candidates will identify achievement gaps within populations in the school and design research-based interventions. Instructional strategies and techniques will be evaluated in light of equitable teaching for all learners, with an emphasis on literacy instruction. Candidates will focus on the school leader’s role in establishing a plan of action for school improvement.

This course examines instructional design models and innovative practices used to improve teaching and learning in educational settings. Emphasis is placed on systematic design, learner analysis, alignment of objectives, instruction, and assessment, and the application of research-based instructional design frameworks. Candidates will analyze, design, and evaluate instructional solutions for real-world educational problems using multiple instructional design models.

Candidates in this course interpret and apply current special education policy and law to practice, as professional and ethical educational leaders and advocates for students with disabilities.

Candidates in this course learn collaborative teamwork as the means to address literacy, communication, and language development in children with special needs. They learn to collaborate and consult with professionals in order to evaluate students' needs, contribute to IEP preparation, and provide exemplary instruction.

This course provides a framework for understanding students with moderate and severe and multiple disabilities. The impact of these disabilities on the family and community will be discussed. Candidates will evaluate the varied characteristics and communication skills of students with extensive support needs such as health care, self-care, community-living, and self-advocacy. Candidates will focus on how these support needs affect performance at school. Candidates will plan for and effectively teach learners with moderate and multiple disabilities, while incorporating varying levels of guidance, support and prompting into teaching. This course will prompt candidates to explore systematic instructional procedures as a means of ensuring all students have equitable access to learning opportunities.

This course examines various categories of disabilities outlined in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEIA) while integrating literacy and math instructional strategies and assessments. Candidates will gain a comprehensive understanding of student levels and goal setting for growth. Through practical application and case studies, candidates will develop the skills necessary to provide targeted support and facilitate meaningful progress for students with a variety of learning needs.

This course examines the complexity of classroom and behavior management using the framework of Applied Behavior Analysis and Positive Behavioral Supports. Candidates apply knowledge of how teacher behavior, environmental factors, and disabilities influence the behaviors of all students. Candidates research models of classroom and behavior intervention. Candidates develop and deliver effective instruction using behavioral principles within a framework of positive behavioral interventions, supports, and functional behavior assessments. Best practices in behavior and classroom management will be discussed.

This course provides candidates what they need to understand assessment in the schools, and to use it effectively in practice. Candidates explore the entire process of assessment: chronologically, moving sequentially through response to intervention, to prereferral strategies, to assessments, to report writing, to development of the IEP. Candidates explore validity and reliability, tests most often used in assessment, legal issues, and basic statistical terminology. Candidates focus on the practical application of assessment in schools with discussions on interpreting results, screening and diagnosis, writing professional reports, making recommendations from the data, presenting results to parents, and attending eligibility committee meetings. This course addresses best practices in formal and informal assessment from birth through adulthood.

Candidates, in compliance with IDEA transition assessment requirements, will identify transition assessments and programs suitable for individuals with varying characteristics, skills, and aptitudes. They will accurately interpret assessment results in order to develop appropriate, individualized postsecondary goals. Candidates will develop strategies to report results to students, families, and other team members and work collaboratively to plan for students' self-determination, skill development, and identification of supports and services. 

This course provides a framework for understanding and designing effective social interaction/communication and behavior interventions for children with autism spectrum disorder and other developmental disabilities. The course focuses on the application of empirically validated social interaction/communication and behavioral interventions that are consistent with principles of ABA in designing the interventions. Students will participate in lectures, demonstrations, presentations, and application activities.

This course provides an in-depth study of responsive teaching strategies to meet a variety of learning needs while emphasizing the need for strong homeschool collaboration between schools and families of students with high incidence disabilities. Candidates collaborate to form professional teams with staff, administrators, and others for professional development, instruction, and problem solving. Candidates examine characteristics of students with high incidence disabilities, including learning disabilities, emotional and behavioral disabilities and mild or moderate intellectual disabilities (focusing on how to apply various strategies of accommodations and curricular modifications to meet individualized learning needs.) This course emphasizes a culturally responsive, inclusive philosophy that promotes self-determination. Candidates explore the best of inclusion practices, the most effective general teaching practices, and ways to differentiate instruction for specific content areas with an emphasis on effective literacy and mathematics instruction for learners with complex support needs. Candidates apply principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL), and the latest strategies relating to academic success as a means to improve outcomes and prevent failure of all students, including students with disabilities, ELL students, and other at-risk students.