Table of contents
Welcome from the President
An introduction to Bluffton
Standards of campus conduct
Description of the MAEd
Performance outcomes
Admissions
Financial information
Academic procedures
Graduation requirements
Course descriptions
Weather cancellations
Office of Adult and Graduate Education
Welcome from the President
We are very pleased that you have chosen Bluffton for graduate study. Our Graduate Programs in Business and Graduate Programs in Education are marked by innovative curricula and committed faculty. In all Bluffton academic programs, we strive to provide a learning environment that challenges students to achieve their best and which develops a global consciousness rather than a narrow professional perspective.
Our mission statement says it this way: Bluffton seeks to prepare students of all backgrounds for life as well as for vocation, for responsible citizenship, for service to all peoples, and ultimately for the purposes of God’s universal kingdom.
Founded in 1899, Bluffton enjoys a tradition of excellence in education and a long-standing commitment to educating for life. I want to wish you well as you begin your studies. I know from my own experience teaching in Bluffton’s master’s degree programs before I became President, this has the potential to be a “life-changing” time for you.
Please feel free to stop by the President’s Office in College Hall on the Bluffton campus. I look forward to meeting you.
Sincerely,
Dr. James M. Harder, President Bluffton University
An introduction to Bluffton
Mission Statement
Bluffton is a liberal arts university in northwestern Ohio founded in 1899 by regional leaders of the General Conference Mennonite Church and is today affiliated with the Central and Eastern Districts of the Mennonite Church USA. Shaped by that historic peace church tradition, and nourished by a desire for excellence in all phases of its programs, Bluffton seeks to prepare students of all backgrounds for life as well as vocation, for responsible citizenship, for service to all peoples, and ultimately for the purpose of God’s universal kingdom. This pursuit of excellence, informed by the peace church values, expresses itself in the following Bluffton mission:
- To provide a superior baccalaureate program in the liberal arts, emphasizing individual inquiry, critical thinking and lifelong learning
- To provide superior preparation in a select number of professional areas, as an integral part of the liberal arts program
- To develop select master’s degree programs in areas of Bluffton strengths and expertise which address contemporary needs
- To integrate the values and faith of the university into all facets of the educational program, including not only the curricular and co-curricular programs, but the very life of the university community
- To contribute on the basis of the religious and ethical values of the university, to the intellectual, cultural and spiritual welfare of the local, national and global communities.
Accreditation
Bluffton holds a certificate of authorization from the Ohio Board of Regents to confer the degrees of Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science, as well as the Master of Arts in Education, Master of Arts in Organizational Management and Master of Business Administration. Bluffton is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association. The Ohio Department of Education has approved the Technology Endorsement, based on ISTE standards, and the Intervention Specialist (Mild/Moderate) Licensure, based on CEC standards.
Institutional recognition
Bluffton has been recognized in Barron’s Best Buys in University Education, in Money Magazine’s Guide to Best University Buys in University Education, in Money Magazine’s Guide to Best University Buys; in the1995 Money Guide Top 100 Best University Buys; in 1999 U.S. News and World Report, First Tier Midwest Regional Liberal Arts Colleges; and by the John Templeton Foundation as a character-building University. Bluffton has institutional accreditation by North Central Association and the Ohio Board of Regents. The Education Department is approved for teacher licensure by the Ohio Department of Education.
Standards of campus conduct
The purposes and qualities of life sought in this campus community are determined by the Board of Trustees in cooperation with faculty, staff and students. The university affirms that rules controlling smoking, drinking and drugs serve purposes that are appropriate on grounds of health, cleanliness, safety and regard for others. The university realizes that its rules can scarcely be expected to regulate behavior when students are not under its jurisdiction. However, that is not to say that off-campus behavior is a matter of indifference to the university community. Off-campus conduct may affect detrimentally your own academic effectiveness and the life and activities of others.
There are some specific expectations that members of the community have developed as important to the quality of life desired for the university. As members of the campus community, students are encouraged to worship regularly in the church of their choice. In addition, they are expected to:
- Practice openness and honesty in all their relations with members of the community: faculty, staff and students
- Conduct themselves with respect for persons and property
- Follow the rules and regulations which are necessary for orderly community life which are established in areas such as the library and Marbeck Center
- Refrain from patterns of behavior which do injury to self and others: e.g, smoking, drinking, drug-use, gambling, sexual exploitation, profanity
- The use of tobacco on campus and on all official university trips (e.g., athletics, field trips, student teaching) and at university-sponsored activities is prohibited
- The use or possession of alcoholic beverages is not permitted on campus or at any university-sponsored activities. If students choose to drink alcoholic beverages while off-campus, the university expects them to obey federal, state and local laws. Persons who make a habit of drinking or who disrupt campus life from unseemly behavior as a result of drinking, are subject to disciplinary action including suspension or dismissal
- The illegal use or possession of hallucinogenic or narcotic drugs, or marijuana, is prohibited
In this campus community, both students and faculty share in the responsibility of maintaining campus standards. The Vice President and Dean of Student Affairs and the Campus Judicial Board, composed of elected faculty and student representatives, handle campus disciplinary cases. Infractions of the rules and any serious misconduct become the particular concern of the Vice President and Dean of Student Affairs and the Campus Judicial Board.
For the students’ welfare and in the best interest of the campus community, the university reserves the right to suspend or dismiss any student at any time when the university authorities deem such action imperative.
The honor system
Bluffton observes the Honor System in taking examinations and writing research papers. No monitor is in the classroom during test or examination periods. Students are asked to write and sign the following pledge on every examination paper: “I am unaware of any aid having been given or received during this examination.” If a student cannot conscientiously sign this pledge, the course instructor is to be notified.
Plagiarism is considered a serious violation of the Honor System. Plagiarism is presenting either the exact words of the ideas of someone else as though they are your own. It is never acceptable. A violation generally means failing the assignment, sometimes failing the course, and may result in removal from the program. Reported offenses are resolved by the director of the program in consultation with the instructor and the student.
On-campus parking
Graduate students may park in the parking lot off Bentley Road, just south of the football stadium, and if arriving after 5 p.m., in the parking lots near Founders Hall.
Description of Graduate Programs in Education
Bluffton’s Graduate Programs in Education is designed for early childhood, middle childhood and adolescent/young adult teachers to strengthen their classroom teaching, to expand upon their content area knowledge base, to experience professional growth, to be nurtured in a small church-related liberal arts environment in which education can be personalized and to participate in a program that has academic integrity and which forges new perspectives on teaching and learning. The technology and intervention specialist concentrations provide early, middle and adolescent/young adult teachers the opportunity to earn additional teaching credentials while completing the Master’s degree.
Students complete the liberal arts core and one of four concentrations: liberal arts, intervention specialist, reading specialist and math specialist.
Assumptions underlying the Graduate Programs in Education
- Effective teaching involves a marriage between content and methodology.
- An effective teacher should be able to see and experience the connections and relationships among subject areas.
- Effective teachers engage daily in research and decision-making related to that research.
- Action research provides teachers one key to genuine educational reform by systematically studying a learning/teaching problem.
- Education should enlighten, broaden perspectives and increase tolerance of others.
- A liberal arts education is the foundation of an informed citizenry.
- The religious and social tenets inherent in the mission of Bluffton can contribute immeasurably to the advanced preparation of teachers.
Education Department vision
The vision of Bluffton University’s Education Department at the graduate level is to Prepare Educational Leaders who Nurture Communities of Learning and Respect. Candidates are encouraged to expand the traditional concept of community beyond the classroom to include the school building, district, and the parents and community members who support the school. To this end, the programs in the Bluffton University Department of Education include courses and field experiences based upon a curriculum model which joins content and methodology within three major tenets: Communities of Learning, Communities of Respect and Educators as Professionals.
Within this framework, candidates completing programs through the Department of Education at Bluffton will meet the performance-based expectations of the Ohio Department of Education (based on INTASC principles).
Communities of learning
All Bluffton University teacher education candidates:
- demonstrate strong content knowledge
- understand how students learn and develop
- employ effective teaching strategies that lead to high levels of student learning
- employ effective teaching strategies that encourage critical thinking and problem solving
- implement on-going assessment through a variety of formal and informal strategies
- have knowledge and skills and use technology to enhance learning
Communities of Respect
All Bluffton University teacher education candidates:
- nurture respectful classrooms
- develop inclusive classrooms that value each student
- use non-violent conflict resolution strategies to demonstrate respect
- celebrate diversity
- provide instruction to accommodate diversity
Educators as professionals
All Bluffton University teacher education candidates:
- develop and maintain collaborative relationships with parents, colleagues and the community
- act upon the understanding that they have been called to a vocation
- communicate effectively using verbal and nonverbal techniques
- reflect on teaching and student learning
- value and participate in on-going professional development
Project and written report
The project is the culminating activity of the master’s program and is carried out in EDU 695. At this point, the student conducts, synthesizes, evaluates and reports on the outcome of the research.
The research project findings are reported in writing and to the public in a symposium format. Since the written research report is not a thesis, it should be a standard research report, as one would find in an education journal. A realistic length for the written report, using the recommended APA style, is approximately 30 pages. A copy of the report will be placed on file in the graduate studies office and in the Bluffton library.
Admission criteria
Students applying for admission to the graduate program must submit the following materials to the director of graduate studies:
- An application including the completion of three essay questions.
- A nonrefundable application fee of $20. The application fee is waived for Bluffton graduates.
- The program registration form and non-refundable $75 registration deposit (applied to first semester fees).
- Official transcripts from all previous University work.
- Two letters of recommendation from academic and/or professional references.
- Teaching license and/or evidence of teaching experience.
- Enrollment in the intervention specialist, reading specialist, or math specialist concentrations requires passing scores on the Praxis I to verify basic skills. The following scores are required: reading, at least 173; writing, at least 172; mathematics, at least 172.
Upon receipt of all of the above information, the materials will be processed, including an evaluation by the graduate studies council, for admission to the graduate program. The following criteria must be met in order to be fully admitted to the program:
- Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.
- A 3.0 grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) in the last half of the bachelor’s degree program.
- Interview with the director or a designee.
- Approval for admission by the MAEd Committee.
Special student status
Special student status may be granted to permit students to take up to nine hours before regular admission, if they did not initially meet the regular admissions criteria. Students must demonstrate during the first nine hours an ability to maintain a 3.0 grade point average (4.0 scale) in order to be reconsidered for regular admission.
Special student status may also be granted to non-degree-seeking students, as space allows, if they hold a bachelor’s degree and have completed the special student status forms and other materials requested as part of the application process. Up to nine hours may be completed under this status.
Although the program is designed for classroom teachers with experience, a limited number of those without experience may be admitted, as space allows.
Transfer credit
Up to six semester hours or nine quarter hours of transfer credit may be applied to the program as long as the credit is for graduate courses, from an accredited institution and approved by the Bluffton content professor or a designee (core courses) and the program director or designee (elective credit). In accordance with program policy, workshop credits will not be transferable. In addition, in order for work to be accepted it must be completed no more than 10 years prior to application.
Advising
Bluffton provides for advising of students in the following ways:
1. Students meet with the director of graduate studies or a designee for an initial program orientation.
2. Each degree-seeking student will have a program adviser designated by the director from the point of admission to the program until completion of the program.
Financial information
Bluffton is a non-profit institution. The tuition, fees and other expenses paid by the students cover only a part of the cost. The balance is met by income from endowment and gifts, and contributions from Mennonite churches, alumni, and other friends of the University. The University reviews fees annually and reserves the right to make changes in fees and deposits.
Penalty for late payment
Interest on past due accounts is computed at 1% per month (12%APR). Transcripts and diplomas will not be furnished until the account is paid in full. A student with an unpaid account may not continue classes in a subsequent semester.
Refund Policies
Students who withdraw during any period of enrollment at Bluffton and follow the approved withdrawal procedures (see Academic Procedure) will receive refunds for instructional fees according to the following schedule:
- Up to and including the first day of classes in the semester..……………………….100% refund
- From second day to 10 % period of time (class days) in the semester.………………90% refund
- After 10% and up to 20% period of time (class days) in the semester ………………80% refund
- After 20% and up to 30% period of time (class days) in the semester ………………70% refund
- After 30% and up to 40% period of time (class days) in the semester ………………60% refund
- After 40% and up to 50% period of time (class days) in the semester ………………50% refund
- After 50% and up to 60% period of time (class days) in the semester….……………40% refund
- After 60% period of time (class days) in the semester ………………………………...No refund
*Students may contact Betty Dills in the Office of Adult and Graduate Education at (419) 358-3012 or 800-488-3257, option 4 for information on these percentages in a specific semester.
If a refund amount is owed to the student, but the student has outstanding institutional charges or if the student owes a repayment of a cash disbursement for non-institutional costs, the university will automatically apply the refund amount to those charges or repayment. The university will also notify the student in writing if either situation has occurred.
Students who are Title IV recipients will have their aid recalculated as prescribed by federal return of Title IV funds law and regulation. These schedules are available to all prospective and currently enrolled students by contacting the Business Office or the Office of Financial Aid.
Financial aid will be adjusted according to federal guidelines for students who withdraw.
Financial aid
Students should familiarize themselves with the following items and make a list of those points that require action.
Guidelines and application procedures
Entering students seeking financial assistance are required to file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) designating Bluffton as one of the recipients. This application form and instruction booklet is available from the Office of Adult and Graduate Education or the Office of Financial Aid.
The student’s eligibility is determined by subtracting the expected family contribution or EFC (derived from the FAFSA) from the cost of attending Bluffton. In addition to tuition and fees, estimates are included in determining the student expense budget for books and supplies, living expenses, personal expenses, dependent care and transportation.
Students should be aware of application deadlines established by off-campus sources of aid including state and federal agencies. These deadlines are announced about one year before the beginning of the academic year.
Students seeking to continue financial assistance must re-apply for any type of aid. The amount of financial assistance awarded each year will depend upon the student’s continuing need for aid and the amount of funds available.
All aid is disbursed to students through the Business Office, typically by crediting the student’s account with a calculated amount of the aid at the beginning of each billing period.
The university monitors student progress toward a degree on a per-semester basis for academic and financial aid purposes. Students who meet the academic requirements for continuing their enrollment are eligible for financial aid.
Students with questions concerning financial assistance, should contact the Office of Financial Aid at (419) 358-3266. The Office of Financial Aid is available to help estimate eligibility for financial assistance. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to noon and 1-5 p.m. Noon and evening hours are available by appointment.
So that financial eligibility may be determined in a timely manner, interested students should contact the Office of Financial Aid at (419) 358-3266 four to six weeks prior to the beginning of their first MAEd class.
Loan programs
Bluffton graduate students are eligible for the Federal Student Loan Program (Stafford), subsidized or unsubsidized, for which they must file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). FAFSA applications are available in the Office of Adult and Graduate Education and in the Office of Financial Aid.
Non-federal loan alternatives exist for students who do not wish to file the FAFSA or who are unable to cover the cost of attendance with traditional Federal Stafford Loans. Additional information is available through the Office of Financial Aid.
Students may also check with their bank or other lender for possible home equity loans that may be available with tax-deductible interest.
Other options for payment
Employer Assistance. Some employers provide educational assistance benefits to their employees. Students should check to see if their employer provides educational assistance and provide a copy of this plan to Betty Dills in the Office of Adult and Graduate Education.
Academic procedures
Registration
All new students should have an initial advising session with the MAEd director. All registration for MAEd students is done directly through the Office of Adult and Graduate Education.
Schedule of classes
Course schedules are determined by semester and will be made available to students at time of registration.
Grading system
Students will be evaluated on a letter grade system that involves quality points. Students in good standing must maintain a 3.0 GPA (on a 4.0 scale) and grades will be calculated in the following manner:
A 4.0 B- 2.7
A- 3.7 C+ 2.3
B+ 3.3 C 2.0
B 3.0 F .0
Academic probation
Any time that a student’s end-of-the-semester cumulative GPA in the MAEd program falls below 3.0 the student is placed on academic probation. A student who is placed on probation must achieve a cumulative GPA of 3.0 at the end of an additional nine hours or he/she will be placed on academic suspension.
Academic suspension
A student is suspended when he/she has failed to achieve a 3.0 GPA at the conclusion of any nine-hour probationary period.
A student who has been suspended may retake courses for which he/she received less than a grade of B and may be considered for readmission and regular coursework once the repeat course work has raised the student’s GPA to 3.0. Tuition for courses that are being retaken is charged at the current tuition rate.
Conditional admission
When an applicant fails to meet the regular admission requirements and there is cause for significant concern about the student’s success in the program the MAEd faculty committee (or the director/designee and a subgroup of two MAEd committee members during the summer) may choose to grant conditional admission to that applicant. A conditionally admitted student who fails to achieve a GPA of 3.0 during the first nine hours will be placed on academic suspension. At this point the regular suspension procedures apply.
Special status
Special student status may be granted to a non-degree-seeking student, as space allows, provided he/she holds a bachelor’s degree. Up to nine hours may be completed under this status. Although the program is designed for classroom teachers with experience, a limited number of those without experience may be admitted, as space allows.
The following is required for admission as a special student:
- Complete the special student application form
- Pay the $20 admission fee
Graduation requirements
Courses in the graduate programs will be listed for students on graduate transcripts that will be maintained separately from undergraduate transcripts. Evaluation of satisfactory progress toward graduation and of completion of graduation requirements will be done at the conclusion of each semester by the Registrar’s Office in conjunction with the Director of the MAEd.
Students must earn a grade of C or above in all courses required for the degree. An overall GPA of 3.0 is required for graduation from the program. Students who do not earn a grade of C or above in a required course may repeat that course to earn a satisfactory grade. Students will pay for the course each time it is taken and only the most recent grade will be included in the GPA or in total credit hours passed, although all grades will appear on the permanent transcript.
Class attendance
Students are expected to attend all sessions of each course. If an absence is unavoidable, a student must discuss that absence with the professor. Additional assignments may be required of the absent student.
Evaluation of Instruction
Student evaluation of instruction is coordinated through the Office of Adult and Graduate Education. Students will be given opportunity to evaluate courses on forms distributed by the professor at the end of each course. The evaluation forms are distributed in class and class time is used for students to complete them. They are then returned to the Office of Adult and Graduate Education. They will be tabulated by the Registrar’s Office and a report will be given to each instructor with an evaluation summary for each course as well as a summary for all courses taught by all faculty. No reports will be given to faculty until grades are turned in.
Withdrawal
The student must notify the Office of Adult and Graduate Education in writing of the intent to withdraw from a course. Neither notifying an instructor nor failing to attend a course constitutes withdrawal. Failure to complete the withdrawal procedure for a course for which they are registered but have stopped attending will result in a failing grade for the course.
MAEd program overview
The Master of Arts in Education program consists of the following components:
Required core: 21 semester hours
EDU 680 Historical and Philosophical Foundations
EDU 660 Classroom Assessment and Applications
EDU 645 Educational Technology
EDU 650 Research Methods in Education
EDU 695 Teachers as Action Researchers
EDU 630 American Studies
EDU 620 The World of Art [Music, Art, Drama]
or
EDU 540 Topics in Children’s and Adolescent Lit
Concentrations
Liberal Arts: 9 semester hours
Humanities
EDU 630 American Studies
EDU 515 Non-Western Studies
Mathematics/science
EDU 520 Inquiry Based Science Instruction
EDU 525 Discovery and Modeling in Math
and
EDU 640 Curriculum Integration
EDU 530 Curriculum Exploration: Models for Integrating the Arts in the Curriculum
(also part of the MAEd core)
EDU 685 Practicum I (Praxis I must be completed prior to candidate enrolling in this course.)
EDU 686 Practicum II
Intervention specialist: 23 semester hours
Prerequisites (may be graduate or undergraduate coursework)
3 semester hours in Introduction to Students with Disabilities
3 semesters hours in Human Growth and Development (inc. EC and MC/AYA)
Additional requirements for ODE licensure – may be graduate or undergraduate coursework
12 semester hours in teaching reading including one three-hour course in teaching phonics
SED 600 Students with Disabilities in a Diverse Society (can fulfill requirement for EDU 630 in core courses)
SED 601 Instructional Strategies: Young Children with M/M Ed Needs
SED 602 Instructional Strategies: Young Adolescents with M/M Ed Needs
SED 603 Classroom Organization for Diverse Learners
SED 604 Diagnosis and Educational Planning
SED 605 Reading and Language Arts for Diverse Learners
SED 606 Issues in Special Education
SED 607 Collaboration
SED 608 Clinical Practice (Praxis I must be completed prior to candidate enrolling in this course.)
Weather-related cancellations
Office of Adult and Graduate Education
The Office of Adult and Graduate Education is located on the third floor of Hauenstein Hall in Riley Court. The office may be reached at 1-800-488-3257, option 4 or at adulted@bluffton.edu.
