MED & MIT in
Secondary Teaching/5–12

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About

Eastern Washington University’s Master in Teaching (MIT) is a graduate degree program designed for individuals planning a career change into the field of teaching. The secondary major program, accredited by the State of Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), offers you the opportunity to acquire a:

  • State of Washington secondary teaching certificate in grades 5-12
  • Master of Education (MEd) degree in secondary teaching

The MIT program is rigorous and full-time, blending an incremental field experience throughout a full-year internship in a classroom, accompanying day and evening classes. Coursework will be linked to classroom experience and will meet statewide certification requirements for teachers. This 5-quarter program also follows a cohort model — each cohort begins in summer and concludes the certification stage at the end of the following summer quarter. The MEd degree will be granted after completion of the next stage of the program, which requires additional coursework and a final orals defense.

Endorsements are included in this program. Endorsements are included in a teacher’s licensure to denote which subjects and grade levels they are qualified to teach. If you plan to pursue an endorsement, it is recommended that you complete the associated coursework before beginning the MIT program.

Questions? Contact us if you have any questions or would like a sample schedule: educgrad@ewu.edu.

Curriculum & Requirements

 

Preadmissions Testing

The following must be completed for certification and the majority must be finished before admission to the MIT program:

  • Prior to admission applicants must take the WEST-B (Washington Educators Skills Test-Basic) or an approved alternative (SAT or ACT).
    • If SAT or ACT was taken, based on test date, you may be required to complete one or more sections of the West-B test.

If you have questions regarding pre-admission testing requirements, please contact educgrad@ewu.edu.

Application Requirements

  • Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited university, or evidence of achieving the degree at the end of spring semester or quarter before officially starting the MIT program in summer. 
  • A cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.
  • SAT/ACT or WEST-B score report. Consult this page (School of Education Certification – School of Education – College of Professional Programs – EWU – The Region’s Polytechnic) for more details. In general, if you have an SAT score of the year 2005 or later, you will not need to take WEST-B.
  • For MIT-Secondary Applicants: Before submitting the applications, the applicants must contact the MIT Director or Coordinator to have their undergraduate (and/or graduate, if applicable) transcripts evaluated.
    The partner departments in the endorsement content areas will do the actual evaluation and provide a prescription of courses to take as MIT prerequisites. A faculty-signed document specifying the plan is to be uploaded as part of the application.

    • Every MIT-Secondary applicant is expected to complete the prescribed courses before the MIT program starts in the summer. If the plan indicates more than two courses to take before the program officially starts in the summer, the application may be reviewed with great concerns and the applicants may be advised to reapply for the next cohort cycle. Two courses are considered to be the maximum number that the MIT candidate’s core curriculum study is not affected.
    • Those who are advised to delay their applications to the next cycle are welcome to maintain communication about their eligibility for application and admission.
  • Note: This program does not require fingerprinting for application or admission reviews. But if you are admitted, fingerprinting will be required for teaching placement in schools. If you have concerns about eligibility, please consult the MIT Director or Coordinator before submitting the application.

Application Instructions

  1. Complete bachelor’s degree and pre-admission testing.
  2. Complete the online application, choose Education: Masters of Teaching – MED
    • Upload an application letter. The letter should address the following prompts:
      1. Specify: Are you interested in teaching in the secondary school?
      2. What inspired you to pursue being an elementary teacher or a secondary teacher?
        • Reflect on the events or experiences that ignited your passion for teaching. Was there a particular moment, teacher, or learning encounter that influenced your decision to become an educator? Share that story.
      3. What drives your interest in teaching your subject?
        • If you have a specific subject area that you are passionate about, delve into why. What excites you about teaching this subject, and how do you envision imparting that knowledge to your students?
      4. What challenges have you faced in your life?
        • Reflect on personal challenges you’ve overcome. How have these experiences shaped your character, resilience, and empathy? Discuss how they inform your teaching philosophy as well as how they may potentially help you survive a challenging program like Master in Teaching.
      5. What Are Your Career Motivations?
        • Articulate your long-term goals. How do you envision your teaching career evolving? Whether it’s impacting individual students, contributing to educational policy, or fostering a love for learning, share your aspirations.
    • Upload a CV
    • Submit three or four academic or professional recommenders for letters of recommendation using the application system.
    • Request BA or BS Transcripts be sent to Eastern Washington University
    • Upload SAT/ACT or West-B score report
    • Contact the MIT Director or Coordinator to have their undergraduate (and/or graduate, if applicable) transcripts evaluated.
    • Upload endorsement content area course plan documentation signed by an EWU faculty member. Please refer to the list of reminders for the Secondary applicants above in the Application Requirements.
    • Submit application after transcripts are evaluated and the endorsement course plan has been uploaded.
    • Pay the $75 application fee.

Upon review of your admission materials, you may be invited to an online interview for further consideration in the MIT program. Upon acceptance, online orientation will begin in May.

Apply by March 2, at 5 p.m. for the Summer 2026 cohort.

If you have further questions about your application, please reach out to the MIT Director or the MIT Coordinator for clarification before submitting your application.

MIT Coordinator: Mr. Russell Pounds – rpounds@ewu.edu; p: (509) 359-2500
MIT Director: Dr. Jiawen Wang – jwang15@ewu.edu; p: (509) 359-6004

Apply Now

What You'll Learn

The following information comes from the official EWU catalog, which outlines all degree requirements and serves as the guide to earning a degree. Courses are designed to provide a well-rounded and versatile degree, covering a wide range of subject areas.

Master in Teaching (MIT): Secondary Teaching (5–12), Master of Education in Education (M.ED)

MIT Secondary Teaching (5–12) M.Ed.–earn certification + MEd: a program designed for those candidates who desire an MEd degree and a Washington residency teaching certificate for middle school, junior high, and high school.

This program is available to candidates who hold a bachelor’s degree and did not previously take teaching certification coursework and are interested in receiving both an MEd degree and a residency teaching certificate for teaching in middle school, junior high, and high school. This program requires that candidates complete the equivalent of an approved EWU content major prior to admission.

Additional Program Requirements

  • Prior to admission applicants must submit scores for the WEST-B (Washington Educators Skills Test-Basic) or an approved alternative (SAT or ACT).
  • Applicants go through a pre-approval interview process.
  • Candidates must take the relevant WEST-E or NES content test prior to student teaching.
  • Candidates will participate in a year-long clinical experience in a school.
  • All prerequisite courses must have been completed within the last 6 years.
Additional undergraduate courses must be completed for certification
EDUC 309FOUNDATIONS OF SECONDARY CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT3
EDUC 341SECONDARY STRATEGIES, MANAGEMENT, ASSESSMENT3
EDUC 413CONTENT AREA LITERACY: MANAGEMENT AND ASSESSMENT FOR SECONDARY EDUCATION CANDIDATES3
SOST 300PEOPLES AND GOVERNANCE OF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST5
SPED 363INTRODUCTION TO SPECIAL EDUCATION4
Secondary Methods Class from major department3-5
Total Credits21-23

Note: EDUC 341 and EDUC 413 have been revised to two different 4 credit hour courses effective Fall 2023.

Required Common Core
Psychological Foundations
EDUC 522TRANSFORMATION OF LEARNING AND TEACHING4
Historical, Philosophical and Social Foundations of Education (choose two)
EDUC 502HISTORY OF AMERICAN EDUCATION4
or EDUC 507 PHILOSOPHY AND ORGANIZATION OF THE AMERICAN SCHOOL
EDUC 505CURRENT ISSUES IN EDUCATION4
or EDUC 506 EDUCATIONAL SOCIOLOGY
or EDUC 500 FOUNDATIONS OF EDUCATION/MIT
Research and Applied Experience
EDUC 520METHODS OF EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH4
EDUC 600THESIS (both are variable credit–5 credit minimum)5
or EDUC 601 RESEARCH REPORT
Secondary Teaching Area Specialization
EDUC 510CURRICULUM AND ASSESSMENT4
EDUC 517THE CULTURE OF MIDDLE LEVEL SCHOOL (may be stacked with EDUC 417)3
EDUC 538MEDIA LITERACY FOR TEACHERS4
EDUC 563SCHOOL LAW (MIT)2
EDUC 695INTERNSHIP15
Total Credits49

School of Education Outcomes  

The School of Education Outcomes are taken word for word from INTASC. These outcomes must be met by all students upon completion of their degree.   

  1. The teacher candidate understands how learners grow and develop, recognizing that patterns of learning and development vary individually within and across the cognitive, linguistic, social, emotional, and physical areas, and designs and implements developmentally appropriate and challenging learning experiences. 
  2. The teacher candidate uses understanding of individual differences and diverse cultures and communities to ensure inclusive learning environments that enable each learner to meet high standards. 
  3. The teacher candidate works with others to create environments that support individual and collaborative learning, and that encourage positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self-motivation. 
  4. The teacher candidate understands the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of the discipline(s) he or she teaches and creates learning experiences that make these aspects of the discipline accessible and meaningful for learners to assure mastery of the content. 
  5. The teacher candidate understands how to connect concepts and use differing perspectives to engage learners in critical thinking, creativity, and collaborative problem solving related to authentic local and global issues. 
  6. The teacher candidate understands and uses multiple methods of assessment to engage learners in their own growth, to monitor learner progress, and to guide the teacher candidate’s and learner’s decision making. 
  7. The teacher candidate plans instruction that supports every student in meeting rigorous learning goals by drawing upon knowledge of content areas, curriculum, cross-disciplinary skills, and pedagogy, as well as knowledge of learners and the community context. 
  8. The teacher candidate understands and uses a variety of instructional strategies to encourage learners to develop deep understanding of content areas and their connections, and to build skills to apply knowledge in meaningful ways. 
  9. The teacher candidate engages in ongoing professional learning and uses evidence to continually evaluate his/her practice, particularly the effects of his/her choices and actions on others (learners, families, other professionals, and the community), and adapts practice to meet the needs of each learner. 
  10. The teacher candidate seeks appropriate leadership roles and opportunities to take responsibility for student learning, to collaborate with learners, families, colleagues, other school professionals, and community members to ensure learner growth, and to advance the profession.