Elementary Mathematics Leadership Certificate

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Graduate Study at USI >> Pott College of Science, Engineering, and Education

812-465-7024

18 Credit hours

The Elementary Mathematics Leadership certificate is designed to prepare teachers to serve in leadership, instructional support, and professional development roles at the elementary level. The program is open to individuals who have taught mathematics in grades K-12 and wish to impact the mathematics learning of students and teachers at the elementary level. The program is will be housed in USI’s Mathematical Sciences department, and course delivery will be online.

Students who complete the certificate will be prepared to seek licensure as an Elementary Mathematics Specialist (EMS). EMSs take on diverse roles in schools and school districts. EMSs may work as classroom teachers who focus on mathematics instruction, mathematics interventionalists, grade-level or school-level mathematics leaders, mathematics coaches, professional development providers, or district-level mathematics coordinators. They may work directly with students, with teachers, or with both populations.

The curriculum includes courses designed to expand learners’ content knowledge of mathematics needed to teach at the elementary level, including 1) number sense and operations, 2) rational numbers and proportional reasoning, 3) algebraic reasoning, 4) geometry and measurement, and 5) data analysis. Pedagogical themes will be incorporated throughout these five courses, including mathematical process standards, mathematical learners and learning, teaching mathematics, elementary mathematics curriculum, and assessment for learning mathematics. A sixth course will focus on leadership knowledge and skills, including how to facilitate collaborative learning opportunities for teachers, planning professional development programs for teachers, and evaluating structures and policies that impact access to equitable mathematics instruction. This course will include a clinical practice experience under the direction of a school leader responsible for instructional support.

Graduate Certificate Requirements

Credit hours earned for a certificate may be applied toward another degree program.
Coursework taken more than 7 years before the certificate is awarded may not be applied toward certificate requirements.
Students earning a graduate certificate are not eligible to participate in commencement exercises, but the credential will be added to their official transcript record.

Graduate Studies Admission Criteria and Application Process

Refer to the Admission section of the bulletin for information about Graduate Studies admission criteria and the online application process.

Required Courses (18 hours)

MATH 651 - Teaching and Learning Number and Operations Credits: 3
MATH 652 - Teaching and Learning Rational Numbers & Proportional Reasoning Credits: 3
MATH 653 - Teaching and Learning Algebraic Reasoning Credits: 3
MATH 654 - Teaching and Learning Geometry & Measurement Credits: 3
MATH 661 - Mathematics Teacher Leadership Credits: 3
STAT 655 - Teaching and Learning Data Analysis Credits: 3