Secondary Education Certificate

Maine Maritime Academy, in a cooperative effort with the University of Maine (UM), announces a program by which MMA Marine Biology and Marine Science majors can obtain a secondary education teaching certificate to teach the biological, environmental, and physical sciences at the high school level.

The program provides two avenues to achieve this goal:

1. Undergraduate Option - In your sophomore year at MMA, begin a program of study by which you can complete the required education courses as part of MMA's Bachelor of Science program. Upon successful completion of the education (professional) courses and graduation you will be positioned to seek conditional certification through individual transcript review. With conditional certification, you are permitted to teach for one year. Upon successful completion of this, your student teaching requirement will be waived.

What you need to do to participate in the undergraduate program:

Enroll in EDB 202 Schools, Students and Society, and EDB 221 Educational Psychology and obtain a grade of C- or higher.
Successful scores on the PRAXIS 1 Examination.
Overall GPA of 2.5
Develop and submit for approval a teaching portfolio.
Have the recommendation of the Ocean Studies Review Committee.

2. Graduate Option- Upon graduation from MMA's Marine Science program, (but did not take the professional courses as an undergraduate), you may be preferentially admitted to UM for either the Master of Art in Teaching (MAT) or the traditional M.Ed. program in Environmental Science Education. Both lead to teacher certification upon completion. The MAT program is an intensive one-year program. The M.Ed. program is not as intensive and can be completed in as few as one and one-half years to as many as six years.

What to do to participate in the graduate program:

Apply to the UM program by February 1 of your senior year.
Graduate from MMA with a degree in Marine Science and a minimum GPA of 2.5.
Meet all graduate admission requirements at UM, including the Graduate Record Exam or the Miller Analogies Test.
Successfully pass the PRAXIS 1 and PRAXIS 2 exams.
Have successfully worked with children in teaching/learning environments.
Have the recommendation of the Ocean Studies Review Committee.

Questions & Answers:

During my time at MMA do I need to take any special courses?
If you are an undergraduate you must complete the Marine Science degree and the professional courses outlined above. If you wish to enter the graduate program, no special courses are required. You need only graduate with a degree in Marine Science. Certain science courses are required for certification, but the required courses for the Marine Science major satisfy these requirements.

Would some kind of experience in teaching/instruction be beneficial to be selected for the programs?
Applicants for the graduate program are required to have experience working with children. Undergraduate students are encouraged to work with children before entering the program as it will be looked upon favorably by the review committee. This work can be accomplished through a number of jobs, such as camp counselor, volunteer in K-12 school, work with Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, etc.

What is the purpose of the Ocean Studies Review Committee?
Each year UM will reserve at least three spaces in the undergraduate program and two spaces in the graduate program for MMA students. It is the job of the review committee to assure that these spots are filled by students who show the potential to succeed as teachers. Students who wish to be teachers should have a passion for teaching and have good ethics and morals. The Review Committee will consider this, academic records and other appropriate criteria in making their selections.

Can I still be recommended by the Ocean Studies Review Committee if I am not one of the top two or three students applying for the program?
UM will reserve more than two spaces in the program in any give year if space or strength of candidates warrants. In that case you may be recommended.

Where will I take the professional courses if I am enrolled in the undergraduate program?
All of the courses are offered on the UM Orono campus as day sessions and as once a week night classes. Courses are offered at UM in the summer and some of the professional courses are offered at the University of Maines Hutchinson Center in Belfast. Occasionally professional courses may be offered on the MMA campus. By using a combination of these options you can complete the professional courses while taking classes at MMA.

If I am enrolled in the undergraduate program, how will I pay for the professional courses?
All financial matters will be handled by MMA.

Can I use my financial aid to pay for summer courses?
Yes.

Will the credits I earn at UM be the same as those taken at MMA?
Yes. UM will send your grades to MMA. Your MMA transcript will show these grades, and the grades will be used in calculating your MMA QPA.

What are the PRAXIS exams and where do I take them?
There are three PRAXIS exams, each is designed to evaluate different skills required for teaching.

PRAXIS 1 is for those entering a teacher training program and assesses academic skills.
PRAXIS 2 is for those entering the teaching profession and is an assessment of knowledge in a subject area.
PRAXIS 3 is to assess classroom performance in the first year of teaching.

The PRAXIS tests are administered by the Educational Testing Service.They are offered at sites throughout the country. The closest site to Castine is the University of Maine at Orono. Visit the PREXIS Exam web site to check out the dates the tests are administered, cost, how to register, tips for taking the test, etc.

Who can I contact for more information about the program? The Maine Maritime Academy liaison is:

Lauren Sahl
Marine Science/TeachingCertification Program
Corning School of Ocean Studies
Maine Maritime Academy
Castine, Maine 04420
Phone: 207 326-2393
lsahl@mma.edu

Secondary Education Certificate

Have a question?