Section 1: General Information

FDU School of Education Administration

Director: Dr. Vicki Cohen

Associate Director: Dr. Teresa Montani

Deputy Director:

Mr. Daniel Aronoff

Director of Community College Partnerships: Dr. Vito Germinario

Director of Instructional Technology: Mr. Allen Debren

Director of Teacher Certification: Mr. Vincent Martone

Office Hours:

The University and School of Education office are open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

In summer, offices are open Monday through Thursday.

Campus Safety operates 24 hours a day 7 days a week.

Office Personnel:

Office Locations:  

Bancroft Hall 2^nd and 3^rd Floors (Metro)

Mansion Courtyard (Florham)        

FDU and School of Education (SOE) Policies: 

The following information is attached to every syllabus.  You are responsible for familiarizing yourself with FDU and SOE policies as well as any instructor-specific policies that appear in a particular syllabus.

Attendance

• Students are required to attend class, arrive on time and participate in all courses for which they are enrolled.  Class attendance and participation are essential to academic progress.  Individual instructors may include class participation in the determination of the final grade.  Each instructor will announce his or her grading policies at the beginning of the semester in each course, making clear the weight to be given to participation in grade determination.  (FDU policy)
• The School of Education’s Policy Committee met and suggested the following for graduate classes which meet for 15 sessions:
• Attendance is required in all our classes
• 3 absences, grade drops by a half a grade
• 4 absences, grade drops by one full grade
• 5 absences, the student fails or withdraws from the class

FDU Academic Integrity Policy

• Students enrolled at Fairleigh Dickinson University are expected to maintain the highest standards of academic honesty. Students have the responsibility to each other to make known the existence of academic dishonesty to their course instructor, and then, if necessary, the department chairperson or the academic dean of their College. Course instructors have the added responsibility to state in advance in their syllabi any special policies and procedures concerning examinations and other academic exercises specific to their courses. Students should request this information if not distributed by the instructor.
• Academic dishonesty includes, but is not necessarily limited to, the following:
• Cheating—Giving or receiving unauthorized assistance in any academic exercise or examination. Using or attempting to use any unauthorized materials, information or study aids in an examination or academic exercise.
• Plagiarism—Representing the ideas or language of others as one’s own.
• Falsification—Falsifying or inventing any information, data or citation in an academic exercise.
• Multiple Submission—Submitting substantial portions of any academic exercise more than once for credit without the prior authorization and approval of the current instructor.
• Complicity—Facilitating any of the above actions or performing work that another student then presents as his or her assignment.
• Interference—Interfering with the ability of a student to perform his or her assignments.
• Sanctions: Any student found guilty of academic dishonesty will, for the first offense, receive one or a combination of the following penalties:
• No Credit (0) or Failure for the academic exercise.
• Reduced grade for the course.
• A Failure in the course that is identified on the student’s permanent record card as permanent and cannot be removed.
• Recommendation for academic probation to the Dean’s Office. In cases of interference and complicity, when the student is not registered in the affected course, the incident may be recorded on the student’s permanent record card. In any case, the incident and penalty will be recorded in the student’s file maintained in the campus Office of Enrollment Services. For a second offense of academic dishonesty, a student will be subject to any combination of the above sanctions and, with concurrence of the academic dean, one of the following:
• Suspension from the University for one year. Readmission will be contingent upon the approval of the academic dean.
• Dismissal from the University.

(from Student Handbook http://inside.fdu.edu  Fall 2004)

Graduate Programs – Grading and similar policies

Grades:

• Weighted grades:  A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, and F.  (Grades of C- or D are not acceptable grades in graduate programs.)  The minimum passing grade for the graduate programs is a C.
• Incompletes (not a grade but a temporary status):  STUDENTS HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO COMPLETE ALL WORK IN A COURSE IN THE PRESCRIBED TERM.  A student has the added responsibility to notify the course instructor of circumstances that will prevent the student from completing the required coursework on time.  An incomplete should be given only in exceptional or emergency circumstances at the discretion of, and after consultation with, the instructor.  The students will have through the third week of the next full semester (fall or spring) to complete the requirement for the course or the incomplete automatically will change to a failure.  If appropriate, the instructor can request an extension of the incomplete, which requires the approval of the school director and the college dean.
• Change of Letter Grades:  “No instructor shall change a grade from one letter grade to another based upon submission by the student of additional work unless the same opportunity has been made to all other students in the class.”  A change of grade is always legitimate and appropriate when the recorded grade is the result of an error by any university employee.
• Repeat Courses:  If a graduate student repeats a course, both grades remain on the transcript and are averaged in the cumulative grade-point-ratio (GPA).  The student will earn credit for one course.
• Degree Requirements and Academic Probation
• The School of Education requires a minimum grade-point-ratio of 2.75 (3.25 for the MA in Learning Disabilities) for graduation. 
• Students who receive two or more grades of C in graduate coursework will be warned, and if they do not demonstrate improvement in their academic performance they will be asked to withdraw.
• Retention in the MAT program is contingent on maintaining a minimum grade-point-ratio of 3.00 (3.25 for the MA in Learning Disabilities).
• A graduate program of study must be completed within a period of five years from the time the student first registers for graduate study.

Undergraduate Programs – Grading and similar policies

Grades

• Weighted grades:  A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D, and F. The minimum passing grade for the undergraduate programs is a D. 
• Incompletes (not a grade but a temporary status):  STUDENTS HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO COMPLETE ALL WORK IN A COURSE IN THE PRESCRIBED TERM.  A student has the added responsibility to notify the course instructor of circumstances that will prevent the student from completing the required coursework on time.  An incomplete should be given only in exceptional or emergency circumstances at the discretion of, and after consultation with, the instructor.  The students will have through the third week of the next full semester (fall or spring) to complete the requirement for the course or the incomplete automatically will change to a failure.  If appropriate, the instructor can request an extension of the incomplete, which requires the approval of the school director and the college dean.
• Change of Letter Grades:  “No instructor shall change a grade from one letter grade to another based upon submission by the student of additional work unless the same opportunity has been made to all other students in the class.”  A change of grade is always legitimate and appropriate when the recorded grade is the result of an error by any university employee.
• Repeated Courses:  If an undergraduate student repeats a course, both grades remain on the transcript but only the last earned grade will be computed in the cumulative grade-point ratio.  The student will earn the credit associated with the grade received in the last repeated course.
• Degree Requirements and Academic Probation:
• In general, a student must earn a minimum 2.00 GPR (GPA) for graduation.  The School of Education, however, requires a minimum undergraduate grade-point-ratio of 3.00 for acceptance and retention in the QUEST program.  If a full-time student’s semester GPR (or part-time student in blocks of twelve credits) is between 2.75 and 3.00, the student will be continued in the QUEST program for one additional semester.  Students will not be retained in the QUEST program if their CGPR falls below 2.75.
• QUEST students who receive two or more grades of C in MAT courses will be placed on probation.  If they do not demonstrate improvement in their MAT coursework they will be removed from the program.
• An undergraduate program of study must be completed within a period of ten years.

Student Academic Services

• The University attempts to meet the needs of all students with special needs.  The Office of the Dean of Students coordinates, through appropriate campus offices, services that would provide reasonable accommodations for students with special needs.
• If special accommodations are required, contact the dean of students as early in the semester as possible to that appropriate arrangements can be made.

Policy on course completion

• In order to maintain matriculation status, students must register consecutively for the fall and spring semesters.  If consecutive registration is not maintained, students must reapply to the Admissions Office.
• A leave of absence allows students to interrupt their graduate studies if necessary.  Please see the Student Handbook for specific details. 

Student responsibilities regarding fulfilling course requirements

The following represents the MAT committee’s policy regarding student responsibility in fulfilling course requirements:

It is expected that students enrolled in courses and programs in the FDU SOE take a proactive stance in assuring that they meet the requirements to fulfill all courses necessary for certification and/or their respective program in the correct sequence and in a timely fashion.  This means that it is the student’s responsibility to meet regularly with his or her advisor, to line up a sequence of courses and a time frame for completion, to make sure that all check sheets are updated regularly and are current, and to make sure that all documentation such as resumes, transcripts, and Praxis reports are on file.  While the SOE faculty will make every effort to smooth the path for the student and to keep accurate records, it is ultimately the responsibility of the student to ensure that he or she has completed the necessary paperwork and courses for certification and/or graduation.

Picking up graded papers:  Students are requested to pick up all of their papers from their professors (or the Quest office in Madison) within the first 3 weeks of the new semester.  All work not retrieved by the end of these 3 weeks will be discarded.

Technology and Communication

New students are provided with instructions for the creation of FDU WebMail accounts upon their first enrollment at the university.  Most new students already have at least one email account, and many people today feel that they have too many email accounts, however, it is imperative that students in SOE Programs initiate these accounts which are key to accessing other online services and information at the university as follows:

• WebCampus: Also known as Blackboard, this is the platform for delivery of online and blended courses at FDU.  Students enrolled in such courses are required to have WebMail accounts, however, even courses delivered traditionally utilize Blackboard functions.  In order to assure that all necessary course documents are accessible both for students and faculty, an FDU WebMail account is required. Through Webcampus, students can download course syllabi and related course materials that they might need during classes.

• WebAdvisor: This account is generated based on an FDU WebMail account and provides the online features and functions listed below:
• Financial Aid information
• Communication
• E-mail My Advisor(s)
• FDU Alert (see next section for details)
• Registration
• Search for Sections
• Course Booklets  
• My class schedule
• Registration Holds
• Academic Profile
• Grades
• Grade Point Average by Term
• Transcript
• Program Evaluation
• Test Summary
• My class schedule
• My profile



 

• Webmail: This is our main means of communicating quickly with the student body.  If there is an emergency and a class is cancelled, WebMail is one way that the announcement will be made.  Even during breaks from classes, we might want to use WebMail to contact students.  It is very important for students to check their FDU WebMail on a regular basis.

Instructions for Connecting to the FDU Network: 

Please go to this link: http://isweb.fdu.edu/perfigo/network.html

Resident Students

Students who live on-campus might need to download FDU’s Symantec Antivirus Corporate Edition software before they get access to FDU’s network. For more information, please go to:

http://isweb.fdu.edu/computing/resident_computer.html

If students have more technological problems, they might contact at FDU’s Computer Service through the FDU Technical Assistance Center (UTAC):

• Via Phone at 973.443.UTAC (University Technical Assistance Center) or 973.443.8822.
• From The College at Florham by dialing the digits 8822.
• From The Metropolitan Campus by dialing #8822.
• Via email at FDUTAC@fdu.edu
• Via the self service web portal from here.
• First time users can login using their 7 digit University ID and the default password of Passw0rd which should be changed at first login.

FDU Alert

Fairleigh Dickinson University (FDU) now has the ability to send email, SMS (cell phone) text messages and voice messages quickly to its students, faculty and staff using the Verizon Notification Service (VNS). VNS provides the technology to rapidly mass broadcast health, safety and informational messages to keep the FDU community informed and safe in times of emergency and other urgent situations. Examples of unforeseen events and disruptions include snow days, floods, power outages, campus incidents and major schedule changes. Find the form at: http://webadvisor.fdu.edu/

Advisement and Registration

The SOE offers a wide variety of programs for a broad population of students, undergraduate through graduate levels.  Most of these programs involve state certification approvals. Therefore the program requirements tend to be somewhat strict. While advisement procedures may differ from one program to another, there are some general rules:

1. You should know the name of the program in which you are enrolled. This information is communicated in your acceptance letter.
2. Your admissions documents will usually include the name of your assigned faculty advisor.  You should know the advisor’s name as well.
3. You should contact your assigned advisor prior to your first semester of study.  Some advisors will want to meet with you personally at least for your initial registration (subsequent registrations depend on the program.  In some programs, phone or email advisement can replace personal appointments and online registration is encouraged).  At your first advisement session, you will be informed of the specific arrangements for your program.

How to make an appointment for advisement(Please follow the steps)

1. Contact your advisor and ask when he/she is available for an appointment.
2. Choose a time when the advisor is available.
3. Request an appointment at the time you have chosen.
4. Check for a confirmation of the appointment.

For detailed registration information, please see Section 2.

Following your course of study

Status:

• Full-time vs. Part-time:  Student status shall be determined by the number of credits per fall or spring semester. Full-time status means enrollment for 12 credits at undergraduate level or 9 credits at graduate level. The only exception to this regulation is for a student in the final semester before graduation needing fewer than 12 (undergraduate) or 9 (graduate) credits to graduate. All international students whose status is F-1 (student) or J-1 (exchange visitor) are required to maintain full time status at all times. According to immigration and naturalization regulations, failure to maintain full-time status jeopardizes a student’s legal stay in the United States and subjects the student to deportation. If an international student in his/her final semester registers for fewer than the required credits, he/she must contact the Office of International Student Service for approval to drop below full-time status. Consult with the Financial Aid Office or the University bulletin for the definition of full-time status for the purpose of determining financial-aid eligibility.

Non-degree /Non-matriculated vs. matriculated:

• Non-degree Students

A student who wishes to enroll for credit courses without matriculating for a degree may apply as a non-degree student. The applicant must file a Fairleigh Dickinson University Part-time and Adult Application for Undergraduate Admissions with the $40.00 nonrefundable fee and a copy of a college transcript or high school diploma or the equivalent. Students admitted under this status generally fall into the following categories:

1. Students who need additional courses to satisfy admissions requirements to professional and graduate schools.
2. Students who intend to apply for a degree program but are unable to provide all the required documentation prior to registration for classes.
3. Students who wish to take courses for professional development and/or personal enrichment.
4. Superior students who have completed the sophomore year in secondary school and who wish to enroll in a limited number of regular University courses. These students must have written approval from their secondary school guidance counselor, principal or headmaster. Contact the Undergraduate Admissions Office for the appropriate forms.
5. Applicants currently on the roster of another college, who must present a Visiting Student Application Form.

Non-degree students are expected to maintain good academic standing, i.e., a minimum 2.00 grade point ratio. Upon completion of 16 credit intervals, eligibility to continue as a non-degree student will be determined. A non-degree student who wishes to change to degree candidate status must fulfill all the University’s matriculation standards.

• Non-matriculated: Students may register for up to 9 credits in a graduate degree granting program as non-matriculated students.  Continuation in the program beyond that point requires matriculation.
• Maintenance of Matriculation Status

In order to maintain matriculation status, students must register consecutively for the fall and spring semesters.  If consecutive registration is not maintained, students must reapply to the Admissions Office. The matriculation maintenance fee is $100.00 per semester for the master’s program.

• certified: In SOE Programs, the term “certified” refers tograduate studentswho hold:
• A standard New Jersey teaching license or a CEAS (Certificate of Eligibility with Advanced Standing).
• A standard teaching license from a state with which New Jersey has reciprocity*.

* Check with your advisor if you are not sure of the reciprocity agreement between NJ and your certification state.

Checksheets

Every program has a checksheet.  You should have a copy of your own checksheet.  This is your course of study.  Variations and substitutions for the courses listed must be approved by your advisor (additional authorizations are sometimes required).  In order to qualify for the certification or degree you are pursuing, you must follow your course of study very strictly and check with your advisor on a regular basis as you progress through your program.

Benchmarks

In some programs there are there are points beyond which you may not go without having met a particular benchmark.  Often this will result in a hold on your registration that can be cleared only when both SOE and Enrollment Services receive validation that you have completed the necessary exam/course/documentation, and your advisor has authorized your continuation in the program.  This frequently involves appearing on campus even though you might normally register online and be taking online courses.  There are some courses for which online registration is not available.  If you have a problem registering online for a course, the reason might be that you have reached a benchmark and thus must appear in person on campus.

Certification Programs

Certification programs are state-approved and related requirements are state-mandated.   Even if it is not required in your program, it is a good idea to touch base with your advisor before registering for a semester to be sure that you are registering for the correct course(s).                                                   

Completing your Program

When you are about to register for your final semester, you must meet with your advisor.  There are several checks in place to make sure that you have followed your program of study accurately.  One of these is a face-to-face meeting with your advisor to affirm that you have met the requirements on your checksheet. 

Application for graduation:

When you register for your final semester, you should also apply for graduation.  Your transcript will be audited and program completion validated as a result.  Degrees are not issued automatically.  It is your responsibility to apply for graduation at the end of your program. 

Section 2:  Programs

QUEST & BA/MAT Programs: 

The QUEST Program -- the only one of its kind in New Jersey -- has received widespread recognition for its five-year combined degree design. This unique program provides students the opportunity to pursue professional studies for teacher preparation leading to state teacher licensure while earning a bachelor's degree in a liberal arts or science major and a Master's of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) degree.

QUEST ADVISEMENT PROCEDURES:

1. All students should schedule their appointments.
2. All students should schedule an appointment at least once each semester.
3. For registration purposes, all students should bring copies of a current transcript and check sheet which should be attached to the advisement record.

Advisors: Undergrad QUEST & BA/MAT Programs-Metro & Florham 

 Program Director: Dr. Miriam Singer   singer@fdu.edu   (201) 692-2853

Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) Program

The Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) is a graduate program in teacher preparation for individuals who have a baccalaureate degree in the liberal arts or sciences and a desire to enter the teaching profession. This program is designed to build upon a sound undergraduate academic foundation, as well as the student’s other educational and work-related experiences, to provide an efficient path to state teacher licensure. The program is rigorous in its curriculum and expectations, yet flexible in its scheduling to meet the needs of the graduate student who typically must balance formal coursework with other demands.

            Apprenticeship Teaching Model

            Practicum Model      

MAT ADVISEMENT PROCEDURES

Initial registration.

After meeting with an advisor, the newly admitted MAT students will complete the paper registration form, submit it to the advisor for a signature and then submit the form to enrollment services

Advisement- Every student in the MAT program will be assigned an advisor with whom he/she is to map out his/her initial program of study and with whom to confer as they progress though the program.

Advisors MAT:

Program Director: Dr. Carol Karpinski   karpin@fdu.edu   (201) 692-2838

Learning Disabilities

MA Learning Disabilities and Special Ed Certification

Program Director: Dr. Teresa Montani   montani@fdu.edu   (201) 692-2084

• Learning Disabilities/New Jersey State Certification as Teacher of Students with Disabilities (K-12) or Certification as Learning Disabilities Teacher Consultant
• Master of Arts in Learning Disabilities and Learning Disabilities Teacher Consultant Certification
• Master of Arts in Learning Disabilities and Certification as Teacher of Students with Disabilities
• Learning Disabilities Teacher Consultant New Jersey State Certification (LDTC)
• Teacher of Students with Disabilities State Certification

Master of Arts for in Education for Certified Teachers (MACT) Programs

The Master of Arts (M.A.) in Education for Certified Teachers is designed to address the knowledge and competencies required for teachers to meet the professional demands in today’s schools, including:

• a command of the most current knowledge and educational research;
• content knowledge and expertise in curriculum, instruction and assessment;
• educational leadership skills to support collaborative efforts to improve schools and student learning; and 4) human relations skills to optimize their interactions with students, colleagues, parents, and other members of the school community.

The M.A. in Education for Certified Teachers (MACT) is a 36-credit program that allows teachers to pursue a specialization while attaining their master’s degree. This program is unique in that teachers will graduate with a Certificate in their area of specialization, and a New Jersey Supervisor License.

Advisors: Master of Arts for Certified Teachers

Program Director: Dr. Ellen Campbell   ellen_campbell@fdu.edu   (201) 692-2865

Master of Arts in Multilingual Education

U.S. Residentsand Citizens

This degree is designed for:

• In-service teachers of foreign language, English, English as a Second Language who want to pursue a Master's degree.
• It provides opportunity for exploration of several dimensions of language instruction, including psycholinguistics and second-language learning, cultural and psychological aspects of language acquisition, theories and instructional systems of language teaching, computer-managed language instruction and performance criteria as applied to language instruction.

International Students

This degree is designed for:

• International students who want to teach English in their own countries.
• It provides opportunity for exploration of several dimensions of language instruction, including psycholinguistics and second-language learning, cultural and psychological aspects of language acquisition, theories and instructional systems of language teaching, computer-managed language instruction and performance criteria as applied to language instruction.

Advisors: Multilingual MA                                     

Rosemary Rowlands   rowlands@fdu.edu   (201) 692-2079

Dr. Liliane Gaffney   liliane@fdu.edu   (201) 692-2762

Educational Leadership

                    Program Director: Dr.Carl Schavio   schavio@fdu.edu   (201) 692-2831

ADVISEMENT PROCEDURES: Online Registration

Students are expected to register for classes in the Educational Leadership program by using the online registration resource Web Advisor. Students must obtain their SOE advisor’s approval by phone or via email in order to register for Educational Leadership/School of Education courses.

Dyslexia Specialist Certificate/Orton Gillingham 

                        Dr. Mary Farrell   farrell@fdu.edu   (201) 692 2816 / 2298