Program Description
Programs leading to the Certificate of Advance Graduate Study (C.A.G.S.) are available to educators seeking an opportunity to qualify for leadership positions in Special Education, Curriculum, and Administrative career fields. The program is designed for both full-time and part-time study. It is structured to meet the needs of working professionals, as well as to prepare the qualified full-time student for a leadership position.
Program Requirements
The C.A.G.S. program consists of a program of thirty-three (33) semester hours of approved graduate study beyond the completion of the Master’s degree. All courses in the C.A.G.S. must be at the “600” level. Courses previously completed for a master’s degree may not be repeated for C.A.G.S. credit. Transfer of credit-courses taken beyond the Master’s degree at accredited colleges and universities (maximum of six (6) semester hours) may be included in the C.A.G.S. program of study, if approved by the advisor. Advanced Standing Graduate courses (600 level) taken beyond the Master’s Degree at Westfield State University may be submitted for evaluation.
The Research Based Field Experience which carries six (6) semester hours of credit is intended as the culminating activity which provides an opportunity to demonstrate expertise in analyzing and solving a significant project in the student’s field. The Research Based Field Experience (description follows) is the culminating experience of a student’s Certificate of Advanced Study program and replaces the Comprehensive Examination.
Academic Advising
Upon admission into a C.A.G.S. program, each student is required to prepare a program of study with his/her advisor. The study program will include:
- Prerequisites which the area of concentration may require;
- Required core courses;
- A planned program of courses necessary for competency in the field of concentration;
- Elective courses.
The program of study must have student and advisor signatures. The Coordinator of Graduate Records will circulate the program of study for the signature of the department chair and graduate Dean. The original will then be placed in your file, a copy sent to your advisor and the third copy sent to you.
The signed Program of Study form must be on file within your first semester of study after acceptance. Advance approval from your advisor is required for any and all changes to the Program of Study and must be in writing. These approved changes must then be filed with the Graduate Office. Advisors are not responsible for their advisees meeting Graduate School regulations and deadlines. You are personally responsible for knowing all college rules and regulations, as well as your program requirements.
Research Based Field Experience/Research Based Internship
This culminating experience is intended for experienced educators who have completed at least l8 semester hours of the C.A.G.S. Program. With the approval of the advisor, the student develops a significant problem for research and study. The student makes a careful study of the problem and prepares a two-part paper on the problem. Part one of the paper is a discussion of the problem with emphasis on probable causes and effective approaches for control or solution. Part two is a proposal for applying the recommended methods in an actual school setting.
Thus, the field experience is chosen to provide a testing ground for the research on the problem. The field experience takes place in a real school situation where the problem exists. Of course, the full cooperation of the school administration and faculty is essential. To be successful, the field experience must be perceived as beneficial to all concerned – the school, the faculty, the administration as well as the C.A.G.S. student.
The student is expected to consult the advisor while engaged in the field experience. The student will prepare a written report and is required to provide bound copies of the preliminary study and field experience for each of the following: Westfield State University Department of Education, Office of the Graduate Dean, Westfield State University Library, and the school where the field experience took place.
Requirements for Field Experience
- Completion of at least 18 s.h. of coursework for the concentration prior to beginning the study;
- Submission and approval of the proposed experience on the “Application and Approval” form available in the Graduate Studies Office;
- Completion of the experience is not more than two semesters.
