Spend an Academic Year in a Classroom While Getting Your Degree
Through our affiliation with six independent and three public schools in Massachusetts, you have the opportunity to connect new knowledge to practice in a field-based M.Ed. leading to initial licensure in Early Childhood, Elementary, Middle School, or Special Education.
Participate actively in all aspects of school and classroom life, including curriculum development, working with students and parents, and other school activities.
Key program information for the Collaborative Internship M.Ed. programs:
- Program length is 14 months, starting and ending in summer
- Students must apply first to the participating school and then, upon acceptance, their application materials will be forwarded to Lesley for review. The exception is the Shady Hill program, for which students must apply to Shady Hill and Lesley at the same time. For more information, contact Graduate and Adult Bachelor’s Admissions. Participating Schools.
- Program prerequisite: Bachelor’s degree from accredited college or university. Middle school subject-specific applicants must have an undergraduate degree or equivalent in the chosen field or have passed the appropriate MA Tests for Education Licensure subject test. Students currently in undergraduate school may apply but must have obtained their Bachelor’s degree by the time they begin their program
- Classes held at Lesley’s Cambridge, MA, campus and the participating school site
Program areas include:
Early Childhood
Our Early Childhood program is designed to prepare outstanding and nurturing professionals who have a sound understanding of children's development; consists of courses that emphasize inclusion of all children, with and without disabilities; and prepares teachers who can translate their knowledge into effective classroom practices. View the Early Childhood program page.
Elementary Education
The Elementary Education program is designed for students with undergraduate degrees in the liberal arts and sciences, to help them develop the professional knowledge, skills, and dispositions they will need to respond effectively to children in elementary school. It incorporates Lesley's commitment to inclusive classrooms and prepares teachers who can effectively integrate theory and practice. View the Elementary Education program page.
Middle School
Lesley's Middle School program is built upon the premise that teachers who work with early adolescents should have a distinct professional preparation program that focuses exclusively on the needs of this age group. The program incorporates innovative approaches to middle school structure and emphasizes the importance of creating appropriate school environments, curricula, and classroom teaching strategies that best support the intellectual, emotional, and social growth of early adolescents. View the Middle School program page.
Special Education
Moderate Disabilities: Master of Education Leading to Initial Teacher Licensure in Teacher of Students with Moderate Disabilities (PreK-8, 5-12)
The Moderate Disabilities program seeks to educate reflective practitioners who develop age-appropriate strategies for educating students with disabilities in the least restrictive environment. Courses focus on current issues in special education, including special education law, nondiscriminatory assessment, access to the academic curriculum for all students, issues of cultural and linguistic diversity, new technologies, and collaboration with families and service providers.
Severe Disabilities: Master of Education Leading to Initial Teacher Licensure in Teacher of Students with Severe Disabilities (All Levels)
Coursework addresses topics associated with intellectual and developmental disabilities and emphasizes meeting the academic, social and emotional needs of children and young adults with severe special needs, including many unique, low-incidence disabilities. Although not a prerequisite, this program is recommended for professionals with at least one year of related experience. View the Special Education program page.
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"Having the opportunity to gain hands-on experience teaching in a classroom setting is an invaluable component to the Lesley University Collaborative programs." - Amy Perkins, Intern, Brookwood School
"As schools of education are pressured to re-tool themselves, and as policy makers set up accelerated programs that churn out new teachers in a matter of weeks, Shady Hill represents something of a third way of thinking about teacher preparation... experience in the classroom here isn't just part of the training, it's the core." Jeffrey Archer, Education Week, February 27, 2002