Cohort Programs

What is a cohort?


Graduate academic cohorts are groupings of courses for educators interested in gaining additional skills and knowledge in a specific area. Upon completion of courses, teachers may apply to the state to have endorsements or certifications added to their teaching licenses. Cohorts are designed to assist districts with areas of critical need. Cohorts typically range from 12 to 22 students with graduate-level, catalog courses which may be used in College of Charleston master's degree programs or can be transferred to other colleges. The number of courses for each cohort varies depending on the type that is being completed. Courses can be delivered online, in-person, or hybrid during fall, spring, and/or summer terms.

Available Cohorts

The School of Education is approved to recommend for certification within their approved undergraduate and MAT programs. The Office of Professional Development works with the School of Education to offer specific course groupings (cohorts) that when completed will lead to a recommended certification area within an approved MAT program.
  • Special Education

    The Special Education Cohort consists of six courses that are approved through the SCDE to meet partial requirements for adding a Special Education Learning Disabilities certification.  In addition to coursework a minimum qualifying score(s) on the content area examination(s) is required by the State Board of Education (PRAXIS ).

    SC Department of EdcationCollege of Charleston Catalog
    Certification and Endorsement
    Type with Required Course Titles    		Course Titles

    Special Education
    Certification

    		Special Education
    Certification-Required Course
    for Certification 
    Introduction to Exceptional
    Learners/Special Education
    3 semester hours    		EDFS 501: Introduction to
    the Exceptional Child
    Characteristics of Learning Disabilities
    3 semester hours    		EDFS 520: Characteristics of Students
    with Learning Disabilities
    Teaching Reading in General
    or Special Education
    3 semester hours    		EDFS 525: Literacy Development
    and Intervention for
    Students with Disabilities
    Methods/Procedures for
    Learning Disabilities
    3 semester hours    		EDFS 528: Educational Procedures
    for Students with Learning Disabilities
    Assessment of Exceptional Learners
    3 semester hours    		EDFS 537: Educational Assessment
    for Students with Disabilities
    Behavior Management
    3 semester hours    		EDFS 550: Classroom
    and Behavior Management
    Total18 hours of cousework
    Practicum in Instruction for Students with Learning Disabilities (3 semester hours).
    The practicum may be waived with documentation of one year of
    successful experience teaching students with learning disabilities.
  • Multilingual Learner Certification

    Multilingual Learner Cohort consists of five courses that are approved through the SCDE to meet partial requirements for adding a Multilingual Learner certification. The program that includes Principles and Strategies for Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages as well as Linguistics and Assessment courses.  In addition to coursework a minimum qualifying score(s) on the content area examination(s) is required by the State Board of Education (PRAXIS ).

    SC Department of EducationC of C Catalog
    Certification and Endorsement
    Type with Required Course titles    		Course Titles
    Multilingual Learning
    Principals and Strategies for T
    eaching ESOL to PK-12 Learners    		EDFS 670 - Principles and Strategies
    for Teaching English to
    Speakers of Other
    Languages (ESOL) (K-12)*
    LinguisticsEDFS 674 EDFS 674
    Linguistics for ESOL Teachers
    Teaching Read and Writing
    to Limited English
    Proficient (LEP) Learners    		EDFS 671 EDFS 671: Teaching
    Reading and Writing to K-12
    English Speakers of
    Other Languages (ESOL)
    Two of the following Elective Courses:
    Testing/Assessment for
    Language Minority Learners    		EDFS 673 Assessing Student
    Performance OR
    ESOL Curriculum Design
    and Materials Development
    Teaching English through
    the Content Areas    		LALE 601 Applied Linguistics (3)
    Bilingual Special Education
    Second Language Acquisition
    for Teachers of PK-12 Learners
    English Grammar/Structure
    Cultural Diversity in EducationEDFS 672 Cultural Diversity
    in Education*
    Practicum in the Instruction of ESOL to
    Elementary and Secondary Learners:
    The practicum may be waived based on documentation of one
    year of successful experience teaching ESOL

    Endorsement only

    Multilingual Learners (ESOL))

    Guidelines and Requirements for Adding Certification Fields and Endorsements 

     The coursework and training related to this optional certification endorsement are intended to enhance an educator’s skills and knowledge to prepare the individual to work with students whose primary language is not English.

     Requirements to add the ESOL Endorsement by Coursework

     

    1. Bachelor’s degree or higher;  
    2. Initial, Professional, or Alternative Route certificate at the early childhood, elementary, middle, secondary, or PK–12 level; 
    3. Completion of all required coursework with an equivalent of a grade of “C” or better. 
    4. Required Courses 

     

    Cultural and Linguistic Diversity for ESOL Educators

    3 semester hours 

    This course must be designed to improve the educator’s understanding of students with diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds. The course should focus on cultural and linguistic diversity and identity with emphasis on the following topics: culturally responsive learning environment,  cultural bias, socio-economic diversity, and the home-school connection. 

    Principles and Strategies for Teaching ESOL PK–12 Learners 

    3 semester hours  

    The course must include information on identifying  ESOL students, preparing effective teachers of English language learners, using appropriate instructional and assessment strategies aligned with PK–12 English language proficiency standards, and understanding relevant laws and policies related to services and instruction provided to English language learners. 

    Practicum in ESOL

    Fifteen (15) hours of practicum hours are required. The practicum hours must include experiences working directly with students whose primary language is not English and may be embedded in the coursework listed above.

  • Project-Based Learning

    The Project-Based Learning (PBL) Cohort consists of three courses which include Introduction to PBL, Applications of PBL in Curriculum and Instruction as well as a Practicum in PBL. Upon completion of the approved courses, participants can petition the state to add the Project Based Learning endorsement to their certificate.

    in leu of coursework, a waiver and certification endorsement in Project-based Learning granted for completion of a comprehensive, extended sequence of professional learning opportunities approved by the SCDE.

    SC Department of EdcationCollege of Charleston Catalog
    Certification and Endorsement
    Type with Required Course Titles    		Course Titles
    PBL State Endorsement Requirements
    Introduction to PBLMTLA 671:Introduction to PBL
    Applications of PBL in
    Curriculum and Instruction    		MTLA 672: Applications of PBL in
    Curriculum and Instruction
    Practicum in PBLMTLA 674:Practicum in PBL
    Total9 hours of cousework
  • Teacher Leader Endorsement

    The Teacher Leader Endorsement cohort consisits of three SCDE approved courses to help meet the requirements for gaining the Teacher Leader endorsement.  In addition to 9 credit hours of coursework there is also 36 practicum hours that are required.  These hours can be embeded within the 3 approved course offerings.  Upon completion of the approved courses and practicum, participants can petition the state to add the Teacher Leader endorsement to their certificate.

    SC Department of EdcationCollege of Charleston Catalog

    Certification and Endorsement
    Type with Required Course Titles

    Course Titles

     Teacher Leadership Endorsement 

    Professional Leadership in
    Mentoring    		MTLA 606: Teacher as Member of the
    Professional Community
    or EDFS 630 Introduction to
    Education Supervision 
    Curriculum and Introduction MTLA 668: Curriculum: Foundations,
    Principles, Issues, and Applications
    or EDEE 667 Curriculum Theory and Applications
    Assessments and Data AnalysisEDEE 610: Integrating Assessment
    and Instruction or
    EDEE 615: Assessment in Student Learning 
    Practicum in Teacher LeadershipThe 36 hours will be
    embedded across courses.
    Total9 hours of cousework with 36 hours
    embedded across courses
  • Teaching Children of Poverty

    The Teaching Children of Poverty endorsement consisits of successful completion of 2 course  - Class, Race, and Gender in Education and Linguistic and Cultural Diversity in Education or Meeting the Needs of Diverse Learners in P-12 Schools and Classrooms (Please see below for alternative approved courses).  Upon successful completion of coursework, participants can petition the state for adding Teaching Children of Poverty Endorsement to their certificate.

    SC Department of EdcationCollege of Charleston Catalog

    Certification and Endorsement
    Type with Required Course Titles

    Course Titles

    Teacher Leadership Endorsement  

    Living in PovertyMTLA 601: Class, Race,
    and Gender in Education
    One of the following:
    * Language, Literacy and Poverty
    OR *Teaching and Assessing Children of Poverty
    OR *Home, Community and Classroom
    Partnerships in High Poverty Areas    		One of the following:
    EDFS 672: Linguistic and Cultural
    Diversity in Education
    OR MTLA 711: Meeting the Needs of
    Diverse Learners in P-12 Schools and Classrooms
    Total6 hours

Cost Per Credit Hour

The cost of College of Charleston Cohort Courses per credit hour:

  • $574 (without discount)
  • $358.75 (within cohort)