Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Education, MA with Bilingual Education Specialist Endorsement
Introduction
This degree option is for those who already have a Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Education (CLDE) K-12 endorsement and are bilingual and biliterate in Spanish and English. Bilingual Specialist Endorsement courses will be taught bilingually. Candidates who complete the MA in Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Education (CLDE) with BES endorsement will leave their program with greater understandings of crucial ideas and skills, including:
- Asset-based, positive dispositions toward bilingual students, their linguistic practices, their families, and their communities
- Critically informed perspectives on the history, laws, and social forces shaping the education of bilingual students in Colorado
- Linguistic analysis of English and Spanish
- Theories of language, bilingualism, and biliteracy development
- Practices to support access to rigorous content for bilingual students, to improve assessment and its application to instruction for bilingual students, and to leverage students’ bilingualism in teaching.
Recommendations for endorsements are made by the CLDE Program, but endorsement is granted by the State of Colorado. Individual state requirements vary and may include teaching experience and examinations in addition to a valid teaching credential. Students should consult with the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) or another state in which they wish to be endorsed for the most updated endorsement requirements.
Per CDE requirements, the Bilingual Education Specialist Endorsement must be obtained after or in conjunction with the Endorsement in Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Education (CLDE). Students can concurrently complete the CLDE MA with both the CLDE and BES endorsements.
Note for Elementary education BAMA students: your teacher licensure MA classes count as electives for this option.
Program Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Foundations (select one) | ||
| CLDE 5010 | Foundations of Language & Culture in Education | 3 |
| or CLDE 5160 | History & Law of Bilingual & Immigrant Education | |
| Language & Linguistics (select one) | ||
| CLDE 5030 | Language Development of Multilingual Learners: Advanced | 3 |
| or CLDE 5070 | Understanding Language in the Classroom | |
| Pedagogy | ||
| CLDE 5824 | Theories and Methods of Bilingual Education | 3 |
| Spanish Sociolinguistics (select one) | ||
| SPAN 5060 | Dialects of the Spanish-Speaking World | 3 |
| or SPAN 5020 | Spanish Sociolinguistics | |
| or SPAN 5080 | Spanish in the United States | |
| or SPAN 5076 | Spanish in Colorado | |
| Spanish Pedagogy (select one) | ||
| SPAN 5030 | The Learning and Teaching of Heritage Speakers | 3 |
| or SPAN 5040 | Spanish Classroom Methods and Practice | |
| Electives | 9 | |
| Select from SEHD Thematic Course Categories list or other courses with faculty approval | ||
| https://education.ucdenver.edu/academic-services/student-resources/thematic-course-categories | ||
| Research Course | ||
| CLDE 6912 | Teacher Inquiry in Multilingual Classrooms | 3 |
| Capstone | ||
| CLDE 5035 | Connecting Multilingual Theories to Practice (Capstone to be written in Spanish for BES endorsement) | 3 |
| Total Hours | 30 | |
Program Requirements and Courses
To complete the CLDE program and earn a master’s degree with endorsement(s), students must complete the appropriate course work as outlined in the tables. All courses require a grade of B- or better to count to the MA or endorsement and a 3.0 minimum GPA is required for graduation. If necessary, courses may be retaken for a better grade.
Course Scheduling
During the fall and spring semesters, most courses are offered in the late afternoon and evening and meet for three hours once a week over a 16-week semester. Courses are offered in various formats, including completely face-to-face classes, hybrid, or online classes. In the summer semester, eight-week sessions are offered, and courses may be in the morning, afternoon or evening, hybrid, or online.
Planning
For practicing full-time teachers, we recommend taking one to two courses each fall and spring semester and up to two courses each summer. Some courses are offered only once per year.
Active Status
Students must complete their programs within seven years, maintaining a GPA of 3.0. Failure to enroll over three contiguous semesters will result in a requirement to submit readmission materials.