Gifted and Talented Education Specialist (GATES) (GFT)

Overview

Program Coordinator: Dr. Sharon Bowers

Program Delivery Format: Online (Hybrid delivery, mix of online and in-person, is available for School Partnership cohorts), 8-week sessions.

Total Credits: 18

Average Completion Time: 12 months

Admission: Fall, Spring, and Summer (two admission options each semester, six entry points a year)

For more information contact:

Graduate Admissions: Crystal Perry, Assistant Director, Graduate Enrollment Management
cperry@mcdaniel.edu
(410) 857-2516

McDaniel Graduate and Professional Studies - gpsadvising@mcdaniel.edu or 410.857.2500.

The Gifted and Talented Education Specialist (GATES) program is designed for practicing P-12 educators who seek to gain expertise in working with gifted and talented learners. The GATES program prepares teachers who hold initial teaching certification to meet the curriculum, assessment, and instructional needs of academically talented students. This program is approved by the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) for Gifted and Talented Specialist Certification. Coursework is aligned to National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) standards.

The GATES program is available completely online. The program consists of five courses and an internship for a total of 18 credit hours. The internship (160 hours) may be completed in the school district in which one works.

Admissions Requirements

• Completed application for graduate study.
• Official transcripts verifying completion of an undergraduate degree from a regionally accredited college or university with a 3.0 GPA or higher.  Students with a GPA of 2.75 to 2.99 may be admitted provisionally and must maintain a 3.0 in the first 9 to 12 credit hours of graduate study. 
• Copy of teacher certification or certification eligibility (graduate of an approved teacher preparation program and passing Maryland State Department of Education test scores)

Courses

• GFT 501 - Foundations of Gifted Education
• GFT 502 - Social and Emotional Needs of Gifted Learners
• GFT 503 - Critical and Creative Thinking
• GFT 504 - Best Practices in GFT I
• GFT 505 - Best Practices in GFT II
• GFT 552 - GATES Internship

Total Credits Hours: 18

State Authorization

McDaniel is an approved institutional member of the National Council of State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (NC-SARA). Membership in SARA is intended to make it easier for students to take online courses/programs offered by postsecondary institutions based in another state. For more information about SARA, including the states currently participating in the agreement, visit http://www.nc.sara.org.

SARA membership allows McDaniel to accept and deliver our programs/courses online to students in 49 States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Students who reside in California, currently the only state not a member of SARA, should contact the admissions office prior to application to verify if you are eligible to participate in the online program of interest.

For more information about state authorization requirements and complaint resolution, visit https://www.mcdaniel.edu/academics/graduate-professional-studies/state-authorization-requirements-complaints-resolution