The Child and Adolescent Development and Teaching Spartan Accelerated Graduate Education (SAGE) program  provides students the opportunity to earn their Child and Adolescent Development, Preparation for Teaching, BA  (with a focus on K-8 teacher preparation) and  Multiple Subject Credential  and Teaching, MAT  degrees simultaneously, completing both degrees in five years, rather than the usual six years when completing them individually.The SAGE Scholars Program Coordinator works closely with the students to ensure a seamless transition from undergraduate to graduate status, without students having to file a formal application for admission to the graduate program. Students who complete the BA portion will have developed a deep understanding of child and adolescent development, the contexts that shape their development, advocacy and collaborative leadership, and how to apply these skills to work in community organizations serving diverse children, youth, and families. Upon successful completion of the full program, PK-3 Credential holders will also be authorized to teach all subjects in a self-contained general education classroom setting, in preschool through grade three. Like students in the traditional post-BA PK-3 ECE Specialist Instruction credential program, those in the SAGE program have the option to add a bilingual teaching authorization. Students who complete this program will have developed a deep understanding of child and adolescent development, including how to apply this knowledge to the instruction of children in Kindergarten through 8th grade.

Total SAGE Program Units (BA + Credential + MAT): 166

For more information, contact the Child & Adolescent Development Department at childdev@sjsu.edu.

Admissions Requirements

Most frosh and transfer students will become eligible to apply for the SAGE Scholars program in the Fall semester of Year 3 and enter the pathway during their Spring semester of Year 3. As per AA 2012-01, students will not need to apply formally for graduate admission if accepted into this program. To be eligible: 

1. Students must have successfully completed a minimum of 60 undergraduate degree applicable units and not more than 120 undergraduate degree applicable units at the time of program entry;
2. Students must be enrolled in or have completed the undergraduate Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (CHAD 100W) with a C or better;
3. Students must have a minimum 2.75 GPA- cumulative or over the last 60 semester/90 quarter units across colleges to apply to the program. At the point of transition to graduate status, students must have a minimum 3.0 GPA. Note that this is a higher GPA standard than other SAGE Scholars programs; and students must meet the Teaching, MAT and Multiple Subject Credential admissions requirements.

Interested students must meet with their ChAD Program Coordinator, who will fill out a SAGE Program worksheet and compose a Course of Study Plan. A copy of both the worksheet and the plan should be included in the student application to the department. The Department of Child and Adolescent Development  will submit a SAGE application to the Teacher Education Department . With the exception of the letters of recommendation (see below), all application documents should be collated into a single pdf and sent to the Teacher Education Department via teacher-education@sjsu.edu. This application includes the following components:

1. SJSU SAGE application and tracking form;
2. TED departmental application form;
3. 1-page resume;
4. A 1-2 page statement of purpose that explains how they arrived at their decision to become an early childhood special educator and their commitment to complete the requirements for the SAGE program (one to two pages in length, double spaced, 10-12 font type);
5. Bilingual Authorization applicants submit a second 1-page essay on how bilingualism is important in their own life and in their ability to engage with young children to support their development. For the Spanish bilingual program, this essay must be written in Spanish.
6. Transcripts for any coursework not showing in MySJSU account; 
7. Two letters of recommendation addressing the applicant’s qualifications and potential for success in the SAGE program (all letters must be written within the past 2 years and must include the date the letter was written, the signature of the recommender, and contact information of the recommender);
8. A Certificate of Clearance from the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing.

Applications are processed by the Teacher Education Department and not through CalState Apply. They are processed without an application fee and are reviewed by faculty in the Teacher Education Department. Applicants may be contacted to schedule an admissions interview with the Teacher Education Department.

Graduate Standing Requirements

Requirements for program continuation and advancement to candidacy in the graduate program, include:

• Regularly meet with a Program Coordinator to plan and track coursework and graduate status. Once the BA is conferred, students meet every semester with their graduate advisor to plan a formal course of study.
• Maintain a GPA of 3.0 or higher.
• The proposed graduate Course of Study Plan must be approved by the graduate coordinator before the student may be considered a candidate for the MAT degree.
• To convert to graduate status, students must have completed their 45 hours of pre-professional service and all lower division requirements. 
• To enter student teaching, students must have completed Subject Matter Competency requirements (established by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing).
• Students must also demonstrate aptitude for advanced work in professional education as measured by instructor appraisals, evaluation of previous academic work, recommendation by qualified professionals, or other assessments.
• Students are converted to graduate status when they have completed 120 SAGE program-applicable units.

Note that SAGE students must meet the same undergraduate graduation requirements  as all Child and Adolescent Development majors, including University and GE requirements, to be conferred the BA. As graduate students, SAGE students must meet all current graduate program requirements. Upon completion of the credential requirements, students must have achieved a SJSU cumulative grade point average of 3.0 in their graduate work order to be recommended for a credential.

Culminating Experience 

Students must satisfy the culminating experience requirement by completing Plan A (Thesis) or Plan B (Project), and a presentation on the same at the department’s colloquium, which is held near the end of each fall and spring semester.

Plan A (Thesis)

Write a master’s thesis. The thesis will include original research on a topic approved by the thesis committee, and must meet university requirements as stipulated in this catalog and in the SJSU Master’s Thesis and Doctoral Dissertation Guidelines. The thesis identifies the problem, states the major assumptions, explains the significance of the undertaking, sets forth the sources for and methods of gathering information, analyzes the data, and offers a conclusion or recommendation. Thesis proposals must be approved by the graduate committee, which is made up of two department faculty and a third faculty member from outside the department. Students enroll in: EDTE 299 . 

Plan B (Project)

Complete a master’s project report. A project is a significant undertaking that evidences originality and independent thinking, appropriate form and organization, and a rationale. It is described and summarized in a report that includes the project’s significance, objectives, methodology and a conclusion or recommendation. Students enroll in: EDTE 298 .