This Spartan Accelerated Graduate Education (SAGE) program This Spartan Accelerated Graduate Education (SAGE) program provides a pathway for students to earn a bachelor’s degree in Child and Adolescent Development with a focus on early childhood education, and to then transition into the PK-3 Credential and Teaching MAT programs. Undergraduates enrolled in the program begin their graduate studies while completing undergraduate requirements. 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.

Total SAGE Program Units (BA + Credential + MA) 158-160

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

Admission Requirements

Most 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 for graduate admission through CalState Apply if accepted into this program. To be eligible:

• 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 SAGE program entry;
• Students must be enrolled in or have completed the undergraduate Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (CHAD 100W) with a C or better;
• 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 PK-3 ECE Specialist Instruction Credential admissions requirements.
• Students who have reached up to their first semester as classified seniors will remain eligible for entry into the SAGE program. Second semester, senior-level students enrolled in the term they expect to graduate from their baccalaureate degree are not eligible to enter into the SAGE program as these students will not gain the accelerated graduate-level benefit offered through the SAGE blended program option. Interested students will be invited to meet with their ChAD Program Coordinatorfor preliminary advising to review requirements for acceptance and to confirm eligibility to apply.

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 Teaching Pathways and Field Experience Office is available to provide application support through contacting luriecollege-teacheradmissions@sjsu.edu.

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 internal application and SAGE Academic Planner;
2. 1-page resume (detailing college-level academic, employment, and volunteer experiences);
3. A 1-2 page statement of purpose that explains how the candidate likes to engage with young children, why this is important to them, and their commitment to complete the requirements for the SAGE program (one to two pages in length, double spaced, 10-12 font type);
4. 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.
5. Submit ONE set of unofficial SJSU transcripts (be sure all transfer units are included).
6. 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);
7. 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 an academic advisor 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 advisor before the student may be considered a candidate for the MA degree.
• To convert to graduate status, students must have completed their 45 hours of field experience (fulfilled by ChADPracticum Course, CHAD 160) and all lower division requirements.
• To enter student teaching, students must have completed Subject Matter Competency requirements (established by the CA Commission on Teacher Credentialing; fulfilled by BA in Child and Adolescent).
• 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.
• Upon completion of the credential requirements, students must have achieved a SJSU cumulative grade point average of 3.0 in their SJSU graduate work in order to be recommended for a credential.

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.

Exit Ramps: Students in the SAGE program will be permitted to transition back to the traditional ChAD program up until they have converted to graduate status. Exiting the SAGE program can be initiated by the student for any reason. Advising for students who wish (or need) to return to the BA-only pathway is the responsibility of the Child and Adolescent Development Program, and requires a change of major form. If a student has already converted to graduate status, they will be advised by Teacher Education Department advisors, and will be guided by university policy F19-1, section IV.