Teaching Certificate in Civics for Students with a Master's Degree in Interdisciplinary Democracy Studies

The program grants a certificate for teaching civics in high school to individuals with a master's degree in interdisciplinary democracy studies from the OUI. The study program combines master's degree studies in democracy studies and a teaching certificate in civics. The program includes political science, education, methodology and practical training courses.

Admission requirements

Acceptance to the joint program (master's degree in interdisciplinary democracy studies and a teaching certificate in civics) is dependent on meeting the requirements for acceptance to the interdisciplinary democracy studies master's degree program.

Joint-program requirements

Requirements for a master's degree in the joint interdisciplinary democracy studies program vary slightly from the standard requirements for this degree.

A. Requirements for the master's degree joint program in interdisciplinary democracy studies

Required courses – 12 credits

Credits

Democracy: An Interdisciplinary Approach (12001)

3
Israeli Democracy: Selected Issues (12002)

3
Contemporary Democratic Theories(12008)

3
Education Policy: Education for Democracy in Democratic Societies(12007)

3
Elective courses – according to master's degree program requirements

At least 4 elective courses from the politics, society, and culture study program. One elective course may be chosen from the list of advanced undergraduate courses (section E in the master's degree program for interdisciplinary democracy studies).

Seminar papers

Two seminar papers are required for both the non-thesis and thesis tracks. At least one paper is required for a course selected from the politics, society and culture study program.

Summary exam

Students accepted to the program from the first semester of 2008 onwards, who are studying in the non-thesis track, must take a Summary exam (12997). The exam is based on required and elective courses. Students who have successfully completed 11 courses and at least one graded seminar paper may take the test.

B. Required courses1

Courses in education – 24 credits

Level

Credits

Philosophy of Education (10765)2

Intermediate

6
Curriculum Planning, Teaching, Evaluation (10106)

Intermediate

6
Educational Psychology (10125)

Intermediate

6
Teaching: Art, Craft, or Profession? (10363)3
or
Learning Disabilities (10527) (with special permission)4

Advanced

Advanced 		6

6

Courses in methodology

Teaching Civics: Methodology (69007)5, 6

(6)7
Research Literacy in Education (55476)

(4)8

Practical training
Practicum in Teaching Civics (55165)6, 10

(10)9
Didactic Seminar in Teaching Civics (55473)6, 10

(4)8

Applicants to the program must submit a request to the Study Program Approval Committee, attaching bachelor's degree documentation and an original grade transcript, no later than the date of completion of the first course in the teaching certificate program and prior to registration for the course Teaching Civics: Methodology (69007).11

Students may be exempted from a maximum of two education courses (not more than 12 credits). This exemption is granted only for prior study of courses with similar content matter and scope to those in the program. In all cases, an advanced course will be required in the framework of the teaching certificate.

For additional information/clarification, please contact ilanko@openu.ac.il.

1 Individuals who have met all of the requirements for the teaching certificate (section B), and who have fulfilled all requirements of the master's degree required courses (section A), are eligible for a teaching certificate in civics for individuals with a bachelor's degree.


2 Or the course Educational Theory (55004), which is no longer offered.


3 Students who have taken the two undergraduate courses Teaching: Art, Craft, or Profession? (10363) and Learning Disabilities (10527), must select an alternative advanced course in education.


4 For special permission for the course Learning Disabilities (10527), contact the program advisors.


5 There are several prerequisites for admission to Teaching Civics: Methodology (69007), and this course is a prerequisite for the practical training courses. The courses, therefore, must be taken in the appropriate order.


6 Attendance is required at meetings for this course.


7 Credit is not granted for this course, but it is equal to 6 semester hours.


8 Credit is  not granted for this course, but it is equal to 4 semester hours.


9 Credit is not granted for this course, but it is equal to 10 semester hours.


10 Only students who have successfully completed Teaching Civics: Methodology (69007) with the minimum grade required will be accepted to the Practicum and the Didactic Seminar.


11 Application should be sent to the Secretariat of the teaching certificate programs at the Open University of Israel.