This program is designed for individuals who hold a Bachelor’s degree who want to become eligible for employment as a school counselor. This program leads to certification in school counseling (school guidance counselor, K-12) by the New Hampshire State Department of Education. With emphasis on the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) National Model and the New Hampshire Comprehensive Guidance and Counseling Model, this program is designed to equip students with conceptualization and intervention skills designed specifically for the school setting.

This master’s degree program is designed for experienced elementary and secondary educators who wish to enhance their understanding of human development, improve their instruction, develop leadership skills, and promote excellence in the teaching profession.

The program is designed to provide the theoretical foundations and develop the practical technical skills needed by school administrators. This degree program leads to certification by the New Hampshire State Department of Education.

This program is based on the standards for certification established by the New Hampshire Department of Education and the Massachusetts Department of Education. They incorporate the recommendations of the National Association of Secondary School Principals Assessment Center Project, and address the competencies identified as Standards for School Leaders by Interstate Leaders Licensure Consortium, a program of the Council of Chief State School Officers. The program uses a variety of classroom and field-based experiences, and requires a 150-hour internship with a certified school principal.

Students with special education administrator as a goal should register for ED 529, ED 531 or ED 534, ED 535, ED 609, and ED 680 in addition to other courses.

The M.Ed. Program in Educational Studies enables students to broaden and deepen their professional knowledge and competencies without seeking certification.

The Early Childhood Program includes:

Master of Education (M.Ed.)
Early Childhood Education
Early Childhood and General Special Education

Certificate Programs:
Early Childhood Professional licensure
Certificate in Parenting Education

The M.Ed. in Early Childhood Education prepares students as early childhood professionals within a variety of fields involving children and their families. A program of studies is designed for each student based on the student’s professional goals. With the careful combination of courses and practica, the program leads to New Hampshire teacher licensure (K–3) and fulfills the Bureau of Licensing and Standards teacher and director licensure requirements.

An interview is required with the Director of the ECE Program to review transcripts and develop a program of studies. Taking into consideration previous course work and prior experiences, the program director reviews the required and elective courses for the licensure area to determine: the sequence of the course work, waiver of courses, and any additional background preparation indicated by the General Education Studies Checklist. The student’s prior teaching experiences are reviewed to determine the experiences needed to fulfill the practica requirements. Early field-based practica are tailored to the needs, competencies, and current and prior experiences of the applicant. A minimum of one credit of practicum is required.

A full semester internship in ECE will be designed based on the student’s professional goals, objectives and background. Students choose two seven-week placements or one 14-week placement depending on licensure requirements. Internship experience is required with children from birth to age six if not met by previous teaching experiences. Students applying for teacher licensure complete a minimum of seven weeks in kindergarten through third grade as a part of their 14-week internship.

New Hampshire teacher licensure K–3 is not automatic with the completion of the internship. Students request licensure after successfully completing the internship, the program competencies, and other program requirements. The Director of the ECE program reviews the student’s complete records and recommends the student to the licensure officer at Rivier College. Additional information regarding licensure in all states is available on software in the Educational Resource Center.

The student enrolled in this combined program will take all courses for degree and certification in early childhood and general special education.

This master’s degree program is designed for students who hold a bachelor’s degree and want to become certified to teach at the elementary level. Students may opt for certification only. The student is interviewed by the director of the Elementary Education Program, who reviews the student’s credentials and lists the professional courses required for certification.

A series of pre-internship experiences is required prior to ED 638.Directions for these non-credit field-based experiences related to specific courses will be given to the student at the time of the interview.

In addition to the above, students who are interested in becoming certified in Learning Disabilities and/or General Special Education can do so by fulfilling the requirements listed in such programs.

This master’s degree program is designed for students who hold a bachelor’s degree and want to become certified to teach at the elementary level in general special education. The student is interviewed by the Director of the Elementary/General Special Education program, who reviews the student’s credentials and lists the professional courses required for certification.

A series of early field experiences is required prior to the internship, ED638. In addition, non-credit field based experiences may also be required in specific courses and are listed in the course descriptions.

The Masters of Education with certification in secondary teaching is a 36 credit program designed for the student who holds an undergraduate or graduate degree in their area of specialization (biology, English, social studies, mathematics, or Spanish) and who wishes to both complete a masters degree in secondary education and be recommended to the NH Bureau of Credentialing for Initial Certification in secondary teaching. Admission is restricted to those who (1) have a degree in the field and (2) have demonstrated subject matter competency by earning a passing score on Praxis II in the relevant subject area. Additional credits in the content area may be required if transcript analysis reveals that the student is lacking in some particular distribution requirement as outlined by the New Hampshire state certification standards (Ed 609, Ed 612). Students are informed of any unmet standards in their acceptance letter. The program integrates knowledge of the content area with contemporary research related to learning and teaching in secondary schools. Students study, observe, conduct research and assist in classroom settings at partnership sites. Applicants who do not have a degree or its equivalent in the area of a desired certification (English, Spanish, Mathematics, Biology, or Social Studies) are directed to those departments in the catalog. Applicants interested in conversion only should schedule a meeting with the director of secondary education to develop a tailored program of study.

The course of study is designed for individuals with teaching certification in either special or general education. For those individuals without special education certification, the program leads to general special education certification (K-12), in addition to EBD certification. Students who do not have a teaching certificate may consider first obtaining certification in early childhood education, elementary education, general special education, or in secondary education.

This advanced program in special education is designed to prepare teachers to work both directly with students with emotional and behavioral disorders EBD in general education classrooms or therapeutic specialized programs and indirectly as consultants and collaborators with other professionals and family members. Completion of the competency-based program results in teacher certification and a master’s degree in the field of educating students with EBD. This program provides opportunities to develop professional knowledge, skills, and attitudes that will promote the effective education and treatment of students with troubled and troubling behavior through classroom and field-based experiences with students with EBD during their program and to connect the experiences to their coursework at the College. The program culminates with a full-time internship in a school-based setting working with children identified as having EBD, while being mentored by teachers with certification in the field.

Students who wish to obtain EBD certification only, without a Master’s degree, may do so with the approval of the Program Director.

This program offers preparation for teacher certification as a reading and writing specialist. Emphasis is on the practical application of theories in the development, corrective, and remedial teaching of reading. Recent trends in reading research and instruction are examined.

This program is designed to prepare teachers who hold teaching certification in either special or general education; or, who are fulfilling contracts through Alternative IV and V in the State of New Hampshire to teach students with learning disabilities in general education classrooms and in resource room settings. In addition, students will learn to consult and collaborate with other professionals and family members. Completion of this competency-based program results in teacher certification in General Special Education and Learning Disabilities, and a Master’s degree in Learning Disabilities.

This advanced program provides opportunities to develop professional skills, knowledge, and competencies in relation to the education of children and adolescents with learning disabilities. The program culminates with a full-time internship in a school-based setting working with students identified as learning disabled, while being mentored by a teacher with certification in Learning Disabilities.

This program offers preparation for teacher certification in the areas of general special education, learning disabilities, and reading. The program provides opportunities to develop professional skills, knowledge, and competencies in relation to the education of children and adolescents with learning disabilities. Further, the course of study is designed to prepare individuals to make practical application of theories of the developmental, corrective, and remedial teaching of reading.

Students who wish to obtain LD certification only, without a Master’s degree, may do so with the approval of the Program Director.

This program is designed for individuals who hold a Bachelor’s degree who want to pursue counseling work in a clinical setting. The program is designed to follow the standards of the New Hampshire Board of Mental Health Practice in order to fulfill eligibility requirements for state licensure as a licensed mental health counselor, LMHC. It is important to note that upon completion of the Master’s degree, students are not immediately granted licensure by the New Hampshire Board of Mental Health Practice. After graduaton an additional post-Master’s supervised work experience is required to become a licensed mental health counselor. Students interested in the details of obtaining their mental health counseling license should contact the New Hampshire Board of Mental Health Practice for further information.

The M.A.T. for Prospective Teachers is designed for those individuals who hold a bachelor’s degree in English and want to become certified to teach English/Language Arts in grades 5 through 12. This program fulfills all the requirements for New Hampshire State Certification and most or all requirements for secondary certification in many other states.

This program is available for individuals already teaching who wish to increase their classroom competencies by doing advanced work in English and educational theory specific to English/Language Arts classrooms. The M.A.T. in English offers teachers the opportunity to become current with the developments in their field and integrate those findings with their own classroom practices.

The M.A.T. in English combines the advantages of a traditional advanced degree in English with advanced work in pedagogy. In conjunction with the department coordinator, individuals tailor a program to their specific background and current needs as professional educators.

This program offers advanced course work in literary writing, broadly understood. Rather than a particular concentration in one genre, this program requires students to develop competence in a number of genres. While creative writing workshops characterize most of the required courses, students are also given opportunity for literary study.

This degree is offered through a combination of traditional and accelerated residency courses. The courses are offered on a regular cycle over a 2-year period.

The Master of Arts in Teaching Mathematics for Prospective Teachers is designed to fulfill requirements for New Hampshire State Certification for Teaching Secondary Mathematics. Starred courses (*) are required for certification.

The Master of Arts in Teaching Mathematics for Current Teachers is designed for teachers who wish to increase their knowledge of the learner, knowledge of pedagogy, and knowledge of mathematics. Through this program, certified teachers may change their area or level of state certification and uncertified teachers may obtain certification. The program is designed to support teachers as they increase their classroom competencies. Students’ programs are individualized to meet their background, goals, and needs.

The Master of Arts in Teaching in Social Studies is designed to fulfill requirements for New Hampshire Certification for Teaching Secondary Social Studies. The program also fulfills most or all requirements for secondary certification in many other states.

The Master of Arts in Teaching Social Studies for Current Teachers is designed for teachers who wish to increase their knowledge of the learner, knowledge of pedagogy, and knowledge of social studies. The program is designed to support teachers as they increase their classroom competencies. Students’ programs are individualized to meet their background, goals and needs.

The M.A.T. with teacher certification is designed to fulfill all the requirements for New Hampshire State Certification. The program also fulfills most or all requirements for secondary certification in many other states.

Those already teaching modern languages increase their classroom competencies by doing advanced work in literature, culture, educational theory, and pedagogy.

The Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study (CAGS) Program in Leadership and Learning is an interdisciplinary program designed for professionals in many educational fields who are interested in building on their prior graduate work as they explore a variety of issues related to schools and schooling. It challenges students to transform their concepts of educational leadership and instruction through systems thinking.

The program draws upon the College’s expertise and successful programs in school administration, special education, reading, English, foreign language, counseling, early childhood education, and curriculum and instruction. The CAGS program assumes that students want to learn to seek knowledge across disciplines and across perspectives and want to apply that knowledge through reflective practice. It allows students to participate in a broad-based program yet concentrate in a specialized area such as educational administration, special education, or early childhood education. The courses and their related learning experiences lead to a capstone project that synthesizes the concepts developed and the research analyzed. Students are admitted to the three-year program as members of a cohort that does not exceed twenty students. They must successfully complete five courses, worth four-credits each: two relate to transformative leadership, one focuses on research, one examines cognition and learning, while another analyzes social policy. Four elective courses, worth three-credits each, enable students to investigate issues in their area of concentration and complete the CAGS program.

Each of the core courses is team-taught by a Rivier College professor who is a specialist in the field and by one or more others with a contrasting perspective.

Elective courses for specialized areas of concentration are selected from the department’s graduate program of studies. A team of faculty advisors will aid students in their capstone projects by providing support, reflection assistance, and encouragement.

This program is designed for professionals who hold a Master’s degree in school counseling or a closely related field who want to pursue further education to increase the knowledge and expertise they bring to their current professional responsibilities. This is a non-internship program that culminates with an E-portfolio that chronicles student work throughout the program and successful completion of a comprehensive examination.

This program is designed for professionals who hold a Master’s degree in counseling or a related field who want to become employed as a school psychologist. It is designed to comply with New Hampshire Department of Education (NHDOE) standards for certification. As such, the combination of prerequisite Master’s degree credits and CAGS credits equal 62 total credits. Prospective students will meet with the Program Director in order to complete a thorough transcript analysis to ensure adherence with NHDOE requirements for certification. Students who did not complete the 28 prerequisite credits in their Master’s program will need to take those courses in addition to the required CAGS courses.

This program is designed for professionals who hold a Master’s degree in school counseling or a closely related field who want to pursue advanced training in a clinical setting. The program is designed to follow the standards of the New Hampshire Board of Mental Health Practice in order to fulfill eligibility requirements for state licensure as a licensed mental health counselor, LMHC. It is important to note that upon completion of the CAGS, students are not immediately granted licensure by the New Hampshire Board of Mental Health Practice. After graduation an additional post-Master’s supervised work experience is required to become a licensed mental health counselor. Students interested in the details of obtaining their mental health counseling license should contact the New Hampshire Board of Mental Health Practice for further information.

This non-degree program offers students an opportunity to supplement their current career skills with work that emphasizes counseling fundamentals. This program does not lead to certification by the N.H. Department of Education or licensure by the N.H. Board of Mental Health Practice.

he Early Childhood Professional Certificate is designed for students interested in a non-degree program in early childhood education. This non-degree certificate does allow for matriculation into the Master of Education in ECE. The certificate complies with the New Hampshire Bureau of Child Care Standards and Licensing education standards for a teacher and director in private settings. It does not meet New Hampshire Department of Education teacher certification requirements. Students must meet with the program director to develop an appropriate plan of study.

The Parenting Education Certificate Program is designed for parents, counselors, teachers, psychologists, social workers, and other human services workers interested in enhancing their understanding of parenting education, developing skills necessary to work with parents, and in planning new or refining existing parenting programs.

The certificate in Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) is designed for teachers, paraeducators, administrators, guidance counselors, psychologists, and other school or community providers and family members interested in increasing their understanding of the process of enhancing the emotional well being of students through systemic, positive, prevention-focused, and data-based decision-making in schools.

This is a sequence of coursework, 25-hour community service project, development of a cultural diversity training program, and completion of an internship or advanced practicum in a school, mental health, or other human service setting with emphasis on providing multicultural services. This program will prepare students to employ effective cross-cultural counseling strategies and educational interventions in the delivery of services to clients from diverse populations. Designed to follow the guidelines proposed by the Association for Multicultural Counseling and Development (AMCD), this program will prepare students to acquire cross-cultural counseling competencies in the areas of multicultural awareness, knowledge and skills.

The program is designed for students currently enrolled in one of Rivier’s graduate counseling degree programs, and for counselors, social workers, psychologists, and other human service professionals who wish to expand their scope of competence. For professionals who are already working in the counseling field, educational setting or other human service field who require further cross-cultural training, advanced practicum requirements can be individualized in collaboration with the Program Director.