Gifted and Talented Education, Graduate Certificate

I. Contact Information

Margaret M. Ferrara, Ph.D., Associate Professor
Coordinator of Secondary Education
College of Education
ferrara@unr.edu
(775) 682-7530

II. Brief Introduction

The Gifted and Talented Certificate is awarded to graduate students who complete the four courses, twelve credit sequence required by the State of Nevada Department of Education for licensure in Gifted and Talented. These four three-credit courses, listed below, are aligned with a sequence that supports skills to become a Gifted and Talented teacher.

Note: Students who are enrolled in this program solely are not eligible for Federal Financial Aid.

III. Program Objectives/Student Learning Outcomes

The intent of the certificate program is to provide graduate students with a set of sequenced courses that fulfill the content that is specified by the State of Nevada Licensure Office for licensure as a gifted and talented teacher

The following are some of the Student Learning Outcomes addressed in the program:

• As a collaborative team, students will use the backward lesson design paired with project-based learning to scaffold a curriculum guided by essential questions, meaningful content and assessment that meets the unique intellectual, academic, and social-emotional needs of gifted learners.
• Students will collaborate with a partner or a triad to design and present an overview of a workshop and at least one structured activity that would be appropriate to share with pre-service teachers on a specific area related to helping the participants understand the needs and characteristics of gifted and talented students.
• Students will demonstrate their understanding of data and how it relates to gifted students by structuring a data resource packet that helps parents, teachers, key stakeholders and where appropriate students understand and engage in a discussion on data findings and next steps.
• Students will create a resource guide for parents that provides resources for meeting the unique intellectual, academic, and social-emotional needs of gifted learners in their content area.

IV. Admission Requirements

Students in the gifted and talented education program will be required to have an earned bachelor’s degree and a teaching license in elementary or secondary education. Their undergraduate GPA must be a 3.0 or better on a 4.0 scale. Students will submit an application, transcripts from all previous college work (unless already on file at UNR), and two letters of recommendation that support the candidate’s ability to be successful working with students in a learning setting.

V. Program Requirements

• EDSP 681 - Characteristics and Needs of Gifted and Talented Students (3 units)
• EDSP 682 - Assessment of Gifted and Talented Students (3 units)
• EDSP 683 - Methodology and Strategies for Teaching Gifted and Talented Students (3 units)
• EDSP 684 - Elementary/Secondary Curriculum in Gifted Education (3 units)

VI. Total Units (12 units)