Quick Links

Bilingual Education License

The Bilingual Education program at Edgewood College prepares educators for the important and meaningful work of teaching multilingual learners in a setting where students are learning in two languages. The program is designed to meet your professional goals by offering program options that can either stand-alone or build upon one another towards a Masters of Arts in Bilingual Education.

Curriculum embraces an anti-racist, strength-based approach to teaching multilingual learners
Instruction that is transferable to teacher practice
Emphasis on collaboration and building professional community
Individual advising and support throughout the program
Course meetings accommodate working schedules

12 months of licensure coursework plus student teaching (18 credits)
Start in Fall, Spring or Summer semesters
8-week accelerated courses accommodate traditional work schedules
Courses include 3 synchronous sessions with online learning in between
Courses can be applied to a Master’s Degree by completing 15 additional credits (33 total)

The Bilingual Education Program is designed to meet your professional development goals by offering program options that can either stand alone or build upon one another towards a Masters of Arts in Bilingual Education. View the Bilingual Education Course Map for a schedule showing when courses are blended - online and classroom.

Bilingual License Sequence

The 18-credit licensing program leads to a Wisconsin DPI license certification in Bilingual Education (WDPI 023). The program is designed for experienced teachers who wish to add this certification. All courses are 3-credits each and may be applied towards completion of the MA-Education in Bilingual Education.

EDU 631: Second Language Acquisition in Content Areas
EDU 636: Bilingual Curriculum Design & Assessment
EDU 630: Paradigms in Bilingual/Bicultural Education
EDU 638 : Biliteracy Development (Bilingual proficiency required)
EDU 637: Language Analysis and Bilingualism
EDU 760/761: ESL/Bilingual Student Teaching

Master of Arts in Education – Bilingual Education

Completing the Master of Arts in Education degree will give you the skills and knowledge to become a leader of Bilingual Education in your school or district. The Master of Arts in Education: Bilingual Education requires completion of the 18 credits listed in the License Sequence, plus five 3-credit courses listed below. 33 credits total.

EDU 655: Equitable Designs
EDU 631: Mentoring, Coaching and Leadership
EDU 631: Introduction to Education Research
EDU 631: Applied Research Thesis

TUITION

Edgewood College is committed to making a life-changing education more affordable and accessible to more people than ever before. In response to a critical need in Wisconsin schools, Edgewood College has redesigned our tuition structure, allowing for a significant reduction in graduate tuition for our Bilingual certification program.

Courses (18 credits) in the Bilingual License Sequence are offered at the tuition rate for licenses. These credits can be applied toward the Master of Arts in Education with a Bilingual concentration.

Tuition and Financial Aid information for license and master’s programs.

FINANCIAL AID

Graduate students are eligible for financial aid in the form of Federal Stafford Loans. Learn more about Stafford Loans, including eligibility requirements and application instructions at Graduate Student Financial Aid

Financial Aid Questions? Contact Edgewood Central at 608-663-4300 or ecentral@edgewood.edu.

Our admissions and financial aid counselors have worked with thousands of students who have questioned how they could afford to complete their graduate education. They will use their experience to suggest creative solutions for financing your education. We work with students and organizations to manage tuition reimbursement plans, extend tuition discounts to various corporate partners in the region, offer third party billing and monthly payment plans, and work with veterans to maximize their available aid.

Teachers are encouraged to inquire about the TEACH Grant

Bilingual-license seeking students may qualify for the TEACH Grant; a federal grant which, “provides grants of up to $4000 per year to students who agree to teach for four years at an elementary school, secondary school, or educational service agency that serves students from low-income families and to meet other requirements.” These funds do not need to be repaid if you “serve as a full-time teacher for a total of at least four academic years within eight years after you complete or otherwise cease to be enrolled in the program for which you received the TEACH Grant.”

Please review carefully the TEACH Grant website to review the program stipulations and obligations upon program completion. From this site, you can also find a link which lists current eligible schools and districts that serve low-income students.

To apply for the TEACH Grant through Edgewood College, you must first notify your Bilingual program advisor about your intent to apply. Your advisor will then verify your eligibility with the Financial Aid office and put you in touch with a Financial Aid officer to complete the TEACH Grant enrollment process.

Apply Today! Complete and submit the graduate application. This application is for graduate students who want to pursue a Master’s degree, license, or take a course as a non-degree student.

New students may start their program at five entry points throughout the year. Please note priority deadline dates.

Fall Session I - August 1 (August start)
Fall Session II - October 1 (October start)
Spring Session I - January 2 (Jan start)
Spring Session II - March 1 (March start)
Summer Session - May 1

All required application materials should be submitted by deadlines. Applications received after deadlines will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Questions? Contact Joann Nowka, 608-663-4247 or jnowka@edgewood.edu.

Admission Requirements

Provide evidence of a baccalaureate or more advanced degree from a regionally accredited or equivalent postsecondary institution with a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.75 on a 4.0 scale for regular admission status. The cumulative grade point average is computed on the highest degree held at the time of application to the Edgewood College graduate program.
Request that official transcripts for all undergraduate and graduate academic credits received from each post-secondary institutions that you have attended.
Provide two letters of recommendation from college or university professors, supervisors and/or professional colleagues who can focus on the candidate’s probability of success in graduate school.
Submit a written statement listing the reasons that you will be successful in graduate school: cite how specific background experiences will aid in your success as a student.
Provide evidence of a WDPI initial educator, professional educator, or master educator license (or the equivalent).
International students must contact Graduate and Professional Studies for additional admission requirements. Learn more.

Transfer Credits

You may submit up to 12 semester hours of graduate credit for consideration of transfer to Edgewood College for application to a degree program. Approval of the respective department is required. To be considered for application to a degree program, a course must have been taken within the past five years. For more information about transfer credits, please contact your admissions counselor.

Amy Christianson

achristianson@edgewood.edu

Amy Christianson has been in the field of education for 22 years working in K-12, Institutions of Higher Education, and early childhood settings. She received her Bachelor’s degree in early childhood education and English as a Second Language (ESL) from UW-Milwaukee. She also obtained her Master’s degree from Cardinal Stritch University and Doctoral Degree from Edgewood College in field of Educational Leadership. Amy’s teaching licenses are early childhood education and ESL, and her administrative licenses are principal, director of instruction, and superintendent. She currently is the Director of Satellite Family Child Care System, a program at Reach Dane in Madison, WI.

Arabel Marcano Colón

Amarcanocolon@edgewood.edu

Arabel earned a BS degree in Secondary Education in History from the University of Puerto Rico and an MA in Curriculum and Instruction in History, from Caribbean University in Puerto Rico. She completed a doctoral program in Education Leadership in Edgewood College. Her dissertation titled Mainstream Teachers’ Perceptions about Professional Development Needs to Support English Language Learners, came from her passion to help English Language Learners (ELLs) succeed in the classroom and was inspired by her own lived experience as an ELL. Currently, she works for Madison Metropolitan School District as a high school dual language immersion teacher in social studies.

Pam Dorn

pdorn@edgewood.edu

Pam Dorn is a lifelong learner who has been an educator for 29 years. She has served as an elementary classroom teacher, Bilingual Resource Teacher, ESL classroom teacher, interventionist, and coach. She has taught in urban and suburban public school districts in Tampa, Sauk Prairie, and Madison. She holds a BS in Elementary Education as well as ESL & Bilingual Certification from UW Madison, a MA in Applied Linguistics from the University of South Florida, and a Literacy Coach Certificate from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Pam finds her passion in exploring the classroom experience and working with teachers to develop reflective practices.

Ninotska Hernandez

Nina Hernández is an adjunct instructor specializing in Bilingualism and Linguistic Analysis. Nina earned her bachelor’s degree and completed graduate studies in World Language Education and Linguistics at the University of the Andes in Venezuela. She furthered her academic journey with an M.A. in Education and Professional Development from UW-LaCrosse. Currently, Nina works in the role of 6-12 DLI (Dual Language Immersion) teacher leader for the Madison Metropolitan School District. Her career spans over 25 years, during which she has taught a diverse range of students across 6-12 levels, undergraduate, and graduate programs in and outside the U.S. Prior to her current position, Nina dedicated 18 years to teaching world languages and ESL in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin. She also taught a variety of courses such as Cross-Cultural Communication and World Language Methods at Concordia University, and French Phonetics at the University of the Andes. Nina is driven by her strong convictions regarding the transformative power of inclusive and culturally sustaining teaching practices. She is particularly passionate about advocating for and preparing educators in dual language programs across Wisconsin.

Sara Huse

shuse@edgewood.edu

Sara Huse has a strong passion for bringing practical strategies to educators in the TESOL licensure program. She began her career as a third-grade bilingual teacher and has taught extensively at the elementary and middle school level. She is currently a Professional Development Teacher Leader in the Madison Metropolitan School District, focusing primarily on coaching teachers serving English Learners.

Gerardo Mancilla

Coordinator of Advanced Certification Elementary (ACE) Graduate Program and Associate Professor

School of Education

608- 663-3329

gmancilla@edgewood.edu

Gerardo Mancilla is an Associate Professor of Education for both the undergraduate and graduate programs. He holds a B.S. in Elementary Education, M.S. in Curriculum & Instruction, M.S. in Counseling Psychology, and Ph.D. in Curriculum & Instruction, all from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Prior to working at Edgewood College, Gerardo was working for the Madison Metropolitan School District where he was a Dual Language Immersion teacher. Gerardo teaches both undergraduate and graduate courses at Edgewood College. Gerardo’s research interests include Critical Race Theory, LatCrit, the school-to-prison pipeline, bilingual education, and immigration. Gerardo has also been active in the Madison community for many years.

Mercedes Martin

Mmmartin@edgewood.edu

Mercedes Martin received her Master’s degree in Educational Administration from Edgewood in 2007. At Edgewood, she has led a former Conference for Rural districts, has taught Second Language Acquisition for Special Education and has served as an instructor and supervisor or Bilingual student teachers. She currently works as Bilingual Research Teacher at Kromrey Middle School in Middleton.

Maya Martinez-Hart

Maya A. Martinez-Hart currently works as a professional learning specialist at WIDA, a project in the Wisconsin Center for Education Research at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. She holds a B.A. From the University of Guadalajara, Mexico on teaching English as a foreign language and an M.A in Curriculum and Instruction from National Louis University in IL. She is also a certified Montessori teacher. Maya is a former bilingual teacher at the Madison Metropolitan School District where she held positions in elementary dual immersion and bilingual programming as well as a support teacher for the 4K programs.

Alexis Nass

ANass@edgewood.edu

Alexis Nass has been working with and on behalf of English Learners for the past 14 years and currently serves as the Elementary English Learner Coordinator for the Verona Area School District. A recipient of the Wisconsin Association for Bilingual Education (WIABE) Educator of the Year award, Alexis has served as an instructional coach, has attended and led numerous workshops and conferences, and has been involved in various community partnerships with the purpose to increase educational opportunities for bilingual learners. She holds a B.A. in Elementary Education & ESL from the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay and a M.A. in Education from Viterbo University.

Paulina Valenzuela

Paulina Bravo Valenzuela has 14 years of experience serving multilinguals in U.S. and in Chile. Her roles include teacher, instructional coach, curriculum developer, researcher and dual language immersion teacher leader. Paulina’s research has examined the intersection of public policies and teachers’ subjectivity through participatory action-based research. As a Latinx community leader and advocate, she has devoted her work to advancing the Latinx community in their right to access quality bilingual education. Paulina holds an M.S. in Curriculum and Educative Community from Universidad de Chile and she is a program completer of Edgewood College’s bilingual education license pathway.

Lisette Venegas

Lisette Venegas has dedicated 24 years to enhancing the educational experiences of multilingual learners and their families. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education, ESL, and Religious Studies, and a Master of Arts in Reading and Special Education, both from the University of Miami. She earned an Ed.S. in Educational Leadership, along with Bilingual Certification and Instructional Coach certifications from Edgewood College. Currently, Lisette serves as the Secondary Multilingual Programs Manager for the Verona Area School District. She has shared her expertise at La Cosecha, WIDA, and WIABE conferences, and she is the recipient of the Wisconsin Association for Bilingual Education Educator of the Year award. Lisette is an advocate for increasing educational opportunities for bilingual learners.

Donna Vukelich-Selva

Associate Professor

School of Education

(608) 663-3235

dvukelich-selva@edgewood.edu

Donna Vukelich-Selva received her Ph.D. in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2011. She also holds a Master of Arts in Latin American, Caribbean and Iberian Studies from UW-Madison. Before coming to Edgewood College in 2008, she taught at a K-12 bilingual school in Managua, Nicaragua, where she also founded and ran a study abroad program for US college students. Vukelich-Selva teaches both undergraduate courses in the Division of Education, as well as bilingual and ESL education graduate courses in the Language and Literacy program. She also teaches in Edgewood’s COR program for first year students and piloted a course on the history of immigration in the United States that is cross-listed with Ethnic Studies. Among her college responsibilities, Donna serves on the advisory board for Edgewood’s Center for Multicultural Education. Donna’s research interests include critical race theory, education and immigration, bilingual education and restorative justice. She has been active in the Madison community for many years.

Emily Zoeller

Coordinator of Language and Literacy and Associate Professor

School of Education

Ezoeller@edgewood.edu

Dr. Emily Zoeller is an associate professor and coordinator of Language and Literacy Program at Edgewood College in Madison, Wisconsin. She holds a B.A. from the University of Notre Dame and an M.A. from the University of San Diego. She earned an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from Edgewood College, where she researched teacher leadership in two-way dual language education. Dr. Zoeller’s scholarship examines equitable instruction for multilinguals and literacy learners in K-12 education; her recent work has been published in the Bilingual Research Journal, Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, The Reading Teacher, and Teacher Education Quarterly. Prior to her role at Edgewood College, she worked as a bilingual teacher, a reading specialist, and an instructional coach. She is passionate about lifting teacher voices for promoting equity in language and literacy education.

Although Wisconsin maintains high standards for our teacher education programs, there is not simple reciprocity between Wisconsin and all other states. Each state sets their own requirements for teacher licensure, but will generally allow for Wisconsin teaching and administrator licenses to be transferred. Specific requirements are left to each state’s department of education, which are linked below.

State Licensure/Certification Disclosure for Teacher Licenses
The information below reflects whether this program meets the educational requirements for licensure or certification in the specified states.
Satisfies Educational Requirements:
WI, IL, CO, CT, DE, HI, IN, IA, KS (secondary), LA, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NY, NC, PA, RI, TN, TX, VT, WA, WV, WY
Does Not Satisfy Educational Requirements:
AL, AK, AZ, AR, CA, FL, GA, ID, KS (elementary), KY, ME, MD, MS, NV, NH, NJ, NM, ND, OH, OK, OR, SC, SD, UT, VA

State Licensure/Certification Disclosure for School Administration Licenses
The information below reflects whether this program meets the educational requirements for licensure or certification in the specified states.
Satisfies Educational Requirements:
WI, IL
No Determination Made:
All states are referenced here

Please contact clinical@edgewood.edu, with additional questions.

Hilario Villa

As a student in Edgewood College's ESL/Bilingual program, I am learning how teaching for equity means developing my students' language through writing, speaking, and reading, so they can engage. I appreciate the program's emphasis on valuing the language students bring because it is something that they own. At Edgewood College, the learning environment is welcoming and positive and I am motivated to better myself for my students.

Hilario Villa

Links of Interest

Full Catalog

Education

Bilingual Education License

Program Highlights

License and Degree Requirements

Bilingual License Sequence

Master of Arts in Education – Bilingual Education

Tuition and Financial Aid

Admission Requirements

Meet Your Faculty

Out of State Licensure