By: Erik Pedersen, Content Strategy Director
BALTIMORE – A new partnership between the School of Education and the American Chinese Educational Exchange (ACCE) is providing students from China with the opportunity to attend Notre Dame of Maryland University and earn their master’s degree and teaching certification through an accelerated 10-month program.
Earlier this month, Notre Dame welcomed its first cohort of 10 Chinese students to the campus, where they began classes on July 5. They will be earning their Master of Arts in Teaching and teaching certification in both teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL) and special education while completing the Graduate Education Internship (GEI) program.
“We are delighted to welcome our first cohort of Chinese students to the NDMU School of Education through this exciting new partnership with ACCE,” said Dr. Kathryn Doherty, dean of the School of Education. “This program underscores our commitment to providing high-quality educator preparation programs that align with the University’s mission to transform lives through education. Many of these graduate students bring years of teaching experience and advanced educational backgrounds to the program.”
Students in the GEI program are placed in an internship at a local public school while taking their coursework simultaneously in the evenings. The School of Education will welcome a second cohort through the ACCE, known in China as Gogolearning, during the fall 2024 semester, and a third is expected to arrive in spring 2025. After completing the GEI program, students will be eligible to either return to China or remain in the United States to obtain a full-time teaching position.
“We expect this to be a continuing partnership, and we are excited to welcome this first group of students to campus,” said Marcia Simpson, director of admission and advising for graduate initial programs in the School of Education. “They are so thankful for the opportunity to learn here and become part of the NDMU family.”
The School of Education’s new partnership joins an extensive existing group of agreements with other colleges and school districts to help address the teacher shortage in Maryland. Notre Dame offers undergraduate and graduate-level cohort programs for students pursuing a bachelor's, master's, post-master's certification, or Ph.D. in education.
“As one of Maryland’s top producers of certified teachers in the state, the School of Education is proud to expand the scope of our educational impact beyond United States borders while enhancing the cultural richness of our academic community,” said Dr. Doherty.
Established in 1895, Notre Dame of Maryland University (NDMU) is a private, Catholic institution in Baltimore, Maryland, with the mission to educate leaders to transform the world. Notre Dame has been named one of the best "Regional Universities North" by U.S. News & World Report.