MTL Legal Aspects

About Legal Aspects

The purpose of a Legal Aspects certificate program is to prepare collaborative, proactive educational leaders committed to improving the quality of educational legal knowledge in a variety of organizational contexts. The Legal Aspects certificate program is designed to acquaint UIS students with fundamental legal issues that impact Illinois elementary and secondary school districts. Adequate preparation as a professional educator requires exposure to a variety of the legal components affecting elementary and secondary education.

There are a total of ten courses in this program. To successfully complete the graduate certificate, you must complete nine of the ten courses.

Click here to view the courses

These courses are delivered in an online format consistent with UIS graduate level standards. The courses will be characterized by lectures, text reading, discussions, and projects, with an emphasis on research and writing. Courses will focus on select topics that school teachers would most likely encounter that are associated with governance in the educational workplace: federal and state roles; responsibilities of the regional office of education, local education agencies and boards of education, school finance, school restructuring, charter school, vouchers, proprietary schools, home schooling, and site based management; teacher qualifications and certification and employment issues: recruitment, interviews, hiring, contracts, orientation, mentoring, supervision, evaluation, discipline, tenure, records and dismissal; Current issues in education; high stakes testing, NCLB, certification, educational funding, school choice, vouchers, alternative education, school consolidation, and educational technology: special education, collective bargaining, teaching law to K-12 students and analyzing courts and legal case studies.

This application process applies only to students desiring to enroll in the Graduate Certificate in Legal Aspects of Education program.

1. APPLY
Fill out the University's Online Application Form. You will complete the Graduate Non-Degree Seeking form and mark that your program of study will be a Graduate Certificate in Legal Aspects of Education. You must be admitted to the University before you can be admitted to the Graduate Certificate in Legal Aspects of Education program. Questions about applying to the University may be directed to (217) 206-6130.

2. SEND TRANSCRIPT
Prior to granting admission, the University must have official evidence that you have completed a bachelor's level program. This means you must send UIS an official transcript showing that you have received your bachelor's degree. You may send it to:

Office of Admissions
University of Illinois at Springfield
One University Plaza MS UHB 1080
Springfield, Illinois 62703

3. COMPLETE PERSONAL DATA FORM
Click here to access the form. We recommend that you submit this form at the same time you apply to the University so that we may assist you in the application process. After completion of the form, you will be contacted by the MTL Coordinator via telephone or e-mail.

Note: Questions about enrolling in the Graduate Certificate in Legal Aspects of Education may be directed to (217) 206-7516 or the MTL Coordinator.