Graduate Certificate in Critical and Creative Thinking
Focus on Gifted and Talented Education
The 15 credit graduate certificate in Critical and Creative Thinking provides an opportunity for teachers and parents to become innovative, inspiring teachers of the gifted, and advocates in their classrooms, schools, and communities. While students from a diversity of programs take any CCT course, course projects can accommodate the specific interests of students taking this certificate. To this end, students meet with the certificate advisor - Nina Greenwald, Ph.D., a specialist in gifted education - to plan a course of study that best suits their professional needs.
CCT courses provide training in state-of the-art thinking and practice necessary for meeting the educational needs of gifted students. Electives include cutting edge courses in problem-based learning, invention, humor and thinking, education and psychology of the gifted, children and science, math thinking skills, creativity in literature and the arts, teambuilding and collaboration and dialogue processes (detailed course information). Courses from the Program in Special Education provide training that addresses the special psychological and educational needs of gifted and talented students.
CCT Certificate students take a total of five courses and complete an exit performance as part of one of the courses taken: two foundation courses, Critical Thinking and Creative Thinking, plus three electives from a roster of exciting choices taught by a distinguished faculty who model effective teaching for thinking.
Graduate students from other programs and special students are welcome to enroll in individual courses. This certificate is not designed to meet requirements for licensure with the Mass. Department of Education.
Courses
Required foundation courses
CrCrTh 601 Critical Thinking, F2F, OL
CrCrTh 602 Creative Thinking, F2F, OL
Electives
CrCrTh 611 Seminar in Critical Thinking (Problem-based learning focus), F2F
CrCrTh 612 Seminar in Creativity (focus varies), F2F, OL
CrCrTh 630 Creativity in the Literature and Arts, F2F
CrCrTh 646 The Gifted and Talented Student (crosslisted as Spe G 646), F2F
Other electives may be taken from CCT and other programs with permission of the certificate advisor.
Additional courses in which to undertake exit performance
CrCrTh 692 Processes of Research and Engagement, F2F, F2FD
CrCrTh 693 Action Research for Educational, Professional and Personal Change, F2F, F2FD
For further information about this certificate program, please contact Nina Greenwald (617-287-6523; nlgreenwald@comcast.net), or view the CCT Program website. CCT looks forward to hearing from you!