Purpose & Rationale

The primary goal of the Master of Arts in Education program is to provide quality professional opportunities to teachers so that they can influence decision making in the classrooms, schools and communities in which they teach.

Today’s classroom teachers must be better prepared to handle a wide range of instructional and non-instructional tasks. Given tremendous sociological changes in society, the teacher for America’s future classroom must be prepared to work as a social change agent, collaborating with the home and community in order to address issues of literacy and diversity. Today’s teachers must be ready and willing to not only make a difference within their classrooms, but also within the school districts and communities in which they teach. It becomes both the social and ethical responsibility of today’s teacher to make a difference within the context of the classroom.

Mission

The mission of the Master of Arts in Education and the Graduate Education non-degree program at EMU is to increase educators’ professional knowledge and competence and to enhance reflective teaching among practitioners, enabling them to:

1) develop leadership by becoming agents of change who advocate for children and youth,
2) create a climate of caring and learning,
3) initiate and respond to change and
4) value service to others.

Guiding program principles include scholarship, inquiry, professional knowledge, communication, caring, and leadership.

Program

The M.A. in Education is a program of study for the teacher practitioner providing opportunities for professional growth and personal development through applicable course work and relevant experiences. Constructivist theory is integrated with faith and learning applications. The program’s core addresses four areas of teacher development: peacebuilding and conflict resolution, cultures of change, social and ethical issues and action research in educational settings.

The Master of Arts in Education program consists of 36 semester hours including a required core of 12 hours, a specialty area of 21 hours and 3 hours of reflective practice in the form of action research. Specialty areas include literacy agent, diverse needs strategist, and curriculum and instruction practitioner.

NOTE: Course requirements may change as the program evolves. Candidates are accountable for completing the program of study listed in the catalog for the year in which they were admitted to the program.

Program Core (12 hours)

Required by all candidates, this core emphasizes: 1) examining peace and justice issues within educational environments, 2) collaborating with teachers and administrators to establish constructivist environments, 3) understanding social and ethical issues which inform change and 4) engaging in action research within the classroom in order to foster more effective instruction.

Program core and specialty courses provide a rich context for identifying a significant question to explore in EDCC 551 Action Research in Educational Settings.

Candidates are eligible to enroll in EDPC 501 Reflective Practice Portfolio after admission to M.A. in Education program and completion of 10 semester hours of coursework including at least one core course (EDCC 501, EDCC 521, or EDCC 531). Completion of EDPC 501 is expected to occur within one semester and must be completed prior to admission to candidacy and prior to registration/enrollment in EDCC 551 Action Research in Educational Settings.

Core Courses:
[Recommended early in program]
EDCC 501 Creating Cultures of Change: Constructivist Environments (3 hrs.)
EDCC 521 Peacebuilding & Conflict Resolution (3 hrs.)
EDCC 531 Social & Ethical Issues in Education (2 hrs.)
EDPC 501 Reflective Practice Portfolio (1 hr.)

[Recommended later in program]
EDCC 551 Action Research in Educational Settings (3 hrs.)
(Prerequisite: Admission to Candidacy & EDPC 501)

Specialty Areas (21 hours)

It is in this component of the program that the practitioner begins to specialize in one of three areas of emphasis: Literacy Agent, Diverse Needs Strategist, or Curriculum and Instruction Practitioner.

1) Literacy Agent

Practitioners focus on the study of literacy in a broader sense than traditionally encountered in schools of the past. Literacy is approached beyond reading and writing into integrated approaches for the development of communication, thought and interpersonal interaction. Emphasis is placed upon literacy programs from emergent to adult, integrated literacy instruction, literacy in community and family arenas and classroom assessment of literacy. Licensure as a reading specialist may be obtained with additional course work and a clinical practicum.

2) Diverse Needs Strategist

Practitioners focus on special needs of diverse populations. Options built into this specialty component provide further emphasis in one of three areas: (1) Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL), (2) At-Risk Populations and (3) Special Education. This component contains a common core of course work which addresses language/literacy competence with diverse populations; intervention strategies for diverse learners; and developing leadership skills in teaming, collaboration and consultation with parents, school and community social agencies. In Virginia, licensure is available in TESL and special education with additional course work and a supervised practicum.

3) Curriculum & Instruction Practitioner

This component provides a course of study for elementary, middle or high school practitioners to enhance existing skills and meet the challenges found in today’s schools.

Emphasis is placed upon adapting and designing curriculum for diverse populations, designing integrated interdisciplinary instruction, upgrading professional knowledge in recent research in current issues, teaming with school and community professionals and enhancing specific professional and specialty area competencies. Participants may choose one of three routes toward completion of this specialty area: Elementary School Emphasis, Middle School Emphasis or High School Emphasis.

Action Research as Reflective Practice (3 hours)

The completion of the program will be marked with an action research product which has been designed by the candidate in collaboration with an academic mentor. Action Research Projects may take a variety of formats: curriculum restructuring projects, staff development projects, research for public policy change, research for publication, etc. Final projects are presented and approved by the mentor.

EDPC 611 Action Research Project (3 hrs.)

Program Outcomes

Scholarship: to acquire advanced knowledge through core curriculum courses and to organize and integrate that knowledge into professional practice.

Inquiry: to generate questions and to use critical thinking to self-assess, to view problems from multiple perspectives, to make informed decisions and to engage in action research for educational change.

Professional Knowledge: to acquire advanced pedagogical and specialty area knowledge in order to create cultures of change and manage environments conducive to learning, setting high expectations and implementing appropriate instructional and assessment practices.

Communication: to develop communication strategies (verbal, nonverbal, and technological) which support collaboration and resourcefulness to empower self and others.

Caring: to develop a nurturing spirit that advocates for students, encourages social and ethical responsibility, and promotes peacebuilding in diverse settings.

Leadership: to act as social change agents by working collaboratively to bring about fair and just systemic change within educational contexts.

Admission Criteria

Completed applications for admission into the graduate program are reviewed regularly throughout the year. The Teacher Education Admissions Committee (TEAC) makes admissions decisions and annually reviews admissions policies.

A completed application includes the following:

1. A completed Master of Arts in Education application form with a non-refundable application fee of $25.00.
2. Official transcripts from each college or university attended.
3. A copy of NTE core battery and specialty area scores (from 1985 forward), Praxis scores, VCLA or the applicant’s state’s initial licensure test scores.
4. Two letters of reference: (a) building level administrator/supervisor and (b) someone qualified to speak to the applicant's academic ability and potential.
5. Applicants must: a) hold a bachelors degree from an accredited institution with at least a cumulative 2.75 g.p.a. (based on 4.0) and b) hold a valid teaching license, a copy of which must be submitted by the applicant for the graduate file.
6. Documentation of one year of successful teaching in public or private school/agency setting.
7. A personal interview with the director or assistant director of the M.A. in Education program.

In addition to the requirements above, international applicants should submit the following information:

1. Nationality and country of birth. International applicants currently residing in the U.S. must indicate status with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
2. A financial certificate demonstrating the student’s “ability to pay” is required in order for the program to issue a student visa application (I-20 form).

For applicants whose native language is not English:

1. A 550 on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or 213 on the computerized test. (EMU's institutional code is 5181. Applicants who have studied and received a degree from a college or university where all instruction is in English are not required to submit TOEFL scores.)

After completing at least six hours of courses with a grade point average of 2.75 or higher, persons who do not initially meet all admission criteria may petition the Teacher Education Admissions Committee for full admission. Applicants must present the written support of one EMU graduate education faculty member and must complete the competency criteria.

Persons pursuing personal or educational development may enroll in graduate education courses, special institutes, or site-based curricular offerings without being admitted into the M.A. program. Persons taking more than nine semester hours are encouraged to apply for the masters degree to ensure that subsequent hours can be counted toward the masters degree.

Candidates may enroll in no more than ten hours within a term (fall, spring, or summer) without written permission from the director.

Candidates who have been admitted to the program but decide to change their tracks or want to add an endorsement must submit a letter of request to the director of the M.A. in Education program.

Admission to Candidacy

Application for admission to candidacy occurs when the candidate has successfully completed EDPC 501 Reflective Practice Portfolio and two of the following core courses (EDCC 501 Creating Cultures of Change, EDCC 521 Peacebuilding & Conflict Resolution, or EDCC 531 Social & Ethical Issues) plus six semester hours of the specialty area courses. An application form is sent to candidates by the Administrative Assistant after course requirements are met. All applications are reviewed for admission by the Teacher Education Admissions Committee.

Admission to candidacy is required prior to enrollment in EDCC 551 Action Research in Educational Settings. Mentors will be assigned during the Action Research in Educational Settings course.

A completed application includes the following:

1. A completed Application to Candidacy form.
2. A rationale statement for why the candidate’s specialty track was chosen.
3. An academic recommendation.

Exit Requirements

1. An exit interview with the director or assistant director of the M.A. in Education Program.

2. A minimum of a C or better in all EMU M.A. in Education courses to receive credit towards the M.A. in Education degree.

3. Successful completion of the Action Research Project, as well as other program requirements.

4. Those completing initial licensure (TESL, School Counseling) must submit a copy of the certificate issued by the Virginia Department of Education on the Child Abuse Recognition Training: http://www.vcu.edu/vissta/training/va_teachers/

5. Those completing licensure requirements for TESL, Reading Specialist or Special Education must pass the required state assessments.
   
   • TESL: Virginia Communication & Literacy Assessment: http://www.vcla.nesinc.com/
   • Reading Specialist in VA: Virginia Reading Assessment: http://www.vra.nesinc.com/
   • Reading Specialist in PA: PRAXIS #0300: http://www.ets.org/praxis
     
6. Those completing initial licensure or an additional endorsement must submit the necessary licensure forms and fees.

“Candidates in the M.A. in Education program are taught that transformation is possible and that they have the power to serve as change agents in a complex world.” – Don Steiner, Director, Master of Arts in Education Program