THE MASTER OF EDUCATION PROGRAM strives to further develop and enhance the knowledge base of the practicing professional. As individuals progress though the curriculum, improvement and refinement of professional knowledge bases, reflective analysis of practice, and judgment making capabilities are enhanced and refined.
The Master of Education is a 36 credit hour program specifically designed for licensed or license eligible teachers.*
The program consists of a 15-hour Professional Education core and a 21-hour Content Specialization. Courses are offered at convenient times with some courses offered in alternative formats such as video-conferencing and WebCT.
Additionally, students may choose to enroll in coursework for re-certification to provide greater specialization within one’s field, or for professional advancement.
A maximum of six hours of transfer graduate credit may be applied to a student’s program of study with the consent of the Director of Graduate Studies. All courses must have been taken within the past five years. At the graduate level, a full course load is nine credit hours. Any student planning to register for more than nine credit-hours must receive approval from the Director of Graduate Studies.
*The Director of Graduate Studies may grant permission for prospective students other than licensed teachers to enroll in the program. However, enrolling in graduate courses without an Education degree will not lead to initial or advanced certification.
Content Specializations:
• Behavioral Science
• Educational Leadership and Supervision (Pre K - Adult)
• Reading Specialist (Pre K – Adult)
• Geography
• Social Studies
• 21-hour Reading Specialist Certification Program (Masters in education-related field required)
• 18-hour Educational Leadership and Supervision Certification Program (Masters in education-related field required).
Content Specialization Course Requirements
Professional Education Core
The Professional Education Core is required for all graduate students.
EDUC 510 Models of Curriculum and Instruction 3
EDUC 520 Educational Research 3
EDUC 530 Integrating Technology in the Teaching/Learning Process 3
EDUC 540 Assessment & Evaluation in Education 3
EDUC 560 Action Research in Education 3
15 hours
Behavioral Science
Required classes:
B SC 500 Applied Behavioral Analysis 3
B SC 515 Behavioral Science Research 3
Choose three courses from 9
B SC 502 Sociology of Education
B SC 503 Juvenile Delinquency
B SC 504 Minority Group Relations
B SC 505 Child & Adolescent Psychology
Choose two courses from: 6
EDUC 515 Supervisory Skills & Practices
EDUC 525 Educational Trends & Issues
EDUC 535 Theories of Educational Leadership
EDUC 550 Seminar & Special Topics in Education
21 hours
Educational Leadership and Supervision (Pre K – Adult)
EDUC 515 Supervisory Skills & Practices 3
EDUC 525 Educational Trends and Issues 3
EDUC 535 Theories of Educational Leadership 3
EDEL 500 Public School Administration 3
EDEL 560 Action Research Internship in School Administration* 3
EDEL 570 Organization and Management for Public Schools 3
EDEL 580 Public School Law 3
EDEL 590 School and Community Relations 3
24 hours
*Note: EDEL 560 is required for students seeking a certification in Educational Leadership and is the equivalent to EDUC 560, which is a professional education core requirement. Students must have completed a minimum of 24-hours of coursework including EDUC 520 to be eligible to take EDEL 560.
All candidates seeking an endorsement from WVBOE in Educational Leadership are required to pass PRAXIS II: Educational Leadership: Administration and Supervision subject assessment test.
Geography
Required classes:
GEOG 514 Physical Geography 3
GEOG 517 Learning with Maps 3
GEOG 522 North America 3
GEOG 550 World Cultural Geography 3
Choose three courses from: 9
GEOG 502 Political Geography
GEOG 510 Urban Geography
GEOG 518 Cartography
GEOG 519 Advanced Cartography
GEOG 520 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
GEOG 521 Advanced Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
GEOG 523 Southeast Asia
GEOG 524 Latin America
GEOG 525 Geography of the US-Mexico Borderlands
GEOG 526 North Africa and the Middle East
GEOG 551 Advanced Cultural Geography
GEOG 552 American Indians
GEOG 553 Geomorphology
GEOG 554 Geography Alliance Summer Institute*
GEOG 555 Special Topics/National Geographic Workshop
21 hours
*Note: Students who take one 6-hour GEOG 554 course will choose only two electives.
Reading Specialist (Pre K – Adult)
RDNG 510 Foundations of Reading 3
RDNG 520 Reading & Writing in Content Areas 3
RDNG 530 Reading Assessment 3
RDNG 540 Research in Reading & Literacy Education 3
RDNG 550 Methods for Teaching Reading & Language Arts 3
RDNG 560 Action Research in Reading Education* 3
RDNG 570 Reading Practicum 6
Prerequisites are RDNG 530 & RDNG 550
24 hours
*Note: RDNG 560 is required for students seeking certification as a Reading Specialist and is the equivalent of EDUC 560, which is a professional education core requirement. Students must have completed a minimum of 24-hours of coursework to be eligible to take RDNG 560.
All candidates seeking an endorsement from WVBOE as a Reading Specialist are required to pass PRAXIS II: Reading Specialist subject assessment test.
Social Studies
GEOG 514 Physical Geography 3
GEOG 517 Learning with Maps 3
HIST 512 The Civil War & Reconstruction 3
HIST 529 American Foreign Affairs 3
POSC 502 American Government 3
POSC 504 Public Administration 3
HIST 520 The Enlightenment: Reason and Revolution
or
PHIL 560 The Scientific Revolution 3
21 hours
Two certification programs are offered for students who possess a Masters degree in an education-related field:
Educational Leadership & Supervision Certification Program (Pre K – Adult)
(18 hours) *Masters Required
EDUC 515 Supervisory Skills & Practices 3
EDEL 500 Public School Administration 3
EDEL 570 Organization and Management of Public Schools 3
EDEL 580 Public School Law 3
EDEL 590 School and Community Relations 3
EDEL 560 Action Research Internship in School Administration 3
18 hours
All candidates seeking an endorsement from WVBOE in Educational Leadership are required to pass PRAXIS II: Educational Leadership: Administration and Supervision subject assessment test.
Reading Specialist Certification Program (Pre K – Adult)
(21 hours) *Masters Required
RDNG 510 Foundations of Reading 3
RDNG 520 Reading & Writing in Content Areas 3
RDNG 530 Reading Assessment 3
RDNG 540 Research in Reading & Literacy Education 3
RDNG 550 Methods for Teaching Reading & Language Arts 3
RDNG 570 Reading Practicum 6
21 hours
All candidates seeking an endorsement from WVBOE as a Reading Specialist are required to pass PRAXIS II: Reading Specialist subject assessment test.
Graduate Fee In-State
Graduate Program Academic Year 2006-2007 Per Semester
| Semester Hours | Tuition | Registration Fee | HERF | Faculty Improvement | Operations Fee | College Course | Totals Per Hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $14 | $6 | $39 | $5 | $159 | $28 | $251 |
| 2 | $28 | $12 | $78 | $10 | $318 | $56 | $502 |
| 3 | $42 | $18 | $117 | $15 | $477 | $84 | $753 |
| 4 | $56 | $24 | $156 | $20 | $636 | $112 | $1004 |
| 5 | $70 | $30 | $195 | $25 | $795 | $140 | $1255 |
| 6 | $84 | $36 | $234 | $30 | $954 | $168 | $1506 |
| 7 | $98 | $42 | $273 | $35 | $1113 | $196 | $1757 |
| 8 | $112 | $48 | $312 | $40 | $1272 | $224 | $2008 |
| 9 | $125 | $50 | $350 | $45 | $1441 | $249 | $2260 |
Graduate Fee Out-of-State
Graduate Program Academic Year 2006-2007 Per Semester
| Semester Hours | Tuition | Registration Fee | HERF | Faculty Improvement | Operations Fee | College Course | Totals Per Hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $44 | $28 | $92 | $14 | $235 | $28 | $441 |
| 2 | $88 | $56 | $184 | $28 | $470 | $56 | $882 |
| 3 | $132 | $84 | $276 | $42 | $705 | $84 | $1323 |
| 4 | $176 | $112 | $368 | $56 | $940 | $112 | $1764 |
| 5 | $220 | $140 | $460 | $70 | $1175 | $140 | $2205 |
| 6 | $264 | $168 | $552 | $84 | $1410 | $168 | $2646 |
| 7 | $308 | $196 | $644 | $98 | $1645 | $196 | $3087 |
| 8 | $352 | $224 | $736 | $112 | $1880 | $224 | $3528 |
| 9 | $400 | $250 | $825 | $130 | $2116 | $249 | $3970 |
Graduate Tuition Cost
A Clinical Faculty fee applies to full-time teachers in Fayette, Greenbrier, Mercer, McDowell, Monroe, Raleigh, Summers, Wyoming Counties in West Virginia, and Bland, Giles and Tazewell Counties in Virginia. Graduate students requesting this fee must provide proof of full-time employment to the Director of Graduate Studies.
Financial Aid is available for students who carry a full course load of nine credit-hours. Inquiries may be directed to the Financial Aid Office.
Admission to the M.Ed. Program
Prospective students applying for admission to the program must meet the following requirements.
•Hold a baccalaureate degree in an education field with a minimum 2.50 GPA from a regionally accredited institution;
•Be licensed or license eligible to teach;*
•Complete the Application for Admission, and submit it with a $25.00 fee;
•Provide a copy of professional licensure;
•Provide official transcripts for all undergraduate and graduate classes (with the exception of Concord University);
•Provide 2 letters recommending admission into the program;
•Return the completed Dispositions Assessment;
•Provide official Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test scores at the 50th percentile or above.
Students may receive conditional acceptance and complete a maximum of six (6) credit hours prior to satisfying all admission requirements. However, students are encouraged to complete all requirements for admission prior to beginning coursework.
Course Descriptions
Behavioral Science Courses (B SC)
500 Applied Behavioral Analysis. (3)
This course is designed to develop basic knowledge of the principles of operant and classical conditioning. The course includes developing competency in identifying, collecting, analyzing and altering operant behaviors in various applied settings.
502 Sociology of Education. (3)
This course will explore the following questions: Why do Americans attend school? Why do some students learn more than others? How do schools perpetuate social inequality? How does the “culture” of a school shape the learning environment and how does that culture differ from one school to the next? How is the educational experience of students shaped by the “hidden curriculum”? How do other societies structure their schools and approach education differently than the United States?
503 Juvenile Delinquency. (3)
This course will serve as a broad overview of the basic issues, concepts and problems relating to juvenile delinquency. Other topics will include the legal processing of delinquents by police, courts, and correctional agencies, including diversion from the courts and alternatives to incarceration. Students should note that this course is not intended to deal with practical issues of counseling and guidance of juvenile delinquents, but rather is intended to be a sociological examination of society’s response to the perception of adolescent misconduct.
504 Minority Group Relations. (3)
This course is designed to explore the nature and dynamics of minority group relations. Students will become familiar with basic concepts and theories related to minority groups. In addition, students will focus on the socio-historical factors contributing to the existence and maintenance of minorities, and how these factors translate into interpersonal relations. The interlocking nature of oppression due to the manifestation of prejudice and discrimination based on ethnicity, race, age, gender, religion, and sexual orientation will be stressed throughout the course. To meet these objectives, the format of the course will incorporate lectures, class discussions, and videos.
505 Child & Adolescent Psychology. (3)
This course is designed to provide students with an understanding of child & adolescent development, which will include: 1) An understanding of major theories and the strengths and shortcomings of each; 2) Knowledge of both the sequence of development and the processes that underlie it; 3) An appreciation of the impact of context and culture on development; 4) An understanding of the joint contributions of biology and environment to development; 5) A sense of the interdependency of all aspects of development – physical, cognitive, emotional, and social; and, 6) An appreciation of the interrelatedness of theory, research, and applications.
515 Behavioral Science Research. (3)
This course provides students an opportunity to gain knowledge or refine their existing knowledge in regard to conducting research. Topics covered include experimental design, survey research, the correlational approach, and single subject designs. Classic research findings are examined including ethics of the research, the findings, and the theoretical implications of the findings.
Educational Leadership Courses (EDEL)
500 Public School Administration. (3)
This course is designed to introduce the student to public school administration. Effective and successful schools research will be examined along with their practical applications to the field of education. A variety of topics relevant to the field of public school administration will be discussed.
560 Action Research Internship in School Administration (Elementary, Middle, Secondary). (3)
This course is designed to provide a “hands-on” learning experience for students which bridges the gap between pedagogy and practice. Students will complete a variety of tasks and experiences that will lead to conceptual understanding of the roles and responsibilities of school administrators.
570 Organization and Management of Public Schools. (3)
This course represents a comprehensive study of the managerial duties and responsibilities of a school administrator in the PreK-Adult setting. This course also examines the organizational structure of the public school system as well as the individual schools.
580 Public School Law. (3)
This course explores public school law as it relates to the theory and practical application of federal, state, and local laws and regulations governing public schools. Emphasis on Constitutional law and the judicial rulings of the Supreme Court, federal district courts, and state appellate courts. Laws and regulations in West Virginia are examined.
590 School and Community Relations. (3)
This course examines the role of school policy in the modern community, community power structure and resources, the social and political context, and the principles of school-community relations in the context of social change, including group processes, multicultural and multiethnic understanding, the needs of exceptional children, interagency cooperation, funding and evaluation. Students are provided opportunities to develop materials for use in their local schools or districts.
Education Courses (EDUC)
510 Models of Curriculum and Instruction. (3)
This course considers current research regarding the teaching and learning processes and explores a variety of instructional models and strategies. Practical application of models to instructional planning and delivery in PreK-Adult classrooms will be emphasized.
515 Supervisory Skills and Practices. (3)
This course is designed to assist cooperating teachers in developing effective supervisory skills. To meet this general objective it is first necessary to develop the ability to analyze instruction, to become familiar with the research on effective teaching, and to relate the research findings to current supervisory procedures. Once this has been accomplished, students will examine techniques through which they can communicate and work with student teachers.
520 Educational Research. (3)
This course introduces a student to the various types of quantitative and qualitative research. Course content will focus on the research process including evaluations of existing educational research as well as analysis and application of the findings.
525 Educational Trends and Issues. (3)
This course explores the trends and issues in society that affect education and lifelong learning. The course will approach trends and issues that are both external and internal to education, but continue to influence the institution of education. The course of study will include a focus on (1) social trends and their potential impact on education, (2) educational trends and their impact on the classroom, and (3) planning for the future. Key concepts explored and how these affect education include inclusion, professional development schools, legal policies and procedures, social-demographic changes and factors, socio-economics status, and technology. This course will also include planning for the future, forecasting, theories of change, and change agentry.
530 Integrating Technology in the Teaching and Learning Process. (3)
This course aligns content-specific standards with ISTE’s National Educational Technology Standards and state technology standards to assist teachers in integrating technology in PreK-Adult classrooms through participation in and development of project-based learning activities. Learning activities focus on the use of technology as a tool to foster higher level outcomes in content-specific curricula. Teachers will have a better understanding of how technology enhances instruction and student learning.
535 Theories of Educational Leadership. (3)
This course explores administrative theory and its practical application including the purposes and nature of theory in educational administration and the application of organizational theory to education. The content is drawn from many areas of scholarly concern, and generic concepts applicable in a variety of organizational settings will be discussed. Examples drawn from a number of fields will be considered. Theories of decision-making, communication, leadership, climate, power, conflict, change, morale, and motivation will be included.
540 Assessment & Evaluation. (3)
This course explores the application of measurement principles in the assessment of learning in educational environments. Topics include formative, summative and diagnostic testing, instructional objectives and classroom tests, judging complex performance, and social and political issues with the administration and interpretation of evaluation instruments.
550 Seminar and Special Topics in Education. (3)
This course provides an opportunity to examine and discuss current educational practices and issues in depth. Emphasis will be placed on analysis and synthesis of primary/current research as well as classroom application and practice. Possible courses might include preparing for National Board Certification, Grants and Grant Writing, and Electronic Resources for the Classroom. Course topics may vary each semester.
560 Action Research in Education. (3)
This course provides a foundation for qualitative inquiry with a focus on case study research, ethnographic description, designing and conducting qualitative research. The course includes collecting and analyzing data and reporting qualitative analysis.
Geography Courses (GEOG)
502 Political Geography. (3)
This course examines the role of geographic conditions and considerations in local, national, and international politics. Special attention is given to political problems and topics of current interest.
510 Urban Geography. (3)
The class examines social and environmental issues facing America’s cities. The class culminates with a trip to Washington, DC for a week of seminars with experts from government, academia, the media, and community organizations.
514 Physical Geography. (3)
This course explores the nature of how earth’s environments have affected human land use and occupancy patterns; and how human activity has impacted and altered earth’s natural environments.
517 Learning with Maps. (3)
This course is designed to prepare teachers to introduce PreK-12 students to maps and mapmaking. The course develops an understanding of grade-appropriate cartographic material and cartographic teaching techniques. The course also focuses on implementing methods for teaching the construction of maps. A third emphasis of the course involves exploring methods of using maps to communicate a variety of central environmental and social topics. Finally, in addition to cartographic techniques, students will learn principles of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and GIS teaching methods.
518 Cartography. (3)
Cartography is the study of maps and mapmaking. Students will learn how to read and make various kinds of maps. Cartography has become a computer oriented field. This orientation will be represented in this class and students will use computers to make maps.
519 Advanced Cartography. (3)
Advanced Cartography is a continuation and amplification of GEOG 518. Advanced cartographic techniques including transformation between raster and vector image formats, warping, and three-dimensional mapping. The course also examines advanced thematic mapping methods and design.
520 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems. (3)
This course will enable students to develop the necessary skills related to geographic information. Students will develop skills to analyze and manipulate geographic data by demonstrating the use of GIS functions and cartographic proficiency. Students will use the National Center for Geographic Information and Analysis (NCGIA) Core Curriculum.
521 Advanced Geographic Information Systems. (3)
This course challenges students to think critically about GIS in various terms other than the technical. Course topics include determining which GIS to use, to explore various projects using GIS, societal issues of GIS, managing a GIS, Meta-Data and the future of GIS.
522 North America. (3)
This course examines people and cultures of North America by sub-regions. Course topics include the physical environments, agriculture, religion, language, popular culture, city life, geopolitics, perceptions and the economic geography of North America.
523 Southeast Asia. (3)
This course provides students with an in depth study of SE Asia and surrounding countries. It approaches SE Asia from the perspective of environments, culture and geo-politics.
524 Geography of Latin America. (3)
This course will be a systematic introduction to the human geography of Latin America.
525 Geography of the US-Mexico Borderlands. (3)
The course is a systematic introduction to the geography of the US-Mexico borderlands.
526 North Africa and the Middle East. (3)
This course analyzes the physical processes and the cultural elements of this region.
550 World Cultural Geography. (3)
This course systematically surveys people and their environments by regions. It is an introduction to the concept of culture and the themes of geography. It introduces the idea of cultural connections between people and places across the globe. Course topics include human origins, human/environment interaction, population, agriculture, language, religion, political patterns, urban life, and economic systems.
551 Advanced Cultural Geography. (3)
This course is thematic in nature. It offers an in depth study of human geography and culture through the topics of human origins, population, agriculture, political patterns, language religion, folk societies, ethnicity, landscape, and urban life. There will be an emphasis placed on popular culture.
552 American Indians. (3)
This course focuses on the American Indian from prehistoric to contemporary times. Topics include the peopling of the Americas, Indians and the environment, Indian movement (s), Indian culture and government relation. A goal of this course is “demystify” the American Indian. Students should come to see Indians as a minority people.
553 Geomorphology. (4)
This course examines basic environmental concepts and the processes behind our physical landscapes. Students will develop an understanding of environmental philosophies and the importance of human/environmental interaction.
554 Geographic Alliance Summer Institute. (3-6)
This course is an intensive 14-day course that meets for 90 plus hours. It includes lecture and field trips as it introduces students to geography as a discipline in which critical thinking application and contemporary technological skills play a significant role. The basic focus is the study of spatial patterns in human and natural phenomena. The expected outcome is that students will appreciate and think critically about the relationship of people and the environment. The Alliance Summer Geography Institute schedule follows the educational outcomes outlined by the West Virginia DOE.
555 Special Topics/ National Geographic Workshop. (3)
This course provides students with an opportunity to do advanced study in geographic topics. May be taken more than once for credit. Possible topics might include any of the National Geographic Workshops.
History Courses (HIST)
512 The Civil War and Reconstruction. (3)
This course will enable students to identify and analyze the causes of the Civil War; the election of 1860 and the initiation of the secession crisis; the political, economic and social structures and the dynamic changes to them in the course of the war both for the Federal Union and the Confederate States; the military effect of the war on leadership, strategy, tactics, logistics, battles, and home front conditions; and the post war Reconstruction period including the success and failures of Reconstruction.
520 The Enlightenment: Reason and Revolution. (3)
This course examines the Enlightenment Period and its thought from several angles: considering the historical and philosophical background to this “revolution,” the varieties of thought on issues such as the possibility of knowledge, religion, value theory, the state and society, and the effects of these ideas on Enlightenment and contemporary society. At the same time thinking, discussing and writing, and in the analysis of primary and secondary source documents.
529 American Foreign Affairs. (3)
This course serves as: (a) an intensive survey, (b) an analysis of concepts, and (c) a study of policy-making in the foreign affairs of the United States from the colonial period to the present. As an additional component students will examine the often-synergistic interaction between American foreign affairs and domestic conditions and cultural concepts.
Philosophy Courses (PHIL)
560 The Scientific Revolution. (3)
Examines the emergence and growth of modern science from the late Middle Ages to the early eighteenth century, particularly in light of contemporary cultural developments. Attention will focus on the shifting place of science in Western culture and the emergence of new scientific ideas. Incidents in Early Modern science will also be used as test cases in the examination of theories on the nature of the scientific endeavor and scientific change.
Political Science Courses (POSC)
502 American Government. (3)
This course explores the roles, functions, structures, and activities of American governing and linkage institutions at the federal, state, and local levels. This course builds on a thorough understanding of the theory and practice of American government. Through detailed examination of many historically influential political theorists, this course will seek to facilitate independent and critical analysis of informed participation in the American political system.
504 Public Administration. (3)
This course explores the young and changing discipline of public administration and provides a solid foundation for further study of and/or employment as public administrators. This course will examine the theory and practice of public administration, with particular focus on the distinct approaches recommended by managerial, political, and legal perspectives. Historical readings and contemporary cases will be used to explore enduring debates regarding the appropriate roles, responsibilities, and goals of public administrators.
Reading Courses (RDNG)
510 Foundations of Reading. (3)
This course is designed to be an advanced study on the theoretical foundations of reading and the basis for reading instruction. The course focuses on the theories and beliefs that underpin literacy instruction and the moral virtue in being sensitive to learner differences.
520 Reading and Writing in Content Areas. (3)
Theories of the reading process and of reading and writing to learn in content areas are explored. Emphasis is upon practical strategies and techniques for acquiring knowledge through literacy in a variety of content areas.
530 Reading Assessment. (3)
This course is designed to be an advanced study for the diagnostic assessing of readers to provide information that will enable appropriate instructional plans to be developed especially for non-proficient readers.
540 Research in Reading and Literacy Education. (3)
Study of research in reading and literacy learning, emphasizing interpretation, critical analysis and application of research for the improvement of instruction.
550 Methods for Teaching Reading and the Language Arts. (3)
This course is designed to be an advanced study of instructional methods and strategies for teaching reading and language arts. The course provides prospective teachers with opportunities to develop and broaden their knowledge of language arts, to become informed in the strategies used to teach language arts, and methods used in the implementation of those strategies.
560 Action Research in Reading Education. (3)
The course provides a foundation for qualitative inquiry in reading with a focus on case study research, ethnographic description, designing and conducting qualitative research. The course includes collecting and analyzing data and reporting qualitative analysis.
570 Reading Practicum. (6)
Prerequisites: Reading 530, Reading 550.
The Reading Practicum is the culminating experience of the Master’s in Reading. The focus of the course is intensive diagnosis, assessment, and instruction of real learners in a clinical setting.