Masters of Education in Teaching the Developing Child

Purpose of Degree

The focus of the M.Ed. in Teaching for the Developing Child is to become a master educator. The mission of our Master’s program is to guide educators to become leaders who apply research and best practice theory to make reflective and synergistic decisions that consistently support and extend the learning of all students. Through the core courses and individualized experiences, candidates are able to create a vision of themselves as reflective, synergistic decision makers.

National accreditation of the program:

National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education

Program of Study

Prerequisites required:

 Master’s degree candidates must have an overall GPA of at least 3.0 in their bachelors’ program

Candidates must have a 3.0 overall and major GPA in their undergraduate programs. Candidates must submit all necessary documents required by the Graduate College Application, a Professional Goals Statement that reflects professional objectives for the program and two professional letters of recommendation.  

Plan of Study

The Master of Education in Teaching the Developing Child program requires 33 credit hours, including core courses (15 credits) and courses in an area of concentration (12 credits) and electives (6 credits). Many courses are offered in both on-line and traditional classroom settings.

The concentration area includes a focus of 12 credits and an addition six credits of education electives that are chosen to meet the student’s professional needs and personal interests. Students in collaboration with the graduate coordinator may design a concentration area that meets their professional needs and personal interests. The 18 credits of the concentration and electives are selected by the graduate student (in collaboration with the graduate coordinator) from one of the focus areas available for in-depth study.

The M.Ed. program supports the Advanced Teacher Education Conceptual Framework, developed by the ESU Teacher Education faculty. Core courses present research-based concepts related to teaching and learning as well as introduce various tools of inquiry. Concentration courses extend the master teacher’s ability to articulate, apply, and adapt theoretical constructs to the classroom setting.

Final Graduation Requirement

Students select one of the following exit criteria to complete the M.Ed. program: Professional Portfolio, Curriculum Project, or Action Research.

The planning and developing of the Comprehensive Evaluation is an integral part of ELED 575, Graduate Seminar, a course taken between 24-27 credits.

At the end of graduate course work, the master teacher candidate will be able to demonstrate reflective, collaborative, and creative teaching practice and professional leadership qualities. A student may have a maximum of six credits of workshop courses included in a plan of study.  

Core Courses - 15 credits required

Concentration Courses - 18 credits required

The student shall, in consultation with the Graduate Coordinator, complete 12 graduate credits in one of the following focus areas:

• Early Childhood Education (PK-4)
• Middle School Education (4-8)
• Student Design

The Arts

Early Childhood

English Language Arts

Language Arts

Math

Science

Social Studies

Research

Additional Courses