Master of Education in Curriculum & Instruction

The School of Continuing Studies offers a Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Curriculum and Instruction to practicing teachers who already possess initial licensure and seek professional development.

Students who enter the program may choose from two areas of concentration: elementary or secondary curriculum and instruction. Core courses for the two concentrations are identical, but research and capstone experiences are customized to grade range and subject area.

Program Scope & Sequence

The program offers three components: required courses, field experience and capstone experience. The M.Ed. requires 30 graduate credit hours. Course descriptions appear below.

• Required Courses: 24 credit hours
  • Core Courses: 18 credit hours
    • EDUC 650U: Advanced Educational Psychology (3)
    • EDUC 651U: Assessment and Evaluation in Education (3)
    • EDUC 652U: Differentiated Instruction (3)
    • EDUC 653U: Issues, Ethics and Policy in Education (3)
    • EDUC 680U: Content Specialization and Action Research I (3)
    • EDUC 681U: Content Specialization and Action Research II (3)
  • Additional Courses: 6 credit hours
    • EDUC 660U: Curriculum Development (3)
    • EDUC 661U: Instructional Leadership (3)
• Field Experience: 6 credit hours
  • EDUC 675U: Reflective Teaching Experience (3)
  • EDUC 676U: Reflective Practitioner Seminar (3)
• Capstone Experience
  Candidates must complete one:
  • Thesis
  • Comprehensive Oral Examination
  • Comprehensive Written Examination

Admissions Criteria

• Initial teacher licensure with two years successful classroom experience
• Baccalaureate degree (transcripts required)
• Scores on national and state exams exceeding minimum requirements
  • Praxis I and Praxis II: Content Knowledge
  • Virginia Communication and Literacy Assessment
  • Virginia Reading Assessment (elemtary candidates)
• Cumulative GPA of 3.3 or higher on all previous college work
• Excellent recommendations from three sources
• Successful interview

Cost

• $425 per credit hour (2008-2009 academic year)
  Prices may increase slightly in subsequent academic years
• Financial assistance available: visit financialaid.richmond.edu/scs

Course Descriptions

EDUC 650U: Advanced Educational Psychology
Advanced study of the basic principles of cognitive psychology and its position in education, to include cognitive processes, knowledge acquisition and transfer, beliefs and motivation, and the application of these ideas to classroom instruction.

EDUC 651U: Assessment and Evaluation in Education
Introduction to testing, measurement, and evaluation related to instruction, the construction and use of teacher-made tests, a survey of standardized tests, test interpretation, and basic statistical procedures.

EDUC 652U: Differentiated Instruction
Introduction to differentiated instruction and examination of why it is appropriate for all learners, how to plan for it, and how to become comfortable enough with student differences to make school comfortable for every learner in the classroom.

EDUC 653U: Issues, Ethics and Policy in Education
Examination and reflection on the critical issues in policy, ethics, and law that teachers need in order to make informed decisions regarding a variety of issues facing schools today.

EDUC 660U: Curriculum Development
Identification and understanding of the underlying philosophical principles, societal expectations, and practical demands which must be reflected in the development, delivery and evaluation of school curricula.

EDUC 661U: Instructional Leadership
This course emphasizes techniques of improving instruction through application of research on effective schools and models of instruction. Topics covered include foundations of leadership, leadership for curriculum instruction and assessment, leadership for supervision and professional development, leadership for communication and community partnerships, and leadership for organizational management.

EDUC 675U: Reflective Teaching Experience
Involves full time teaching and working closely with a mentor/coach to further develop skills in curriculum planning and delivery, reflection and self-assessment. Encompasses an entire semester.

EDUC 676U: Reflective Practitioner Seminar
This biweekly seminar for teachers provides a forum for discussion of and reflection on critical issues related to their daily responsibilities as classroom teachers. Also provides guidance in the development and implementation of a Professional Growth Plan.

EDUC 680U: Content Specialization and Action Research I
Review of basic knowledge and skills required for reading, interpreting, and evaluating, followed by the examination of step-by-step procedures for planning, implementing, and evaluating classroom research.

EDUC 681U: Content Specialization and Action Research II
Field work and implementation of research project conceived during Content Specialization and Action Research I, to include the formal dissemination of research results.