Master's in Education: A Comprehensive Curriculum Overview

A Master of Arts in Education (Curriculum and Instruction) is a graduate program designed to provide educators with specialized knowledge and skills in curriculum design, development, and instructional practices. It offers options for educators to enhance their expertise in areas of interest related to elementary, middle, and secondary education. The program emphasizes a blend of theory, research, and practice in diverse educational settings, exploring crucial intellectual questions in contemporary education.

Program Description and Objectives

The Master of Arts in Education (Curriculum and Instruction) is designed to provide professional and specialized preparation for those interested in acquiring knowledge and skills essential for the design and development of curriculum and related instructional practices. The program provides a variety of options for educators to develop and enhance expertise in a particular field of interest related to elementary, middle school, and secondary education. Each course is designed to produce an ideal blend of theory, research and practice in modern, diverse educational settings. The program is committed to exploring critical intellectual questions of contemporary education.

The curriculum explores various ways to understand and evaluate school curricula, considering how teaching practices linked to those curricula can be oriented toward equity and social justice. It familiarizes students with diverse perspectives on curriculum, understanding it as aspirational, technical, and phenomenological.

Great student outcomes begin with a great curriculum-one that provides focus, depth, and clarity for eager students. A master's degree in curriculum and instruction could be an ideal fit for those who already have a bachelor's degree in education and are interested in enhancing their career by building strong learning opportunities for students. This valuable curriculum and instruction degree helps educators stand out from the competition and lead impactful innovation in their organizations.

Program Structure and Delivery

Program instructors bring varied levels of expertise with advanced degrees from major research universities and classroom experience in K-12 and higher education settings. Students may apply to either a stateside traditional cohort or a College of Continuing Education online cohort. The traditional cohort will meet face-to-face. The online cohort will meet approximately 25% synchronously (real time) and 75% asynchronously (your own schedule within a given timeframe).

During the synchronous sessions students will participate in community development, collaboration, and communications that will allow them to get to know their peers and instructors and facilitate instructional delivery suited to an online format. During asynchronous sessions students will build on learning experiences acquired in the synchronous sessions while deepening the knowledge, skills and dispositions that emerge with reflective, "on your own schedule" participation.

Some programs are built in alignment with the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards and the National Education Association's Teacher Leadership Competencies, ensuring that students get the best quality degree that will prepare them for the next steps of their career.

Online Learning Environment

Online programs often offer a personalized, flexible approach to higher education, understanding the professional responsibilities, family obligations, and personal commitments of students. This allows students to work hard and get a solid, challenging, career-focused education that fits their life. Some programs have Program Mentors who work with students from the day they start, all the way through graduation, helping them chart their courses, answer their questions, and ensure they can go through their program.

Admission Requirements and Procedures

Admission as a classified graduate student typically requires:

A baccalaureate degree.
A minimum 3.0 GPA in the last 60 units.
Proficiency in written English composition, demonstrated through a writing placement exam or equivalent coursework.
An interview with a program administrator/faculty team.

Applicants who have deficiencies in admission requirements may be admitted with conditionally classified graduate status, with specified additional preparation required to remove the deficiencies.

Application Procedures

The stateside traditional program may admit a cohort of students in fall only, while the online program may admit students in fall and/or spring. Prospective graduate students must file an online application for admission and provide official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended.

Additional Admission Requirements

General Admission Requirements/Procedures for MA in Graduate & Professional Studies in Education (GPSE) apply, plus: supplemental application for the MA in Curriculum & Instruction, including a complete set of unofficial transcripts, an essay based on a prompt that will be provided to you, and a statement of purpose; and two years of teaching experience or its functional equivalent; or program coordinator approval. Applicants who have deficiencies in admission requirements that can be removed by specified additional preparation may be admitted with conditionally classified status. Any deficiencies will be noted on a written response to the student's admission application.

Core Components of the Curriculum

The program is typically composed of:

Core courses focusing on curriculum, instruction, assessment, and diversity.
Concentration courses allowing for specialization in areas like educational innovation, English as a Second Language (ESL), gifted education, instructional technology, literacy, professional studies, or social and emotional learning.
Culminating experience.

Course Examples and Descriptions

Transforming Curriculum in K-12: Explores curriculum development and its impact on education.
Inquiry & Practice in Education/Field Experience in Education: Focuses on research and practical application in educational settings.
Action & Analysis in Education/Field Experience in Education: Emphasizes analyzing and responding to educational challenges.
Differentiated Instruction: Examines how the classroom environment and students’ readiness levels, interests, and learning profiles influence learning.
Designing Curriculum and Instruction I & II: Examines the influence that specific theories, design principles, and evaluation models have on the quality and effectiveness of a curriculum.
Standards-Based Assessment: Teaches candidates how to unpack academic standards to determine the essential learnings within the standards that should be assessed.
The Reflective Practitioner: Defines what reflective teaching is and how accomplished teachers reflect meaningfully on their pedagogical choices to improve their practice.
Learning as a Science: Examines how research from the field of learning sciences can be applied to improve teaching and learning.
The Collaborative Leader: Demonstrates strategies teacher leaders can use to collaborate with other professionals, families, and communities to build strong relationships and improve school effectiveness.
Data-Informed Practices: Focuses on the development of data literacy skills.
Educational Research: Focuses on practical problem solving.
Curriculum, Instruction, & Assessment: Foundation course.
Cross-Cultural Education for Diverse Learners: Diversity pillar.
Principles of Curriculum Design: Curriculum pillar.
Assessment of Curriculum K-12: Assessment pillar.

Specialization Areas

The curriculum often includes opportunities for specialization, allowing students to focus on specific areas of interest. Examples of Curriculum and Instruction elective programs include: Educational Technology, Mathematics Education, Language and Literacy, Multicultural Education, Gender Equity, BTSA or other pre-approved induction courses. With C & I Program Coordinator approval, program courses may include one of the following: 6 transfer elective units (must not be independent study or supervision units) 6 units of academic credit earned through Continuing Education

Some programs offer concentrations in areas such as:

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Catholic Education: Aims to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of its philosophical, historical, and spiritual foundations, as well as pedagogical approaches for Catholic schooling and opportunities for student formation.
Global Perspectives: Prepares students how to become effective teachers in an increasingly globalized world and explore what constitutes a valued and engaging curriculum for the community.
Multilingual Literacy: Designed to deepen understanding of curriculum and instruction as it pertains to the language and literacy development of bi- and multilingual students in Pre-K-12 classrooms and schools.
Special Education: Develop your knowledge and skill for teaching students who may have disabilities.

Elective Courses

Students often have the flexibility to select elective units in Curriculum and Instruction coursework in consultation with the Program Coordinator. These electives can be focused on a program of interest or selected from various programs.

Culminating Experience

The culminating experience typically involves a research project or study that applies data literacy and research skills to topics related to curriculum and instruction and career goals. Before beginning a 500-level course, students must submit a reservation form for a Culminating Experience to the program coordinator for approval. Enrollment in the 500 series Culminating Experience is for one semester. The expectation is that students will complete the culminating experience during the 500-level course. One semester of continuous enrollment is allowed if the Culminating Experience advisor deems a reasonable amount of progress has been made and assigns a grade of "RP" for the 500 series.

Advancement to Candidacy

Each student must file an application for Advancement to Candidacy indicating a proposed program of graduate study. This procedure should begin as soon as the classified graduate student has: removed any deficiencies in admission; completed at least 12 units of courses in the graduate program (see Degree Requirements) with a minimum 3.0 GPA; and taken the Writing Placement for Graduate Students (WPG) or taken a Graduate Writing Intensive (GWI) course in their discipline within the first two semesters of coursework or secured approval for a WPG waiver. The student fills out the form after planning a degree program in consultation with the appropriate M.A. Program Coordinator. The form must be submitted online with the Office of Graduate Studies for approval.

Program Requirements and Policies

Total units required for MA: 30
Minimum cumulative GPA: 3.0; no units with a grade lower than "C" may apply toward the degree.

Course List

Required Courses (21 Units)

CORE COURSES (15 Units)
- EDBM 250 Education Research (3 Units)
- EDCI 227 Transforming Curriculum in K-12 (3 Units)
- EDCI 251 Power in Education (3 Units)
- EDCI 252A Inquiry & Practice in Education (3 Units)
- EDCI 253A Action & Analysis in Education (3 Units)
Concentration Courses (6 Units)
- EDCI 252B Inquiry & Practice Field Experience in Education (3 Units)
- EDCI 253B Action & Analysis Field Experience in Education (3 Units)
Other Course Requirements (6 Units)
- Select 6 units of electives

Culminating Requirement (3 Units)

EDCI 505 Culminating Experience: Curriculum and Instruction (3 Units)

General Policies

The graduate degree program is subject to general University and Departmental requirements, as outlined in the University Catalog.

Career Prospects and Return on Investment

Graduates of curriculum and instruction programs usually have the option to pursue licensure to work in their local public schools or further their studies and research as doctorate students, among other career options.

The return on investment for a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction varies based on program costs and career prospects for graduates. Students should also consider their future job prospects and average salaries in their desired field. In the case of a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction, average salaries in the field range from $65,000 a year to just under $80,000.

Job Outlook

The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that the number of roles for high school teachers in most positions will see little to no change. Roles for instructional coordinators are projected to grow slightly faster at 2%, about as fast as the average for all occupations, according to the BLS.

Salary Expectations

K-12 teachers typically earn between $65,120 and $69,480 a year on average, according to the BLS, with kindergarten teachers earning average salaries on the lower end of that spectrum and secondary school teachers earning salaries on the higher end. Instructional coordinators earn a bit more according to the BLS, with an average salary of $73,080.

Why Choose a Master's in Curriculum and Instruction?

Effective teaching is no accident. It happens by design. With the tools you'll acquire in your curriculum and instruction master’s degree, you'll be prepared to help schools create courses of study that are engaging, meaningful, and memorable.

This program opens your eyes to aspects of teaching and learning in a way that is immediately transferable to your classroom practices. Be prepared to reflect on your current practices related to teaching and learning.

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