Master of Education Degree Requirements at UAH

The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) offers a Master of Education (M.Ed.) program designed to equip educators with the knowledge and skills necessary to serve all students effectively. This program, with a focus on Differentiated Instruction, prepares teachers to meet the diverse needs of students, including those with disabilities. The program uniquely allows general education and special education educators to learn together in a core set of classes before specializing in their chosen concentrations.

Program Overview

The M.Ed. program in Differentiated Instruction at UAH is tailored for certified teachers (Class B license or equivalent) seeking to enhance their expertise in serving students from diverse backgrounds. The program is delivered entirely online, offering flexibility in terms of when and where assignments are completed. Cohorts begin every Summer (end of May) and Fall (August) semester, with the program typically taking approximately 1.5 years to complete.

Admission Requirements

To be considered for admission into the UAH M.Ed. program, applicants must fulfill several requirements:

Application and Fee: Submit a completed application along with a non-refundable application fee of \$40 for domestic students and \$50 for international students.
Teaching Certificate and Background Clearance: Provide documentation of a valid Alabama teaching certificate and related Background Clearance. Specifically, applicants must hold a valid Alabama Class B teaching certificate, or its equivalent, from an approved institution.
GPA Requirement: Students admitted to any of the programs that include teacher certification must have a cumulative undergraduate grade point average of at least 2.5.

Additional Requirements for English Majors

Applicants with a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in English must ensure they have met specific distribution requirements. This means having completed graduate or undergraduate coursework in at least two other areas, such as Journalism, Media, and/or Theatre. If these courses were not part of the original B.A. degree, they can be taken at UAH alongside the M.A. program. It is advisable to have the Director of Graduate School review an unofficial transcript to confirm these requirements are met.

Requirements for Non-English Majors

If an applicant holds a B.A. in a discipline other than English, they must have completed 32 hours of English coursework overall, specifically under the auspices of an English department. Of these 32 hours, 19 must be in upper-level English courses (300 or above). These courses may be taken while enrolled at UAH. However, enrollment in Education coursework is contingent upon meeting these requirements. As an alternative, a passing score on the Praxis II exam can be presented to fulfill this requirement.

Curriculum Structure

To earn the Master of Education degree, candidates must complete a minimum of 33 semester credits in one of the available concentrations. The curriculum is structured into core courses and specialized concentration courses.

Core Courses (12 semester credits)

All students, regardless of their chosen concentration area, will complete four core courses, totaling 12 semester credits. These courses are designed to foster collaborative relationships between general and special education teachers through practical activities.

Concentration Courses (18 semester credits)

Upon completion of the core courses, students will select a specialized concentration area, consisting of six courses, totaling 18 semester credits. These concentrations allow teachers to deepen their knowledge and skills in specific areas of education.

Capstone Course

The capstone course for the M.Ed. program serves as a culminating experience, allowing students to apply their knowledge and skills to a real-world educational challenge.

Concentrations

Based on individual interests and needs, students can focus their coursework in various concentrations. These concentrations provide in-depth knowledge and skills in specific areas of education, allowing teachers to tailor their expertise to the needs of their students and schools.

Financial Information

UAH offers competitive tuition rates for the M.Ed. program.

Faculty

Students will have the opportunity to learn from experienced and highly qualified faculty members who hold doctoral degrees, possess extensive professional experience, and demonstrate scholarly productivity in their respective fields.

Course Descriptions

The M.Ed. program includes a variety of courses designed to provide a comprehensive understanding of educational theory and practice. Here are some examples of courses offered within the program:

Introduction to Research: Introduces the nature of research and its relationship to educational thought and practice. The primary focus is on planning and executing research activities.
Cognitive Psychology in the Classroom: Designed to inform students about recent developments in Cognitive Psychology and their implications for teaching and learning.
Philosophy and Practice of Differentiation: Provides an introduction to the philosophy and practice of differentiation.
Language Systems in Context: Studies language systems in context, analyzing phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics to understand variables impacting development and usage at individual and group levels.
Language Usage Analysis: Investigates language usage through analysis of key structures, including the word, group, phrase, sentence, and extended discourse.
Assessment for Diverse Learners: Focuses on using a variety of norm-referenced, criterion-referenced, and other assessment data to inform instruction for a diverse classroom within the RTi model.
Foundations of ESOL Education: Provides the foundation for effective instruction of linguistically diverse students, critiquing the theoretical underpinnings of historical and contemporary ESOL education, as well as the selection of instructional materials, course design, and lesson plans.
Curriculum Integration with Technology: Prepares teachers to plan curriculum integration by using computer technology and software in various curriculum areas for both regular and special students.
Identity, Difference, and Power in Education: Through an examination of constructs such as race, ethnicity, social class, gender, sexual orientation, and religious affiliation, students will develop a theoretical understanding of the connections between identity, difference, power, and privilege and the role(s) schools (could/should) play in perpetuating or ending discriminatory practices.

ESOL Program Requirements

All candidates in the ESOL program will be required to pass the content exam. If a candidate has a Class B certificate outside of collaborative teaching/special education and is completing the Collaborative Teaching: Autism Spectrum Disorders program, they will be required to take the Praxis II Special Education exam. Students in this program will be required to complete an internship which they may complete "on the job". After the completion of the courses, advanced candidates will complete a summative action research project. A focus on how to best support the needs of students whose native language is not English, facilitate professional development and offer resources to teachers, students and families, and differentiate instruction and assessment for English language learners.

Important Note

Coursework used to meet bachelor's degree requirements cannot be used to meet requirements for Class A or Alternative Class A Certification in any teaching field. Completion of a Class A program for a teaching field requires at least 30 semester hours of graduate credit not used for prior-level certification or degree in any teaching field or area of instructional support.

Read also: Navigating Postgraduate Studies

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