M.S.Ed. Curriculum and Instruction
Contact Person:
Kathleen Valentine, Chair
Satterlee 304, (315) 267-3314 (valentkm@potsdam.edu)
The Master of Science in Education in Curriculum and Instruction has been designed to meet the needs of three groups of candidates:
- Professionals with Initial New York State certification and seek to complete the academic requirements for Professional certification. Each candidate will develop an individualized program of study, in collaboration with the candidate’s adviser. This program of study will be designed to be functionally relevant to the candidate's Initial certification area in one of the following disciplines:
- Business/Marketing
- Early Childhood/Childhood Education (B-6)
- Dance
- English 7-12
- French 7-12
- Health Education
- Mathematics 7-12
- Music
- Social Studies 7-12
- Spanish 7-12
- Theatre
- Visual Arts
- International students who wish to develop their English-language skills and learn about teaching in United States schools but who are not eligible to receive Professional certification in New York. (This concentration is only available on the Potsdam campus.)
For more information about this program, contact Andrew Ha, Program Coordinator, at (315) 267-2124, or haak@potsdam.edu - International Students seeking a master's in education but who are not eligible to receive Professional certification in New York State.
Requirements for Admission
- Submission of a copy of a current teaching certificate (Concentration A only).
- A minimum grade point average of 2.75 (A=4.0) in the most recent 60 semester hours of undergraduate study.
- Submission of three letters of recommendation from persons who can provide information about the academic and teaching potential of the applicant (e.g., former or current professors, school administrators).
Additional Degree Information
Candidates are strongly encouraged to review the Policies and Procedures in the Graduate Catalog, focusing on the specific information related to education programs.
Candidates holding New York Initial certification in areas other than those listed above must consult with the department chair prior to enrollment to discuss the feasibility of completing this program.
All degree candidates are required to successfully complete an action research project GRED 687) or thesis (GRED 699) designed to synthesize their academic experiences.
A minimum of 33-34 credit hours with an overall grade point average of 3.0 or higher is required for the granting of the Master of Science in Education degree in Curriculum and Instruction.
Student progress is carefully monitored throughout the program based on demonstration of appropriate knowledge, skills, and dispositions. Candidates are provided with information on program expectations in their first semester. Those not making satisfactory progress will be counseled by their advisor and may be dropped from the program.
| Course Requirements | Credits |
A. Concentration for Candidates holding Initial Certification in an Eligible Title | |
| Core Requirements | 12 |
| GRED 634 Philosophical Foundations of Curriculum & Instruction | 3 |
| GRED 616 Curriculum and Evaluation (content linking) | 3 |
| GRED 635 Educational Research in Curriculum & Instruction (content linking) | 3 |
| GRED 687 Action Research. | 3 |
| Content or Content Linking Courses | 6 |
In
addition to the content linking courses identified above, candidates
must complete 6 additional credits of content or content linking
courses, selected in consultation with the adviser and in relation to
the candidate’s initial certification area. Content courses are graduate
courses offered by academic departments; content linking courses are
graduate courses developed jointly by faculty in the content areas and
education faculty and which include content linked to pedagogy.
Candidates
holding early childhood or childhood certification should include study
in the range of the core academic disciplines found in elementary
school curriculum. All other candidates must work closely with their
adviser to select content or content-inking courses that are relevant to
their Initial certification.
Current courses identified as content linking include the following; candidates should consult with advisers on any other courses that may have become identified as content-linking courses:
| GRED 504 Using Spreadsheets in Teaching School Mathematics | 3 |
| GRED 505 Topics in Mathematics for Elementary Teachers | 3 |
| GRED 516 Diversity and Advocacy in Education | 3 |
| GRED 517 Integrating the Arts into the Elementary Curriculum | 3 |
| GRED 522 Creative and Affective Experiences for Young Children | 3 |
| GRED 531 Creative Problem Solving | 3 |
| GRED 534 Teaching Mathematics in a Technological World | 3 |
| GRED 548 Literacy & Literature for Young Children | 3 |
| GRED 549 Adolescent Literature & the Teaching of Literacy | 3 |
| GRED 552 Teaching Vietnam: The Cultural/Historical Travel Program | 3 |
| GRED 574 Navajo Cultural Exchange Program | 3 |
| GRED 595A Science & Literature: An Interdisciplinary Model | 3 |
| GRED 595S Perspectives in Schooling, Culture and Ethnicity: A Caribbean Experience | 3 |
| GRED 690 Special Social Studies Education Content Topic | 3 |
| GRDG 615 Literacy/Family/School/Community Collaboration | 3 |
| GRDG 620 Literacy & Linguistically Diverse Learners | 3 |
| Graduate Education Electives | 15 |
| Five graduate education courses, selected with prior approval of the adviser. | |
| Total required credit hours | 33 |
B. Concentration in Language Acquisition for International Students (Non-certification Program)
This program does not lead to a teaching certificate in New York State and is not a TESOL program. It is specifically designed for international students who desire to improve their own language skills as they acquire a background in American education. The program involves placement in an elementary or middle school at least one day a week throughout the spring semester.
For admission information and application materials, click here.
| Core Requirements | 22 |
| GRED 558 Literacy I: Methods-Childhood | 3 |
| GRED 559 Literacy II: Methods-Childhood | 3 |
| GRED 576 Practicum I (Immersion in English language usage) | 1 |
| GRED 586 Practicum II (Formal Observation & Participation) | 3 |
| GRED 634 Philosophical Foundations of Curriculum and Instruction | 3 |
| GRED 635 Educational Research in Curriculum/ Instruction | 3 |
| GRED 665 Language & Culture | 3 |
| GRED 699 Thesis Research | 3 |
| Education Electives | 12 |
| Four graduate education courses selected with prior adviser approval | |
| Total required credit hours | 34 |
| Candidates may select the following additional optional courses (in addition to the 34 credits needed for graduation) to develop their written language skills further: | |
| GRED 583 The Development of Writing I | 2 |
| GRED 593 The Development of Writing II | 2 |
C. International Students (Non-Certification Program)
For International Students seeking a master's in Education without New York certification.
| Core Requirements | 12 |
| GRED 634 Philosophical Foundations of Curriculum & Instruction | 3 |
| GRED 616 Curriculum and Evaluation (content linking) | 3 |
| GRED 635 Educational Research in Curriculum & Instruction (content linking) | 3 |
| GRED 687 Action Research. | 3 |
| Content or Content Linking Courses | 6 |
In
addition to the content linking courses identified above, candidates
must complete 6 additional credits of content or content linking
courses, selected in consultation with the adviser. Content courses are
graduate courses offered by academic departments; content linking
courses are graduate courses developed jointly by faculty in the
content areas and education faculty and which include content linked to
pedagogy.
All candidates must work closely with their adviser to select content or
content-linking courses.
Current courses identified as content linking include the following; candidates should consult with advisers on any other courses that may have become identified as content-linking courses:
| GRED 504 Using Spreadsheets in Teaching School Mathematics | 3 |
| GRED 505 Topics in Mathematics for Elementary Teachers | 3 |
| GRED 516 Diversity and Advocacy in Education | 3 |
| GRED 517 Integrating the Arts into the Elementary Curriculum | 3 |
| GRED 522 Creative and Affective Experiences for Young Children | 3 |
| GRED 531 Creative Problem Solving | 3 |
| GRED 534 Teaching Mathematics in a Technological World | 3 |
| GRED 548 Literacy & Literature for Young Children | 3 |
| GRED 549 Adolescent Literature & the Teaching of Literacy | 3 |
| GRED 552 Teaching Vietnam: The Cultural/Historical Travel Program | 3 |
| GRED 574 Navajo Cultural Exchange Program | 3 |
| GRED 595A Science & Literature: An Interdisciplinary Model | 3 |
| GRED 595S Perspectives in Schooling, Culture and Ethnicity: A Caribbean Experience | 3 |
| GRED 690 Special Social Studies Education Content Topic | 3 |
| GRDG 615 Literacy/Family/School/Community Collaboration | 3 |
| GRDG 620 Literacy & Linguistically Diverse Learners | 3 |
| Graduate Education Electives | 15 |
| Five graduate education courses, selected with prior approval of the adviser. | |
| Total required credit hours | 33 |
- B.A. in Childhood/Early Childhood Education (Birth-Grade 6)
- B.A. in Early Childhood Education (Birth-Grade 2)
- B.A. in Childhood Education (1-6)
- M.S.T. Childhood Education
- M.S.T. Childhood Instruction (Ontario)
- M.S.Ed. Curriculum and Instruction
- Undergraduate Courses (PDF)
- Graduate Courses (PDF)
- Faculty