masters in education degree requirements
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Getting Your Master’s in Education: Here is What it Takes

Teachers with a Master’s in Education (M.Ed.) benefit from high salary potential plus enormous opportunities for advancement that are only possible with a graduate degree. Getting your Master’s in Education can follow close on the heels of your bachelor’s degree completion, or you can return to school after many years spent teaching. There is no wrong time to tackle this next step.

Here, we’ll explain the basic Master’s in Education requirements, and how you can achieve this advanced degree.

M.Ed. Admissions Requirements

Many speculative M.Ed. applicants balk at the idea of a master’s program because of the GRE. It can be so hard to find time to study while also working full-time as a teacher. Goodwin University takes that cause for worry out of the equation because GRE scores are not required for admissions. The key requirements for entry into Goodwin’s Master’s in Education program are:

  • At least a 3.0 GPA achieved at a Council for Higher Accreditation-recognized college or university.
  • Recommendations that attest to your excellent performance as a teacher.
  • An interview with the program directors and faculty.
  • A professional resume.
  • A graduate application.
  • Proof of immunizations.

If you can check off each of these items, you’re ready to apply! Goodwin University is proud to make our program available to M.Ed. applicants at any time of the year. The admissions timeline is rolling, and you can apply and begin courses online when it makes sense for your schedule.

Master’s in Education Course Requirements

What benefits will graduates see once they achieve their Master’s in Education? Begin by looking at each course and its desired outcomes, detailed below. At Goodwin, the M.Ed. curriculum is rooted in the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework, which challenges teachers to address individual learner variability. UDL is a proven to be an equitable, accessible, and successful approach to education. Together, the below classes make up the 30-credit program.

  • Social Foundations of Education: Learn about the historical, philosophical, and sociological foundations of the education field, including strategies for educators to interact with community members.
  • Contemporary Issues in Urban Education: How are educators meeting the complexities enmeshed in the student experience of urban settings? Partake in reflection and identify hypothetical opportunities for positive change.
  • Teacher Leadership: Theory and Practice: Take your understanding of the multi-faceted teacher role to the next level by diving into the teachers’ spheres of influence.
    Curriculum Theory: Engage in the dynamic relationship between theory and action!
  • Effective Learning Environments: Consider learning through a lens of equity and explore diverse learning systems such as social-emotional, culturally relevant, and restorative disciplinary approaches.
  • Classroom-Based Assessment: Design learner knowledge assessments that align with educational outcomes. Creating a margin is essential for understanding if learners are reaching their highest capabilities.
  • Instructional Coaching: Learn coaching skills to embed into classroom lessons.
  • Leading Professional Learning: This course focuses on adult learners and positioning oneself as an educator and supporter for continued education.
  • Appreciative Inquiry Capstone: This 6-credit course is double the credit weight of all other courses because it is the M.Ed. Capstone. Students will develop a project relevant to their professional practice and focus their project around UDL, teacher leadership, diversity, equity, and inclusion principles.

It is clear that this comprehensive curriculum speaks to the Goodwin University M.Ed. program mission statement, “To prepare reflective practitioner-leaders who will create engaging cultures in schools and communities.”

M.Ed. Graduation Requirements

While many Master’s in Education programs can take 2-3 years to complete, Goodwin University’s M.Ed. program makes it possible to graduate in as few as 12 months, while studying part-time. We owe this efficiency to the online delivery method, which includes both independent, asynchronous learning, and synchronous learning alongside classmates.

Steps to Getting Your Master’s in Education

An advanced teaching education is a flexible ticket to many rewarding career options. Some outcome options are traditional, while others are much less obvious. For example, some people turn their Master’s in Education requirements into careers in elementary, middle, or high school, as Curriculum Specialists, Special Education Teachers, Educational Administrators, or School Principals. Others might veer towards the private or corporate sector and become Corporate Trainers or Educational Consultants. Some might be interested in adult education and arrive at the job of University Professors or Career Counselors. There are Master’s in Education career options across virtually any sector, so you can combine both your background in education and your subject or population interests into a job that you love.

Embarking on the next year of balancing classes alongside work is an undertaking not to be considered lightly. However, the opportunity to become a leader in your field, advance your skillset, and have a more meaningful and lasting impact on students’ experience makes it worthwhile. To learn about getting your Master’s in Education at Goodwin University, call 800-889-3282, or visit us online to apply now. It’s never too late to kick your teaching career into the next gear.