Online MA Program Information
Program Requirements | Concentration Areas |
Advising & Planning | Program Planning Form
The online Master of Arts degree in Education is designed for experienced educators who are interested in enhancing their professional practice through online study of advanced professional knowledge related to teaching, learning, and leadership in P-16 schools. Through elective sequences of learning opportunities, the student may develop one or two concentrations that focus on selected areas such as special education, technology and learning, P-12 school and postsecondary leadership, literacy education, sport leadership and coaching, and science and mathematics education. The online MA program in Education is available only online and only under Plan B (without thesis). The online format provides optimum flexibility for students who wish to engage in inquiry and learning that will contribute to exemplary educational practice.
The program has these benefits:
- Convenience to study where you live or work without having to come to campus
- Taught only by MSU faculty
- Breadth of course selection focus in-depth on one or two areas of concentration, or pick one area for close examination and explore broadly across other areas
- Apply what you learn online in your classroom and personal life
- Earn your MA degree by successfully completing and exhibiting an online portfolio
- Academic advisement readily available
The MAED is a regular MSU M.A. program, meets all MSU requirements for Master's level study, and carries a regular diploma. The title of the degree is "Master of Arts in Education." There is no reference made to online delivery or to concentration area on the diploma or transcript. MSU and its academic programs are accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.
Certification and Endorsement
The online MAED is a planned program of study and will support your effort to update your teaching credentials. However, this program is not designed to provide State of Michigan endorsement nor initial teacher certification. For more information, please visit the Teacher and Administrator Certification and Endorsement section on our FAQ page by clicking here.
Program Requirements for the Master of Arts Degree in Education
The requirements for the online program must be completed within five years. In order to meet the requirements of the University and of the College of Education, students must complete all requirements specified below.
Students must complete a total of 30 credits approved by the student's academic advisor, and distributed as follows:
- Completion of ED 800 Educational Inquiry. ED 800 should be taken toward the beginning of the program.
- Completion of ED 870 Capstone/Synthesis course including the completion and exhibition of an online portfolio. Students must complete 80% of the program prior to enrolling in ED 870.
- One Core Issues course. Core Issues courses can be:
a) Found in the Other Courses section of the Courses page of the MAED website or
b) A course that is outside of a student's primary concentration area. - Completion of 9 credits (minimum) in one of six areas of concentration: Special Education, Technology and Learning, P-12 and Postsecondary School Leadership, Literacy Education, Sport Leadership and Coaching, Science and Mathematics Education.
- Completion of a minimum of 9 additional credits in a second area of concentration, in areas approved by the student's academic advisor, or transfer credits with advisor approval.
- A minimum of 3 credits in electives approved by the student's academic advisor.
- All course work, including prior transfer and MSU lifelong education courses, must be no older than five years at the time of graduation.
- Once accepted into the program, only online MSU courses can be used toward the MAED degree.
Concentration Areas
Several areas of concentration drawing from strengths within and across departments in the College of Education are being offered. They include special education, technology and learning, P-12 school and postsecondary leadership, literacy education, sport leadership and coaching, and science and mathematics education.
The Special Education Concentration is designed for teachers seeking to gain expertise in working with students with special needs in the general education classroom. This concentration focuses on theory and issues relating to students with exceptional needs and techniques to build supportive learning environments for all learners in inclusive classrooms. Students will complete the following courses to fulfill this concentration.
CEP 840 Teaching Exceptional Children & Youth in General Education Classrooms
CEP 841 Classroom & Behavioral Management in the Inclusive Classroom
CEP 842 Methods of Instruction in Inclusive Classrooms
Students interested in the Special Education Concentration may also be interested in related courses that may be taken as elective or core issues courses.
CEP 802 Developing Positive Attitudes toward Learning
CEP 832 Educating Students with Challenging Behavior
CEP 874 Transition from School to Adult Life for Students with Disabilities
CEP 882 Technology and Literacy for Students with Disabilities
CEP 883 Psychology of Classroom Discipline
The Sport Leadership and Coaching Concentration is designed for individuals working or desiring to work in school, university and community sports programs. It offers the opportunity to enhance one's understanding of key issues involved in educational athletics and to further develop one's leadership and coaching skills. The program consists of 3-semester hour courses that address legal, administrative, policy, leadership, psychological, sociological, and physical issues as they relate to the coaching and leadership of amateur athletics. Coursework focuses on the development of in-depth knowledge in the social, psychological and biological sciences that are essential for coaches and administrators to conduct positive and safe sport programs for youth and student-athletes. Students are encouraged to select courses that are most relevant to their current position and future career goals. Students will choose three courses from the following list of four courses to fulfill this concentration.
KIN 854 Sport Law for Administrators and Coaches
KIN 855 Psychosocial Bases of Coaching Athletes
KIN 856 Physical Bases of Coaching Athletes
KIN 857/940 Promoting Positive Youth Development through Sport
Students may take an additional course from the above list of four courses, as well as electives from any other courses in the online master's program that are consistent with their goal statement and objectives.
The Technology and Learning Concentration prepares teachers, administrators, and other educational professionals for the thoughtful use of technologies to support teaching and learning in a range of educational environments. Coursework focuses on stimulating deeper understanding of the role of technology, as well as projects designed to enhance students' technology skills. Students are encouraged to select courses that are most relevant to their current position and future career goals. Students will choose three courses from the following list to fulfill this concentration.
CEP 805 Learning Mathematics with Technology
CEP 806 Learning Science with Technology
CEP 813 Electronic Portfolios in Teaching & Learning
CEP 815 Technology and Leadership
CEP 816 Technology, Teaching & Learning Across the Curriculum
CEP 817 Learning Technology through Design
CEP 818 Creativity in Teaching & Learning
Students may take more than three of the courses listed above, as well as electives in the online master's program that are consistent with their goal statement and objectives. Advisor approval is required.
The P-12 School and Postsecondary Leadership Concentration enhances educational and leadership skills of those currently working in schools or higher and adult education settings. It emphasizes experiences that aim to promote depth and breadth of knowledge, skills, and dispositions in P-12 education and higher and adult education leadership. Students will choose three courses from the following list to fulfill this concentration. It is strongly suggested that students consider taking additional course work in this area in order to deepen their knowledge of school or postsecondary leadership.
EAD 801 Leadership & Organizational Development
EAD 845 Teaching, Learning, & School Restructuring
EAD 850 Issues & Strategies in Multicultural Education
EAD 860 Concept of a Learning Society
EAD 861 Adult Learning
EAD 863 Training & Professional Development
EAD 864 Adult Career Development
EAD 866 Teaching in Postsecondary Education
EAD 867 Case Studies in Educational Leadership
EAD 876 Budgeting and Finance in Higher Education
EAD 882 Sharing Leadership in Schools
EAD 882 Urban School Leaders as Reflective Practitioners
*Note: This concentration area is not designed to meet your local/state school administrative certification requirements.
The Literacy Education Concentration focuses on reading, writing, listening and speaking-- central concerns in elementary and secondary schooling. This concentration is comprised of three required courses, which cover various components of literacy learning and provide innovative examples of different aspects of the teaching of literacy. Students will complete three of the following courses to fulfill this concentration.
TE 836 Awards & Classics of Children's Literature
TE 843 Reading, Writing and Reasoning in Secondary School Subjects
TE 846 Accommodating Differences in Literacy Learners
TE 847 Advanced Methods for Teaching Lang Arts
TE 848 Methods of Writing Instruction
TE 891 Children’s Literature and Film
The Science and Mathematics Education Concentration is designed to help practicing K-12 teachers enrich the knowledge and skills needed to improve student learning in these two academic areas. The five courses in this concentration expand and update teachers' background by introducing recent research on approaches to teaching and learning in math and science. The courses also utilize teachers' experiences by providing structured opportunities to implement new practices in their classrooms and reflect on the outcomes. Students will choose three courses from the following list to fulfill this concentration.
TE 831 Teaching Subject Matter with Technology
TE 855 Teaching School Mathematics
TE 861A Teaching Science for Understanding*
TE 861B Inquiry, Nature of Science and Science Teaching*
TE 861C Action Research in K-12 Science and Mathematics Classrooms*
*Note that it is not necessary to take these courses sequentially.
Advising and Program Planning
Students should work with their academic advisor, John Olle to complete their program plan. (See program planning form).