Education: Learning, Teaching, and Educational Transformation, MEd without Licensure

Degree Requirements

Master of Education Track without Licensure: MEd Track in Learning, Teaching, and Educational Transformation

Students in the MEd track in learning, teaching, and educational transformation (nonlicensure) will complete a program composed of 33 credits of coursework and a final capstone exam or paper. Requirements are as follows:

Four core courses (12 cr.):

One in curriculum organization and innovation (e.g., EDC G 630 , EDC G 642 ,
EDC G 648
, EDC G 660 ; CRCRTH 601 , CRCRTH 602 , CRCRTH 630 , CRCRTH 640 , CRCRTH 645L ;
ABA 653
)
One in research and writing for reflective practice (e.g., EDC G 621 , EDC G 690 ; CRCRTH 611 , CRCRTH 692 , CRCRTH 693 ;
ABA 654
)
One in mediation, dialogue, and collaboration (e.g.,
CONRES 621
,
CONRES 623
; CRCRTH 616 , CRCRTH 618 ;
ABA 655
)
One in urban and social justice education (e.g.,
APLING 665
; EDC G 606 , EDC G 672 ; CRCRTH 627 , ABA 662 ).

Note:

The choice of core courses must be recommended by the student‘s advisor and approved by the program director.

Seven additional courses

Seven additional courses, focused on a specific area of interest (21 cr.)

Information is available on suitable upcoming courses at http://ltet.wikispaces.umb.edu.

Two upper-level undergraduate courses may be approved by the program director to be counted toward this requirement.

Students with specific areas of interest

Students with specific areas of interest that match another master’s program or graduate certificate listed in this catalog are encouraged to contact that program for advice. Students may transfer credits from a UMass Boston certificate program into the nonlicensure MEd track (subject to the usual condition for transfer credits that the grade must be B or higher). This option is especially relevant for students from the following certificate programs:

Applied Behavioral Analysis
Critical and Creative Thinking
Science in a Changing World
Teaching Writing in the Schools
Technology, Learning and Leadership

Under a regular Learning, Teaching, and Educational Transformation concentration, students can choose the area of focus for their electives to be the same as a graduate certificate they are taking (such as ABA). Alternatively, as has been the case since the track began in the 1990s, students can formulate a focus that prepares them for work in a broad range of education-related professions, such as adult- and community-based education, educational research, policy analysis, philanthropy, and advocacy. A popular concentration is Out-of-School Time education. Four other concentrations are designated for students who include in their LTET courses seven (21 cr.) that are required for the corresponding licensure or CAGS tracks: Elementary Education, Middle School Education, Secondary Education, Teacher Leadership. The concentrations in Elementary, Middle, or Secondary Education ensure that students address the educational issues deemed important by the licensure programs. The concentration in Teacher Leadership ensures that, in addition to the four core areas of LTET, students address some or all of the following: organizational change, special education or English language learner expertise, content knowledge (depending on student’s content specialty), and technologically-mediated learning design (which emphasizes learning theory).

A final written paper or comprehensive examination

A final written paper or comprehensive examination addressing significant issues in contemporary education and reflecting the study and research each student has carried out in pursuit of the degree. More information is available at http://ltet.wikispaces.umb.edu/LTETCapstone.

Admission Requirements

Please see the general statement of admission requirements for all graduate studies programs in the “Admissions ” section of this publication and the “Special Instructions for Applicants to Individual Programs” section of the application for admission to graduate study.

Please see also the description of admission requirements listed under “Professional Preparation Programs for Educators ” in the “Academic & Administrative Policies ” section of this publication.

The MEd Program will recommend admission for those applicants who present evidence of their ability to do graduate work with distinction. Such evidence will normally include:

A distinguished undergraduate transcript, with a minimum overall GPA of 3.00;

Evidence of satisfactory grades in the major discipline (for middle/secondary education applicants, at least 3.00 in the discipline[s] to be taught);

Three positive and informed letters of recommendation submitted by persons who are knowledgeable about the candidate’s potential success both as a graduate student and as a teacher. One such letter must be from someone who has been the applicant’s instructor in a college course; another should be from a person who serves, or has served, in a supervisory capacity to the candidate;

Submission of Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores or Massachusetts Test for Educator Licensure (MTEL) or Miller Analogy Test (MAT). An applicant who already holds an advanced degree is exempt from this requirement.

For all licensure tracks, submission of MTEL scores, as detailed in the “Academic & Administrative Policies ” section of this publication.

The completion of a written statement demonstrating writing proficiency and including the following information:

the applicant’s specific professional goals;
a statement showing the fit between the applicant and the College of Education and Human Development’s basic goal of preparing thoughtful and responsive educators committed to change for social justice. Describe experiences or values that have prepared you to become such an educator.
the applicant’s philosophy of education and thoughts about contemporary schools and current movements in education.