Secondary Education, M.Ed.

General Program Information

Graduate School Contact:

Fiona Goodyear; goodyear@etsu.edu; 423-439-6148

Norma Hogan, Ed.D., Graduate Program Coordinator

902 West Maple Street
Box 70684
(423) 439-8372
e-mail: macraen@etsu.edu

Rhona Hurwitz, Chair, Department of Curriculum and Instruction

401A Warf-Pickel
Box 70684
(423) 439-7598
e-mail: hurwitz@etsu.edu

Faculty:

H. Lee Daniels; Rosalind Gann; Aimee Govett; Norma Hogan; Huili Hone; Rhona Hurwitz; Karin Keith; Lori Meier; Ryan Nivens; Jack Rhoton; Chi-Che Tai.

The major purpose of this degree is to improve the quality of teaching at the secondary level by strengthening the preparation of teachers in various areas including advanced study in academic disciplines, pedagogy, instructional technology, and research.

Students who wish to complete a concentration in one of the disciplines normally taught at the secondary school level or to complete an additional endorsement, as part of a Master of Education degree, must already hold a professional teaching certificate or equivalent. Individuals without the teaching certificate will be considered for admission if their career goals are consistent with the programs of study. If the applicant does not have an acceptable background but desires to complete a specific content area, these deficiencies may be removed by completing courses for undergraduate credit.

Students planning to complete this program must complete 19 credits of professional development courses and 18 credits in an appropriate area, representing the student’s greatest interest. The Master of Education in Secondary Education degree requires a minimum of 37 credit-hours to complete. Professional development courses may be completed concurrently with content area courses. After completing twelve (12) credit-hours of professional development courses, the student should complete candidacy and committee papers with the approval of the initial advisor. The student’s program should be planned with the advisor prior to selecting courses. The students completing the M.Ed. Secondary Education program are required to present a Professional Level Teaching Portfolio as part of the oral examination.

Program Admission Requirements

Students seeking admission to graduate programs in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction must first meet general requirements of the Graduate School. In addition, the following specific admission criteria apply:

1. A candidate who has an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or above on a 4.0 scale for all work completed is eligible for admission. The candidate must also submit three letters of recommendation.
2. A candidate who has an undergraduate GPA of less than 3.0 on a 4.0 scale may be granted admission by either of the following two procedures:
   1. Obtain a minimum of 2,400 points based on the following formula:
      1. The sum of the GRE aptitude scores (V+Q+A);
      2. GPA x 500; and
      3. The total of (i) and (ii).
         Scores on the GRE Analytical Writing section (AW) will be substituted for the old Analytical (A) scores using a scaled transfer.
   2. Participating in an interview with the appropriate admission committee. The candidate will be responsible for providing the admission committee with information for consideration in admission decisions. Factors to be considered include teaching experience; scores on standardized tests; GPA during the entire undergraduate experience, during the last two years of undergraduate school, and in the major; performance in graduate courses taken; recommendations of supervisors and colleagues; quality of undergraduate school(s) attended; oral communication skills; and skill in writing, which will be determined in part by the candidate’s extemporaneous writing during the interview process.

Course Requirements

(Except Classroom Technology Concentration)

Total Hours Required for Degree: 37 Credit Hours

Note:

Students should be aware that some courses in the various content specializations and professional education core may have prerequisites. Students should work closely with their advisor to plan their program and to meet their individual needs and interests.