Courses and Curriculum

Our program is for the teacher practitioner. We’ll provide you with opportunities for professional growth and personal development, and integrate constructivist theory with faith and learning applications. We’ll focus on these core areas of teacher development:

peacebuilding and conflict transformation
cultures of change
social and ethical issues
action research in educational settings

The Basics of EMU’s MA in Education Program

You’ll take 36 semester hours, which includes a required core of 12 hours, a concentration area of 21 hours and 3 hours of reflective practice in the form of action research.

Core courses (12 hours)

Required by all candidates, this core emphasizes:

examining peace and justice issues within educational environments
collaborating with teachers and administrators to establish constructivist environments
understanding social and ethical issues which inform change and
engaging in action research within the classroom in order to foster more effective instruction.

Program core and concentration area courses provide a rich context for identifying a significant question to explore in EDCC 551 Action Research in Educational Settings.

[Early in program]

EDCC 501 Creating Cultures of Change (3 hrs.)
EDCC 521 Peacebuilding & Conflict Transformation (3 hrs.)
EDCC 531 Social & Ethical Issues in Education (3 hrs.)

[Later in program]

EDCC 551 Action Research in Educational Settings (3 hrs.) (Prerequisite: Admission to Candidacy)

Course requirements may change as the program evolves.

Concentration Areas (21 hours)

It is in this component of the program that the practitioner begins to specialize in one of three following concentration areas.

Diverse Needs: Teaching English as a Second Language or Trauma and Resilience in Educational Environments
Practitioners concentrate on special needs of diverse populations, with further focus in one of three areas of emphasis.
- Teaching English as a Second Language
- Trauma and Resilience in Educational Environments
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Curriculum & Instruction

This component provides a course of study for elementary, middle or high school practitioners to enhance existing skills in designing curricula in today’s schools, with further focus in elementary, middle or high school settings.

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Restorative Justice in Education

EMU’s “interdisciplinary” concentration in Restorative Justice in Education (RJE) focuses on helping K-12 educators, school counselors, administrators, community leaders, social workers and other school personnel to develop skills in peaceable and restorative ways of teaching and leading.

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Action Research as Reflective Practice (3 hours)

Your master’s program will end with an action research project designed by the candidate in collaboration with an academic mentor. Action research projects (EDPC 611) take a variety of formats: curriculum restructuring projects, staff development projects, research for public policy change, research for publication, etc. Final projects are presented and approved by the mentor.

Graduate Certificates

For those not seeking a graduate degree, we also offer the following graduate certificates:

Apply online

All application materials and course registrations are available online.