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- About
- Information Binder
- Philosophical Framework
- Admissions
- Acceptance
- Post - Admission Requirements
- Courses
- Course Rotations
About
The College of Education prepares skilled professionals who inspire excellence and create transformative change in the schools and communities in which they serve by enhancing scholarship, achievement, and service through collaborative partnerships, promoting and modeling innovative, ethical, and research - based practices and, embracing inclusion and social justice.
Information Binder
The full Information Binder may be viewed on the Downloads & Forms page.
Philosophical Framework
The philosophical foundation of the Masters Degree in Curriculum & Instruction in the College of Education at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs is designed to provide professional educators increased knowledge of current research on teaching and learning and its contexts and to apply that research in practice. The degree provides an opportunity for teachers to focus on an area of interest and to develop increased skills and knowledge in that area.
The College of Education prepares skilled professionals who inspire excellence and create transformative change in the schools and communities in which they serve by enhancing scholarship, achievement, and service through collaborative partnerships, promoting and modeling innovative, ethical, and research - based practices and, embracing inclusion and social justice.
Goals
The overarching goals of the College of Education seek to:
- Ensure high quality preparation of education and counseling professionals
- Engage in research - based inquiry and practice
- Embrace diversity through action
- Proactively collaborate with the community
- Provide continual professional growth opportunities
- Infuse and enhance the use of technology
The mission and goals of the College of Education and the Department of Curriculum & Instruction guide graduate students to not only develop and enhance the knowledge and skills expected in graduate study, but also to provide a meaningful structure for supporting the essential elements of each program. The model assumes that professional educators will serve as instructional leaders within their school lettings and that learning to teach is a developmental process. Teachers enhance their instructional leadership skills by:
- Increasing the professional knowledge base
- Reflecting on practice.
The Master of Arts Degree in Curriculum & Instruction is a thirty (30) - semester hour program designed for licensed, practicing teachers who desire to continue developing their professional expertise. Candidates complete a core of academic work requiring
- Examination of educational issues from the perspective of social context and culturally responsive pedagogy;
- Investigation and analysis of curricular design and models of teaching;
- Examination and analysis of seminal and current research and application of research in instructional settings;
- Consideration of and for the role and uses of technology in Curriculum & Instruction and implementation in the classroom. Further, the selection of a cognate emphasis area allows students to concentrate their coursework in an area of instruction in which they wish to develop a particular expertise (Mathematics, Gifted and Talented, Instructional Technology, Reading, Language, and Literacy, Leadership, Science Education, Counseling and Human Services, Special Education).
Admissions
Masters Degree candidates must demonstrate practical knowledge in the field of teaching along with the research skills and practices necessary for graduate - level work.
To be admitted to the Masters Degree in Curriculum & Instruction, the applicant/candidate must submit and meet the following criteria:
| Admissions Requirements |
Admissions Decision Points
|
|---|---|
| Baccalaureate Degree | Hold a Baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited, 4 - year institution of higher education with a preference given to students who have successful documentation of high quality undergraduate work in the liberal arts and sciences and in a teaching field and who hold a teaching license. |
| Application | Complete and submit a program application |
| Grade Point Average (GPA) | Document, through official transcripts, a minimum GPA of 2.75 for completed undergraduate work and 3.0 for graduate work. |
| Professional Goals Statement | Demonstrate professional dispositions through development of a personal goal statement (minimum 2 - page, double spaced, word processed) |
| Interview Requirement | Participate in Professional Interview with Department Chair or Department faculty |
| MA Advising Appointment | Schedule an advising appointment (interview and appointment can be done simultaneously) with Department Chair or Department faculty – bring all official transcripts of conferred degrees, course work, and copy of teaching license, if applicable) |
| Letters of Recommendation | Submit three letters of recommendation (one academic, two professional) from professionals with whom you have worked or studied under. |
| Evidence of Successful Teaching | Submit evidence of successful teaching experience (letter from building administrator) |
| Transfer Credit | MA candidates may request (to Department Chair) to transfer in up to 9 semester credits of graduate course work from a regionally accredited, 4 - year institution of higher education if the course work is deemed to be appropriate for the MA in Curriculum & Instruction. All transfer requests must officially document grades of 3.0 or higher in order to be transferred. MA candidates must supply course catalog descriptions and course syllabi for all requested transfer course work. |
Acceptance
MA applicants who do not meet the GPA criteria but have shown, through other application materials, the potential to achieve at the graduate level may be afforded provisional acceptance which will be contingent upon receiving a 3.0 or higher on the first 9 credits of graduate work at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs.
Post - Admission Requirements
Following admission to the Masters Degree in Curriculum & Instruction, candidates may enroll in graduate courses in the College of Education.
| MA Program Requirements for Accepted MA Candidates | Criteria |
|---|---|
| Grade Point Averages | Maintain a 3.0 GPA in all coursework throughout the program, including course work taken outside the College of Education. |
| Cognate Emphasis Areas in the MA in C&I | Within the four departments of the College of Education, MA candidates may choose to emphasize course work for their 9 - credit cognate emphasis area in one of the following areas: Counseling & Human Services, Gifted & Talented Education, Leadership, Linguistically Diverse Education/ESL, Mathematics, Reading, Science, Special Education, Instructional Technology. |
| Course Delivery Option | There are two options for candidates enrolling in the MA in Curriculum & Instruction: Campus - based and online. Online candidates course delivery will be completely online. Campus candidates may enroll in either campus or online courses based on the posted rotating schedule. |
Courses
General
The general Master of Arts degree in Curriculum & Instruction requires the following coursework:
| MA Requirements | Required Coursework |
|---|---|
| Required Core Courses – 12 Semester Credits | CURR 5000 - 3 credits Foundations: History & Research in Curriculum Studies CURR 5002 - 3 credits Issues, Strategies, & Models in Curriculum Design LEAD 5700 - 3 credits Introduction to Research & Statistics CURR 5090 - 3 credits Masters Research Project (To be taken as the FINAL Course) (Prerequisite: LEAD 5700 - 3 Introduction to Research and Statistics) |
| Cognate Emphasis Area–9 Semester Credits (selected from focus area) |
CURR 0000 - 3 credits CURR 0000 - 3 credits CURR 0000 - 3 credits |
| Elective Coursework – 9 Semester Credits | Students may choose from any graduate course selection in the College of Education including the areas of Curriculum & Instruction, Science Education, Reading, Mathematics, Gifted & Talented, Technology, Special Education, Counseling, and Leadership. |
Cognate Areas
Gifted & Talented
| Course # & Title | Semester Credits |
|---|---|
| CURR 5201 – Foundations of Gifted Education | 3 |
| CURR 5202 – The Assessment & Identification of Gifted & Talented Students | 3 |
| CURR 5203 – The Psychology of the Gifted: Social Emotional Need & Special Need Populations | 3 |
| CURR 5215 – Gifted Program Leadership | 3 |
Linguistically Diverse Education (LDE)
| Course # & Title | Semester Credits |
|---|---|
| CURR 5700 - Introduction to ESL - Multicultural Education | 3 |
| CURR 5701 - Materials & Methods in ESL/Multicultural Education | 3 |
| CURR 5703 - Methods, Materials, & Theories of Assessment for ELLs | 3 |
Mathematics Education
| Course # & Title | Semester Credits |
|---|---|
| CURR 5302 - Mathematics for Today’s Teacher: Standards - Based Teaching, Technology, & Testing | 3 |
| CURR 5303 - Quantitative Literacy in American Schools | 3 |
| CURR 5304 - Mathematics & Cognition | 3 |
| CURR 5305 - Teaching & Assessing Manipulative - Based Math. Inquiry | 3 |
Reading
| Course # & Title | Semester Credits |
|---|---|
| CURR 5400 - Teaching Reading & Writing in the Content Areas | 3 |
| CURR 5401 - Teaching Reading in the Elementary School | 3 |
| CURR 5403 - Introduction to Clinical Experiences | 3 |
| CURR 5404 - Facilitating Reading in Preschool & Kindergarten Classrooms | 3 |
| CURR 5410 - Informal Diagnostic & Remedial Techniques of Reading | 3 |
| CURR 5412 - The Reading - Writing Connection | 3 |
Science Education
| Course # & Title | Semester Credits |
|---|---|
| CURR 5501 - Exploring the Science Curriculum |
3 |
| CURR 5502 - Dev. Manipulative Materials for Science Teaching | 3 |
| CURR 5503 - Integrating Reading & Science | 3 |
| CURR 5504 - Topics in Teaching Science | 3 |
| CURR 5520 - Activities for Teaching Physical Sciences | 3 |
| CURR 5511 - Teaching Energy & Environment | 3 |
| CURR 5530 - Cutting Edge Science for Cutting Edge Teachers | 3 |
| CURR 5522 - Teaching Cosmology | 3 |
| CURR 5514 - Activities for Teaching Weather | 3 |
Counseling & Human Services
| Course # & Title | Semester Credits |
|---|---|
| COUN 5040 – Human Growth & Development (SU) | 3 |
| COUN 5860 – Social & Cultural Foundations (SU) | 3 |
| COUN 5430 – Career Development (SP) | 3 |
| COUN 5330 – Legal & Ethical Issues (FA) | 3 |
Leadership, Research, & Foundations
| Course # & Title | Semester Credits |
|---|---|
| LEAD 5070 – Human Resources Development | 3 |
| LEAD 6120 – Educational Policies in a Democratic Society | 3 |
| LEAD 6400 – Legal Issues for School Leaders | 3 |
Special Education
| Course # & Title | Semester Credits |
|---|---|
| SPED 5010 - Multisensory Structured Language Education | 3 |
| SPED 5012 - Differentiated Instruction | 3 |
| CURR 5410 - Informal Diagnosis of Reading Difficulty | 3 |
| SPED 5003 - Classroom and Instructional Management |
3 |
| SPED 5021 - Positive Behavior Interventions and Support | 3 |
| SPED 5004 - Self - Determination and Transition | 3 |
Instructional Technology
| Course # & Title | Semester Credits |
|---|---|
| CURR 5170 - Introduction to Technology | 3 |
| CURR 5171 - K - 12 Web - Based Educational Resources | 3 |
| CURR 5172 - Multimedia Development for K - 12 Education | 3 |
Course Rotations
For a complete listing of course rotation between campus - based and online - based, consult the list of course rotations.
1420 Austin Bluffs Pkwy, Colorado Springs, CO USA 80918
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