Penn State Online Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction Offers Expanded Areas of Study

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Penn State Outreach and Online Education

Mar 05, 2015, 13:00 ET


University Park, PA (PRWEB) March 05, 2015 -- As the country’s leaders are focusing their efforts to improve STEM education, schools will need more teachers who have specialized in teaching science, technology, engineering and math.

Teachers with advanced knowledge in curriculum development, supervision, language and other fields also will be needed to address demands in today’s education system.

Those are among the five emphasis areas teachers can study in the newly expanded Penn State online master of education in curriculum and instruction. Teachers also can customize their degree program by choosing courses from among the different emphasis areas.

The online master of education is offered through the Penn State College of Education and Penn State World Campus, whose online graduate programs in education were ranked No. 4 in the country in 2015 by U.S. News and World Report.

“As with any profession, PK-12 educators must stay current in their knowledge and practice,” said Carla Zembal-Saul, a professor of science education and head of the College of Education’s department of curriculum and instruction. “Educators will be better able to connect their current and future work to targeted professional learning opportunities with the scholarship and research this rigorous program provides.”

The emphasis areas are:

  • Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education: This will help prepare educators with expertise in teaching these subject areas with cutting-edge, research-based instructional STEM practices.
  • Children’s literature: Designed for teachers and librarians who work with young readers, this emphasis area focuses on improving strategies for encouraging children to read.
  • Elementary education: This emphasis area will help participants familiarize themselves with current research about effective teaching practices in an elementary school setting.
  • Curriculum and supervision: This program explores curriculum, professional development, teacher leadership and instruction supervision.
  • Theory and practice in English, social studies and world languages: Participants will explore pedagogical and literacy practices to design curriculum and instruction.

The online degree through World Campus was developed to replicate the high-quality master of education in curriculum and instruction at the University Park campus. Faculty members who teach online also teach in the resident program and are on the College of Education’s graduate faculty.

The program consists of 30 credits, of which 15 credits will be in the chosen emphasis area. A culminating paper or project paper is also required.

Applications are now being accepted for admission in the fall 2015 semester.

For more information about the degree, visit the program’s website.

Mike Dawson, Penn State Outreach and Online Education, http://www.outreach.psu.edu/, +1 814-865-7600, [email protected]