Apr 20, 2024  
ARCHIVED 2010-2011 Graduate Catalog 
    
ARCHIVED 2010-2011 Graduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Education - Comprehensive Education (M.A.Ed.)


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Program Admission Requirements

In addition to the Graduate School Admission Requirements , applicants for all M.A.Ed. programs must submit a satisfactory score on the General Test of the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE). All programs require three recommendations from former instructors or employers who are in a position to judge the applicant’s aptitude for graduate study. Applicants must meet the requirements for admission based on the admissions test and an undergraduate grade point average for the last sixty hours of the baccalaureate program. Applicants must hold or be eligible to hold a North Carolina Class A teaching license, or a comparable license from another state, in the chosen field unless admission is sought to certain programs in which licensure is not a factor. Concentration specific requirements include:

  • Comprehensive Education - English must submit a writing sample (such as an undergraduate paper).
  • Comprehensive Education-Music must contact the Music Department to conduct an interview or schedule an audition.
  • Educational Supervision (Curriculum-Instruction and Instructional Technology Specialist-Computer concentrations) must have one of their three letters of recommendation come from a building administrator familiar with the applicant’s teaching; must successfully complete an interview and a spontaneous writing assignment; and must have at least three years of teaching experience prior to admission.
  • Educational Supervision (International Studies concentration) may be required to provide a satisfactory score on the TOEFL and a satisfactory score on an examination similar to the Graduate Record Examinations. They must also successfully complete an interview with program faculty.
  • Comprehensive Education-Elementary must submit a satisfactory score on the Graduate Record Examination (above 30th percentile) or the Miller’s Analogy Test.  Additional prerequisite coursework may be required.  Each applicant will be interviewed prior to admission.
  • Comprehensive Education-Middle Grades must submit a satisfactory score on the Graduate Record Examination (above 30th percentile) or the Miller’s Analogy Test.  Additional prerequisite coursework may be required.  Each applicant will be interviewed prior to admission.

Program Description

The program leading to the M.A.Ed. degree in comprehensive education requires a minimum of 36 semester hours of graduate study consisting of a professional core of 18 semester hours and a concentration of 18 hours. Each of the concentrations leads to a recommendation for Advanced Competencies licensure from the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. Concentrations may have additional requirements for admission specific to the concentration. Completion of degree requirements includes a satisfactory portfolio demonstrating advanced competencies for all concentrations. Candidates with current National Board Certification in the concentration area have demonstrated advanced competencies and are exempted from the required portfolio. An oral and/or written exam may be required for some concentrations.

Professional Core - 18 Hours


  • 6 hours in methods (Note: See Methods section in each concentration for options.)

Master of Arts in Education Degree Programs (M.A.Ed.)


All programs leading to the Master of Arts in Education degree require a minimum of 33 to 48 semester hours of graduate study, inclusive of coursework and individual problems or a thesis. Comprehensive examinations, either written or oral or both, must be passed in both the major and minor fields with the exception of some programs that require a portfolio. Successful completion of a program and requirements related to licensure will lead to recommendation for a North Carolina teaching license except for the two-year college and nonschool programs.

Art Concentration (18 hours)


18 hours as follows: 9 semester hours selected from one studio course area; 6 semester hours of contemporary art seminar courses, 3 hours from thesis/exhibition.

Methods (6 hours)


Biology Concentration (18 hours)


18 hours as follows: Eighteen semester hours from any 500-600 level biology course, except BIOL 699. At least 6 hours must be taken from courses numbered 600 or above.

Methods (6 hours)


  • SCI 612

Chemistry Concentration (18 hours)


18 hours as follows: Eighteen semester hours from any 500-600 level chemistry course. At least 6 hours must be taken from courses numbered 600 or above.

Elementary Education Concentration (18 hours)


18 hours as follows:

English Concentration (30 hours) including


In addition to the Professional Core.

Methods (6 hours)


There is a 6-hour English methods coursework requirement:

Guided Electives in English (12 hours)


Twelve (12) hours of Guided ENGL Electives are required. Must take three (3) credits from the following categories:

  • British Literature Credits 3 (required)
  • American Literature Credits 3 (required)
  • Other Literature Credit 3 (required)
  • English Elective  Credits 3 (required)
    English Elective chosen in consultaon with the program director

Additional Information


English Comprehensive Examinations on both early and later literature (based on the Shorter Reading List) and a Professional Teaching Comprehensive Exam (or portfolio) are also required. Neither a thesis nor foreign language proficiency is required. For reading lists, sample exams, and other information about the English concentration, see the current Guide to Graduate Studies in English, available online.

Mathematics Concentration (18 hours)


18 hours as follows:

  • 9 hours of mathematics courses except for MATH 601, 602, and 603. At least 3 hours must be taken from courses numbered 600.
  • 9 hours as selected from at least three (3) of the following areas:

Middle Grades Concentration (18 hours)


18 hours as follows:

Music Concentration (18 hours)


18 hours as follows:

Core Curriculum (14 hours)


Electives (4 hours)


Electives: 4 hours of graduate level Music courses.

Physical Education Concentration (18 hours)


18 hours as follows:

  • PE 696

Social Sciences Concentration


18 hours as follows: 12 hours in history, 3 hours in second social science area, 3 hours in third social science area.

Special Education Concentration


18 hours as follows:

Special Education Core (3-6 hours)


Emphasis (12-15 hours)


Emphasis in behavioral disorders, learning disabilities, mental retardation, or severe/profound disabilities, 12-15 hours as follows:

Methods (6 hours)


The methods courses for the gifted emphasis are SPED 577 and 687.  The methods courses for all other Special Education concentrations are SPED 631 and 687.

Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) concentration: (24 hours)


Nine semester hours of TESOL methods courses:

Academically or Intellectually Gifted (AIG) Add-on Licensure (K-12)


Licensure in AIG may be obtained by teachers holding or eligible for a North Carolina license in any area.  The licensure program is completely online with the exception of a one-week field experience associated with SPED 500 that takes place in the summer.  Credits earned may be applied to the gifted concentration in the MAEd program in special education.

The program requires 12 hours and includes the following:

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