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Master of Arts in Education

Available on the Jackson and Germantown Campuses

Program Purpose

The purpose of the M.A.Ed. program is to provide relevant continuing programming for educators seeking a diversity of knowledge, skills, and values for post-baccalaureate preparation and licensure.

Objectives of the Program

Students in the M.A.Ed. program will:

  1. Enhance their knowledge, skills and values relating to the major issues facing today’s practitioners in education.
  2. Apply research skills to current education problems.
  3. Augment current licensure with new licensure programs.
  4. Initially prepare, for some individuals with noneducation degrees, to become licensed teachers.
  5. Be encouraged in their Christian commitment and service to society.

Assessment of Outcomes

The M.A.Ed. utilizes these means of assessment for the five objectives above. The number of each objective to be assessed is listed in parentheses beside each means of assessment.

  • Coursework and teacher-devised assessments. (1,2,3,4,5)
  • Course evaluations (1,2,5)
  • Alumni questionnaire (1,2,5)
  • Thesis (1,2,5)
  • Capstone Research Seminar (1,2,5)
  • Field experience (1,2,3,4,5)

Admission to Graduate Coursework

All students, whether degree-seeking or non-degree-seeking in the M.A.Ed. program, who desire to take graduate courses in education at Union University must meet prescribed admission criteria. After admission, the student may take courses for personal or professional growth, seek teacher licensure, or pursue the Master of Arts in Education Degree. Some students may choose to seek the M.A.Ed. as they complete their teacher licensure.

Applicants desiring to take graduate courses in education should submit the following to the Office of Graduate Studies in Education:

  1. Completed Graduate Studies in Education Application.
  2. Application processing fee of $25.
  3. Official transcript(s) showing all course work, completion of baccalaureate degree(s), and all graduate credit previously attempted. Even if withdrawal occurred prior to earning credits and even if those credits do not apply to the current degree being sought, official transcripts must be sent from each institution.
  4. Director interview.
  5. Official transcript(s) indicating a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale of all undergraduate and post-baccalaureate coursework combined.
  6. Writing sample scheduled by the Office of Graduate Studies in Education.
  7. Completed “Certificate of Immunization.”

For short courses designed primarily for license renewal, only the following admission criteria will be required. Students should submit an Application for Admission to Graduate Studies in Education, a $25 application fee, a copy of their teaching license or an official transcript showing completion of a baccalaureate degree. If the student decides to seek the M.A.Ed. or take coursework other than the short courses, all requirements for full admission to graduate studies must be submitted. Note: A maximum of six semester hours taken in this short-course format may be used to satisfy M.A.Ed. requirements.

Conditional Admission to Graduate Coursework

Applicants who do not meet the minimum GPA requirement of 3.0 will be required to successfully complete a full 500-600- word writing sample. Subsequently, if the writing sample is adequate, the student will be placed on a conditional admission status for the first nine hours of graduate work at Union University. After successfully completing nine graduate hours of at least 3.0 grade average work, the student may be fully admitted to pursue graduate studies in education.

If a student fails to successfully complete the first nine hours with a minimum GPA of 3.0, the student will be suspended from the University for one full semester before re-application can be made to Graduate Studies in Education.

Undergraduate students in their last term of course work who, after registering for all courses required for graduation, need additional hours to be classified as full-time students, may be allowed to register for one graduate course for graduate credit.

Admission to the Master of Arts in Education Degree Program

In addition to the above admission criteria for applicants desiring to take graduate courses, those seeking admission to the M.A.Ed. Degree Program should submit the following to the Office of Graduate Studies in Education:

  1. An official report showing an acceptable score on the Miller Analogies Test, National Teacher Exam, Praxis II Specialty Area Test, Graduate Record Exam, or adequate writing sample essay.
  2. Two completed Reference Evaluation forms. These references must be from persons who are familiar with the applicant’s professional or academic abilities. If the applicant is currently teaching, at least one recommendation should be from an administrator or supervisor who is familiar with the applicant’s work as a teacher. Forms are available in the Office of Graduate Studies in Education. If the student is seeking teacher licensure, forms are available in the office of the Educator Preparation Program.
  3. Any student seeking initial teacher licensure must submit a Praxis II score in their intended endorsement area before beginning coursework. 

Conditional Admission to the Master of Arts in Education Degree Program

Students who do not meet the minimum GPA requirement or the minimum test score requirement for admission to the Master of Arts in Education Degree program will be required to successfully complete a full 500-600-word writing sample. Subsequently, if the writing sample is adequate, the student will be placed on conditional admission status for the first nine hours of graduate work at Union University. After successfully completing nine graduate hours of at least 3.0 grade average work, the student may be fully admitted to the Master of Arts in Education Degree Program.

Advisement

The Director of the M.A.Ed. program serves as the advisor for students admitted to the program. The director/advisor will develop a Program of Study, which will be placed in the student’s file in the Office of Graduate Studies in Education in the School of Education. The student will consult with the advisor or coordinator prior to each registration to plan courses.

Requirements for the Master of Arts in Education Degree

Two options are available for completion of the M.A.Ed. Degree: a thesis option requiring a minimum of 33 semester hours of graduate credit, and a non-thesis option requiring a minimum of 39 semester hours of graduate credit. Students choosing the thesis option of the program are required to write a thesis or research report, while students choosing the non-thesis option of the program are required to successfully complete the Capstone Research Seminar. All degree requirements must be completed within five years of the date of admission to the degree program.

All options of the M.A.Ed. are available on the Jackson and Germantown campuses. The M.A.Ed. with teacher licensure is available on the Jackson Campus in all endorsement areas offered by Union University (see The Educator Preparation Program). The M.A.Ed. with teacher licensure on the Germantown  campus is restricted to applicants seeking secondary school licensure.

Admission to Candidacy for the Master of Arts in Education Degree

An important step in the student’s progress toward the Master of Arts in Education Degree (thesis and non-thesis options only) is admission to Candidacy. Students will be admitted to degree candidacy status only when the following conditions have been met.

  1. Interview with the M.A.Ed. Program Director.
  2. Development of a program of study.
  3. Completion of at least 18 semester hours in the program, including EDU 650, Educational Measurement and Evaluation.
  4. Completion of EDU 665, Research Design.
  5. A minimum grade point average of 3.0.

Additional Candidacy Requirement for Thesis-Option Students: Students completing the thesis option of the program must have degree candidacy before beginning the master’s research. In addition to the candidacy requirements above, thesis option students will be required to submit a research proposal that has been approved by the student’s research committee. It is the responsibility of the student to consult with the M.A.Ed. Program Director regarding the formation of the research committee. The approved research proposal must be filed in the Office of the School of Education before candidacy is granted.

The student will receive written notification when degree candidacy status has been achieved.

Full-Time Students

A graduate student enrolled in 6 or more hours during Fall, Spring, or Summer will be considered full-time. A graduate student enrolled for 3 hours during Fall, Spring, or Summer will be considered half-time.

Transfer of Credit into the M.A.Ed. Degree Program

Thesis and Non-Thesis Options

Up to nine semester hours of graduate credit from a regionally accredited college or university may be transferred into the degree program at the time the student is admitted to the program, provided the grades received in those courses were B or higher. Work being transferred into the program must have been completed within five years prior to admission to the program.

Transfer of credit after the student has been admitted to the degree program (transient credit) will be acceptable provided (1) the total semester hours of transfer credit does not exceed nine hours, (2) the grade received in the course is B or higher, and (3) written approval of the course being taken has been obtained from the Dean of the School of Education prior to taking the course. A maximum of six hours of workshop/short course/video course credit may be transferred.

Courses Taken by Non-Degree Students

A maximum of twelve hours of graduate work taken at Union before a student is admitted to the degree program may be used to satisfy the M.A.Ed. requirements.

Courses taken by non-degree students prior to admission to degree-seeking status may be used to satisfy the Master of Arts in Education Degree requirements provided the student has met all degree-seeking admission criteria at the time the M.A.Ed. Program of Study is filed in the graduate program office. The Program of Study is planned and filed by meeting with the M.A.Ed. program director. Students should make this appointment with the M.A.Ed. director as soon as possible after degree-seeking admission criteria are met.

Financial Information

The registration of a student signifies an agreement by the student to fulfill the related financial obligations.

There are three methods for the payment of expenses.

  1. All expenses may be paid in full prior to or on the day of registration.
  2. The University accepts payment via Self Service, in person, or by phone or mail. Debit or credit card payments are subject to a convenience fee of 2.5%. Payment plans are available if needed, and may be established through the Office of Business and Financial Services.
  3. FACTS payment plan.

For students who have a definite commitment of financial aid from the Student Financial Planning Office of the University, the difference between the total cost for the term and the financial aid allocation is the amount payable by the student to the University. All financial information is subject to change without notice.

Tuition and Fees

Tuition/semester hour $598
Application Fee $25
General Student Fee $27
Late Registration Fee $100
Audit Fee $145/semester hour
Course Drop Fee $10

Materials Fee

(EDU 544, EDU 552, EDU 556, EDU 646, SE 606)

 $20
Lab Materials Fee per Workshop Varies
Thesis Binding Fee $50
Professional Liability Insurance for field experiences
(approximate cost)		 $25
Background Check/ Fingerprinting Actual Cost
EdTPA fee* $300

*An edTPA fee is charged through enrollment in EDU 627 and EDU 628. Prior to the student submitting edTPA, he/ she will be given a voucher to submit when registering for edTPA to cover the cost of the first submission. The cost of resubmission of edTPA is the responsibility of the student.

Financial Assistance

Financial aid information for graduate students is available on our website at www.uu.edu/financialaid. Generally, graduate students may be eligible for Federal Direct student loans or private alternative student loans, depending on the program of study and the eligibility of the borrower.  Union University is also approved by the Department for Veterans Affairs to offer educational benefits to veterans, reservists, and dependents of veterans who qualify for Veterans Benefits. Any person who qualifies for VA Benefits should check with the Office of Student Financial Planning as soon as possible after acceptance into a graduate program. 

 

M.A.Ed. Thesis with Curriculum and Instruction Concentration—33 hours

M.A.Ed. Thesis with Designed Studies Concentration—33 hours

M.A.Ed. Thesis with Human Growth and Development Concentration—33 hours

M.A.Ed. Non-Thesis with Designed Studies Concentration—39 hours

M.A.Ed. Non-Thesis with Elementary Education Concentration—39 hours

M.A.Ed. Non-Thesis with Secondary Education Concentration—39 hours

M.A.Ed. Non-Thesis with Special Education Concentration—39 hours

M.A.Ed. Non-Thesis with Curriculum and Instruction Concentration—39 hours

M.A.Ed. Non-Thesis with Human Growth and Development Concentration—39 hours

M.A.Ed. Non-Thesis Reading Specialist Add-On Endorsement—18 hours