This specialty provides an appropriate degree for the preschool, elementary, middle, and secondary teacher who desires to be a program director, dean of students, instructional coach, lead trainer or adult education instructor. Focus is on proven and promising models of reform education and the decision-making implications for leadership. The MAED is designed to further enhance cognitive, analytical, and reflective thinking skills through research into education theory, practice, psychology and publications. Additional technological applications and leadership opportunities are integrated throughout the program.
Program Capstone Details:
EDU 692 Educational Research Design Course
Following the practicum experience, MA students engage in an eight week course that refines their practical and theoretical experience into a research design that is utilized for the Capstone project. Concepts, principles, and methods in measurement are examined, including the importance of reflexivity, reliability, validity and item analysis.
Students are expected to identify suitable questions for study, establish an appropriate research design based on the questions asked, and develop methodically acceptable analytic procedures that lead execution of these ideas in the capstone project. Approaches to designing/conducting a practical action research project address qualitative, quantitative and mixed-method research applications.
Students also develop a research proposal that is submitted for approval to the Institutional Review Board prior to conducting research in the capstone course.
EDU 693 Capstone: Integration of Theory
The intent of this three-credit capstone project is to enable the student to apply theory to practice in a variety of educational settings. From classroom to staff position to administrative office to the boardroom: the project can take the form of action research in the field, a curriculum design, a thesis, or other similar endeavor.
The capstone project is designed to span 8 to 16 weeks. In the event that the student needs additional time, the student must apply for ONE extension of eight weeks or one module through the use of an Incomplete Form that details the timeline and must be approved by the instructor of record and the dean. If an additional time of eight weeks is needed, the student must pay a continuing education fee equivalent to an additional three credit graduate course. If, after those extensions, the student is unable to complete the capstone, the student must re-enroll in the Capstone course to complete the process.
| Graduation |
Application Date |
Presentation Date |
Paper Submission |
| May |
November 1 |
First Saturday/May |
June 1 |
| December |
May 1 |
First Saturday/December |
January 1 |
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