Master of Education, Advanced Studies in Elementary Education

Program Features 

• Cohort model: Small class sizes and cohort-based learning help to foster a tight-knit community between students and faculty.

• Online modality: All online program, with synchronous and asynchronous coursework

• Faculty: Internationally renowned faculty focused on co-constructing educational experiences contextualized in transformational learning of educational theory, content, pedagogy, and practice.

• Concurrent enrollment opportunities: Certificate in Autism Spectrum Disorders; Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages; and more. 

• Culturally sustaining practices: Our teacher candidates are trained to create equitable learning environments for children in public schools. They learn how to design and implement culturally responsive lessons, manage classrooms of diverse learners, respond to the needs of all students and increase equitable access to learning for all students. Our dedicated faculty are committed to promoting social justice and equitable access to learning for all students. 

• Graduate assistantships: Opportunities to apply for graduate assistantships, grants and scholarships 

Curriculum 

This program is 30-33 credits. There is an 18-credit core and 12-15 credits of Subject Matter Knowledge (SMK) content courses. 

SMK Content Courses: 

• Literacy in the Elementary Classroom 

• Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages 

• Math Content 

• Social Sciences and History Content 

Pacing and Time Commitments

Students can select either full-time or part-time plans to best meet their needs based on work-life commitments. 

_{All programs are based on the student’s previous coursework.}

Professional License Eligibility*

While a graduate degree is required for professional license eligibility, teachers seeking their professional license must also document at least 12 credits of graduate-level courses in the subject matter knowledge or subject matter pedagogy taught. 

To obtain your professional license, you must have taught under your initial license for a minimum of three years, completed a relevant graduate degree, and documented 12 credits of graduate-level courses in the subject matter taught. The 12 credits may be included within the graduate degree or taken separately. You may self-select to choose 12 credits of our subject matter courses and apply for pre-approval from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) for these courses to count as your 12 SMK credits.

_{*Please be aware that the Commonwealth of Massachusetts may change licensure requirements. Students are advised to contact the state for specific, current licensure requirements. Students may access that information at the Department for Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE).} 

Careers

The program is designed to prepare teacher candidates to become successful, culturally responsive, and reflective elementary school educators for grades 1-6 in the diverse public schools of Massachusetts. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that Massachusetts elementary school teachers earn an average annual salary of $71,309. The Massachusetts Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development projects 141 average annual job openings due to growth and 573 average annual job openings due to replacements for elementary school teachers.