U P L I F T EV E RY ST U D E N T
Master of Education
elon.edu/med
Inspiring
Leaders
“Elon’s M.Ed. program is meaningful and transformative. Learning in our program extends far beyond books. The program allows any teacher to explore questions of practice in an engaged environment where they are encouraged to reflect on their research and practice, before returning to their schools empowered to make a difference in their classrooms and communities.” Dr. Stephen Byrd, Interim Director of Graduate Studies and Associate Professor of Education
Empowering Dedicated Teachers to Become Inspired Leaders You teach because you love learning. You’re determined to ignite that same passion in each of your students. And now you’re ready for the next step. You’re ready to become a leader in your school and bring renewed inspiration to your classroom. At Elon, you’ll earn a master’s degree and advanced licensure without sacrificing your demanding teaching schedule. You’ll work in small classes with faculty and students who share your drive and will help you achieve your goals.
A fully accredited program Elon M.Ed. graduates boast a 100 percent pass rate on advanced licensure exams. That’s one of the reasons why Elon is widely recognized for the success of its teacher education program. It meets the highest professional standards and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, the North Carolina State Department of Public Instruction and the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education. The Master of Education program at Elon University is accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), 2010 Massachusetts Ave., NW, Suite 500, Washington, D.C., 20036; phone (202) 466-7496. This accreditation covers initial teacher preparation programs and advanced educator preparation programs. NCATE is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation to accredit programs for the preparation of teachers and other professional school personnel.
Preparing Teachers to do Exceptional Work Best Value: Enjoy the benefits of a private university education with a cost comparable to public institutions. Earn a master’s degree in elementary or gifted education for approximately $10,000. A payment plan is available. Blended Model: Meet face-to-face for three summers and online for two intervening years, totaling 26 months. Your professional workload is demanding, and our schedule is specifically designed to help you balance classroom responsibilities with graduate work. Research and Inquiry: Learn to critically evaluate research literature and conduct action research projects. In a required online course, you will write an action research prospectus; the following semester you will carry out the project and conduct the research. Licensure-only Options: Teachers interested in earning licensure only may choose to take a sequence of four courses offered during one calendar year, beginning in the summer and concluding the following summer, that meet the criteria for add-on licensure in gifted (AIG) or elementary education. The add-on licensure becomes a permanent component of a teacher license. Faculty Mentors: Elon’s M.Ed. faculty members have a stellar reputation as both accessible mentors and active scholars. Each M.Ed. student is assigned to a faculty mentor, who works closely with students as they advance through the program.
Exceptional Teachers
M.Ed. alumnae Heather Tuggle ‘10 and Michelle Himmelman ‘10 worked with Jean Rattigan-Rohr, associate professor of education, to examine the effects of a home-university tutoring program on struggling readers’ grades. They wrote reviews, observed undergraduate students as they worked with struggling readers, and worked with readers’ parents.
Best
Value
“At Elon, there was a research basis behind everything we did. That made me think very differently about entering the classroom every day. Until the Elon experience, I was a ‘reflective practitioner’, but I was only reflective on what I thought should happen in the classroom. Elon’s emphasis on action research helped clarify and polish my teaching methods.” Marty Erskine, M.Ed. ‘11, 2013 Stokes County Teacher of the Year
Earn a master’s degree in elementary or gifted education for approximately $10,000
The Elon M.Ed. program is designed to shape master teachers. Twenty-six months of faculty-mentored inquiry, study and analysis forge graduates who are innovators in their classrooms and leaders in their professional communities. The true value of the program lies in the success of its alumni. Elon’s program is offered at a substantially reduced cost. Your cost for the entire 26 months of study is fixed at the beginning of your first summer session. Elon also offers several options for dividing payments over the course of study. Financial aid is available in the form of Stafford Loans. For students who would like to pursue their M.Ed. at Elon but do not live in the area, on-campus housing is available for the summer at a reasonable price. All rooms will be furnished with an extra-long twin bed, microfridge and wardrobe. After your first year of admittance, we offer several scholarships based on financial need and merit. These include the following: Nancy L. Beauchamp Scholarship; Wesley G. Brogan Honorary Education Scholarship; Doris C. and Emery K. Gilliam Education Scholarship; and Barbara C. Thurlow Education Scholarship. Graduate students apply through the School of Education. As a teacher, you know the importance of class size. Average class size in the M.Ed. program is 15. Elon keeps classes small to encourage close collaboration among students and faculty. You will exchange ideas with local teachers from other grades, school systems and levels of experience as well as teachers from other parts of the world.
Recog Exc A Tradition of
Marty Erskine, M.Ed.’11, 2013 Stokes County Teacher of the Year
nized ellence
Kim Mellor, M.Ed. ’04, 2012 Chapel Hill-Carrboro Teacher of the Year
Tyronna Hooker, M.Ed. ’09, 2012 North Carolina Teacher of the Year
Molly Ellington, M.Ed. ’08, 2012 Alamance-Burlington Teacher of the Year
Sample Elementary Schedule (33hr program) SUMMER I—GRADUATE CORE session
1:
Advanced Psychological Theory in the Classroom
session
2:
Instructional Technologies in the Classroom
FALL I—ONLINE
A program designed for your schedule Focus your attention on graduate studies during a concentrated period of time. Take the majority of your courses over three summers — attend classes during the day for three weeks in June and another threeweek term in July, and complete the remaining courses online during the intervening school years, totaling 26 months. Enjoy the flexibility of studying at home when you are teaching and the convenience of completing the majority of your graduate work during summer breaks. Each M.Ed. student is assigned to a faculty mentor, who works closely with students as they advance through the program. Mentors and other faculty guide students as they conduct their actionbased research projects and develop their graduate portfolios. Service is one of the university’s core values and the M.Ed. program incorporates service learning into the curriculum. All programs offer an on-campus internship in the third summer. You’ll design, administer and evaluate a learning enrichment experience tailored to the needs of local students while collaborating with peers and receiving daily feedback from your professors. This experience allows you to exercise and refine the knowledge and skills you have developed throughout the program under the tutelage of your professors.
Educational Research SPRING I—ONLINE
Educational Assessment & Evaluation SUMMER II—SPECIALTY CORE session
1:
Critical Issues in Elementary Education
session
1:
Advanced Masters Seminar II
session
2:
Curriculum & Instructional Design in Elem. Ed.
FALL II—ONLINE
Advanced Literacy Development SPRING II—ONLINE
Educating Diverse Learners SUMMER III—CONCLUDING PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCES session
1:
Elective (see below for choice)
session
1:
Advanced Masters Seminar III
session
2:
Consultation & Collaboration Skills with Internship Elementary Education section
ELECTIVES
Literature for Children & Youth: Analysis & Application Mathematical Concepts and Connections Integrated Science Studies in International Education
Blended Model
Sample Gifted Education Schedule (33hr program) SUMMER I—GRADUATE CORE session
1:
Advanced Psychological Theory in the Classroom
session
2:
Instructional Technologies in the Classroom
FALL I—ONLINE
Educational Research SPRING I—ONLINE
Educational Assessment & Evaluation SUMMER II—SPECIALTY CORE session
1:
Elective (see below for choice)
session
1:
Advanced Masters Seminar II
session
2:
Curriculum & Instructional Design in Gifted Education
FALL II—ONLINE
Foundations of Gifted Education SPRING II—ONLINE
Social/Emotional Needs of Gifted Students SUMMER III—CONCLUDING PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCES session
1:
Elective (see below for choice)
session
1:
Advanced Masters Seminar III
session
2:
Consultation & Collaboration Skills with Internship Gifted Education section
ELECTIVES
Literature for Children & Youth: Analysis & Application Mathematical Concepts and Connections Integrated Science Studies in International Education
Two Paths of Inquiry M.Ed. students select from two programs, each designed to meet the specific needs and goals of a particular learner. The programs are designed so that students don’t have to declare their chosen track until the second year.
Licensure-Only Programs “Teaching, to me, is the most important thing I’ve ever done. Here at Elon I’ve really had the opportunity to live my beliefs … and I’ve had the opportunity to see the fruits of living those beliefs.” Glenda Crawford was honored as the 2011 North Carolina Professor of the Year. Crawford has mentored hundreds of educators as a professor in the School of Education. Her passion for understanding the mind of middle school students motivated Crawford to publish five books on how the adolescent brain develops.
Add-on licensure programs prepare teachers to obtain an academically/intellectually gifted (K-12) or elementary education add-on licensure to their North Carolina teaching license. These are not degree programs. The candidates complete 12 graduate semester hours of course-work (4 courses) through the M.Ed. program during the course of an academic year and one additional summer session. At the end of this 4-course sequence, completers are eligible to be recommended by the School of Education for additional licensure in North Carolina.
Academically/Intellectually Gifted Courses for Add-on Licensure MED 564 Curriculum & Instructional Design in Gifted Education (on campus, three-week course) This course will acquaint graduate students with the central concepts of curriculum and instructional design and differentiation. Students will study models of curriculum and a wide range of instructional methods that enhance the strengths of gifted learners. The principle of alignment will be emphasized throughout, in terms of alignment with standards and with learner characteristics as well as internal alignment of curriculum and instructional elements. MED 562 Foundations of Gifted Education (blended, online) Designed to provide graduate students with the historical and legal foundations, the key issues and trends, and the guiding policies of education of gifted students. They will examine the role of families, communities, and the educational environment in supporting the development and education of individuals with academic and/or intellectual gifts. MED 567 Social/Emotional Needs of Gifted Students (blended, online) This course will introduce graduate students to the social and emotional issues that confront students who are gifted. Special populations, including gifted/ learning disabled, culturally diverse and those who are extremely precocious, will be considered regarding their unique characteristics and needs. An emphasis will be placed on programming and promising practices for these special groups of students.
Licensure-Only Programs MED 532 Consultation & Collaboration (on campus, three-week course) The course explores the collaborative nature of education with particular emphasis on developing the skills required to be an effective member of an education team. The course includes examination of communication skills with a focus on those skills needed to form effective partnerships with families, community agencies, paraprofessionals, administrators, and others involved in students’ education. The course allows graduate students to exercise and refine the knowledge, skills, and dispositions they have developed through their participation in their coursework. Students will work, in collaboration with Elon University leaders and fellow cohort members, to facilitate the cognitive, affective, and social development of P-12 learners by designing, administering, and evaluating a summer learning enrichment experience on the Elon University campus.
Elementary Education Courses for Add-on Licensure MED 521 Critical Issues in Elementary Education This inquiry-based course approaches the design of school curricula with consideration for philosophical underpinning, theoretical research related to learning and pedagogy, cultural and political context, and systemic change. Issues related to diversity, equity and quality of educational experience will be explored. MED 530 Curriculum and Instruction Design in Elementary Education This course emphasizes the importance of a strong alignment among curriculum, instruction and assessment. Graduate students will explore the fundamental question of “What should students know and be able to do as a result of schooling?” A major emphasis in the course is facilitating a deep understanding of the content of curriculum through the use of careful instructional planning and sound pedagogy. MED 522 Advanced Literacy Development This course explores the nature of literacy, including the critical features of the development phases of reading and writing. The course includes a study of the characteristics of developing readers and writers with special emphasis on effective instructional practices. A variety of instructional practices and literacy programs are critiqued in relation to what it means to be literate. MED 550 Educating Diverse Learners This course is designed to prepare teachers to work effectively in today’s inclusive classrooms. The course includes a consideration of a wide variety of diversity, including ability; racial, cultural and ethnic diversity; linguistic diversity; and socio-economic diversity. An emphasis is placed on both cultural sensitivity and a solid knowledge base in historical and legal factors as being important in creating respectful learning environments.
Laura Fronseca, M.Ed. ’15, teaches third-grade students in a dual-language program
“While studying at Elon, I put a lot of thought into how educators could serve gifted students. With that goal in mind, I created a website to better inform parents and teachers of available programs and joined a team conducting professional development for the system’s high school English and language arts teachers. This led to a leadership role working with both teachers and principals on improving and expanding the experiences for AP and Honors students. I became the program specialist for Secondary ELA and AIG, combining my previous role with working more closely on curriculum. I apply what I learned from my M.Ed. experiences every day in some way.” Angelique Austin, M.Ed. ’12, program specialist for Secondary ELA & AIG Alamance-Burlington School System
Built on the foundation of scholarly inquiry You’ll quickly learn to structure classroom lessons on evidence-based research to ensure the success of your students. While you’re here, you’ll complete an inquiry project to address a scholarly topic in education. You’ll design, collect and analyze data to produce a concluding capstone project that alumni have presented at conferences and shared as a springboard to leadership positions. Alumni also have access to the School of Education’s Curriculum Research Center so they can continue their learning experience and translate lessons learned at Elon into their daily work.
Apply Today The M.Ed. enrolls a new cohort each June. Applications are evaluated on a rolling basis throughout the year. Please submit all required application materials as early as possible prior to enrollment, but no later than March 15. For a complete list of requirements and additional admissions information, visit www.elon.edu/med.
Research & Inquiry
Office of Graduate Admissions P.O. Box 398 Elon, NC 27244 Change Service Requested 336-278-7600 gradadm@elon.edu ElonMEd
elon.edu/med
About Elon Elon University has built a national reputation as the premier student-centered liberal arts university that values strong relationships between students and their faculty and staff mentors. Elon’s 6,631 students prepare to become the resilient, ambitious and ethical leaders the world needs, putting their knowledge into action on campus, in the community and around the globe. Elon is known for academic excellence across the curriculum, and for experiential learning programs in global study, internships, undergraduate research, service, leadership and civic engagement. Elon is ranked the nation’s #1 master’s-level university for study abroad and is a top-producer of Fulbright Student Scholars and Peace Corps volunteers. U.S. News & World Report recognizes Elon more than any other university in the nation for academic programs that “Focus on Student Success.” More than 420 full-time faculty members teach in six academic units: Elon College, the College of Arts and Sciences; the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business; the School of Communications; the School of Education; the School of Health Sciences; and the School of Law, which is located in downtown Greensboro, N.C. Elon’s four-year graduation rate of 78 percent ranks in the top 10 percent of U.S. private universities. The studentto-faculty ratio is 12-1, and the average class size is 20. The university’s 636-acre residential campus in the Town of Elon, N.C., is consistently recognized as one of the nation’s finest environments for learning. The Elon Phoenix NCAA Division I athletic program is a member of the Colonial Athletic Association.
Nonprofit Org US Postage Paid Elon, NC Permit No. 1