Curriculum and Instruction, M.S.Ed.

The Master of Science in Education in Curriculum and Instruction has been designed to meet the needs of two distinct groups of candidates:

Students with initial New York certification who seek to complete the academic requirements for Professional certification. Each candidate will develop an individualized program of study in collaboration with the candidate’s adviser. This program of study will be designed to be functionally relevant to the candidate’s initial certification area in one of the following disciplines:

Business/Marketing	Early Childhood/Childhood Education (B-6)
Dance	English 7-12
French 7-12	Health Education
Mathematics 7-12	Music
Social Studies	Spanish 7-12
Theatre	Visual Arts

Candidates holding initial New York certification in areas other than those listed above must consult with the program coordinator prior to enrollment to discuss the feasibility of completing this program.

Candidates not seeking New York State teaching certification, but are interested in applying educational pedagogy in a variety of classroom/non-classroom contexts, may pursue electives in a particular focal area, or take a handcrafted set of electives based upon student’s interests and career goals.

This opportunity is also available for international students who wish to improve their English Language Skills as well as gain a greater understanding of U.S. instructional approaches, but are not seeking professional certification.

Each student will meet with and design a program that includes educational pedagogy cornerstones such as philosophical foundations, research, curriculum & evaluation, technology in education, and more. Further, a culminating research project is designed to assist the student with synthesizing the fundamental concepts of education into a skillset that can be utilized immediately in the workplace.

Program Requirements

A. Professional Certification Pathway

Track for candidates holding Initial certification in an eligible discipline and are seeking Professional certification

The 33 credit hours are divided as follows:

Core Requirements: 15 Credits

GRED 600 - Philosophical Foundations of Education 3 Credit(s)
or
GRED 634 - Philosophical Foundations of Curriculum and Instruction 3 Credit(s)
GRED 616 - Curriculum and Evaluation 3 Credit(s) (content-linking)
GRED 635 - Educational Research in Curriculum & Instruction 3 Credit(s) (content-linking)
IT 614 - Technology in Education 3 Credit(s)
GRED 687 - Action Research 3 Credit(s)

Content or Content-Linking Courses: 6 Credits

In addition to the required courses identified above, candidates must complete additional credits of content or content-linking courses, selected in consultation with the adviser and in relation to the candidate’s initial certification area.

While content courses may include graduate level courses in the specific discipline of the student’s initial certification area, content-linking courses (approved by NYS Education offered at Potsdam) will also satisfy professional certification requirements. Content-linking options include the following:

@GRED 504 - Using Spreadsheets in Teaching School Mathematics 3 Credit(s)
GRED 505 - Topics in Mathematics for Elementary Teachers 3 Credit(s)
GRED 516 - Diversity and Advocacy in Education 3 Credit(s)
GRED 517 - Integrating the Arts into the Elementary Classroom 3 Credit(s)
GRED 522 - Creative and Affective Experiences in Early Childhood 3 Credit(s)
GRED 531 - Creative Problem Solving - Mathematics 3 Credit(s)
GRED 534 - Teaching Math in a Technological World 3 Credit(s)
GRED 548 - Literacy and Literature for Young Children 3 Credit(s)
GRED 549 - Adolescent Literature and the Teaching of Reading/ Literacy 3 Credit(s)
GRED 590 - Special Social Studies Education Content Topic 3 Credit(s)
GRDG 615 - Literacy: Family/School/Community Collaboration 3 Credit(s)
GRDG 620 - Literacy and Linguistically Diverse Learners 3 Credit(s)

Electives/Concentrations: 12 Credits

(Four graduate electives that lend to an identified concentration, or a handcrafted selection of electives based upon a student’s interests.)

B. General Education Pathway

For students seeking a masters degree in an educational context, but not pursuing teaching certification.

Core Requirements: 12 Credits

GRED 600 - Philosophical Foundations of Education 3 Credit(s)
or
GRED 634 - Philosophical Foundations of Curriculum and Instruction 3 Credit(s)
GRED 616 - Curriculum and Evaluation 3 Credit(s)
GRED 635 - Educational Research in Curriculum & Instruction 3 Credit(s)
GRED 687 - Action Research 3 Credit(s)

Electives and Concentrations: 21 Credits

(Five graduate electives that lead to an identified concentration, or a handcrafted selection of electives based upon a student’s interests.)

Concentrations

Concentration course information is below. Each concentration is four courses, or 12 credits of the Curriculum and Instruction program:

Curriculum and Instruction, M.S.Ed.

Program Requirements

A. Professional Certification Pathway

Core Requirements: 15 Credits

Content or Content-Linking Courses: 6 Credits

Electives/Concentrations: 12 Credits

B. General Education Pathway

Core Requirements: 12 Credits

Electives and Concentrations: 21 Credits

Concentrations

Early Childhood Education

Intercultural Educator

Language Acquisition

Leadership in Education

Literacy Educator

Human Resource Educator

Technology Educator

Wilderness Education

Total Credit Hours Required: 33