Mar 29, 2024  
2008-2009 Graduate Bulletin 
    
2008-2009 Graduate Bulletin [Archived Catalog]

Master of Science in Curriculum and Instruction


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Mission Statement

The mission of the College of Education is to prepare competent, confident, and caring professionals.

Philosophy Statement

The Masters in Curriculum and Instruction is designed to promote excellence in teaching and to prepare teachers to take more active roles in educational settings. The program also promotes critical analysis of the philosophical and historical foundations of curriculum development and the impact of diverse environmental and cultural values on teaching and learning.

In order to achieve the mission, the MSCI has adopted the five propositions of the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards as guiding standards for program development. Those propositions include:

- Teachers committed to students and their learning.
- Teachers knowing the subjects they teach and how to teach those subjects to students.
- Teachers being responsible for managing and monitoring student learning.
- Teachers thinking systematically about their practice and learning from experience.
- Teachers identified as members of learning communities.

Graduate Student Outcomes

Program studies are designed to develop the following demonstrated competencies:

  1. An awareness and understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of educational curricula of the past, the innovations of the present and an ability to anticipate future curricular needs of students.
  2. The ability to creatively design and implement a variety of curriculum models and effective learning environments.
  3. Effective and dynamic communication through written and spoken presentation.
  4. Leadership roles in educational environments through collaboration, professional development projects, and master teaching.
  5. An awareness and appreciation of individual and cultural differences in all phases of education.
  6. An understanding and involvement in school-community linkage at the professional service and teaching levels.
  7. The ability to make choices that further the students education, interests, and abilities as a lifelong learner.
  8. The development of skills needed to provide leadership beyond the classroom.

Program Design


The MSCI has four specializations: educational technology, reading, math, and science education. The MSCI site based cohorts are comprised of graduate students from a specific school district or an area-wide representation and located either on the campus or at a site specific to that cohort. These cohorts can include face-to-face classes, Internet classes, or a combination of both. MSCI on-line cohorts are comprised of graduate students entirely via the Internet.

Cohort groupings must have a minimum number of 16 students. Each cohort will progress through an established and sequenced process of coursework that will be required of all cohort members.

The cohort concept allows for the emergence of student and faculty collaboration and continuity of design. This process is intended to provide a “wholeness” to the students’ studies that establishes a core of learning relationships throughout the program. To further ensure the continuity of learning relationships, the MSCI program uses the standards developed by the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards as benchmarks in the specific design of core classes. Moving beyond the core, each specialized certification program aligns with the national standards of its professional association and prepares teachers to move into leadership positions beyond their classrooms.

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