Education Master's Degree Requirements

Program | Faculty | Master's | Doctoral | CAGS | Courses

Master of Education Degree Program

The Master of Education (M.Ed.) degree program is designed to further the professional development of elementary and secondary school educators and other practitioners in the various fields of education, and to train educational specialists in the School's areas of concentration. Within the framework of the Master's degree requirements of the University Graduate School and with the advice of a faculty adviser, candidates for the M.Ed. must complete a minimum of 33 graduate credits. Eighteen of these credits must be graded, 12 must be at or above the 600 level, and a minimum of 21 credits must be taken in the School of Education. Individual programs may specify a particular course sequence. The School Counselor Education concentration requires 48 credits.

A detailed explanation of procedures to be followed by Master's candidates may be found in the Office of Graduate and Undergraduate Programs, 123 Furcolo Hall, School of Education and under Advising Guidelines on the School of Education website.

Master of Education Field-Based Formats

Bridges to the Future

Bridges to the Future is a site-based, collaborative program between the Athol-Royalston, Orange, and Mahar Regional school systems. It provides a rigorous, intensive, year-long experience in high-need schools leading to a Master of Education degree and Massachusetts Initial Licensure in early childhood, elementary, middle, and high school.

Collaborative Teacher Education Project

The CollaborativeTeacher Education Project (C.T.E.P.) is designed as a combined Master of Education degree and early childhood or elementary licensure program of study. Heavily site-based, it provides a rigorous, intensive, year-long experience in multicultural settings. Students receive Massachusetts Initial Licensure upon successful completion.

180 Days in Springfield Project

The 180 Days in Springfield Project is a site-based, collaborative teacher education program between the Springfield Public Schools and the School of Education. It provides a year-long experience for prospective teachers in a diverse, urban school environment. The program is designed for graduating college seniors and college graduates holding baccalaureate degrees in mathematics, the sciences, history, political science/political philosophy, or English.

The project features a year of teaching and curriculum development in a middle or high school along with courses leading to a Master of Education degree and Massachusetts Initial Licensure in the respective subject area.

Science Education

The School of Education, in collaboration with the School of Public Health and Health Sciences, the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, and the College of Natural Resources and the Environment, offers a field-based Master of Education degree program of study in science education for teachers in the Springfield Public Schools and surrounding areas.

This program, for elementary and middle school teachers, enhances knowledge of teaching science as well as basic science content knowledge.

Elementary Teacher Education/Integrated Day Off-Campus

This inservice professional-growth Master of Education degree or C.A.G.S. program of study is open to teachers in Western Massachusetts. Courses are delivered off campus in the South Hadley Middle School.