Curriculum and Instruction

Department Chair: TBD
Program Director: TBD

Overview

The curriculum and instruction program centers on education facilitating the exchange of knowledge between learner and teacher.  In today’s information society, as specific content knowledge becomes rapidly outdated, knowing how to learn becomes increasingly significant.  This program is designed to develop educators who can clearly articulate a philosophy of education, and who have solid understanding of the learner and the educational needs of diverse populations.

Curriculum and instruction core classes and electives provide current, research based information and clinical knowledge from faculty members’ own time in schools.  Faculty members emphasize individual attention in teaching and advising.  One of the significant advantages of this program is the degree of flexibility available to students.  Students may work with faculty to develop individualized programs of study, tailor-made for specific professional goals.

Program Design

The program is designed primarily for part-time students who plan to take one or two courses per quarter. Full-time residency is not required.  During the summer quarter, students often are able to take additional courses.  For part-time students, the time to program completion will vary greatly.

For a full-time student, the program typically requires a minimum of two years for completion.  Students may begin the program during any quarter, but because all classes are not offered every quarter, students who desire full-time status should plan to begin summer or fall quarter.  Classes are offered late afternoons and evenings during the school year, and also during daytime hours in the summer session.  Most classes meet weekly in blocks of two hours and 40 minutes.

Who Should Participate?

This degree program is designed for individuals involved in all aspects of curriculum and instruction concerned with the pre-kindergarten through 12th grade schools and students. The program provides a solid background in educational theory and the foundations of teaching and curriculum development, as a well as the opportunity to work in depth in specific areas of curriculum and instruction.  Students who want to earn a Washington state teaching certificate as a part of their master’s degree should apply to the Master in Teaching (MIT) program.

While most students in the program are professional educators, the degree also is appropriate for individuals employed in nonschool settings who are interested in educational settings and issues, such as the business and nonprofit sectors.

Admission Requirements

• Application for Graduate Admission with non-refundable $55 application fee. (Application fee waived for SU alumni.)
• Four-year equivalent bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university
• Minimum GPA of 3.00 calculated from transcripts of all post-secondary educational institutions attended in the last 90 quarter/60 semester credits of the bachelor’s degree, including transfer credit earned during this time, and any post-baccalaureate course work. Applicants with less than a 3.00 GPA are required to submit official scores from the GRE or the MAT by the application deadline.
• Résumé reflecting relevant work experience, usually at least one year beyond the bachelor’s degree
• Two recommendations from supervisors, professors, or professionals knowledgeable about the applicant’s competencies using College of Education Recommendation forms
• College of Education Self-Evaluation form