Degree Offered
- Master of Arts
Nature of the Program
The Department of Curriculum and Instruction/Literacy Studies offers opportunities for graduate study leading to teacher certification and a Master of Arts degree in content areas that include science, social studies, and English. This program is designed to prepare individuals to become educators in grades 5-12 public school classroom. Students in this programs will work with faculty who contribute as educational scholars to the profession at university, state, and national levels. Additionally, the program offers opportunities to develop technology rich, culturally responsive, and active learning environments associated with greater student achievement. This program has met accreditation standards.
Admissions
All applicants for the masters in Secondary Education must:
- Submit a WVU Graduate application for admission. The application can be found at https://admissions.wvu.edu/how-to-apply
- Hold a Bachelor’s degree with a 2.75 GPA or above
- Submit a one-page goal statement. The Statement should be of professional experiences, career ambitions and will be considered a writing sample
- Test requirements: Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators. Student can take the combined test # 5752 which includes all 3 sections (reading #5713, writing #5723 & math #5733)
- The Praxis CORE may be waived with
- *an ACT combined score in English and Reading of 34 with a minimum score of 17 for each area and a minimum Math score of 21 (OR)
- *SAT score of 480 using the combined Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (this is the Verbal score) and a score of 530 in Math (OR)
- Graduate Records Examination (GRE), minimum score 286 (combined score of verbal and quantitative sections) (OR)
- holds a master's degree from an accredited institution of higher education.
- *Scores can be taken from multiple sittings of test administrations and from superscores.
Program Requirements
- Retention in the program and/or graduation is based on SATISFACTORY PROGRESS of maintaining a 3.0 GPA with a grade of A or B in ALL required courses.
- C&I 602 must be taken in the first semester after admission into the program. "B" or better is required in C&I 602.
- State background checks are required before entering a public school classroom.
- Application for transient credit for graduate courses taken at other institutions must be approved by the adviser and the Assistant Dean for Student Services.
- Completion of 125 hours of field experience are required before student teaching.
- Passing scores on the Praxis II subject area knowledge assessment are due by the end of the student's first semester in the program.
- Passing scores on the edTPA.
- Online application to graduate
Admission Requirements 2024-2025
The Admission Requirements above will be the same for the 2024-2025 Academic Year.
Major Code: 5521
- Biology Education
- Chemistry Education
- English Education
- Science Education
- Math Education (not accepting applicants at this time)
- Physics Education
- Social Studies Education
- World Language Education (not accepting applicants at this time)
Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| A minimum GPA of 3.0 is required for all coursework applied toward the major. | ||
| A minimum grade of B- is required for all coursework applied toward the major. | ||
| C&I 602 | Curriculum and Teaching Principles | 3 |
| C&I 688 | Classroom Organization and Management | 3 |
| C&I 689 | Cultural Diversity in the Classroom | 3 |
| EDP 600 | Educational Psychology | 3 |
| LE 622 | Disciplinary Literacy * | 3 |
| SPED 500 | Legal/Educational Foundations: Special Education | 3 |
| SPED 601 | Academic Interventions for Special Needs | 3 |
| Area of Emphasis coursework | 9 | |
| Total Hours | 30 | |
- *
Secondary English education students will take C&I 425 instead of LE 622.
Suggested Plan of Study
| First Semester | Hours | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| C&I 602 | 3 | ||
| EDP 600 | 3 | ||
| 6 | |||
| Second Semester | Hours | ||
| SPED 500 | 3 | ||
| LE 622 | 3 | ||
| 6 | |||
| Third Semester | Hours | ||
| SPED 601 | 3 | ||
| Complete Praxis 2 | |||
| AoE course | 3 | ||
| 6 | |||
| Fourth Semester | Hours | ||
| C&I 688 | 3 | ||
| C&I 689 | 3 | ||
| 6 | |||
| Fifth Semester | Hours | ||
| AoE courses | 6 | ||
| 6 | |||
| Total credit hours: 30 | |||
NOTE: In addition to the 30 degree requirements, testing requirements (Praxis 2 & edTPA) are required.
Other requirements
- A WV state background check is required before entering a public school classroom.
- Completion of 125 hours of field experience are required before student teaching.
- Student teaching application must be completed 1 year in advance if the student teaching semester.
- A standards-based portfolio completed during the student teaching semester.
- Passing scores on the Praxis II in content area, due by the end of the first semester.
- Passing scores on the edTPA completed during the student teaching semester are required for certification and program completion.
Biology Education Area of Emphasis
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| C&I 644 | Science in the Secondary School | 3 |
| SCFD 640 | History of American Education | 3 |
| C&I 648 | Science/Technology: Society Perspectives * | 3 |
| Total Hours | 9 | |
- *
Or another course at the 400-level and above in consultation with advisor.
Chemistry Education Area of Emphasis
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| C&I 644 | Science in the Secondary School | 3 |
| SCFD 640 | History of American Education | 3 |
| C&I 648 | Science/Technology: Society Perspectives | 3 |
| Total Hours | 9 | |
- *
Or another course at the 400-level and above in consultation with advisor.
English Education Area of Emphasis
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| SCFD 640 | History of American Education | 3 |
| or SCFD 620 | Philosophy of Education | |
| C&I 424 | Approaches to Teaching Language | 3 |
| C&I 624 | 3 | |
| Total Hours | 9 | |
General Science Education Area of Emphasis
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| C&I 644 | Science in the Secondary School | 3 |
| SCFD 640 | History of American Education | 3 |
| C&I 648 | Science/Technology: Society Perspectives | 3 |
| Total Hours | 9 | |
- *
Or another course at the 400-level and above in consultation with advisor.
Math Education Area of Emphasis
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| C&I 634/434 | Mathematics in the Secondary School | 3 |
| or UTCH 420 | Project-Based Instruction in Mathematics and Science | |
| SCFD 640 | History of American Education | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | |
Elective Course 400 level or higher in C&I, SCFD, MATH or other course approved by advisor | ||
| Total Hours | 9 | |
Physics Education Area of Emphasis
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| C&I 644 | Science in the Secondary School | 3 |
| SCFD 640 | History of American Education | 3 |
| C&I 648 | Science/Technology: Society Perspectives | 3 |
| Total Hours | 9 | |
- *
Or another course at the 400-level and above in consultation with advisor.
Social Studies Education Area of Emphasis
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| SCFD 640 | History of American Education | 3 |
| C&I 654 | Social Studies in the Secondary School | 3 |
| C&I 453 | Disciplinary Foundations for Social Studies Teaching | 3 |
| Total Hours | 9 | |
World Language Education Area of Emphasis
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| SCFD 620 | Philosophy of Education | 3 |
| or SCFD 640 | History of American Education | |
| LANG 421 | The Teaching of Foreign Languages | 3 |
| Electives | Taken at the graduate level in foreign language, C&I, and /or related field with advisor approval | 3 |
| Total Hours | 9 | |
Major Learning Outcomes
Secondary Education
The learning goals for this program are to prepare students who:
- Have commitment and skills to engage in life-long learning;
- Are effective communicators;
- Recognize that teaching is a professional, moral, and ethical enterprise with well-developed ethical frameworks which facilitate effective teaching;
- Will serve as a facilitator of learning for all students;
- Possess in-depth knowledge of both pedagogy and content, and the relationships between them;
- Are reflective practitioners;
- Are aware of, and have respect for, human diversity;
- Value and integrate knowledge from a wide variety of fields, are creative and open to new ideas, and are able to act constructively in a world characterized by technological, cultural, and societal diversity and change.