Education, M.Ed.

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The Master of Education program is designed to meet the professional development needs of working teachers. All courses required to complete the degree are offered as hybrid courses, both online and face to face. Class meetings occur every other week in the late afternoon. This is a two year program, with participants taking six credits per semester. Courses are offered every seven weeks allowing teachers to focus on one course at a time.

There are three concentrations with the M.Ed. program: the Literacy concentration with embedded Reading Endorsement, the Coaching concentration, and the Special Education concentration. Participants must choose between four concentrations. Core courses are shared between the four concentrations.

Required graduate courses are taught at least once per year so that dedicated students can complete their degree within two years. Summer school is essential if students are to finish in a timely manner. Students have a maximum of seven (7) years to complete their degrees. This is seven years from the date of the first course accepted to the program to the last course taken to complete the degree.

The M.Ed. program is designed to further develop the knowledge, skills and performance of practitioners to promote their own professionalism and to ultimately improve the educational enterprise.

Master of Education Admissions Criteria:

A satisfactory score on the Graduate Record Examination is required for all applicants with less than a 3.00 grade point average in their undergraduate work. A verbal score of 440 and quantitative score of 500 is required.
Hold or be eligible for any teaching certificate or license issued by the Ohio Department of Education.
A writing sample
An interview with the Dean of Education and Professional Studies or the dean’s designee.

Any student failing to meet one or more of the criteria may apply to the Graduate Council or appropriate Faculty Committee for an exemption. The committee, in consultation with the dean, shall determine whether or not the student will be admitted and establish any conditions that apply to the student’s admission.

Transfer Credits M.Ed.

At the time of application as a degree-seeking student to the M.Ed. program, a student may request approval to transfer up to six (6) credits of graduate study from an accredited institution of higher education. Consideration for transfer credit to meet core requirements will be based upon work in equivalent courses to those required. Elective transfer credit may be accepted when approved by the Dean of Education and Professional Studies.

Credits will be accepted that allow the student to complete the program in 7 (seven) years from the first class taken
Only credits in which a grade of “B” or better has been earned will be considered for transfer
Only recognized comparable catalog coursework will be accepted from other institutions

Reading Endorsement Transfer credit

Students who have completed a Reading Endorsement at another institution may transfer a maximum of twelve (12) credits in which a grade of “B” or better has been earned into the M.Ed. program. The credits must be evaluated and approved at the time of admission - credits will not be accepted retroactively.

The M.Ed. Curriculum

Students take the M.Ed. program with a focus on curriculum and instruction. The program requires the completion of a minimum of 33 semester hours of credit. Both the core requirements and requirements for a concentration are needed in order to complete the program.

Core (Required) Courses (12 SH): (Coaching, Literacy & Special Education Concentrations)

EDM 500 - Research for the Professional Educator Semester Hour(s): 3
EDM 501 - Contemporary Issues in American Education Semester Hour(s): 3
EDM 517 - Models of Effective Teaching and Planning Semester Hour(s): 3
EDM 564 - Capstone Seminar Semester Hour(s): 3

OR

Core (Required) Courses (13 SH): (Educational Leadership Concentration)

MEL 502 - Culturally Responsive Leadership Semester Hour(s): 3
MEL 503 - Instructional Leadership Semester Hour(s): 3
MEL 510 - Safe and Supportive Schools Semester Hour(s): 3
MEL 511 - Residency I Semester Hour(s): 2
MEL 512 - Residency II Semester Hour(s): 2

A Required Concentration:

Coaching Concentration (21 SH)

EMC 520 - Creating Community: Maximizing Social Benefits in the Sport Environment Semester Hour(s): 3
EMC 521 - Coaching Ethics and Leadership Semester Hour(s): 3
EMC 522 - Coaching Better: Facilitating Sport Skill Acquisition & Developmentally Appropriate Training Programs Semester Hour(s): 3
EMC 523 - Whole Athlete Development: Off the Field Elements for Athletic Success Semester Hour(s): 3
EMC 524 - Safety Training for Coaches Semester Hour(s): 3
EMC 525 - Administration & Evaluation of Sport Programs Semester Hour(s): 3
EMC 526 - Coaching, Teaching & Team Development Semester Hour(s): 3

Educational Leadership Concentration (21 SH)

MEL 501 - Transformational Leadership Semester Hour(s): 3
MEL 504 - School Finance Semester Hour(s): 3
MEL 505 - School Law and Ethics Semester Hour(s): 3
MEL 506 - Data-Driven Decision Making Semester Hour(s): 3
MEL 507 - Community Relations and Collaboration Semester Hour(s): 3
MEL 508 - Innovative Leadership and Teaching Semester Hour(s): 3
MEL 509 - Leadership in Special Education Semester Hour(s): 3

Literacy Concentration (21-24 SH)

EMR 501 - Theory and Practice of reading Semester Hour(s): 3
EMR 502 - Reading Strategies and Curriculum Semester Hour(s): 3
EMR 503 - Assessment in Reading Instruction Semester Hour(s): 3
EMR 504 - Socio-Cultural Factors in Literacy Semester Hour(s): 3
EMR 505 - Phonics Semester Hour(s): 3 *Only required if student has not taken as part of initial licensure requirement
EMR 512 - Professional Development and Field Research Semester Hour(s): 3
EDM 511 - Adolescent Literature Semester Hour(s): 3
EDM 512 - Critical Analysis of Children’s Literature Semester Hour(s): 3

Special Education Concentration (21 SH)

EMS 550 - Introduction to Mild to Moderate Intervention Semester Hour(s): 3
EMS 551 - Evidenced Based Strategies Semester Hour(s): 3
EMS 552 - Assessment and Data Based Interventions Semester Hour(s): 3
EMS 553 - Curriculum Planning and Strategies for Mild to Moderate Disabilities Semester Hour(s): 3
EMS 554 - Positive Behavior Supports and Intervention Semester Hour(s): 3
EMS 555 - Collaboration with Families and Professionals Semester Hour(s): 3
And an Elective chosen from any other Masters level concentration in the Education department Semester Hour(s): 3

Special Programs

Students desiring to achieve their M.Ed. degree with special options that includes coursework in their teaching areas may work with their advisors to petition the Education Faculty Committee. Their petitions should include lists of specific graduate courses they wish to apply to the degree, source of the coursework, original transcripts and other information as needed. The core requirements of the Lake Erie College M.Ed. program must be met along with all other requirements. The advisor will present the program to the Education Faculty Committee for approval. Lake Erie College offers graduate programs off campus for districts or groups that request them and can provide a specified number of students who are willing to work together as a cohort group. Groups must agree to stay together and take the same courses. Should the group attrition reach a point where it is no longer economically feasible to continue off campus, the group will be asked to complete coursework on campus.

Graduation Requirements

Complete the specific course requirements of the M.Ed. program
Earn a minimum grade point average of 3.00
Complete all requirements for the M.Ed. program within 7 years of the first course in the program
Culminate the graduate program by successfully completing a capstone project

Research Master’s Thesis

Guidelines for the master’s thesis will be provided in EDM 500, Research for the Professional Educator. A proposal, developed in EDM 500, must be submitted according to the Lake Erie College format. The education committee accepts or rejects the proposal. The final written project becomes part of the research collection of the College. Students must present three (3) unmarked, accurate copies to the department for binding 30 days prior to graduation. The College will retain two, and one will be returned to the student. Fees for preparing and binding of manuscript are the student’s responsibility. A content advisor will be appointed for each candidate. This individual will counsel and guide the candidate through to the conclusion of the project. A second reader will be appointed to review each project. Should the content advisor and the second reader disagree about the acceptability of the project, a third reader will be employed. Students planning to graduate in the following semesters must have their project completed and approved by:

Fall: October 30
Spring: March 15
Summer: July 1

Students are required to present and defend their research findings to the education faculty committee.

Continuing Projects

Students who do not complete EDM 564 during the semester registered may continue working on their project during subsequent semesters with the content advisor by registering for extended hours. Coursework will be given a grade of “I” (incomplete) until the paper is accepted. At that time a grade will be awarded to the final hours. Previous “I” grades will be changed to “P” (pass).