Education: Curriculum and Instruction (EDCI)

Abstract

The Department offers graduate study leading to the following degrees and certificates: Master of Arts (thesis and non-thesis), Master of Education, Advanced Graduate Specialist, Doctor of Education, and Doctor of Philosophy. The Department offers a variety of programs individually designed to meet graduate students' personal and professional goals which may include educational research, teaching, supervising, providing leadership as curriculum specialists within the disciplines, teacher education or consulting at all levels of instruction: elementary, secondary and higher education. Part-time graduate work is possible in most programs since courses are taught in the late afternoon and evenings. Full-time study is encouraged for those pursuing the Ph.D.

Areas of concentration include art education (MA only), elementary education (see teacher education/professional development), history/social studies education, English education, Second Language Education (SLEC) - foreign language education and teaching English as a second language (TESOL), speech and theater education, mathematics education, minority and urban education, music education (doctoral only), teacher education/professional development, reading education, and science education. The Department also supports three master's degree programs for candidates who have a bachelor's degree in fields other than education and wish to become certified teachers.

Admissions Information

Applicants must have a 3.0 undergraduate grade point average. Acceptable scores on the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) are required of applicants to all EDCI doctoral and masters of arts (MA) programs. The GRE is NOT required for M.Ed. Programs in EDCI. Also required are letters of recommendation from three persons competent to judge the applicant's probable success in graduate school, transcripts from all previously attended institutions and statement of goals, interests and experiences. Doctoral applicants may also be required to submit a professional writing sample. Graduate programs leading to initial teacher certification require some parts of the Praxis exam.

Please see the EDCI website for more specific information about admission requirements.

Admission to an A.G.S. or doctoral program requires a 3.5 grade point average in previous graduate study as well as a 3.0 undergraduate grade point average and at least a 40th percentile on the Graduate Record Examination.

Application Deadlines

Fall

Spring

Domestic Applicants:
U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents

Domestic Applicant Deadlines

International Students, Final Deadline -- February 1 .
Doctoral Applications: High Priority deadline for assistantship/fellowship consideration--November 15th; Priority deadline--January 20; Final Deadline-- March 15 (November 15 preferred) .
Master's Applications must be received by March 15 (January 20 preferred) .

Applications for the master's program (except MCERT or IMCP) must be received by October 1 (September 1 preferred) .
International Students, Final Deadline -- August 15 .
Some EDCI units do not accept Spring applications for the doctoral program. Therefore, applicants to the DOCTORAL program should consult department for information. .

Summer: Applications for the Maryland Master's Certification Program must be received by March 1 (December 1 preferred) .

International Applicants:
Applicants from Outside the U.S. or U.S. Citizens / Permanent Residents with Non-U.S. Credentials

IMPORTANT: International Applicants and U.S. Applicants with Non-U.S. Credentials must follow the domestic deadlines above if they are earlier than the deadlines listed below.

Applicants seeking admission under F (Student) or J (Exchange Visitor) visas

February 1
If Domestic Deadline is after Feb. 1

June 1
If Domestic Deadline is after Jun. 1

Applicants seeking admission under A, E, G, H, I, and L visas and immigrants

May 1
If Domestic Deadline is after May 1

October 1
If Domestic Deadline is after Jun. 1

U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents with foreign credentials

May 15
If Domestic Deadline is after May 15

October 31
If Domestic Deadline is after Oct.31

Application Requirements

GRE General (Required for AGS, doctoral and MA programs. GRE is NOT required for M.Ed. programs in EDCI. Please check the EDCI website for specific requirement)
Official transcript from all previously attended institutions
3 Letters of Recommendation from persons competent to judge the applicant's probable success in graduate school
Statement of Goals, Experiences, and Research Interests

	Fall	Spring
Domestic Applicants: U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents
Domestic Applicant Deadlines	International Students, Final Deadline -- February 1 . Doctoral Applications: High Priority deadline for assistantship/fellowship consideration--November 15th; Priority deadline--January 20; Final Deadline-- March 15 (November 15 preferred) . Master's Applications must be received by March 15 (January 20 preferred) .	Applications for the master's program (except MCERT or IMCP) must be received by October 1 (September 1 preferred) . International Students, Final Deadline -- August 15 . Some EDCI units do not accept Spring applications for the doctoral program. Therefore, applicants to the DOCTORAL program should consult department for information. .
	Summer: Applications for the Maryland Master's Certification Program must be received by March 1 (December 1 preferred) .
International Applicants: Applicants from Outside the U.S. or U.S. Citizens / Permanent Residents with Non-U.S. Credentials IMPORTANT: International Applicants and U.S. Applicants with Non-U.S. Credentials must follow the domestic deadlines above if they are earlier than the deadlines listed below.
Applicants seeking admission under F (Student) or J (Exchange Visitor) visas	February 1 If Domestic Deadline is after Feb. 1	June 1 If Domestic Deadline is after Jun. 1
Applicants seeking admission under A, E, G, H, I, and L visas and immigrants	May 1 If Domestic Deadline is after May 1	October 1 If Domestic Deadline is after Jun. 1
U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents with foreign credentials	May 15 If Domestic Deadline is after May 15	October 31 If Domestic Deadline is after Oct.31

Degree Requirements

Advanced Graduate Specialist Certificate (A.G.S. Certificate)
Please contact the program for more information.

Master of Arts or Master of Education (M.A. or M.Ed.)

Master's degree requirements vary according to the area of concentration and the type of degree. Typically, programs require 30 to 33 credit hours, which includes a core research requirement; a three to six-hour comprehensive examination or professional portfolio (requirement varies by specialization) and a seminar paper. Certification-track M.Ed. programs typically require 42 credit hours.

Doctor of Philosophy or Doctor of Education (Ph.D. or Ed.D.)

The doctorate requires a planned sequence of approximately 60 credit hours beyond the master's degree. Doctoral students are required to take a comprehensive examination prior to approval of their doctoral dissertation committee. Beginning fall 2010, doctoral students will be required to complete a one-year, full-time residency. An oral examination in defense of the dissertation is required.

Facilities and Special Resources

Facilities that support graduate study include the Center for Mathematics Education, the Reading Center, and the Science Teaching Center. Additional facilities in the College of Education include the Educational Technology Services Center, Teacher Education Centers in local schools, and the Center for Young Children.

Financial Assistance

Teaching assistantships and a smaller number of research assistantships are available for outstanding doctoral candidates who are enrolled full-time. For best consideration apply early.

Contact Information

Joy Jones, Coordinator for EDCI Graduate Admissions and Student Services
Room 2311 Benjamin Building
MD 20742-1175
Telephone: (301) 405-3118
Fax: (301) 314-9055
edcigrad@deans.umd.edu

http://www.education.umd.edu/EDCI