Master of Education
Course Requirements
Program
A Master of Education degree makes teachers more marketable, significantly broadening their job prospects at a time when the profession is becoming increasingly competitive and more demanding. The Master of Education Program at Saint Francis University offers advanced study for elementary and secondary education teachers interested in strengthening their professional skills and deepening their knowledge base. Students divide their class time among three different concentrations of courses: Core Requirements, Curriculum and Instruction, and Professional Studies. Participants choose from two different degree requirement options – 30 Credits and Comprehensive Examination or 30 Credits and Master’s Thesis – which enables them to customize the program to best fit their interests and needs.
Admission
Students must apply for admission into all of the graduate education programs. The Education Department’s graduate program reviews applications throughout the year, and makes recommendations to the program director.
In order to be considered for admission, applicants must have the following:
a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university
a minimum GPA of 2.5 in their last two years of undergraduate study
a passing score on either the Graduate Record Exam or the Millers Analogy Test if the applicant's undergraduate GPA is < 2.8.
In addition, all applicants are required to submit a complete application packet to the Graduate Education Department. This packet includes a completed application form, $30 application fee, two letters of professional recommendation, and one letter of personal recommendation. Official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate course work completed by the applicant must be sent directly from the college/university to the Graduate Education Department. Applicants may take up to, but no more than, six credits while their credentials are being processed.
Degree Requirements
Students must complete their degree within five years of their initial enrollment.
A minimum GPA of 3.0 must be maintained throughout the program.
Students must pass 30 to 33 credits of master-level education courses depending on which option they choose.
Degree Requirement Options
Option I: 30 Credits and Comprehensive Examination
The examination is a non-credit examination designed to assess the student’s ability to synthesize and apply his or her learning. This exam takes approximately five hours to complete.
Students should apply for the comprehensive examination after they have completed at least 24 semester hours of course work with a GPA of at least 3.0 within the Master of Education degree program.
Students must have completed all of the requirements in the areas of Educational Core and Curriculum and Instruction.
Students should register for EXAM 501 when they register for semester classes. The Master of Education comprehensive examination is given three times annually: once each during the fall, spring and summer semesters. The comprehensive exam may be taken no more than twice.
There is a $150 fee for the comprehensive examination.
Option II: 33 Credits and a Master’s Thesis
A letter requesting approval must be sent to the education department chair. Approval must be granted and a mentor assigned for pursuing this option.
Students should apply for the Master’s Thesis after they have completed at least 24 semester hours of course work with a GPA of at least 3.0 within the Master of Education degree program.
Students must have completed all of the requirements in the areas of Educational Core and Curriculum and Instruction.
When approval is complete, students must enroll in EDUC 601: Independent Study, a three-credit course.
There is a $150 fee for the master’s thesis.