Academic Programs Catalog

Students seeking admission to any of the College of Education’s undergraduate majors must meet the specific admission criteria and process for the major. For information about admission to the Kinesiology major, refer to the Admission section in the Department of Kinesiology section of this catalog. For information about admission to the Elementary Education and Special Education majors, refer to the Admission to the Teacher Certification Program section under Teacher Certification in the Department of Teacher Education section of this catalog.

The College of Education encourages honor students to develop rich and distinctive programs of study. Each Honors College member is assigned a special advisor who is responsible for helping the student plan a balanced and rigorous course of study. Students are encouraged, when appropriate, to enroll in graduate seminars, to work on research projects with college faculty and to take full advantage of honors courses offered outside of the College of Education.

Each candidate for the Master of Arts or Master of Science degree selects one of the major fields in one of the academic units listed below:
College of Education
        education (M.A.)
        mathematics education (M.S.)
Department of Counseling, Educational Psychology and Special Education
        applied behavior analysis (M.A.)
        applied behavior analysis and autism spectrum disorder (M.A.)
        educational technology (M.A.)
        learning experience design (M.A.)
        rehabilitation counseling (M.A.)
        school psychology (M.A.)
        special education (M.A.)
Department of Educational Administration
        higher, adult, and lifelong education (M.A.)
        K–12 educational administration (M.A.) 
        student affairs administration (M.A.)
Department of Kinesiology
        athletic training (M.S.)
        kinesiology (M.S.)
        sport coaching, leadership, and administration (M.S.)
Department of Teacher Education
        teaching and curriculum (M.A.)

In addition to meeting the requirements of the university as described in the Graduate Education section of this catalog, students must meet the requirements specified below.

Admission

Students wishing to become candidates for the master's degree must possess a bachelor's degree from a recognized educational institution. A grade–point average of at least 3.00 during the final two years of undergraduate study is required for regular admission. Admission on a provisional basis is sometimes available; however, a provisional admission requires a grade–point average of at least 2.50 during the final two years of undergraduate study.

Teacher certification is also required for admission in some areas. A student wishing to obtain teacher certification may be admitted to a special program in order to obtain a teaching certificate. For additional information, refer to the statement on TEACHER CERTIFICATION in the Department of Teacher Education section.

Requirements for the Degree

A tentative program of study for the degree should be prepared prior to the completion of 10 semester credits. No student will be accepted as a candidate for the master's degree unless such a program has been approved by the advisor. Program changes require the approval of the advisor.

For most of the programs offered by the College of Education, the master's degree may be earned on either Plan A (with thesis) or Plan B (without thesis). For Plan A, not more than 8 credits of master's thesis research may count toward the degree.

Students in any master's program in the College of Education may apply a maximum of 12 credits earned through any combination of courses taken through lifelong education, graduate certification, or in transfer from another institution. Each program may determine if courses are appropriate for the master's program and may allow fewer than 12 credits to be applied to the specific master's program.

Academic Standards

If, upon completion of 18 or more graduate credits, the student has not attained a grade–point average of 3.00 or higher, they become ineligible to continue work toward the master's degree in the college.

The Educational Specialist program is designed for persons who wish to achieve, by a planned program of graduate studies, proficiency beyond the level of the master's degree or equivalent but who do not necessarily plan to complete the Doctor of Philosophy degree.
Each candidate for the Educational Specialist degree selects one of the major fields in one of the departments listed below:

Department of Counseling, Educational Psychology and Special Education
     school psychology

If the student is accepted for admission to doctoral study while pursuing the Educational Specialist degree or after completing this degree, credit for studies completed during the program may be applied to the doctoral degree upon recommendation of the student's doctoral guidance committee and approval of the Dean of the College of Education. However, the program leading to the Educational Specialist degree should not be thought of as a normal stage between the master's degree and the doctorate, but as a program for people who do not plan to complete work for a doctoral degree. There is no assurance that any of the work taken for the Educational Specialist degree will be counted toward the doctorate should the individual be admitted to a doctoral program.

Admission

Admission to the program normally occurs after the completion of the master's degree or equivalent. However, application may be made by those students who are pursuing bachelor's degrees from recognized educational institutions.

A student who has taken comprehensive examinations for a doctor's degree may apply for transfer to the Educational Specialist program only if these examinations have been satisfactorily passed. Other students in good standing who are in the doctoral program but have not taken the comprehensive examinations and wish to apply for transfer to the Educational Specialist program may do so by application and upon the approval of the guidance committee and advisor.

Admission to the program is subject to the general regulations of the university as set forth in the Graduate Education section of this catalog and the College of Education. Normally, the application will be processed in a manner similar to that for doctoral students.

Requirements for the Degree

The Educational Specialist program consists of two full years (equivalent of 60 semester credits) of graduate study beyond the bachelor's degree. The second fall and spring semester of graduate study normally embraces 30 semester credits of graduate study. When the master's degree or equivalent is earned in an appropriate field and at an approved institution, a minimum equivalent of 30 additional semester credits of study is required for the Educational Specialist degree. At least 10 of the last 30 semester credits that are required for the degree must be completed on the East Lansing campus.

The sequence of studies for each student pursuing the Educational Specialist degree is planned by the designated advisor with the student's guidance committee, following the procedure described for the Doctor of Philosophy degree program in the college. Students must satisfactorily complete a terminal comprehensive examination that is administered in accordance with department policies. Demonstrated competence in statistics or a reading knowledge of a foreign language will be required whenever such competence is judged appropriate to the program by the guidance committee.

Included in the 60 semester credits that are required for the Educational Specialist degree is study in the major area, in other areas of professional education, and in related areas outside of the College of Education. Field work, internship, externship, and similar laboratory–type experiences constitute at least 6 credits of the program.

Academic Standards

Candidates for the Educational Specialist degree must achieve a grade–point average of not less than 3.20 during the last half of the program (the last 30 semester credits).

Transfer Credits

Up to 8 semester credits beyond the master's degree may be transferred from a recognized educational institution upon approval of the student's guidance committee and the Dean of the College of Education.

Time Limit

All requirements must be completed within five calendar years from the time of the student's first enrollment after completing the master's degree. A student who does not take a master's degree is allowed seven years to complete the requirements.

The program is designed for educators and other practitioners who have aspirations for improving their own leadership practice, for developing leadership capacity within their organizations and communities, and for making significant contributions to their local communities and to the future of Michigan. Most graduates with this degree will take up system level leadership in various education agencies, including local and regional school districts, state educational agencies, professional educational associations, and colleges and universities. Graduates will also be prepared to teach in community colleges and regional universities, or to hold adjunct or clinical positions in research universities, as well as hold other types of educational leadership positions. Graduates of the K-12 program with appropriate prior credential and experience qualify for the Michigan Central Office Administrator endorsement.

Admission

Applicants to the Doctor of Education generally have leadership experience in a school and hold a master’s degree in education or its equivalent. Students who wish to qualify for the Michigan Central Office Administrator endorsement by completing the Doctor of Education should already hold the School Administrator credential before applying to the program.

Applicants must have a minimum grade-point average of 3.5 in previous graduate work, submit a goal statement, submit three letters of recommendation from persons who are acquainted with the applicant’s academic and professional experience, performance, and potential.

Faculty members review applications for program admission and look for indications of a high probability of success if admitted. Such indications include a high level of academic performance in prior degrees, levels of reference supporting academic and clinical proficiency, past leadership experiences and evidence of effectiveness, quality of written expression and a statement of professional goals that is consistent with the objectives of the program.

Applicants may be required to participate in an interview and to submit a sample of scholarly or professional writing.

Requirements for the Degree

The Doctor of Education program consists of a minimum of 45 credits of graduate study beyond the master’s degree. The program is a three year, summer intensive program. The first year focuses on core knowledge required by educational leaders, policy makers, and researchers and follows a calendar that differs from the regular MSU academic calendar. The second year deepens students core knowledge of leadership and systems operations on the regular MSU semester course schedule. Year three is dedicated to completion of the capstone projects. At least 6 credits that are required for the degree must be earned on the East Lansing campus within a single semester.

Guidance Committee

Each student admitted to the Doctor of Education program will form a guidance committee with the approval and the assistance of the department. The guidance committee will consist of at least four Michigan State University regular faculty at least three of whom, including the committee chairperson, possess an earned doctoral degree.

Academic Standards

Candidates for the Doctor of Education degree must achieve a grade–point average of 3.0. Attainment of the minimum grade–point average is in itself an insufficient indicator of potential for success in other aspects of the program and in the field. The guidance committee and academic unit are jointly responsible for evaluating the student’s competency (as indicated by, e.g., grades in core and other courses, research performance, and development of professional skills) and rate of progress (as indicated by, e.g., the number of courses for which grades have been assigned or deferred). Written evaluations shall be communicated to the student at least once a year, and a copy of such evaluations shall be placed in the student’s file. A student whose performance does not meet the standards of quality will not be permitted to continue to enroll in the degree program, and appropriate action will be taken by the college or department.

Comprehensive Examinations

When the prescribed course work is substantially complete as defined by the guidance committee, the Doctor of Education student will present a portfolio of leadership performance assessments completed during required course work as the comprehensive examination, to be evaluated by members of the guidance committee. The examination portfolio will be maintained in the department for three years.  Students must be registered during the semester(s) in which they present the comprehensive examination portfolio. This requirement may be waived by the Dean of The Graduate School upon request of the chair of the academic unit, if the examination is administered during the summer session immediately following a spring semester during which the student was registered and/or prior to a fall semester in which the student will be registered.

Scheduling, composing, and evaluating the comprehensive examinations is done in accordance with college and department policy. The department or college shall make available to doctoral students upon matriculation a written explanation of comprehensive examination procedures. The comprehensive examination portfolio must be completed and approved before the student is permitted to participate in a group capstone project.

Transfer Credits

Graduate credits may be transferred from other accredited institutions or international institutions of similar quality if they are appropriate to the student’s program and provided they were completed within the time limits approved for the earning of the degree desired at Michigan State University. The department chairperson and dean must grant approval. Only graduate–level courses in which at least a 3.0 (B) grade was received will be considered for transfer.

Time Limit

All components of the comprehensive examination portfolio must be approved within four years and all remaining requirements for the degree must be completed within six years from the time when a student begins the first class at Michigan State University that appears on his or her doctoral program of study. Application for extensions of the six-year period of time toward degree must be submitted by the department for approval by the dean of the college and the Dean of The Graduate School. Upon approval of the extension, the Doctor of Education comprehensive examination portfolio must be prepared anew and submitted for evaluation.

Doctoral programs in education and kinesiology at Michigan State University are available to students who show promise of becoming outstanding leaders, disciplined in theory development and research, and qualified to provide exemplary leadership in educational programs. Programs in the College of Education are planned to develop mastery of a comprehensive field, to foster creative intelligence in dealing with educational problems, and to encourage a breadth of understanding of related fields. Such doctoral study is necessarily rigorous and exacting. Each candidate for the Doctor of Philosophy degree selects one of the major fields in one of the academic units listed below:

College of Education
        mathematics education
Department of Counseling, Educational Psychology and Special Education
        educational psychology and educational technology
        measurement and quantitative methods
        counselor education and supervision
        school psychology 
        special education
Department of Educational Administration
        education policy
        higher, adult, and lifelong education
        K–12 educational administration
Department of Kinesiology
        kinesiology
Department of Teacher Education
        curriculum, instruction, and teacher education

In addition to meeting the requirements of the University as described in the Graduate Education section of this catalog, students must meet the requirements specified below.

Admission

Applicants must have a record acceptable to the college and department. A master's degree in an appropriate subject matter field may be required, but completion of a master's degree is not a guarantee of admission.

Following receipt of the application, all transcripts, required test scores, letters of recommendation, and any other information required by the program, doctoral applicants may be invited to meet with a faculty committee before a final decision on doctoral admission is reached.

Requirements for the Degree

A program encompassing approximately two full years of study beyond the master's degree is planned with and for each candidate. The concentration of study in the various programs will vary with the candidate's goals, background of study, current status of understanding, and experience.

All doctoral candidates in the college are required to have basic knowledge in at least four of the following areas of general professional education:  (1) administration; (2) curriculum; (3) psychological foundations; (4) research and evaluation methods; (5) social, philosophical, and historical foundations; (6) motor development and motor learning; (7) biological foundations; (8) ethical considerations; (9) issues of diversity in education. The specific areas selected shall be determined by the student's guidance committee in consultation with the student.

All doctoral candidates in the college are required to successfully complete a minimum of 9 or more credits focused on research methods approved by their program and a research practicum course of CEP 995 or EAD 995 or KIN 995 or TE 995 for 1 to 3 credits.

The candidate is required to choose a research problem and to report the research in the form of a dissertation. The dissertation is equivalent to 24 semester credits.

The student must pass written comprehensive examinations that are administered in accordance with department and school policies. For some programs these examinations will be under the direction of the appropriate members of the candidate's guidance committee, supplemented by such other faculty members as may be appointed for the purpose by the Dean of the College. For other programs, a common examination is administered at regularly scheduled times.

The candidate will be orally examined upon presentation of the dissertation. The examination will center on the dissertation itself, but will also include examination on relevant basic concepts.

The Master of Arts degree in Education is designed for educators who are interested in enhancing their professional practice through online study of advanced professional knowledge related to teaching, learning, and leadership in P-12 schools and postsecondary contexts such as community colleges, universities, community centers, and the workplace.

The primary objective of the master’s degree program in education is to help students acquire a breadth of knowledge grounded in theory while gaining expertise in one or more areas of concentration.

A range of relevant courses and experiences can be incorporated into the student’s program to satisfy individual needs and interests.

The student must select one of the six concentration areas of study within the discipline of education as part of their planned program: Literacy Education, P-12 School and Postsecondary Leadership, Science and Mathematics Education, Special Education, Sport Coaching and Leadership, or Technology and Learning. The online format of the program provides optimum flexibility for students who wish to engage in inquiry and learning that will contribute to exemplary educational practice.

The College of Education has not determined whether the Master of Arts Degree in Education (MAED) online program satisfies licensure, endorsement, or certification requirements in all states.  Licensure and certification is regulated individually by states and no two are exactly alike. Some states have different levels of licensure and/or certification requirements.  For example, in Michigan, the MAED online program alone does not lead to State of Michigan endorsement or initial teacher certification.  Students who wish to use this program for renewal, endorsement, or certification in their home state should contact their bachelor’s certification institution or their home state department of education for applicable requirements, rules, and regulations of their home state.  Students are responsible for determining whether the MAED online program will meet their home states’ requirements for certification, licensure, or otherwise advancing a student’s teaching credentials.  Contact MSU’s Online MAED academic advisor with questions or, for state department of education contact information, please visit www2.ed.gov/about/contacts/state/index.html.

The requirements for the program must be completed within five years. All course work, including potential transfer and previous MSU course work, must be no older than five years at the time of graduation. Once enrolled in Master of Arts degree in Education, only MSU courses delivered fully online will be accepted for use toward the degree requirements. In addition to meeting the requirements of the university and of the College of Education, students must meet all requirements specified below with advisor approval.

Admission

Applications for admission to the Master of Arts in Education are reviewed by College of Education faculty who look for evidence of appropriate preparation for advanced professional study at the master's level and the likelihood of success in the distance learning format. Such evidence includes applicant's prior educational record, work experience in educational settings, and a statement of professional goals that is consistent with the intellectual focus and on-line format of the program.  In this statement, applicants must specify their interest in at least one area of concentration and address their personal and professional strengths that support their ability to engage in on-line learning.

Requirements for the Master of Arts Degree in Education

The program is available only online and only under Plan B (without thesis). The student must complete a total of 30 credits approved by the MAED academic advisor distributed as follows:

The department offers a Bachelor of Arts degree program with a major in special education. This program is a preprofessional program for students who plan to be certified as both a PK-12 special education teacher and an elementary general education teacher.  Students in the program work toward certification in the learning disabilities area of special education and in general education in prekindergarten through grade three or grade three through grade six. Upon satisfactory completion of the requirements for the Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in special education, the bachelor's degree is granted as well recommended for Teacher Certification.

The special education-learning disabilities disciplinary major leading to the Bachelor of Arts degree is available for teacher certification. Students with a special education-learning disabilities disciplinary major must complete the above sequence to be recommended for certification in both elementary—either PK-3 or 3-6—and a K-12 endorsement in Learning Disabilities. 

The department offers the graduate programs that are listed below:

Graduate Certificates
    applied behavior analysis in special education
    educational psychology
    educational technology
    K12 computer science education
    learning design
    learning design leadership
    learning sciences
    online teaching and learning
    special education leadership: multi-tiered systems of support
Master of Arts 
    applied behavior analysis
    applied behavior analysis and autism spectrum disorder
    educational technology
    learning experience design
    rehabilitation counseling
    special education
    special education leadership: multi-tiered systems of support 
Educational Specialist
    school psychology
Doctor of Philosophy
    educational psychology and educational technology
    measurement and quantitative methods
    counselor education and supervision
    school psychology
    special education

Descriptions of the graduate programs, organized by fields of study in alphabetical order, are presented below.

Students who are enrolled in the Doctor of Philosophy degree program in Educational Psychology and Educational Technology in the Department of Counseling, Educational Psychology and Special Education may elect a specialization in language and literacy. For additional information, refer to the statement on Graduate Specialization in Language and Literacy in the Department of Teacher Education section of this catalog.

Students who are enrolled in Master of Arts, Educational Specialist, and Doctor of Philosophy degree programs in the Department of Counseling, Educational Psychology and Special Education may elect specializations in Infancy and Early Childhood. For additional information, refer to the statement on Interdepartmental Graduate Specializations in Infancy and Early Childhood in the College of Social Science section of this catalog.