Master of Arts in Curriculum and Instruction
The Department of Curriculum and Teaching is not accepting applications to this program at this time.
Programs in Curriculum and Instruction prepare students to complete advanced degrees by addressing critical issues in learning, teaching, and curriculum, from local to global levels.
The Master of Arts, Education (M.A.) in Curriculum and Instruction is a degree with a focus in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). TESOL is a term that comprises both TESL, Teaching English as a Second Language, and TEFL, Teaching English as a Foreign Language. This degree program is offered at the KU Lawrence campus only. The M.A. candidate completes graduate courses both in education and in TESOL. This provides the candidate an opportunity to gain advanced knowledge in education as well as in TESOL.
The Department of Curriculum and Teaching is not accepting applications to this program at this time.
Graduate Admission to the Department of Curriculum and Teaching
In addition to general requirements for admission to graduate study in the School of Education and Human Sciences, master’s degree programs in Curriculum and Instruction require completion of an appropriate undergraduate program and, in some instances, a teaching license. Materials describing all Curriculum and Instruction programs may be obtained from the department.
The Department of Curriculum and Teaching is not accepting applications to this program at this time.
M.A. in Curriculum & Instruction
There are three options for completing the M.A. degree: thesis, project and examination. The thesis and project options each require a minimum of 30 graduate credit hours culminating in successful defense of a thesis or project. The examination option requires a minimum of 36 graduate credit hours culminating in successful completion of a comprehensive examination.
In addition to the required coursework and final thesis, project or examination, students take a minimum of 10 and no more than 15 credit hours in a content area such as Linguistics.
The Curriculum and Instruction M.A. degree program is designed to produce graduates who possess a high level of knowledge of their subject area specialty and contemporary theories, procedures and research in curriculum and instruction.
Required course work for the M.A.:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| C&T 709 | Foundations of Curriculum and Instruction (must be taken in first semester of enrollment) | 3 |
| EPSY 715 | Understanding Research in Education | 3 |
| C&T 820 | Methods of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) | 3 |
| C&T 821 | Assessment in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) | 3 |
| C&T 822 | Second Language Acquisition for Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages Educators (TESOL) | 3 |
| C&T 823 | Intercultural Competence for Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages Educators (TESOL) | 3 |
| CONTENT AREA: Additional 10-15 Hours from outside of the program area, such as Linguistics | 10-15 | |
Recommended electives:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| C&T 816 | Culturally Responsive Pedagogy | 3 |
| C&T 823 | Intercultural Competence for Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages Educators (TESOL) | 3 |
| C&T 826 | Linguistic Analysis for Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages Educators (TESOL) | 3 |
To complete the master's degree, students are required to do one of the following:
- Thesis or Project Options- degree totals at least 30 hours
- Comprehensive Exam Option - degree totals at least 36 hours
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| C&T 898 | Master's Project (minimum 30 hr. degree) | 1-2 |
| OR | ||
| C&T 899 | Master's Thesis (minimum 30 hr. degree) | 1-2 |
| OR | ||
| Master's Comprehensive Exam Option (minimum 36 hr. degree) | ||
Additional Degree Requirements:
All M.A./TESOL students must apply online to graduate by the deadline for the semester they will
complete their degree requirements. Students should submit their application for degree at the
beginning of the semester they plan to graduate.
Students must earn a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.00 on a 4.00 scale to
be eligible to graduate. No course may be completed with a grade of U (unsatisfactory), and no
course may be completed with a letter grade below C (2.00). If students do not have a minimum 3.00
GPA, they will be required to take additional courses in consultation with their advisor in order to raise
their GPA to the minimum 3.00.
A final comprehensive examination in the major subject is required of all candidates for the Master of
Arts in Education. Master’s examinations are administered by a committee of at least three members of the Graduate
Faculty. The examination is held during the semester of the student’s final enrollment in course work
and (in thesis programs) when the thesis has been substantially completed. The department’s request
to schedule the general examination must be made on or before the date set by the School of
Education and Human Sciences Graduate Division, normally a minimum of two weeks before the
examination date.
The degree program adviser and the School of Education and Human Sciences Graduate Division
should ascertain that the graduate student is in good academic standing (3.0 or higher GPA) and that
all other degree requirements are met before scheduling the final comprehensive examination.
Students who elect the Master's Thesis option must adhere to the thesis formatting requirements
found on the Graduate Studies website. A successful oral examination conducted by an exam
committee comprised of faculty members is required, following tentative approval of the written thesis.
After a success thesis defense, the M.A./TESOL candidate must submit the thesis for publication and
comply with all requirements in the KU Master's Thesis Submission and Publication policy.
The Department of Curriculum & Teaching views the defense of the thesis, presentation of the
research project, presentation of the portfolio, and review of the written comprehensive examination as
the Final Examination of the Master’s degree. If a student receives a grade of Unsatisfactory on the
final examination, it may be repeated on the recommendation of the degree program, but under no
circumstances may it be taken more than three times.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| C&T 709 | Foundations of Curriculum and Instruction (Required - must be completed in the initial semester of enrollment.) | 3 |
| EPSY 715 | Understanding Research in Education (Required) | 3 |
| C&T 820 | Methods of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) (Required) | 3 |
| C&T 821 | Assessment in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) (Required) | 3 |
| C&T 822 | Second Language Acquisition for Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages Educators (TESOL) (Required) | 3 |
| C&T 816 | Culturally Responsive Pedagogy | 3 |
| C&T 823 | Intercultural Competence for Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages Educators (TESOL) | 3 |
| C&T 826 | Linguistic Analysis for Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages Educators (TESOL) | 3 |
| Content Area | ||
| Minimum of 10 and no more than 15 related credit hours in a content area such as Linguistics. | 10-15 | |
| Master's Project or Master's Thesis Options (minimum of 30 total credit hours) | ||
| C&T 898 | Master's Project (if this option is elected to complete the degree) | 1-2 |
| C&T 899 | Master's Thesis (if this option is elected to complete the degree) | 1-2 |
| Master's Comprehensive Exam Option (minimum of 36 total credit hours) | ||
| Additional elective courses to total a minimum of 36 credit hours if the comprehensive exam option is elected to complete the degree. | ||
| Total Hours | 36-43 | |
Additional Degree Requirements
All M.A./TESOL students must apply online to graduate by the deadline for the semester they will complete their degree requirements. Students should submit their application for degree at the beginning of the semester they plan to graduate.
Students must earn a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.00 on a 4.00 scale to be eligible to graduate. No course may be completed with a grade of U (unsatisfactory), and no course may be completed with a letter grade below C (2.00). If students do not have a minimum 3.00 GPA, they will be required to take additional courses in consultation with their advisor in order to raise their GPA to the minimum 3.00.
A final comprehensive examination in the major subject is required of all candidates for the Master of Arts in Education.
Master’s examinations are administered by a committee of at least three members of the Graduate Faculty. The examination is held during the semester of the student’s final enrollment in course work and (in thesis programs) when the thesis has been substantially completed. The department’s request to schedule the general examination must be made on or before the date set by the School of Education and Human Sciences Graduate Division, normally a minimum of two weeks before the examination date.
The degree program adviser and the School of Education and Human Sciences Graduate Division should ascertain that the graduate student is in good academic standing (3.0 or higher GPA) and that all other degree requirements are met before scheduling the final comprehensive examination.
Students who elect the Master's Thesis option must adhere to the thesis formatting requirements found on the Graduate Studies website. A successful oral examination conducted by an exam committee comprised of faculty members is required, following tentative approval of the written thesis. After a success thesis defense, the M.A./TESOL candidate must submit the thesis for publication and comply with all requirements in the KU Master's Thesis Submission and Publication policy.
The Department of Curriculum & Teaching views the defense of the thesis, presentation of the research project, presentation of the portfolio, and review of the written comprehensive examination as the Final Examination of the Master’s degree. If a student receives a grade of Unsatisfactory on the final examination, it may be repeated on the recommendation of the degree program, but under no circumstances may it be taken more than three times.