The Master of Arts in Education offers six areas of concentration, drawing from strengths within and across departments in the College of Education. They include special education, technology and learning, P-12 school and postsecondary leadership, literacy education, sport coaching and leadership, and science and mathematics education.
Students may select one area of concentration for in-depth study or explore more broadly across two areas of interest. It is also possible to earn a graduate certificate and have those credits count towards the degree. Have questions? Email Jane Deacon (locket20@msu.edu) to make an appointment with an MAED academic advisor.
Special Education Concentration
Designed for educators who want to know more about working with students with mild disabilities in K-12 schools. This concentration focuses on policies and practices that will help students with learning and behavioral difficulties succeed in the general education classroom. You can choose three courses from the following list. You are encouraged to select courses that are most relevant to your current position and future career goals. If you have no prior experience in special education, you should start the concentration by taking CEP 840.
- CEP 801A Collaboration and Consultation in Special Education
- CEP 804B* Advanced Diagnosis and Remediation for Students with Literacy Disabilities (New to the concentration for Summer 2021)
- CEP 840 Policies, Practices, and Perspectives in Special Education
- CEP 841 Classroom & Behavior Management in the Inclusive Classroom
- CEP 842** Content Area Instruction for Students with Mild Disabilities
- CEP 843*** Autism Spectrum Disorders: Characteristics and Educational Implications
- CEP 850** Technology and Literacy for Students with Mild Disabilities
- CEP 866 Psychoeducational Interventions for Children and Youth
Note: This concentration is not designed to meet special education endorsement requirements.
*In order to successfully complete this course you must be teaching, have the chance to teach literacy, and have an identified student with learning disabilities on your caseload (IEP) .
**It is recommended, but not required, that students take CEP 840 prior to CEP 842 or CEP 850.
***MSU students need to have access to a student with ASD in order to complete required coursework.
CEP 804A was removed from this concentration in Summer 2021 because, due to curriculum changes, this course is now for 5th year teaching internship students.
Students interested in the Special Education Concentration may also be interested in related courses that may be taken as elective or core issues courses.
- CEP 802 Developing Positive Attitudes toward Learning
- CEP 832 Educating Students with Challenging Behavior
- CEP 883 Psychology of Classroom Discipline
Sport Coaching and Leadership Concentration
Designed for individuals who work (or plan to work) in school, university, or community sports programs. This concentration focuses on the psychological, sociological, physical, legal, administrative, leadership, and ethical issues involved with coaching and leadership in amateur athletics. Coursework provides essential knowledge that will enable coaches and administrators to deliver positive and safe sport programs for youth and student athletes. Students are encouraged to select courses that are most relevant to their current position and future career goals. Students who successfully complete this concentration area (and KIN 852, which is a 1-credit course that cannot count toward the MAED) will qualify for the Graduate Certificate in Coaching and Leadership. More information about this certificate can be found here.
To fulfill this concentration, students must complete 9 credits from the following courses:
1. One of the following courses for the Psychosocial Competency (3 credits):
| KIN 855 | Psychosocial Bases of Coaching Athletes | 3 |
| KIN 857 | Promoting Positive Youth Development through Sport | 3 |
| KIN 865 | Stages of Athlete Development | 3 |
2. One of the following courses for the Physical Competency (3 credits):
| KIN 856 | Physical Bases of Coaching Athletes | 3 |
| KIN 868 | Skill Development in Athletes | 3 |
3. One of the following courses for the Legal/Safety Competency (3 credits):
| KIN 829 | Safety and Injury Control | 3 |
| KIN 854 | Legal and Administrative Issues for Administrators and Coaches | 3 |
Technology and Learning Concentration
Prepares teachers, administrators, and other educational professionals for the thoughtful use of technologies to support teaching and learning in a range of educational environments. Coursework focuses on stimulating deeper understanding of the role of technology, as well as projects designed to enhance students’ technology skills. Students are encouraged to select courses that are most relevant to their current position and future career goals. Students will choose three courses from the following list to fulfill this concentration.
- CEP 805 Learning Mathematics with Technology
- CEP 813 Electronic Assessment for Teaching and Learning
- CEP 815 Technology and Leadership
- CEP 816 Technology, Teaching & Learning Across the Curriculum
- CEP 817 Learning Technology through Design
- CEP 818 Creativity in Teaching & Learning
- CEP 820 Teaching Students Online
Students may take more than three of the courses listed above, as well as electives in the online master’s program that are consistent with their goal statement and objectives. Advisor approval is required.
P-12 School and Postsecondary Leadership Concentration
Enhances educational and leadership skills of those currently working in schools or higher and adult education settings. It emphasizes experiences that aim to promote depth and breadth of knowledge, skills, and dispositions in P-12 education and higher and adult education leadership. Students will choose three courses from the following list to fulfill this concentration. It is strongly suggested that students consider taking additional course work in this area in order to deepen their knowledge of school or postsecondary leadership.
- EAD 801 Leadership & Organizational Development
- EAD 822 Engaging Diverse Students and Families
- EAD 830 Issues in Urban Education: Racial Achievement Gap
- EAD 850 Issues & Strategies in Multicultural Education
- EAD 860 Concept of a Learning Society
- EAD 861 Adult Learning
- EAD 863 Training & Professional Development
- EAD 864 Adult Career Development
- EAD 866 Teaching in Postsecondary Education
- EAD 867 Case Studies in Educational Leadership
- EAD 870 Foundations of Postsecondary Education
- EAD 876 Budgeting and Finance in Higher Education
- EAD 877 Program Planning and Evaluation in Postsecondary Contexts
- EAD 878 Education in the Digital Age (New to the concentration for Summer 2021)
*Note: This concentration area is not designed to meet your local/state school administrative certification requirements. However it is possible to receive a Graduate Certificate in Teaching and Learning. For complete information on this certificate option, please visit the Graduate Certificate in Teaching and Learning website at http://education.msu.edu/ead/HALE/certificate/.
Literacy Education Concentration
Focuses on reading, writing, listening and speaking– central concerns in elementary and secondary schooling. This concentration is comprised of three required courses, which cover various components of literacy learning and provide innovative examples of different aspects of the teaching of literacy. Students will complete three of the following courses to fulfill this concentration.
- TE 836 Awards & Classics of Children’s Literature
- TE 838 Children’s Literature in Film
- TE 842 Elementary Reading Assessment and Instruction
- TE 843 Secondary Reading Assessment and Instruction
- TE 845 Language Diversity and Literacy Instruction Assessment
- TE 846* Accommodating Differences in Literacy Learners
- TE 848 Writing Assessment and Instruction (formerly Methods of Writing Instruction)
- TE 849 Methods and Materials for Teaching Children’s and Adolescent Literature
- TE 850 Critical Reading for Children and Adolescents
If you took a course in this concentration with an old name, it will still count toward this concentration.
*This course is required for all Michigan teachers who apply for the Professional Certificate after July 1, 2009.
Science and Mathematics Education Concentration
Designed to help practicing educators enrich the knowledge and skills needed to improve student learning in these two academic areas. The five courses in this concentration are designed to expand and update teachers’ background by introducing recent research on approaches to teaching and learning in mathematics and science. The courses also utilize teachers’ experiences by providing structured opportunities to implement new practices in their classrooms and reflect on the outcomes. Students will choose three courses from the following list to fulfill this concentration.
- TE 831 Teaching Subject Matter with Technology
- TE 855 Teaching School Mathematics
- TE 861A Teaching Science for Understanding*
- TE 861B Inquiry, Nature of Science and Science Teaching*
- TE 861C Action Research in K-12 Science and Mathematics Classrooms*
Note that it is not necessary to take these courses sequentially.