Nov 17, 2024  
2024-2025 Catalog 
    
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2024-2025 Catalog

Education, MA or MS

The Master of Science or Arts in Education (MSEd) program serves as a catalyst for innovative thinking, applied research and leadership development for professionals seeking to address the educational challenges and opportunities of today and tomorrow. The program serves both working professionals and licensed teachers who want to further their career with a master’s degree. Licensed teachers can also choose to earn an added endorsement or administrative license as part of the program.

The purpose of the program is to provide students with strong graduate-level courses of study related to various fields of education by fostering scholarship, instructional creativity and innovation, cross-cultural sensitivity, and professional leadership. Key to the program is an emphasis on educational leadership within the classroom, the school district, the broader community, the workforce, and the profession as a whole. The program is open to both licensed teachers and to working professionals outside of public-school settings.

The program requires a minimum of 45 credits of graduate study and may be completed on either a full-time or part-time basis depending upon the area of focus.

Program Outcomes

Students who graduate with the MS in Education will be able to:

  1. Explore and translate learning theory, creative curricular design and 21st century skills into instructional decisions and practices to address the educational challenges and opportunities of today and tomorrow.
  2. Apply research and assessment to evaluate and validate instructional and programmatic choices, and organizational and educational policies.
  3. Analyze and integrate educational research, theories, philosophies and contemporary issues into their educational practice.
  4. Demonstrate and apply frameworks associated with cultural enrichment and humility that mitigate the power imbalance between the professional and client/student from differing cultures and abilities.
  5. Demonstrate dimensions of leadership, ethical decision making and purposeful engagement within the profession.

Requirements for Admission

  1. Possess a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university.
  2. Complete and submit the SOU Application for Graduate Admission and application fee to the Admissions Office. Transcripts of undergraduate and previous graduate work must accompany the application.
  3. Possess a GPA of at least 3.0 in either cumulative or the last 90 quarter hours (60 semester hours) of undergraduate work.
    • Candidates whose GPA is below 3.0 may be considered for the admission to the MSEd program with documentation of relevant work experience.  Candidates should complete the work experience questions on the SOU Application for Graduate Admission. 

Program Completion Requirements

Candidates for the MS or MA in Education must complete a thesis or project during the last year of their program following Southern Oregon University’s Guidelines and Style Manual for Theses and Projects.

Academic Probation

MSEd candidates must complete each course with a B- or better throughout the program. If a candidate earns less than a B- in a course, the candidate will be placed on academic probation and notified by the program coordinator. Any candidate placed on academic probation must petition their academic advisor for permission to continue in the program. If permission is granted, a B- or better must be earned throughout the remainder of the program by the candidate. Candidates not meeting this requirement may be terminated from the program.

Program Curriculum

The Master’s in Education program curriculum consists of the following components:

Core Requirements (25 credits)

Areas of Focus (16 - 32 credits)

Candidates can choose from concentrations delivered in an accelerated online format ideal for working professionals in Adult Education, Public Health Education, Leadership in Higher Education, Curriculum and Instruction, Curriculum and Instruction in STEM Education, Literacy and Reading - with or without a Reading Endorsement, and Leadership in Early Childhood Education.

Students may choose a Generalist concentration by creating a personalized program of study based upon their personal or professional goals and interests.  Elective coursework should be selected and approved in consultation with their MSEd advisor. Students may also earn certificates in Nonprofit Management , Holistic Education , and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)  under the Generalist concentration.

Licensed teachers can choose as their area of focus to earn an ESOL endorsement, Special Education endorsement, ASD Specialist designation, or Preliminary Administrator license.

Concentration in Adult Education

Concentration in Curriculum and Instruction

Concentration in Curriculum and Instruction in STEM Education

Concentration in Leadership in Early Childhood Education

Concentration in Leadership in Higher Education

Concentration in Public Health Education

Concentration in Reading and Literacy

Certificate in Nonprofit Management

Principal Administrator License

Students seeking a Principal Administrator License (PAL) can pursue an MSED and the PAL endorsement through the PAL program.  Candidates must carry a teaching license and at least three years of full-time equivalent teaching to earn their PAL endorsement.

For more information see the Concentration in Principal Administrator   program.

Endorsement in Special Education

Candidates must hold a valid Oregon Teaching License in order to add endorsement.

Endorsement in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)

Candidates must hold a valid Oregon Teaching License in order to add endorsement.

Specialization in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

Candidates must hold a valid Oregon Teaching License in order to add specialization.

Master of Science in Education with Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

This degree is a collaborative program between Oregon Tech and SOU. Upon successful completion, graduates will receive the Master of Science in Education from SOU and a Graduate Certificate in Applied Behavior Analysis from Oregon Tech. With the Graduate Certificate in ABA and requisite supervised practicum, graduates will meet eligibility requirements to take the national exam to become a certified behavior analyst. This program does not require nor lead to an Oregon teaching license.

ASD Courses offered through SOU:

ABA Courses offered through Oregon Tech:

  • ABA 511 ‐ Foundations of Applied Behavior Analysis I, 3 credits
  • ABA 512 ‐ Foundations of Applied Behavior Analysis II, 3 credits
  • ABA 521 ‐ Ethics and Professionalism I, 3 credits
  • ABA 522 ‐ Ethics and Professionalism II, 3 credits
  • ABA 525 ‐ Research Methods in ABA, 3 credits
  • ABA 526 ‐ Behavioral Assessment, 3 credits
  • ABA 531 ‐ Behavior Change I, 3 credits
  • ABA 532 ‐ Behavior Change II, 3 credits
  • ABA 535 ‐ Special Topics in ABA, 3 credits

MA/MS

The master of arts and master of science degrees differ only in the foreign language requirement. To receive an MA degree, students must demonstrate fluency in a second language. U.S. students who have completed two years of study in one foreign language at an accredited college or university automatically meet the second language requirement for the MA degree.