The philosophical foundation of the Masters Degree in Curriculum & Instruction in the College of Education at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs is designed to provide professional educators increased knowledge of current research on teaching and learning and its contexts and to apply that research in practice. The degree provides an opportunity for teachers to focus on an area of interest and to develop increased skills and knowledge in that area.

The College of Education prepares skilled professionals who inspire excellence and create transformative change in the schools and communities in which they serve by enhancing scholarship, achievement, and service through collaborative partnerships, promoting and modeling innovative, ethical, and research - based practices and, embracing inclusion and social justice.

Goals

The overarching goals of the College of Education seek to:

• Ensure high quality preparation of education and counseling professionals
• Engage in research - based inquiry and practice
• Embrace diversity through action
• Proactively collaborate with the community
• Provide continual professional growth opportunities
• Infuse and enhance the use of technology

The mission and goals of the College of Education and the Department of Teaching & Learning guide graduate students to not only develop and enhance the knowledge and skills expected in graduate study, but also to provide a meaningful structure for supporting the essential elements of each program. The model assumes that professional educators will serve as instructional leaders within their school settings and that learning to teach is a developmental process. Teachers enhance their instructional leadership skills by:

1. Increasing the professional knowledge base, and
2. Reflecting on practice.

The Master of Arts Degree in Curriculum & Instruction is a thirty-six (36) - semester hour program designed for licensed, practicing teachers who desire to continue developing their professional expertise. Candidates complete a core of academic work requiring:

1. Examination of educational issues from the perspective of social context and culturally responsive pedagogy;
2. Investigation and analysis of curricular design and models of teaching;
3. Examination and analysis of seminal and current research and application of research in instructional settings;
4. Consideration of and for the role and uses of technology in Curriculum & Instruction and implementation in the classroom. Further, the selection of a cognate emphasis area allows students to concentrate their coursework in an area of instruction in which they wish to develop a particular expertise (Mathematics Education, Literacy Education, Science Education, or Gifted and Talented Education).

Financial Aid Priority filing date is March 1

See cognate choices below for specific semester start dates of programs

General MA Admissions Checklist

• Complete the electronic online application: Apply Now!
• All applicants (international & domestic) pay the $60.00 application fee
• Obtain three letters of reference
• Prepare a career goal statement (see department specific requirements)
• Current résumé (please include relevant paid work and volunteer experience where applicable)
• Complete a background check or provide an unofficial copy of teaching licensure
• Interview with department faculty member
• Once application materials are in, interview with a faculty advisor for the program.

**If you have questions about the program before or during the Admissions process, or would like more programmatic information, call 719-255-4996 or email education@uccs.edu

Official Transcripts: Domestic students: Have one official transcript of all higher education course work ever completed to date (undergraduate and graduate GPA must be included on transcripts), sent from the institution you attended directly to the University of Colorado Colorado Springs, Office of Admissions (electronically or by postal services).
Postal Services:
UCCS Office of Admissions
1420 Austin Bluffs Parkway
Colorado Springs CO 80918-3733
Electronically:
ugapp@uccs.edu
For other documents if needed:
gradinfo@uccs.edu

Additional items of note for International applicants:
English Proficiency must be demonstrated through providing evidence of an IELTS score of 6.5 or above, a TOEFL score of 550-(paper-based) or 80-(internet-based) or a Kaplan International Tools for English (KITE®) score of a minimum of 460. Students may make arrangements to take KITE® at the Global Engagement Office.

"Applicants with any post-secondary course work from an international higher education institution that is recognized by their country’s Education Ministry must submit a course-by-course foreign degree evaluation by member of NACES (National Association of Credential Evaluation Services http://www.naces.org/members.htm) or AICE (Association of International Credential Evaluators, https://aice-eval.org/).

The University of Colorado Colorado Springs does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, creed, religion, sexual orientation, or veteran status in admission and access to, and treatment and employment in, its educational programs and activities.

Masters Degree candidates must demonstrate practical knowledge in the field of teaching along with the research skills and practices necessary for graduate - level work.

To be admitted to the Masters Degree in Curriculum & Instruction, the applicant/candidate must submit and meet the following criteria:

Acceptance

MA applicants who do not meet the GPA criteria but have shown, through other application materials, the potential to achieve at the graduate level may be afforded provisional acceptance which will be contingent upon receiving a 3.0 or higher on the first 9 credits of graduate work at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs

Following admission to the Masters Degree in Curriculum & Instruction, candidates may enroll in graduate courses in the College of Education.

Courses for the General MA Curriculum and Instruction

The general Master of Arts degree in Curriculum & Instruction requires the following coursework:

Individual courses may also be taken as electives.

Mathematics Education

Contact education@uccs.edu for information on the next available start date.

Science Education

Contact education@uccs.edu for information on the next available start date.

Gifted & Talented Education

Contact education@uccs.edu for information on the next available start date.

Transition from Alternative Licensure Program

Students who start out in the Alternative Licensure Program subplan but later decide not to pursue licensure may complete the general M.A. in Curriculum & Instruction by counting ALP core courses toward their cognate and/or electives and completing the rest of the M.A. core.