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Welcome to KU's Department of Curriculum & Teaching!

The Curriculum and Instruction Program in Curriculum and Teaching offers a variety of degree or licensure choices tailored to meet the needs of individuals. Through the Masters degree, practicing teachers may strengthen their pedagogical and disciplinary knowledge by concentrating on professional courses in teaching literacy, social studies, mathematics or language arts, for example, and by enrolling in graduate coursework in other academic departments such as geography, English, history, or economics.

The Master of Arts (M.A.) degree 30 hour program includes no fewer than 10 and no more than 15 hours in the discipline area and 11 hours in Curriculum & Instruction coursework. This option culminates with either a project or a thesis. The Master of Arts degree 36 hour program includes at least 12, but no more than 18 hours in a discipline area and a minimum of 12 hours in Curriculum and instruction coursework. This 36 hour option culminates with a written examination. Both options require a graduate class in research and evaluation methods successfully completed during the first 12 hours.

The Masters of Science (M.S.Ed) in Curriculum and Instruction is designed for those who wish to achieve additional proficiency in teaching and teacher education with an emphasis on curricular issues and instructional methodology in education. Like the Master of Arts, the M.S. Ed., offers two options: the 30 hour and 36 hour programs. The 30 hour program culminates with a project or thesis, and requires no fewer than 10 hours in the area of concentration. In consultation with an advisor, students elect additional coursework that complements their area of interest to bring the total hours to a minimum of 26. The degree culminates with a maximum of four hours of project or thesis. The 36 hour program requires a minimum of 15 hours in the area of concentration and additional hours of coursework from the 700 and 800 level of courses for a maximum of 21 hours. In consultation with an advisor, students elect additional coursework that complements their area of interest to bring the total hours to a minimum of 36. The M. S. Ed. 36 hour program culminates with a written examination administered during the final 3 credit hour course. Coursework for the M. S. Ed. degree resides primarily within the School of Education, however selected courses from the College of Liberal Arts, may be accepted. All master's programs require a graduate class in research and evaluation methods successfully completed during the first 12 hours.

 

The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) and Doctor of Education (Ed. D.) degrees provide students the highest level of competence in curriculum and instruction, with subspecialties in: Reading Education, Mathematics Education, Language Arts Education, Science Education, Multicultural Education, Educational Communication and Technology, Elementary Education, Middle Level Education, Secondary Education, General Curriculum and Instruction, Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL), Gifted and Talented Education, Social Studies Education, Foreign Language Education, and Economics Education.

Doctoral work includes at least 40 credit hours in a department area of specialization, a core of courses in education, basic and applied research skills, and a dissertation involving original research in the student's specialization. The Ph.D. also requires a minor, usually 12 or more hours, which is done outside the department. The Ph.D. emphasizes basic research and is intended for students who seek a focus on educational scholarship. The Ed. D. applies current research and theory to instructional practice and is intended for teachers and supervisors. Both degrees include work in applied and basic research, and each degree has an eight year time limit.

How to Apply