2023 Best Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction Programs
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Deciding which college to attend can be a daunting task. For many, it will be the most important decision that they make in their lives. To make an informed decision, you have to consider a lot of variables, such as cost of attendance, financial aid, student/teacher ratio, academics, student life, and more. These factors will either positively or negatively impact the quality of education that you receive.
Do you want to acquire a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction, but don’t know what institution you should attend? Well, if you are as ambitious as I was in my late teens, then you want to attend a top school, instead of an average or mediocre one. Fortunately, we have already done the legwork for you. To help you find the right school for your interests and goals, we’ve compiled a list of 2022’s best master’s in curriculum and instruction programs.
What institution did we forget? Leave your thoughts in the comment section below.
UW is a multi-campus institution, which has a world-class academic medical center and a total enrollment of 45,000 learners. The university has 1,800 undergraduate classes each quarter. Two pathways are available for learners to receive a master’s in curriculum and instruction. Options consist of an MEd in instructional leadership or an MEd in content instruction. These do not lead to licensure. These pathways help learners develop focused knowledge; the MEd in content instruction allows learners to choose which subject area they want to work on: math, social studies, science, language, literacy and culture, multicultural education, or teacher education. Learners will work in an array of settings, from public and private education to instructional leadership, and coursework development.
Penn State has a master of education in curriculum and instruction that is a 30-credit degree program with five emphases: children’s literature, STEM education, elementary education, classes and supervision, and theory and practice in English, social studies, and world languages. There is a sixth path that enables learners to work with an advisor to customize their master’s degree in coursework and instruction.
Classes are offered via asynchronous communication where learners can study and interact in a classroom from anywhere in the world. Quality is not sacrificed; the classes are replications of the high-quality residential degree program and are taught by the same legendary faculty who teach on campus. It should be noted that this degree program does not lead to licensure.
Enrolling 12,000 learners from all 50 states and over 90 countries, Vanderbilt has myriads of program choices and particularly thrives in research. Vanderbilt offers the learning and design MEd degree, which enables graduates to work on positions in settings such as museums and nonprofit or for-profit organizations, become a leader, professional development coordinator, coursework coordinator, or learning coach in public schools, or build research skills in preparation for entering a doctoral degree program. The 10-month degree program, which runs from mid-July to early May, consists of 31 credit hours. Upon graduation, learners will be strengthened in their comprehension of classroom teaching or have the skills to work on other areas of interest.
The Curry School of Education has an MEd in curriculum and instruction. The overarching objective of the degree program is to graduate learners with strong foundational knowledge and broad comprehension of coursework and instruction and the role they have in various learning environments. Learners in this rigorous degree program have the choice of selecting emphasis in English education, gifted education, instructional technology, mathematics education, reading education, science education, and social studies education.
The degree program entails a minimum of 30 credit hours; it can be finished on a full- or part-time basis but must be finished within five years. Learners who are enrolled full-time usually finish the degree program during a single academic year.
The numbers at Virginia Commonwealth are impressive: $271 million spent in research in 2016, 108 countries represented in the learner body, and a learner body of 31,242 learners. Although the University has these impressive numbers, there is a small school feel, with a learner to faculty ratio of 16:1. The School of Education has an MEd in curriculum and instruction with three concentrations. Learners can select to concentrate on instructional technology, online teaching, or teaching and learning. The degree program is available for veteran teachers who are looking for professional development or advancing their careers, or there is a non-licensure choice for learners who have been admitted to the master of teaching degree program but select not to finish licensure.
Classes within the degree program are selected in collaboration with an adviser from the appropriate concentration. Tuition is $21,000 per year, and with high ratings from US News and the NCTQ, the degree program is guaranteed to deliver quality education at a reasonable price.
ASU is rated first on the Fulbright scholar’s list, ahead of Cornell, UC Berkeley, Duke, and UCLA. The primary campus is situated in Tempe, but the School manages five total campuses with 91,000 learners.
ASU’s Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College offers learners the chance to receive a master of education in curriculum and instruction with a concentration in applied behavior analysis. This program couples research and experience to prepare professionals to work with individuals with exceptional learning and behavior needs using the principles of applied behavior analysis. Graduates will be ready to work in an array of settings, including consultative services, along with educational venues. Learners who are interested in sitting for the Board-Certified Behavior Analyst examination will be equipped to pass this rigorous qualification.
The degree program is 30 credit hours and contains a capstone class. Perennially recognized as a top teacher’s college, Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College offers excellent instruction.
The MEd in educational studies degree at the University of Michigan readies educators for an array of roles in teacher professional development and coursework leadership in schools and coursework and materials development. Learners may customize their plan of study according to their objectives and interests. Working one-on-one with a faculty advisor, learners develop a plan that contains a core of knowledge and skills, coupled with elective classes in educational research and other fields.
Regardless of the leaner’s choice, Michigan offers an outstanding education that readies learners for the challenging world of education.
Stanford University is home to 16,000 undergraduate and graduate learners. Established in 1891, the University has over 700 major buildings and carries out $1.6 billion in research. The curriculum and instruction master’s degree program, which accepts only a small number of learners each year, aims to prepare learners to serve as educational leaders in an array of contexts, along with paving the way to further graduate study. This is an individualized, research-intensive degree program that is intended for learners who have prior professional experience and education. Learners and advisors work together to develop individualized programs of study.
UNC-Wilmington is home to 15,700 learners structured into five schools. The public, the co-educational institution, has an $81.6 million endowment and offers 54 bachelor’s degrees offered; the Graduate School administers 29 master’s degree programs. Designed to meet the needs of professionals in the field, the MEd degree program in curriculum, instruction, and supervision (CIS) is offered completely online. The classes are either synchronous or asynchronous, delivering learners with ultimate flexibility. The degree program is intended to deliver an advanced study to prepare graduates to be effective school and district level coursework and instructional leaders; it is for classroom teachers, building administrators, teacher educators, and other personnel who play a supervisory role in the professional development of others.
Learners can select to receive a master’s in CIS, or simply an additional CIS licensure, which can be finished in as few as four to six classes. The Watson College of Education has received recognition from US News and the NCTQ for quality.
Kansas State University has an MS in curriculum and instruction, which requires 31 hours of graduate credits to complete. Three hours in each of these areas is needed: coursework, teaching and learning, diversity, educational technology, and research and scholarship. Additionally, learners must finish at least 15 hours in one out of nine concentrations available. To finish the degree, learners will take the master’s project class, where they select a topic that is pertinent to their concentration.
With an enrollment of 41,500 learners, FSU is diverse and has a vast array of studies. FSU’s online MS in curriculum and instruction requires 33 credits and can be finished on a part-time basis in about two years. The core of classes covers teaching diverse learners, coursework design, and technology in teaching and learning. The degree offers six areas of focus: elementary, English, mathematics, science, social science, and special education. The degree program does not lead to licensure; it is an MS degree intended for current educators, and it does have a research/defense component at the end.
The University of Wisconsin – Madison is a Public Ivy structured into 20 schools and colleges for about 40,000 total learners. The MS in curriculum and instruction (CI) requires 30 credits plus a master’s thesis for completion. Along with the thesis, the MS in CI entails a master’s final examination. In a productive environment of research and scholarly writing and rigorous engagement with relevant issues of our day, learner will be fully prepared to lead in their schools. With the growing demand for quality coursework and instruction in our digital world, the degree will allow not only teachers to thrive, but it will also prepare instructional coordinators, coursework designers, and more to succeed in hospitals, nonprofits, private schools, government agencies, and any number of businesses or corporate jobs.
The University at Albany serves a diverse 17,000 learners from over 73 countries. Academic offerings consist of 120 undergraduate majors and minors and more than 125 master’s, doctoral, and graduate certificate programs. SUNY Albany’s Department of Education Theory and Practice has an outstanding MS in curriculum development and instructional technology (CDIT). The program is intended for practicing teachers who have the potential of earning professional certificates via the Pathways into Education (PIE) Center. Not only for teachers, but the CDIT degree will also prepare other professionals for leadership positions in government, social service, health-related fields, corporate training, and development of educational media products. These applications and the rise of digital learning increase the need for highly trained coursework and instructional developers.
Classes for the 30-credit degree program consist of core and concentration classes in comprehension technology’s varied and critical roles in education; the degree program includes a master’s thesis.
The University of Nebraska has several master of arts degree (MA) programs intended for educators who desire to continue their education. The Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education enables graduate learners to design a degree program of study alongside a faculty advisor that meets their educational objectives and interests by choosing from five areas of emphasis. One of these areas is classes studies; it is possible for learners to overlap several areas of emphasis by choosing an array of classes on various subjects. Completion of the degree entails an element of research methodology.
Admission to this degree program includes an essay, three letters of recommendation, application, resume, and alignment of the learner’s professional objectives with that of the department.
