Learn More About UMass Lowell's Online Graduate Education Programs

The Online Master of Education Degree in Curriculum and Instruction (M.Ed.)
Note: This is a non-licensure program.

The University of Massachusetts Lowell is pleased to announce that its Master's Degree in Curriculum and Instruction is now available entirely online. Offered through the University's Graduate School of Education, the program is designed for experienced teachers interested in broadening their professional knowledge and expanding the contributions they make to education.

This is a ten-course, thirty-credit degree program culminating in a capstone project. All courses are taught online. Candidates should hold a teaching license in their state. In-state candidates must hold a Massachusetts INITIAL license. All candidates should be working as a classroom teacher or have permission to work with a classroom teacher.

First-time students should register using the "Non–Degree Course Registration Form" for NEW Students.

Science Education Option: Candidates wishing to have the Science Education Option on their transcripts must include 18 credits of science education and/or science content course work in their program (choosing any combination of courses marked with '*')

Autism Studies Option: UMass Lowell is pleased to announce that it is offering a new option for the Master's Degree in Curriculum & Instruction: The Autism Studies Option. Please visit the program details page for more information.

M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction - Program Outline
Total courses required: 10

Foundations of Education - 3 credits minimum
01.630 Diversity Issues for School Leaders

Research - 3 credits minimum
04.674 Research into Learning in Science*
07.541 Practitioner Action Research*
07.642 Program Evaluation

Curriculum - 9 credits minimum
04.637 History and Theory of Curriculum
04.635 Dynamics of Curricular Change
04.673 Curriculum Design for Science Teachers* or
04.638 Curriculum Design: K-12

Instruction - 12 credits minimum
04.576 Promoting Healthy Lifestyles*
04.643 The Skillful Teacher
04.675 Leadership in Science Education*
04.676 Exploring the Nature of Science*
05.502 Issues and Mandates in Special Education
05.638 Planning, Technology and School Improvement
06.511 Reading in the Content Areas
06.527 Language Acquisition
25.501 Engineering for Teachers* (occasionally offered)
81.508 Cell Biology for Teachers*
81.547 Evolution in Context*
85.581 Meteorology for Teachers*
95.501 Energy Force and Motion*

*Candidates wishing to pursue the Science Education option should select at least 6 courses from those marked with an asterisk.

Note: Science content courses from UMass Amherst may be transferred into the degree with permission of advisor

Capstone Project - 3 credits minimum
04.650 Capstone Project
(this course should be taken as the culminating course in the program)

Course Descriptions

01.630 Diversity Issues for School Leaders
"Diversity Issues for School Leaders" is designed to prepare experienced educators to provide effective leadership in a diverse community. Drawing from the Graduate School of Education's conceptual framework of "Education for Transformation," students will be expected to: examine their own cultural heritage and experiences; gain increased understanding of equity issues concerning race, language, gender, sexual orientation, and special education needs; develop new insights for culturally responsive pedagogy; assess alternative strategies for facing illustrative conflicts in culturally diverse school settings; and consider how to ameliorate the pervasive impact of poverty on children in today's schools.
Prerequisite:
Credits: 3

04.674 Research into Learming in Science
In this course, we shall be reading research articles and examining how the research was carried out. You will then conduct an "action research" project. Those who engage in action research have a commitment to bring about change. In this case, you will be investigating something in your own classroom or school that concerns you and therefore the results of your research will help you to think about what might be done to change the situation. Through the collection and sorting of data we can gain insights into situations that were previously muddy. Teachers often have to make judgments based on experience, but this is not persuasive to outsiders. With data we can convince others that the course of action we choose is justified.
Prerequisite:
Credits: 3

07.541 Practitioner Action Research
This course examines how action research helps educators to learn to explore pressing classroom and school issues in systematic ways. Action research provide educators with opportunities to deepen their knowledge and skills as reflective practitioners, allowing them to contribute to the achievement of students and the improvement of schools.
Prerequisite:
Credits: 3

07.642 Program Evaluation
Evaluation tasks will e identified and the policy issues attendant to evaluation will be examined.  Students will conduct an evaluation.
Prerequisite:
Credits: 3

04.637 History & Theory of Curriculum
This course examines the historical development of American curriculum from the colonial period to the present, with a focus on theories that shaped what was taught in schools, and how those theories reflected social, cultural and political values and conflicts.  Particular attention will be paid to curriculum theories that have shaped contemporary curriculum, and to examination of programs that reflect those theories.
Prerequisite:
Credits: 3

04.635 Dynamics of Curricular Change
This course considers alternative perspectives of curriculum and explores issues and strategies involved in the process of changing the curricular visions and practices of schools.
Prerequisite:
Credits: 3

04.673 Curriculum Design for Science Teachers
Science content, process skills, assessment, nature of scienc...how does a middle school teacher consider all of the elements of science teaching and meet the Massachusetts Frameworks? Using the Backwards Design model, teachers in this course will develop and reinforce effective lesson and unit planning skills, learn about different forms of assessment, create and implement effective assessment tools, and explore how to weave understanding of the nature of science into units. In addition, we will explore Learning Styles and Multiple Intelligences and think about how these ideas might impact how you approach teaching middle school science.
Prerequisite:
Credits: 3

04.638 Curriculum Design K-12
A review of state mandates which, by law, shape the curriculum for the school. Examination of "new" curricula and their sources, as well as the development of a rationale for curriculum design and an evaluation fo the personnel and techniques by which these curricula can be developed.
Prerequisite:
Credits: 3

04.576 Promoting Healthy Lifestyles Among Students
The focus of this course is on applying nutrition concepts relevant to elementary and middle school children and how these concepts can be integrated into the classroom at an age appropriate level.  This course will address a broad range of issues including eating habits, disordered eating, sports nutrition, food allergies and school wellness policies.
Prerequisite:
Credits: 3

04.643 The Skillful Teacher
This course is designed to help teachers and educational leaders view teaching from a reflective stance.  Teaching skills rarely identified from research on teaching: and the video tapes of teaching are studied for examining the applications of these skills inactual teaching.
Prerequisite:
Credits: 3

04.675 Leadership in Science Education
There are many issues in science education that can be clarified as a result of reading current literature and engaging in discussion with other teachers. In this course, we will examine some of the most pressing issues that face us as science teachers e.g. what is essential to know in science? what role should inquiry play in a science? is ability grouping appropriate for learning in science? if science concepts can't be applied by students should they be taught? This is the culminating course in the program and each week we will examine a different issue and share our expertise. Additionally, how you put your program learning into practice will be assessed through written evidence captured in a professional portfolio.
Prerequisite:
Credits: 3

04.676 Exploring the Nature of Science
This course will take you on an exploration of some fascinating discoveries in the history of science, engage you in debate about controversial issues in science, and involve you in raising your own scientific questions. We shall examine whether there really is a scientific method, why theories are not the same as beliefs, the importance of scientific models, what distinguishes science from pseudoscience and explore what it means to be scientifically literate in today's society.
Prerequisite:
Credits: 3

05.502 Issues, Mandates and Ethics in Special Education
This course will examine special education laws and ethical practices in K-12 settings.
Prerequisite:
Credits: 3

05.638 Planning, Technology and School Improvement
This course helps educators develop a broad grasp of the educational possibilities and concerns the Internet raises, for K-12 educators as well as those in higher education. Through the course, students develop in-depth knowledge of Internet resources and problems related to a specific issue of professional interest.
Prerequisite:
Credits: 3
Special Notes: EA, CI elective

06.511 Teaching Reading in Content Areas
This course presents the theoretical foundation and current best practices for content area reading, writing, and study skills.  The focus is on motivation, cognition, memory, and verbal processing theories as they apply to methodology.  Students learn to develop lessons and units that integrate reading and writing while covering concepts in the content areas.
Prerequisite:
Credits: 3

06.527 Language Acquisition
This course will focus on the study of the acquisition of language and the relationship of language  learning to the development of literacy.  Students will examine both first and second language acquisition.  Students will be expected to apply their knowledge of language acquisition to best teaching practices for enhancing first and second language development in the classroom and to the development of literacy.
Prerequisite:
Credits: 3

25.501 Engineering for Teachers
The course will focus on increasing teachers' understanding of the Engineering Design Process.  The linkage between science, engineering and technology will be discovered as teachers engage in a variety of home-based projects requiring them to apply design principles to the building, testing and evaluating of prototypes.  Teachers will also gain knowledge of the various fields of engineering.  Through their participation in the course, teachers will discuss how they might integrate engineering-technology concepts with other areas of their curriculum.
Prerequisite:
Credits: 3

81.508 Cell Biology for Teachers
This online course will examine the structure and function of cells and the regulation of cellular processes characteristice of living organisms. Students will explore the complexity of the eukaryotic cell and gain an understanding of the mechanisms of cellular control and regulation. Course activities will make connections to state frameworks and national standards, and lead to the development of grade-appropriate curriculum materials for use in the elementary and middle school classroom. Class activities will include discussions, quizzes, lesson plans, web reviews, current events, and a final project.
Prerequisite:
Credits:

81.547 Evolution in Context for Teachers
This course will address a series of issues central to understanding evolution in a biological, environmental, and humanistic context.  From the biological perspective, the course will examine how evolution works at the individual, species, and community levels using the avian flu as an example.  The second part of the course will compare a few major ecosystems under attack from development and how their loss might impact the course of evolution on a local and global level.  Included in these ecosystems are the Brazilian rainforest, The Great Barrier Reef, and Old Growth Forests of North America.  Finally, the course will delve into the judicial and political controversy around evolution in the United States and try to understand why Dawrin's  ideas still invoke such fierce emotional commitments from different constituents.
Prerequisite:
Credits: 3

85.581 Meteorology for Science Teachers
The purpose of this course is to provide the middle school teacher with: a thorough understanding of several key concepts and processes of meteorology; the ability to effectively present meteorology topics that are appropriate for the middle school science classroom; the tools necessary to develop inquiry based lessons for the classroom.
Prerequisite:
Credits:

95.501 Energy, Force and Motion
An introduction to the most fundamental area of physics:  the nature of motion, what affects it, and how it is measured.  We examine Newton's laws, including the law of gravity, and how forces produce acceleration   The course also examines the nature of energy - potential and kinetic - and how it relates to motion and forces.  We will concentrate on how to analyze physical situations and solve the basic equations of motion.  This course is intended to help teachers develop their understanding of the physics of motion.
Prerequisite:
Credits: 3

04.650 Capstone Project: Advanced Program
Students will have the opportunity to develop a teacher work sample consisting of work in six major areas:  (10 contextual factors, (2) learning goals, (3) assessment plan, (4) design for instruction, (5) analysis of student learning, and (6) reflection.
Prerequisite:
Credits: 3

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