Master of Arts in Education

Special Education Concentration

Designed for educators who want to know more about working with students with mild disabilities in K-12 schools. This concentration focuses on policies and practices that will help students with learning and behavioral difficulties succeed in the general education classroom. You can choose three courses from the following list. You are encouraged to select courses that are most relevant to your current position and future career goals. If you have no prior experience in special education, you should start the concentration by taking CEP 840.

• CEP 801A   Collaboration and Consultation in Special Education
• CEP 802A Reflection and Inquiry in Teaching Special Education I: Mild Impairment
• CEP 804B* Advanced Diagnosis and Remediation for Students with Literacy Disabilities
• CEP 840**  Policies, Practices, and Perspectives in Special Education
• CEP 841    Classroom & Behavior Management in the Inclusive Classroom
• CEP 842  Content Area Instruction for Students with Mild Disabilities
• CEP 843*** Autism Spectrum Disorders: Characteristics and Educational Implications
• CEP 850   Technology for Students with Disabilities

Note: This concentration is not designed to meet special education endorsement requirements.

*To successfully complete this course, you must be teaching, have the chance to teach literacy, and have a student identified with a learning disability (LD) in your class or on your caseload

**It is recommended, but not required, that students take CEP 840 prior to CEP 842 or CEP 850.

***Students need to have access to a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to complete required coursework.

If you are in need of an override because the system will not let you enroll in a course due to prerequisites, please use this link to submit your request. You will receive an email once your request is processed.

Students interested in the Special Education Concentration may also be interested in related courses that may be taken as elective or core issues courses.

• CEP 802 Developing Positive Attitudes toward Learning
• CEP 832 Educating Students with Challenging Behavior
• CEP 883 Psychology of Classroom Discipline

Sport Coaching and Leadership Concentration

Starting Fall 2024 this concentration will be replaced by the Athletic Coaching and Athletic Administration concentrations.

Designed for individuals who work (or plan to work) in school, university, or community sports programs. This concentration focuses on the psychological, sociological, physical, legal, administrative, leadership, and ethical issues involved with coaching and leadership in amateur athletics. Coursework provides essential knowledge that will enable coaches and administrators to deliver positive and safe sport programs for youth and student athletes. Students are encouraged to select courses that are most relevant to their current position and future career goals. Students who successfully complete this concentration area (and KIN 852, which is a 1-credit course that cannot count toward the MAED) will qualify for the Graduate Certificate in Coaching and Leadership.  More information about this certificate can be found here. 

To fulfill this concentration, students must complete 9 credits from the following courses:

1. One of the following courses for the Psychosocial Competency (3 credits):

KIN 855	Psychosocial Bases of Coaching Athletes	3
KIN 857	Promoting Positive Youth Development through Sport	3
KIN 865	Stages of Athlete Development	3

2. One of the following courses for the Physical Competency (3 credits):

KIN 856	Physical Bases of Coaching Athletes	3
KIN 868	Skill Development in Athletes	3

3. One of the following courses for the Legal/Safety Competency (3 credits):

KIN 829	Safety and Injury Control	3
KIN 854	Legal Aspects of Sport	3

Athletic Coaching Concentration

This concentration will be available in Fall 2024.

The Athletic Coaching Concentration is designed for individuals who coach (or plan to coach) in school, university, or community sport programs. This concentration provides students with the skills and knowledge of the sociological, psychological, and physical aspects of being an effective coach. Students will choose three of the courses from the following list to fulfill this concentration.

• KIN 829: Safety and Injury Control
• KIN 846 Sociocultural Issues for Sport Practitioners
• KIN 849 Theory and Practice of Modern Sport Leadership
• KIN 850* Special Topics in Sport Coaching, Leadership, and Administration
• KIN 855 Psychosocial Bases of Coaching Athletes
• KIN 856 Physical Bases of Coaching
• KIN 857 Promoting Positive Youth Development Through Sports
• KIN 865 Stages of Athlete Development
• KIN 868 Skill Development in Athletes

*With advisor approval

Athletic Administration Concentration

This concentration will be available in Fall 2024.

The Athletic Coaching Concentration is designed for individuals who certificate program is best suited individuals seeking to gain knowledge and skills related to administrative and leadership practices at all levels (for instance, scholastic athletic directors, or employees of collegiate athletic departments). Students will choose three of the courses from the following list to fulfill this concentration.

• KIN 829 Safety and Injury Control
• KIN 846 Sociocultural Issues for Sport Practitioners
• KIN 849 Theory and Practice of Modern Sport Leadership
• KIN 850* Special Topics in Sport Coaching, Leadership, and Administration
• KIN 851 The Sport Enterprise
• KIN 853 Athletic Administration and Governance
• KIN 854 Legal Aspects of Sport

*With advisor approval

Technology and Learning Concentration

Prepares teachers, administrators, and other educational professionals for the thoughtful use of technologies to support teaching and learning in a range of educational environments. Coursework focuses on stimulating deeper understanding of the role of technology, as well as projects designed to enhance students’ technology skills. Students are encouraged to select courses that are most relevant to their current position and future career goals. Students will choose three courses from the following list to fulfill this concentration.

• CEP 805 Learning Mathematics with Technology
• CEP 813 Electronic Assessment for Teaching and Learning
• CEP 815 Technology and Leadership
• CEP 816 Technology, Teaching & Learning Across the Curriculum
• CEP 817 Learning Technology through Design
• CEP 818 Creativity in Teaching & Learning
• CEP 820 Teaching and Learning Online

CEP 813, CEP 817, and CEP 820 are also part of the Graduate Certificate in Online Teaching and Learning.  With careful planning, you can fulfill the program’s requirements for a concentration in Technology and Learning and this Graduate Certificate without taking any extra courses for your master’s.   CEP 813 and CEP 820 are also part of the Graduate Certificate in Learning Design. Reach out to John Olle to learn more.

P-12 School and Postsecondary Leadership Concentration

Enhances educational and leadership skills of those currently working in schools or higher and adult education settings. It emphasizes experiences that aim to promote depth and breadth of knowledge, skills, and dispositions in P-12 education and higher and adult education leadership. Students will choose three courses from the following list to fulfill this concentration. It is strongly suggested that students consider taking additional course work in this area in order to deepen their knowledge of school or postsecondary leadership.

• EAD 801 Leadership & Organizational Development
• EAD 822 Engaging Diverse Students and Families
• EAD 830 Issues in Urban Education: Racial Achievement Gap
• EAD 850 Issues & Strategies in Multicultural Education
• EAD 860 Concept of a Learning Society
• EAD 861 Adult Learning
• EAD 863 Training & Professional Development
• EAD 864 Adult Career Development
• EAD 866 Teaching in Postsecondary Education
• EAD 867 Case Studies in Educational Leadership
• EAD 870 Foundations of Postsecondary Education
• EAD 876 Budgeting and Finance in Higher Education
• EAD 877 Program Planning and Evaluation in Postsecondary Contexts
• EAD 878 Education in the Digital Age (New to the concentration for Summer 2021)

*Note: This concentration area is not designed to meet your local/state school administrative certification requirements.

All of the courses  that can count toward the Graduate Certificate in Teaching and Learning in Postsecondary Education (except EAD 871) are also part of the P-12 School and Postsecondary Leadership concentration. With careful planning, you can fulfill the program’s requirement for a concentration in P-12 School and Postsecondary Leadership and this Graduate Certificate without taking any extra courses for your master’s.  Reach out to John Olle to learn more.

Literacy Education Concentration

Focuses on reading, writing, listening and speaking– central concerns in elementary and secondary schooling. This concentration is comprised of three required courses, which cover various components of literacy learning and provide innovative examples of different aspects of the teaching of literacy. Students will complete three of the following courses to fulfill this concentration.

• TE 836   Awards & Classics of Children’s Literature
• TE 838   Children’s Literature in Film
• TE 842   Elementary Reading Assessment and Instruction
• TE 843   Secondary Reading Assessment and Instruction
• TE 845   Language Diversity and Literacy Instruction Assessment
• TE 846* Accommodating Differences in Literacy Learners
• TE 848   Writing Assessment and Instruction (formerly Methods of Writing Instruction)
• TE 849   Methods and Materials for Teaching Children’s and Adolescent Literature
• TE 850 Critical Reading for Children and Adolescents

*This course is required for all Michigan teachers who apply for the Professional Certificate after July 1, 2009.

All of the courses in the Graduate Certificate in Children’s and Young Adult Literature (except TE 883 and TE 891) are also part of the Literacy Education concentration. With careful planning, you can fulfill the program’s requirement for a concentration in Literacy Education and this Graduate Certificate without taking any extra courses for your masters.  Reach out to John Olle to learn more.

Science and Mathematics Education Concentration

Designed to help practicing educators enrich the knowledge and skills needed to improve student learning in these two academic areas. The five courses in this concentration are designed to expand and update teachers’ background by introducing recent research on approaches to teaching and learning in mathematics and science. The courses also utilize teachers’ experiences by providing structured opportunities to implement new practices in their classrooms and reflect on the outcomes. Students will choose three courses from the following list to fulfill this concentration.

• TE 831 Teaching Subject Matter with Technology
• TE 855 Teaching School Mathematics
• TE 861A Teaching Science for Understanding*
• TE 861B Inquiry, Nature of Science and Science Teaching*
• TE 861C Action Research in K-12 Science and Mathematics Classrooms*

Note that it is not necessary to take these courses sequentially.

Four of the courses (TE 861A, TE 861B, TE 861C, and TE 855) in the Graduate Certificate in Elementary STEM Education are also part of the Science and Mathematics concentration.  With careful planning, you can fulfill the program’s requirement for a concentration in Science and Mathematics Education and this Graduate Certificate without taking any extra courses for your masters.  Reach out to John Olle to learn more.