2023-2024 Catalog

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Master of Arts in Education

Mission Statement

The mission of the Master of Arts in Education program is to provide a broad-based teaching curriculum designed to augment teaching skills, to introduce the candidate to innovative dimensions of learning, and to enhance professional performance in the classroom.
 
The Master of Arts in Education (MAE) program is designed for individuals seeking an advanced professional degree in education focused on individual interest and professional growth. The program is designed for licensed teachers but may be appropriate for others interested in a practitioner-focused degree in education. Individuals interested in acquiring teacher licensure for the first time should enroll in the Master of Arts in Teaching program.
 
The 30 credit hour MAE program combines a core course component with elective hours that allow the candidate to choose appropriate coursework to match their professional development interests; elective courses may be chosen from any graduate program at the University with the exception of the Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Instructional Leadership, Master of Science in Athletic Training (MSAT), and the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN).

The program of study may also include those courses identified for additional endorsements for those candidates who hold a current and valid Tennessee Teaching license.

Candidates holding a current and valid Tennessee teaching license who are seeking an additional endorsement will have their transcripts evaluated by the Transcript Analyst in the Education office. An outline of courses necessary for the additional endorsement will be prepared. The director will advise candidates of their program of study to complete the additional endorsements. Each semester, individual candidate's schedules will be reviewed and approved by the coordinator prior to authorization for registration.

Comprehensive Final Examination

All candidates for the Master of Arts in Education degree must successfully complete a Comprehensive Exam near the completion of all other degree requirements. Regulations concerning the Comprehensive Examination are as follows:

  1. The Comprehensive Exam is completed in the final semester of coursework and prior to graduation.
  2. All examinations are developed and administered by members of the Graduate Faculty as appointed by the Director of the MAE Program.
  3. This examination is designed to cover the various components of the graduate program.
  4. All tests will be graded and critiqued for APA format, grammar, and punctuation.
  5. Each question will be graded and critiqued by the primary author(s) of the question.
  6. A candidate who does not satisfactorily complete all portions of the written comprehensive examination may, within one year, take all or any part of the examination again as determined by the MAE faculty.