Curriculum and Instruction, M.Ed.

Return to: School of Education and Human Development: Degree Programs

The M.Ed. degree prepares students for positions within schools, museums, and other community settings. Advisors connect with students to design a program of study that includes core and area of emphasis courses that complement professional goals. The program provides the option for students to choose an area of emphasis. These areas are Applied Behavior Analysis (BCBA), Educational Innovation, English as a Second Language (ESL), Gifted Education, Instructional Technology, Literacy, Professional Studies, Social and Emotional Learning, Social Foundations, Special Education, and there is also a dual degree in partnership with the Darden School of Business.

Program Requirements

The M.Ed. program requires a minimum of 30 credits of coursework at the 5000-level or higher. Fifteen credits must be earned within the core requirements and students must take a minimum of one class from each of the four “pillars” of the program. A fifth course with the comprehensive exam embedded within it completes the 15-hour core requirement. Coursework selections are based upon a student’s prior experiences, program course offerings, and desired educational outcomes.

Required Courses

Students pursuing the M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction select the first course in each required course section, students pursuing the Reading Concentration select the second course.

Curriculum course (1 course)
EDIS 6200 - Principles of Curriculum Design Credits: 3
EDIS 7720 - Understanding the Code: Phonics, Phonological Awareness, Orthography Credits: 3
Instruction course (1 course)
EDIS 5025 - Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment Credits: 3
EDIS 7700 - Reading Foundations for Diverse Learners Credits: 3
Assessment course (1 course)
EDIS 6220 - Assessment of Curriculum: K-12 Credits: 3
EDIS 7730 - Reading Assessment & Data-Based Decision Making Credits: 2
Diversity course (1 course)
EDIS 5422 - Cross-Cultural Education for Diverse Learners Credits: 3
EDIS 7760 - Reading Development, Assessment, and Interventions with Special Populations Credits: 3
Master’s Comprehensive in Curriculum and Instruction

Concentration Coursework: 15 credits

Advisors assist students in selecting 15 hours of concentration coursework to create an area of emphasis from existing graduate courses. The areas of emphasis are Applied Behavior Analysis (BCBA), Educational Innovation, English as a Second Language (ESL), Gifted Education, Instructional Technology, Literacy, Professional Studies, Social and Emotional Learning, Social Foundations, and Special Education.

Reading Education Concentration

The Reading Education concentration is designed for reading practitioners to strengthen their knowledge, instructional skills and abilities for effective teaching of reading. The program is designed to develop knowledge about science-based reading research and effective and efficient reading assessment and instruction at both the elementary and secondary levels. The program also develops students as literacy leaders in their schools and districts and prepares individuals for literacy work in community colleges, industry, adult education programs, commercial education centers and private practice.

Required Reading Concentration Courses

The Reading Education concentration is an option for the M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction. In addition to the required courses listed above, students must complete the following courses. Teachers in Virginia who wish to add the Commonwealth of Virginia’s K12 reading specialist endorsement to their teaching license must take an additional three credit hours in one of our summer reading clinics. the M.Ed. plus 3 is a state approved curriculum for preparing teachers for the Commonwealth of Virginia’s K12 reading specialist endorsement.

Note: The VA K12 Reading Endorsement requires applicants to have a Child Psychology or Human Growth and Development course. The psychology course is also required for a Commonwealth of Virginia teaching license. Students who do not have the requisite psychology course on their undergraduate transcript will need to take a psychology course that meets the state requirement. Please consult with your advisor if you need a course to fulfill this requirement.

EDIS 5235 - Evidence-Based Practice for Students with Dyslexia Credits: 1
EDIS 5425 - Teaching Writing Credits: 3
EDIS 5730 - Diagnosis & Remediation I: Word-Based Assessment & Intervention Credits: 3
EDIS 5740 - Diagnosis & Remediation II: Meaning-Based Assessment & Intervention Credits: 3
EDIS 7310 - Childrens Literature Credits: 3 OR EDIS 5410 - Young Adult Literature Credits: 3
EDIS 7710 - Reading and Writing Across the Content Areas Credits: 3
EDIS 7751 - Literacy Leadership and Coaching Credits: 3

Required for Endorsement (1 clinical course)

The clinical course is not a concentration requirement, but is required to obtain the Commonwealth of Virginia’s K12 Reading Specialist endorsement.

EDIS 7740 - Practicum Reading Intervention Credits: 3

Culminating Experience

M.Ed. students admitted to the program prior to fall 2019 must complete a comprehensive exam in the final semester of their coursework or as an independent study course as their final course experience. Students beginning the program in fall 2019 or after complete the comprehensive exam within the fifth core course. Students pursuing the Reading Education concentration will complete the compreshensive exam during their last semester of cousrework.

Transfer Credits

A maximum of 6 credit hours can be transferred in to the program after the course is evaluated by the advisor to meet a number of conditions (e.g., graduate-level, is equivalent in rigor and focus to a course offered in the program of study, the student earned a grade of B- or higher, and the course was successfully completed less than 5 years from the date of admission to the program).

Public Professional Licensure Disclosure

As a member of the State Authorizations Reciprocity Agreement, the University of Virginia (UVA) is authorized to provide curriculum in a distance learning environment to students located in all states in the United States except for California. (34 CFR 668.43(a)(6)& 34 CFR 668.72(n)). 

Upon completion of the Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction program at the UVA School of Education and Human Development, graduates may be eligible for initial professional licensure in another U.S. state by applying to the licensing board or agency in that state.

Please visit the University’s state authorization web pages to make an informed decision regarding which states’ educational requirements for initial licensure are met by this program. (668.43(a)(5) (v)(A) - (C))

Enrolled students who change their current (or mailing) address to a state other than Virginia should update this information immediately in the Student Information System as it may impact their ability to complete internship, practicum, or clinical hours, use Title IV funds, or meet licensure or certification requirements in the new state. (34 CFR 668.402).