Primary/Elementary Education
Degree: M.Ed.
Department: Division of Teacher Education
College: Education

The master's degree program in primary education is designed to prepare broadly educated teachers who have a depth of knowledge concerning primary education to assume varied instructional leadership roles in the profession.

Course descriptions are listed alphabetically by prefix at Course Listings/Descriptions.

Admission Requirements
Students should contact the Office of Teacher Education for information on admission to professional education graduate programs.

A limited number of students not meeting the minimum requirements are admitted and placed on probation in departmental master's degree programs. To be considered for such admission, applicants must present GRE scores and transcripts of all course work previously attempted. Students are selected for admission on the basis of the undergraduate GPA, graduate course GPA, and GRE scores.

When the student does not have an undergraduate major or the equivalent in elementary or middle school education, prerequisite course work will be required and planned for the candidate by the student's academic advisor.

When evidence indicates weakness in written and oral language skills, the candidate may be recommended for non-credit personal improvement work in this area.

Other Considerations
Transfer credit: Students may be permitted to transfer 6-10 semester hours of graduate credit with the approval of the academic advisor and chairperson.

Use of undergraduate credit: With prior approval of the student's academic advisor and the department chairperson, a maximum of 6 semester hours of 3000- or 4000-level course work may be applied toward the master's degree.

Use of workshop credit: No more than 6 semester hours of credit in workshop courses may be applied toward the master's degree.

Degree Requirements
In addition to general University requirements, candidates for degrees offered by the department must meet the following requirements:

  1. Degree programs must include at least 36 semester hours of approved course work;
  2. At least one-half of the credit hours included in the degree program must be taken in the specialization area,
  3. At least one-half of the credit hours included in the degree program must be in graduate-level courses (numbered 6000 or above); and
  4. Degree candidates must complete an approved degree project.
Course work in each program is organized around three major components: specialization requirements, electives, and the degree project.

Specialization Requirements: Includes course work related to primary education and a highly individualized degree-program project (see below). This project may take the form of an action research, formal thesis, or comprehensive examination.

Electives: Determined by students in consultation with their academic advisors.

Degree Project: The degree project will take one of three forms:

  1. A written comprehensive examination is required of all departmental master's degree candidates who do not select the action research or the thesis option.
  2. The action research option requires the design, implementation, and scholarly report of an action research project.
  3. The thesis option requires the production of a scholarly report of an investigation resulting from a study based on a careful review of related literature.
PRIMARY EDUCATION, M.Ed.
Major emphasis is given to teaching children in grades K-3. Students completing this program will be eligible for Florida graduate certification in primary education. By carefully designing individual programs, students may also be eligible for certification in elementary education. This individualized degree program emphasizes the development of master teachers and/or instructional leaders for nursery school through third grade.
Major Requirements (27 sh)
Professional Education Common Core (taken in sequence):
EDF 6602 Issues in Education: Social, Historical & Philosophical Analysis 3
EDF 6218 Current Issues in Student Development & Learning 3
EDF 6481 Educational Research 3

Specialization
EEC 5265 Early Childhood Education: Analysis of Programs 3
EEC 6263 Curriculum Development in Early Childhood Education 3
EEC 6615 Problems, Issues & Trends in Early Childhood Education 3
EEC Electives V

Degree project (choose one):
EEC 6911 Action Research: Early Childhood Education 6
EEC 6971 Thesis 6
Comprehensive exam 0

Substantive Area Courses (9 sh)
Selected from defined area of special interest.

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Adrienne Turner
Enrollment Services
June 13, 1997