Wesleyan's unique Master of Education program invites practicing classroom teachers who believe in the power of authentic learning, who desire a shift from mundane educational trends, and who wish to become active inquirers to join us in a journey of self discovery, organic learning experiences, and active research around timeless and proven classroom practices.
The program is designed around 5 foundational beliefs:
M.Ed. Learning Outcomes
Through course work and experiences in this program, the student will be able to:
Program of Study. The M.Ed. program is designed to allow a cohort of candidates to earn a graduate degree in the area of elementary education (P-5). This summer-to-summer program requires a total of 35 semester hours taken in the sequence outlined.
Summer-to-Summer Program Leading to the M.Ed. in Elementary Education
Year 1: Summer |
EDU 521:The Art of Inquiry |
3 hours |
|
EDU 532: Creative Expressions in the Elementary Classroom |
4 hours |
|
EDU 533: Developing the Elementary Learning Community |
5 hours |
Year 1: Fall |
EDU 522: The Art of Inquiry: Action Research |
1 hour |
|
EDU 536: Advanced Reading and Writing Workshop Methods |
4 hours |
|
EDU 535: Advanced Pedagogy and Methods in STEM Content |
4 hours |
Year 1: Spring |
MAT 513: Probability, Statistics and Data Analysis (hybrid) |
3 hours |
|
EDU 530: Stories Make the World |
4 hours |
|
EDU 523: The Art of Inquiry: Analyzing Data |
1 hour |
Year 2: Summer |
EDU 524: The Art of Inquiry: Publishing and Presenting |
4 hours |
|
EDU 544: Exploring Educational Venues |
2 hours |
|
|
Total 35 hours |
The courses in the M.Ed. program do not build upon each other in any type of sequential content hierarchical way. The major outcome for the program is the publication of an educationally focused action research question. The candidates formulate, research, implement, and assess this question within their classrooms throughout the program therefore the EDU 521, 522, 523, and 524 sequence of research classes are spread across several semesters to provide the necessary support for this final requirement.
The course that introduces candidates to the rigor required in graduate level research is at the beginning of the program along with the development of learning communities and creative expressions class. This sequence provides candidates immediate exposure to some of the most current research in the field in specific content areas and in regard to current best practice and pedagogy. Being exposed to this research early in the program allows the candidate to formulate the question they intend to use as the foundation for the action research paper based on current issues and trends that are applicable to their interests and needs and supported by our foundational beliefs.
The probability and statistics course is purposefully placed in the spring semester to provide support for the candidates during the most probable time in which they will be collecting the data from the action research question. The data analysis section of the final paper is completed as part of the course requirements.
The final sequence of courses at the end of the program is meant to allow the candidate an opportunity to demonstrate what they've gained from the program. The research class is designed to provide the support the candidates need to pull together the rest of the action research conducted throughout the year into a publishable format. The exploring educational venues course puts candidates in a real instructional setting with real children and asks them utilize or analyze best practices observed or attained throughout the program in a meaningful way.
The Cohort. The candidate will enter and complete the program as part of the same cohort. Candidates will follow the prescribed course calendar along with their cohort members during the 14 month period of their degree program.
Deviations from the prescribed course calendar are not allowed except in cases of emergency. These will be decided on a case-by-case basis by majority vote of the Graduate Admissions Committee with the approval of the Provost of the College. Candidates are required to participate in all cohort activities, including the two travel/study experiences and occasional cohort meetings.
Admission Requirements
1. Complete all parts of the application form and mail to: Wesleyan College; Office of Enrollment Services; 4760 Forsyth Road; Macon, GA 31210-4462. We prefer that you apply online.
2. Applicants must provide the following:
3. Applicants must have earned a bachelor's degree from an institution of higher education accredited by an institutional accreditor with a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.00 on a 4 point scale. Students from foreign universities will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
4. Applicants must pass an assessment of graduate writing skills (embedded in the online application) to be administered by Wesleyan College faculty.
Course Load. The student will enter the program with a cohort. A student starting with a cohort is expected to graduate with that same group. If for any valid reason (determined by the Graduate Council and the Provost of the College) a student temporarily leaves the group, the student, upon reinstatement, will be placed in a new cohort. Students who enroll in at least 6 credit hours during the program's specified period of enrollment will be considered full-time. Students who enroll in less than 6 credit hours during the program's specified period of enrollment will be considered part-time. Refer to the cohort calendar for periods of enrollment.
Tuition and Fees. Tuition and fees may change each year.
Tuition $15,000
Graduation fee $150
Tuition for the M.Ed. is a total amount for the entire program and is not computed by cost per semester hour. The tuition may be made in two payments. The first payment is due the day before orientation classes begin; the second payment due date will be announced at the first orientation session of each cohort. No adjustment of charges will be made after the first day of classes. The M.Ed. program does not provide tuition reimbursement. The full tuition includes the cost of all textbooks, and 2 trips (One self-planned, and one 2-day trip to the Ron Clark Academy in Atlanta).
Advising. The director of the graduate education program will serve as advisor to each M.Ed. student.
Graduate Grades. The basic unit of credit at Wesleyan College is the semester hour. At the end of each term, candidates receive a grade report for their performance in each course.
Following are the grades used in the M.Ed. program:
A Superior (4 quality points)
B Outstanding (3 quality points)
C Passing (2 quality points)
D Failing (0 quality points)
W Withdrawal from a course (not computed in the grade point average)
I Incomplete (not computed in the grade point average)
Students are expected to remain in their cohorts until the end of the program. Students who find it necessary to consider withdrawal from a course must have approval from the Provost of the College.
The grade of I is given only when a student has been absent from the final work in a course due to illness or other causes acceptable to the instructor and to the Provost of the College. Permission from the instructor and from the Provost of the College must be requested and given before an I may be recorded, following the same procedures as for undergraduate students. Instructors must remove I grades within six weeks from the last day of class for that course.
Complaints of an academic nature: Complaints of an academic nature, including grade appeals, will follow the same procedures as those outlined for undergraduate students, with the exception that appeals for a change in the final course grade must be initiated no later than five days after the final course grade is posted on the Wesleyan Portal (See "Grade Appeals" and "Complaints of an Academic Nature" in the College Catalogue).
Honor Code. All students are expected to uphold the Honor Code of Wesleyan College.
The Graduate Honor Council. The Graduate Honor Council is convened on an as-needed basis by the Graduate Judicial Officer (GJO).
The Graduate Judicial Officer. (GJO) The Graduate Judicial Officer is a full-time faculty member on the Graduate Program Council. She/he is elected by the Graduate Program Council for a period of two years. The GHC is comprised of:
Procedures for Action
Reporting a Violation
Accused Student Information
A student who has been accused of a Graduate Honor Council violation:
Hearing Procedures
Note: Students are required to represent themselves. Legal or parental representation is not permissible in Honor Council proceedings or appeal hearings.
Possible Sanctions: Any sanction imposed by the Graduate Honor Council is independent of academic sanctions levied by the course instructor. The following are possible sanctions available to the Graduate Honor Council; others may be used if deemed appropriate by the board.
Appeals. A formal, typed appeal must be presented to the Provost of the College, within 72 hours after the notification of the sanction has been delivered to the student. Appeals will not be accepted in cases where the student has not attended his or her Graduate Honor Council hearing. The student must state the reasons for the appeal and present evidence to support the claim, the verdict (responsible or not responsible), the sanction, or both. The Provost reserves the authority to uphold or amend the sanction or to have Graduate Honor Council and rehear cases when deemed appropriate. In the case of student appeals, the action taken will be administered but can be reversed after the appeal has been heard. Appeal decisions are final.
Grounds for Appeal. The following are the only grounds for appeal regarding Graduate Honor Council cases:
Confidentiality. The Graduate Honor Council will maintain confidentiality related to cases and all surrounding circumstances. Hearings are open to relevant parties only as designated by the Provost of the College. All college judicial cases are confidential. Cases, students involved, outcomes, or any related circumstances will not be discussed. Exceptions include relevant persons associated with the case on a need to know basis as defined by the designated College official. Accusers may inquire as to whether or not cases have been processed by the Graduate Honor Council, however verdicts remain confidential.
Records. Copies of the official correspondence related to all cases will be placed in the student's permanent file by the Registrar. Student files are kept confidential and released only with an official request (see the FERPA section for more information regarding privacy rights).
Policy on Satisfactory Academic Progress. Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) is measured at the conclusion of each semester to determine whether candidates are eligible to receive aid for the next group of classes.
Graduation Requirements. The candidate must complete the ten courses required for the M.Ed. with a minimum 3.00 cumulative grade point average on all work attempted. All ten courses must be taken at Wesleyan College.
Withdrawal. Candidates in the M.Ed. program should recognize that, in a cohort-format program, withdrawal from a course is equivalent to withdrawal from a cohort. Candidates are strongly encouraged to consult with their advisor when making a decision on withdrawal. A student may withdraw from a course only in the case of serious illness or emergency with the approval of the Graduate Council and the Provost of the College no later than one week past the mid-term point of the current term. Exceptions regarding the withdrawal deadline are made only in cases of illness and emergency when a "W" may be granted past this date at the discretion of the Provost of the College. Withdrawal from a class must be accomplished through the Registrar's Office, Tate 120.
Academic Renewal. Academic Renewal is designed for graduate students who have withdrawn or who have been academically excluded from the College. A student is eligible for academic renewal upon a three-year absence from the College and after submitting an application for readmission to Wesleyan. Once accepted for readmission into the College, previous graduate courses attempted at Wesleyan with a "C" or better grade will be counted for credit, while all "F" grades will be forgiven. In order for the academic renewal policy to apply, the following criteria and considerations must be met:
Note that courses taken under previous Wesleyan Master of Arts in elementary Education and Master of Arts in Middle Grades Math and Science Education programs do not transfer to the current M.Ed. program.
The Statement of Policy. Wesleyan College admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the college. Wesleyan does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs. No handicapped person is, on the basis of the handicap, excluded from participation in, denied benefits of, or otherwise subjected to discrimination under any program, employment, or activity at Wesleyan College.
Wesleyan College complies with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, as Amended (FERPA). The Registrar should be consulted for details and procedures.
Course Descriptions
EDU 521: The Art of Inquiry.
Hybrid course (Half of class work is face-to-face and half is online).
Vital elements expected of and required within graduate level research will be explored, explained, and practiced. Utilizing search engines, APA style formatting, in-text citations, academic writing style, and various other elements pertaining to research will be incorporated into this class. Establishing the question and a timeline for implementation for the final thesis paper will be a vital outcome of this course. (Learning Outcomes 2, 4, 6 & 7-10)
Prerequisite: Admission to M.Ed. program.
Co-requisites: EDU 532, EDU 533.
Credit: 3 hours.
EDU 522: The Art of Inquiry: Action Research.
Hybrid course. Half of class work is face-to-face. Half is online.
Putting the plan established in EDU 521 into practice in a realistic action research oriented method within personal classrooms will be the focus of this research supportive course. Collecting and maintaining data collections and meeting for individual checkups regarding progress will be essential components of this course. (Learning Outcomes 2, 4, 6 & 7-10).
Prerequisite: EDU 521, EDU 532, & EDU 533.
Co-requisites: EDU 535, EDU 536.
Credit: 1 hour.
EDU 523: The Art of Inquiry: Analyzing Data.
Hybrid course. Half of class work is face-to-face. Half is online.
Summarizing and analyzing the data collected in EDU 522 will be the focus of this research supportive course. Candidates will also be taking MAT 513 to assist them during this period in the statistical analysis aspects required to correctly interpret and report on the results yielded by their data. Producing the data analysis section of the final thesis paper will be the focus of this course. (Learning Outcomes 2, 4, 6 & 7-10).
Prerequisite: EDU 521, 532, 533, 522, 535, & 536.
Co-requisites: EDU 530, MAT 513.
Credit: 1 hour.
EDU 524: The Art of Inquiry: Publishing and Presenting.
Hybrid course. Half of class work is face-to-face. Half is online.
Demonstrating expertise in reading, analyzing, critiquing, and synthesizing research the candidate will work to pull together the full year experiences from EDU 521, 522 & 523 to produce a graduate thesis paper suitable for a peer reviewed publication. The paper will be presented to the candidate's peers and venues for possible publication, and presentation of the content to larger audiences will be explored. (Learning Outcomes 2, 4, 6 & 7-10).
Prerequisite: EDU 521, 532, 533, 522, 535 & 536, 523, 530, & MAT 513.
Co-requisites: EDU 544.
Credit: 4 hours.
EDU 530: Stories Make the World.
Hybrid course. Half of class work is face-to-face. Half is online.
Theories of social studies pedagogical content knowledge (history, geography, social education, democracy, cultural studies) are explored with the intent of synthesizing personal pedagogical styles with proven constructivist practices. Various K-5 social studies content themes are examined. Special attention is given to the role of storytelling in elementary social studies instruction. (Learning Outcomes 1-10).
Prerequisite: EDU 521, 532, 533, 522, 535, & 536.
Co-requisites: MAT 513, EDU 523.
Credit: 4 hours.
EDU 532: Creative Expressions in the Elementary Classroom.
Instruction is grounded in the Discipline-Based Arts Education model.
Students learn to use the various creative expressions such as Art, Theatre, Dance, Music, etc. to enhance teaching and learning in the other disciplines. Skills and theory based. (Learning Outcomes 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 10 & 11).
Prerequisite: Admission to M.Ed. program.
Co-requisites: EDU 521 & EDU 533.
Credit: 4 hours.
EDU 533: Developing Learning Communities.
Introducing the 5 foundational beliefs;
the classroom as a community of inquiry,
the power of play and creativity,
the importance mindfulness and interacting with the natural world,
building literacy through oral language skills,
and the benefits of integrating content across the curriculum will be the focus of this class.
Candidates will actively Explore ways to break the mundane patterns to create unique and engaging learning communities. (Learning Outcomes 1-10).
Prerequisite: Admission to M.Ed. program.
Co-requisites: EDU 521 & EDU 532.
Credit: 5 hours.
EDU 535: Advanced Pedagogy and Methods in STEM Content.
Hybrid course (Half of class work is face-to-face and half is online).
This course conducts an in-depth study of various theories and models of teaching STEM-based content (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) in the elementary setting. Elementary teachers draw from their broad understanding of these connections and ideas as they plan and implement integrative activities. Modules to support STEM initiatives will be explored and created. (Learning Outcomes 1-11).
Prerequisites: EDU 521, 532, & 533.
Co-requisite: EDU 522 & EDU 536.
Credit: 4 hours.
EDU 536: Advanced Reading and Writing Workshop Methods.
Hybrid course (Half of class work is face-to-face and half is online).
This course is designed to enhance the advanced candidate's reading and writing content and pedagogical strategies in the elementary classroom specifically pertaining to the Workshop method of instruction (K-5). Candidates will participate in in-house versions of both methods and establish plans for implementing these techniques and procedures within their own classrooms for the coming school year. (Learning Outcomes 1-11).
Prerequisite: EDU 521, 532, & 533.
Co-requisite: EDU 522 & 535.
Credit: 4 hours.
EDU 544: Exploring Educational Venues.
The cohort will participate in two educational venues specifically chosen to support and advance the skills, dispositions, and theoretical applications of the courses taken throughout the program.
1-The cohort will travel to participate in a two-day Educational Conference at the Ron Clark Academy in Atlanta, Georgia.
2-Each cohort will work together to plan and design a thematic and unique learning opportunity to support an area of interest or study that has emerged from the concerted research efforts throughout the program. This final trip will take place during the final summer of the program. (Learning Outcomes 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10 & 11)
Prerequisites: EDU 521, 532, 533, 522, 535 & 536, 523, 530, & MAT 513.
Co-requisite: EDU 524.
Credit: 2 hours.
MAT 513: Probability, Statistics, and Data Analysis.
Hybrid course (Half of class work is face-to-face and half is online).
This course is designed for middle grades and elementary teachers. Emphasis is placed on the practical implications of content, structure, processes, and technology related to data collection, probability, and statistics, and associated critical thinking skills. Each candidate will be expected to utilize knowledge of various research designs in educational and social science research to develop and implement her or his own educational research project incorporating the basic concepts of probability, statistics, data collection, and analysis. All candidates will learn and master the material and tasks represented in the EDU 521, 522, 533 sequence of Inquiry based research classes. (Learning Outcomes 3, 5, 7, 8, 10 & 11).
Prerequisites: EDU 521, 532, 533, 522, 535, & 536.
Co-requisite: EDU 523 & 530.
Credit: 3 hours.
Accreditation. Wesleyan College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award the baccalaureate degree, the Master of Business Administration, and the Master of Education in elementary education.
Master of Education Graduate Faculty
Steven Haberlin, Assistant Professor of Education, B.A., Rhode Island College, M.Ed., University of South Florida, PhD., University of South Florida.
Virginia Wilcox, Associate Professor of Education. B.A., Wesleyan College; M.Ed., Ph.D., Auburn University.
Master of Education Adjunct Faculty
Kristen Applebee, Adjunct Instructor of Education. B.F.A., Brigham Young University; M.F.A., Ohio State University.
Barbara Rowan, Adjunct Professor of Psychology. B.A., Hampton University; M.A., Ph.D., University of Michigan.
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