Secondary Education (M.A.)

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Program Overview

The master’s degree program in secondary education is ideal for secondary school personnel who are interested in enhancing their knowledge and skills necessary for leadership roles in education. You will have a significant role in deciding your own master’s level professional development in an affordable and timely manner. Distinctly designed for the practicing educator, you will experience a current and relevant curriculum that meets your professional needs. Our program focuses on teaching principles of learning and instruction through a framework of current theory, research, best practices, diversity, and technology in order to prepare reflective graduates that have broad knowledge of the multiple factors affecting individuals’ development, performance, and leadership within P-12 classrooms and professional practice.

Specialize in an area of culturally & linguistically diverse learners (CLD) or science, technology and math education (STM). If you hold a baccalaureate degree in areas equivalent in content to an approved USD teaching major, this program also provides an opportunity to become certified to teach at the secondary level. The USD School of Education has been accredited by CAEP (formerly NCATE) since 1956. Learn more at usd.edu/ci or usd.edu/online-seed.

DELIVERY: On campus | Online

Master of Arts, Secondary Education Plan B (non-thesis) option

- Plan A (thesis) also available. Four credit hours of thesis are required in lieu of an elective.

Culturally & Linguistically Diverse (CLD) Learners Specialization

Major Requirements (30 hours)

SEED 562 - Teaching English as a New Language (C) 2 cr
SEED 564 - Linguistics and Language Acquisition for P-12 ELL Teachers 3 cr
SEED 566 - P-12 Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment for ELL 3 cr
SEED 570 - P-12 Literacy Methods for English Language Learners 3 cr
SEED 776 - Theory and Pedagogy for Diverse Learners 3 cr
SEED 778 - Culturally & Linguistically Responsive Assessment and Evaluation 3 cr
SEED 783 - Research and Advocacy in Diverse Educational Contexts 3 cr
SEED 794 - Internship (M.A.) (C) 1 to 8 cr (4 cr hrs required)
EDER 761 - Graduate Research & Design (C) 3 cr
Select 1 of the following courses (3 cr hours):
Language course (language other than English) 0-3 cr hrs*
*Unless completed at the undergraduate level or approved for a waiver based on bilingual identity
Elective approved by program advisor 0-3 cr hours

Accelerated Master’s Program: B.A. or B.S./M.A with Culturally & Linguistically Diverse Learners Plan B (non-thesis) specialization

Up to 12 credits applied toward the B.S. program may be used to satisfy graduate credit.

The following restrictions apply:

Dual-listed courses taken at the 500-level can be applied to both the B.S. and M.S. degrees. Dual-listed courses must be taken at the 500-level.
The student must apply to, and be admitted to, the accelerated program prior to taking courses to be credited toward the accelerated program.
No courses taken prior to admission to the accelerated program may be counted toward an accelerated graduate degree.
Courses that are “double counted” must be approved by the program coordinator for inclusion in the program of study prior to registration for the course or the credits will not be applied toward the accelerated graduate degree.
Only courses taken at the student’s home institution are eligible for accelerated program credit. No transferred courses from other institutions will be allowed to count toward the accelerated master’s degree.
Students admitted to the accelerated M.A. Program may be allowed to register for all courses included in his/her program of study and these credit hours may apply to both undergraduate and graduate degree requirements.

Science, Technology and Math (STM) Specialization

Major Requirements (30 hours)

Note: Plan A (thesis) also available. Four credit hours of thesis are required in lieu of an elective.

EDER 761 - Graduate Research & Design (C) 3 cr
SEED 700 - Stem Methods I: History, Foundations, Trends and Issues of Science Technology and Math 3 cr
SEED 710 - Stem Methods II: Research Literature in Stem Education 3 cr
SEED 720 - Designing Projects and Environments in Stem Education 3 cr
SEED 773 - Research-Based Methods in Curriculum and Instruction 3 cr (3 cr hrs required)
SEED 794 - Internship (M.A.) (C) 1 to 8 cr (3 cr hrs required)

Elective courses (12 credit hours)

ELED 766 - Technology Integration for Effective Instruction 3 cr OR
SEED 766 - Technology Integration for Effective Instruction 3 cr
ELED 776 - Theory and Pedagogy for Diverse Learners 3 cr OR
SEED 776 - Theory and Pedagogy for Diverse Learners 3 cr
LT 712 - Instructional Technologies for Active Learning 3 cr
LT 716 - Systematic Design of Instruction 3 cr
LT 731 - Multimedia Production 3 cr
TET 732 - Emerging Technologies in Teaching and Training 3 cr
Also accepted: Any graduate level math and science courses will be accepted should the students be qualified and interested to take such courses.

Application Requirements

Completed application
$35 application fee
Official transcripts*
Letters of recommendation*
Admission test scores*
Statement of purpose
Resume/CV*

*Requirements for admission vary by program and may require different documentation and have different deadlines. For specific program requirements and submission deadline, visit: catalog.usd.edu.

Courses or Programs Leading to Professional Licensure or Certification

The educational curriculum for your academic program may or may not meet educational prerequisites for professional licensure or certification in states other than South Dakota. If you are planning to apply for licensure/certification in a state other than South Dakota after completion of your program, please review that state and your program on USD’s Licensure-Track Programs webpage. Licensure-Track Programs

If your learning placement course (internship, externship, clinical, rotation, practicum, independent study, study away, etc.) or your online course will be taken outside South Dakota, please reference USD’s State Authorization webpage.

State Authorization

Questions?

Division of Curriculum and Instruction
605-658-6639 | ci@usd.edu | usd.edu/ci

Graduate Admissions
605-658-6200 | gradadmissions@usd.edu | usd.edu/grad