Elementary Education (M.A.)

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This program is offered for the classroom teacher in the elementary schools. Options are available for those wishing to strengthen content areas, enhance general teaching skills or add to their certification. Students will find specialization options in elementary education, reading specialist, early childhood education, and curriculum director, and an endorsement in middle-level education. For further information, the student should confer with a member of the staff in elementary education.

Degree requirements vary and are based on the student’s individual need. Below is a brief explanation each program’s credit-hour requirements.

Master of Arts, Elementary Education Plan B (non–thesis) option: Total 33 credit hours

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

Major Area Coursework

ELED 773 - CURRICULUM, INSTRUCTION AND ASSESSMENT IN 21ST CENTURY ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
Select one of the following courses:
ELED 775 - TEACHING 21ST CENTURY LEARNERS IN P-12 SCHOOLS
MLED 775 - TEACHING 21ST CENTURY LEARNERS IN P-12 SCHOOLS
SEED 775 - TEACHING 21ST CENTURY LEARNERS IN P-12 SCHOOLS
Selection one of the following courses:
ELED 778 - LEADERSHIP, COACHING, AND MENTORING IN 21ST CENTURY P-12 SCHOOLS
SEED 778 - LEADERSHIP, COACHING, AND MENTORING IN 21ST CENTURY P-12 SCHOOLS
Select one of the following courses:
ELED 776 - THEORY AND PEDAGOGY FOR DIVERSE LEARNERS IN 21ST CENTURY P-12 CLASSROOMS
MLED 776 - THEORY AND PEDAGOGY FOR DIVERSE LEARNERS IN 21ST CENTURY P-12 CLASSROOMS
SEED 776 - THEORY AND PEDAGOGY FOR DIVERSE LEARNERS IN 21ST CENTURY P-12 CLASSROOMS
Select one of the following courses (3 credit hours):
ELED 794 - INTERNSHIP (M.A.) (C)
SEED 794 - INTERNSHIP (M.A.) (C)

Supporting Area Coursework

EDER 761 - GRADUATE RESEARCH & DESIGN (C)

Select from one of the required specializations below:

Early Childhood Education: 15 credit hours

American Indian: 15 credit hours

INED 510 - MULTI-CULTURAL STUDIES AND HUMAN RELATIONS
INED 511 - SOUTH DAKOTA INDIAN STUDIES (C)
INED 513 - CURRENT ISSUES AND PROBLEMS IN INDIAN EDUCATION
INED 515 - HISTORY OF INDIAN EDUCATION
Electives in Native Studies 3 cr hrs

Language Arts: 15 credit hours

Select 15 graduate credits of Language Arts, English, Reading, Speech, or Theatre (minimum of 6 of these credits in ELED or SEED)

Science, Technology or Math (STM): 15 credit hours

Select 15 graduate credits of Science, Technology or Math (minimum 6 of these credits in ELED, TET or SEED)

Social Studies: 15 credit hours

Select 15 graduate credits of Social Studies, History, or Geography (minimum 6 of these credits in ELED or SEED)

English Language Learning: 15 credit hours

Choose one course from the following:
ELED 562 - TEACHING ENGLISH AS A NEW LANGUAGE
SEED 562 - TEACHING ENGLISH AS A NEW LANGUAGE
Choose one course from the following:
ELED 564 - LINGUISTICS AND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION FOR P-12 ELL TEACHERS
SEED 564 - LINGUISTICS AND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION FOR P-12 ELL TEACHERS
Choose one course from the following:
ELED 566 - P-12 CURRICULUM, INSTRUCTION & ASSESSMENT FOR ELL
SEED 566 - P-12 CURRICULUM, INSTRUCTION & ASSESSMENT FOR ELL
Choose one course from the following:
ELED 570 - P-12 READING METHODS FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGES LEARNERS
SEED 570 - P-12 READING METHODS FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGES LEARNERS
Electives in ELL 4 cr hrs

Elementary Education: 15 credit hours

Gifted Education: 15 credit hours

SPED 760 - THE NATURE AND NEEDS OF THE GIFTED CHILD
SPED 761 - CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT AND TEACHING STRATEGIES FOR THE GIFTED
SPED 762 - THE NATURE AND NURTURE OF CREATIVITY
Electives in Gifted Education 6 cr hrs

Master of Arts Elementary Education, Reading Specialist/Literacy Coach Plan B (non-thesis) option: Total 32 credit hours

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

Major Area Coursework

ELED 752 - READING/LITERACY PROGRAM LEADERSHIP AND CHANGE
ELED 755 - RESEARCH & PRACTICES IN READING IN THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL (3 credit hours required)
ELED 757 - ASSESSMENT, DIAGNOSIS, AND INTERVENTIONS FOR EFFECTIVE READING INSTRUCTION
ELED 781 - PSYCHOLOGY OF READING
ELED 794 - INTERNSHIP (M.A.) (C) (3 credit hours required)
Or
SEED 794 - INTERNSHIP (M.A.) (C) (3 credit hours required)
ELED 795 - PRACTICUM DIAGNOSIS AND CORRECTION OF READING DIFFICULTIES (3 credit hours required)
MLED 560 - MIDDLE LEVEL READING METHODS
SEED 550 - 7–12 READING AND CONTENT LITERACY (C)

Supporting Area Coursework

Required supporting course work (4-6 credit hours required):
Technology course 1-3 credit hours

EDER 761 - GRADUATE RESEARCH & DESIGN (C)
Elective Outside Support Courses from the Following Recommended Areas (2-4 credit hours required):
- Linguistics and Language Development
- Language Arts
- Children’s and Adolescent Literature
- Special Education/Learning Disabilities