The Graduate School of Education and Human Development will offer a new personalized, three-part master’s program beginning this fall.
The 30-credit program, which GSEHD announced in a release last week, allows students to earn a graduate certificate, a micro-credential and a master’s degree in five semesters through classes related to topics like technology and leadership in education. The program is designed for students balancing both classes and a profession, as it requires just two courses per semester in online, on-campus or hybrid formats, according to the release, which GSEHD Professor of Educational Technology Leadership Ryan Watkins said is a reasonable timeline for students to complete their degree.
During their first year in the program, students will complete a 12-credit or four-course graduate certificate, choosing from fully online options, like educational technology leadership, or on-campus instructional design and literacy education classes.
Students will take six credits or two courses, usually in their final semester, for a micro-credential in educational technology leadership, instructional design, quantitative methods, understanding school reform or literacy tutoring, per the GSEHD website. Participants can earn additional micro-credentials, which result in digital badges that participants can add to their LinkedIn profiles.
In their second year, students will also take four required core classes for a total of 12 credits to earn their master’s degree, per the website.
“By bundling courses together, we have been able to create graduate certificates and micro-credentials that focus on the knowledge and skills required for current and emerging careers, and offer students badges and degrees that can be added to their resumes while they make progress toward their M.A.,” Watkins said in an email.