Master's in Assessment, Testing, and Measurement in Education
Whether you are looking to analyze fifth graders student achievement in a school district, employees at a Fortune 500 company, or a sampling of patients in a counseling lab, an expertise in data driven decision making is critical.
Assessment, Testing, and Measurement (ATM) in Education combines statistical analysis, testing theory, the study of human behavior, educational measurement, and evaluation into the science of measuring educational/behavioral factors such as learning, preferences, aptitude, and personality. Specialists in this field (psychometricians) design tests that collect empirical data and quantify the personal characteristics of individuals, comparing those results within or across populations.
This 15-month program is designed for individuals who are entering or advancing in positions associated with assessment, testing, and measurement in diverse settings. The program offers the nation's premier graduate training in psychometric and statistical methods taught by faculty who are engaged in world-class research. Students are mentored through all phases of the research process and become trained in modern analytical methods.
Graduates of this program have become critical members of corporate, educational and non-profit operations, trained to develop and manage dynamic, data based strategies to generate profit and organizational success. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the field is projected to grow 27 percent from 2012 to 2022, much faster than the average for all occupations.
Highlights
Why a GW Master's in Assessment, Testing & Measurement?
Convenient Schedule: Courses are scheduled once a week in late afternoons and evenings (Monday-Thursday) to accommodate the schedules of working professionals, and for internship experiences.
Location: There is no better place to study than in the heart of our nation's capital, Washington, DC. With close proximity to the White House, World Bank, Federal Agencies, and Professional Associations students are provided with rich environments to work, attend scholarly events and hone their analytical skills.
Curriculum
The following requirements must be fulfilled: 30 credits, including 24 credits in required courses and 6 credits in electives, and completion of a written qualifying examination. For international students required to maintain full-time status, additional credits may be necessary due to course sequencing and offerings available each semester. Please consult with the faculty to clarify the classes which may be needed to fulfill full time status.
Required
EDUC 6112 Foundations of Assessment, Testing, and Measurement in Education
EDUC 8120 Group Comparison Designs and Analyses
EDUC 8170 Educational Measurement
EDUC 8171 Predictive Designs and Analyses
EDUC 8175 Item Response Theory
EDUC 8177 Assessment Engineering
EDUC 8179 Capstone Project in Assessment, Testing, and Measurement in Education (taken for 6 credits)
Electives
6 credits in approved electives
Elective courses should be selected in consultation with the program advisor.
Comprehensive Examination
A written qualifying exam (administered during the early spring semester by an ATM committee).
Career Outlook
Specialists in this field (psychometricians) plan and design tests that collect empirical data and quantify the personal characteristics of individuals, comparing those results within or across populations Whether you are interested in test scores for fifth graders across a school district, productivity of employees in a corporate context, the results of a pool of students taking a graduate entrance exam, or a sampling of patients in a counseling center, the ATM degree will train you to design, use, and interpret educational assessments.
Specialists are working in:
- School or School Districts: Education ATM specialists work directly with teachers administering tests, assessing test results, and developing educational plans for improving test scores. Child development organizations and agencies: ATM specialists are relied on in the study of childhood development. Psychometric tests help teachers, parents, and psychologists identify learning deficiencies and giftedness in preschool and elementary school-aged children.
- Online Sector: Today, many ATM specialists develop online testing and analysis. Universities, government agencies, school districts, private testing companies, and direct-to-consumer testing businesses are all interested in the research and application of web- based testing and assessment.
- Private sector: Corporations commonly employ ATM specialists to assess potential employees to determine personality fit for the company, a factor that may be weighed just as heavily as skill set or experience.
- Psycho-social, behavioral and substance abuse: Counselors use psychometric evaluations to determine people’s motivations, personality traits, and levels of dependency.
- Monitoring & Evaluating Research: ATM specialists are needed in institutions of higher education, research-oriented organizations, federal research agencies, or non-profit organizations which are doing monitoring and/or evaluation research.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics the field is s projected to grow 27% from 2012 to 2022, much faster than the average for all occupations. BLS States: " Growth is expected to result from more widespread use of statistical analysis to make informed business, healthcare, and policy decisions."
Admissions
Program Entry: Spring, Summer, Fall
Prerequisites: Bachelors Degree
Campus: Main Campus
Application Requirements
- Online Application
- Resume
- Statement of Purpose
- 2 Letters of Recommendation
- Transcripts (unofficial)
*Additional application requirements may exist for international applicants
For more information on any of these requirements, please visit our Admissions FAQ page.
Apply
Applications are now being accepted for Fall 2023. We encourage you to apply as early as possible.
| Priority Deadline | Nov 1 |
| Round 1 Deadline | Dec 15 |
| Round 2 Deadline | Jan 16 |
| Round 3 Deadline | March 1 |
| Round 4 Deadline | May 1 |
| Round 5 Deadline | June 15 |
For more information, contact the GSEHD Admissions Team at education@gwu.edu or 202-994-9283.
Transformation Begins Here
Learn more about the Master's in Assessment, Testing, and Measurement in Education program. Complete the form linked below or contact the GSEHD Admissions Team at 202-994-9283.