The M.Ed. program has five basic components.

1. Core Courses
2. Concentration Courses
3. Field Work
4. The Capstone Seminars
5. The Portfolio

1. Core Courses: There are core courses that cut across all of the concentrations. These courses address several of the most basic and fundamental aspects of education today – human development and learning, the fundamentals of reading, and the historical, philosophical and societal context for teaching. They provide a foundation on which subsequent coursework builds. Students should take at least three of these four courses before moving into the concentration courses.

2. Concentration Courses:   Each concentration includes a set of courses specific to and required for the concentration. These courses address both the most up-to-date methods and needs of the fields and the state standards for licensure. For example, the Special Education concentration contains a series of courses focusing on special needs populations, diagnostic tools and models of program delivery. The Reading concentration contains courses on literature, diagnosis of reading problems, and effective means of improving literacy. The Elementary and Administration concentrations also have specific concentration courses. These courses are provided in sequence, so that students learn the fundamentals before proceeding to more specialized work.

3. Field Work: The Master’s program has two field work components. The first is called Reflective Practice, and consists of a structured observation of work in the field accompanied by seminars for discussion and reflection on the implications of the observations. All of Curry’s master’s degree programs use a reflective practitioner model to build skills and encourage self-awareness and ongoing improvement. The second component of field work is the Practicum, in which students work in the field for a set number of hours. The practicum, previously called student teaching for students seeking a teaching license, is accompanied by a seminar in which students share and discuss their experiences. The Reflective Practice and Practicum cannot be taken simultaneously, but are often taken in sequence.

For students seeking a teaching license, the Massachusetts Department of Education sets minimum hour requirements for the practicum. Current teachers, teacher aides or others working in an educational setting are often able to conduct their field work at their current place of employment. Nonlicensure students also conduct field work in settings related to their specialties or areas of interest. Minimum requirements to begin field work include at least 12 hours of course work (four courses) and, for students seeking licensure, passing scores on the appropriate MTEL tests. See Massachusetts Tests for Educator Licensure (MTEL) below, for a list of required tests.

4. The Capstone Seminars: The Capstone Seminar is the culmination of graduate studies within the M.Ed. program at Curry College. It serves to synthesize and summarize all previous work in the program. A minimum of 18 credits is required before beginning the thesis sequence, and all other work should be complete before a student enrolls in a Capstone Seminar. Exceptions may be made with the permission of the M.Ed. Director. Two capstone options are provided.

A. Capstone Seminar: Thesis: Consideration of a thesistopic begins with the shaping of ideas and thought within thefirst semester of graduate studies, and proceeds asstudents move into concentration-specific coursework andform more specific questions and areas of interest. The thesisis generally considered a three-semester process, although somestudents can finish it more quickly if they have the time todevote. The thesis sequence consists of three components:

• Educational Research: This course introduces you tothe types and methods of research in education, andhelps you develop an initial research proposal. Thisproposal outlines the steps of research and becomes botha guide to the research you will conduct and theintroduction to your thesis.

• Graduate Thesis Advising (Formerly Directed Study): Eachstudent works directly with a thesis mentor or advisor indeveloping the content knowledge to complete a literaturesearch for the thesis. A mentor will be assigned late in orimmediately following the Educational Research course, assoon as you notify the Director of the Master’s Programthat you have a topic and are ready. You determine aschedule jointly with your mentor, and work on the literaturesearch for your thesis during this period. 1-credit isawarded for this work.

• Capstone Seminar: Thesis: Following the completionof Educational Research and the preparation of a researchproposal, and after they have substantially completed theirliterature searches, students work as a thesis group in theThesis Seminar. During the seminar, they conduct theirresearch and complete their theses. Thesis students alsocomplete their portfolios at this time.

B. Capstone Seminar: Project: This Capstone Seminarprovides the occasion for you to reflect on the contributionthat each course has made to your overall experience, to makesome personal sense of the complex roles of the educator incontemporary culture, and to envision a proactive role foryourself. Thus, building on and culminating in the portfolioinitiated at the beginning of the program, there are three educationalgoals:

• Capstone Project: To evaluate and make recommendationson a current issue of concern in education, you willidentify an important issue; analyze, synthesize and evaluateits history and current manifestations; and make professionalrecommendations toward a solution.

• Portfolio Analysis and Summary: To develop a summativeanalysis, synthesis, and evaluation of the contributionof the courses you have taken, you will articulate theinterconnectedness of the core learnings derived from yourcoursework, the bearing that the courses have on eachother, and the resulting impact in your professional work.

• Synthesis – Philosophy and Purpose: To articulate apersonal philosophy of education, you will write acomprehensive personal/professional statement ofperspectives and values, and of their implications for youas an educator.

Both Capstone Seminars provide an opportunity for studentsto explore an issue of interest to them personally and ofimportance to the field, with the support of experienced professorsand mentors. While the topics and form of theseexplorations differ, all students benefit from this opportunityboth to pull together all of the work they have done throughthe program as reflected in each student’s portfolio, and toexplore an area of interest growing out of this previous work.

5. The Program Portfolio: Each student in the M.Ed program develops a programportfolio over the span of the program. The portfolioserves as a means of reflection and development throughoutthe master’s program; as a launching place for the thesisor capstone project; as a demonstration of skills, interestsand abilities to faculty members and potential employersand, most importantly, as a personal statement ofgrowth and professional development. It includes the following:

• A statement of philosophy/purpose from the initialcourse work, as modified through the completion of theprogram, and completed/synthesized in the CapstoneSeminar.

• Evidence that demonstrates the student’s knowledge andproficiency in each of the state’s professional standards forteachers, as appropriate. For teachers, this includes the followingcategories:

• Planning curriculum and instruction

• Delivering effective instruction

• Managing classroom climate and operation

• Promoting equity

• Meeting professional responsibilities

• Examples of research, writing, and other academicexpectations reflected in the goals for Master of Educationgraduates.

• Evidence of your reflection on changes in your thinkingand your progress and development as both an excellenteducational professional and a thoughtful, analytical, andeffective leader.

The program portfolio is completed in four phases, whichparallel the components of the program described above.Phase I is completed in conjunction with the core courses.Phase II should be completed at the end of each student’sconcentration courses. Phase III is based on the student’swork observation in the field, and Phase IV culminateswith the Capstone Thesis or Project.