Master of Education
Earlham’s M.Ed. program is for college graduates who want to enter or further their career in education. Like the M.A.T. program, the M.Ed. program leads to a master’s degree, but it does not lead to additional licensure. The traditional program follows an 11-month sequence (June to May), and there is also a two-year option for candidates who prefer a less time-intensive commitment.
The M.Ed. is an individualized and comprehensive program that allows students to apply the theory from their master’s courses directly into their chosen fieldwork. M.Ed. candidates complete a summer practicum and a year-long practicum, both of which have the option of being job-embedded. Flexibility and individual attention are key features of the M.Ed. program; faculty and students work together to ensure that coursework and fieldwork are relevant to the candidate’s career focus and schedule.
According to HEDS data, Earlham is ranked 32nd among 1,455 institutions of higher learning in the U.S. in the percentage of graduates who go on to receive Ph.D.s or Ed.D.s in education. Recent graduates of Earlham with an interest in teacher education have pursued advanced studies at such universities as Brown, Chicago, Wisconsin, Columbia, Duke, Illinois and Indiana. Graduates are teaching at the elementary, secondary and college levels in public and private institutions in America and abroad. Others are following careers in outdoor education, educational nonprofits, educational media and technology, museum work, journalism, and library science.
Earlham School of Religion
We also partner with the Earlham School of Religion to support Master of Divinity and Master of Ministry students wishing to pursue the teaching emphasis. M.Div./M.Min. students begin the emphasis in the summer of their second year.
Required sequence of courses
- ED 520 Foundations in Education (June)
- ED 522 Learning Theories (Fall semester)
- ED 531 Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment (Fall semester)
The fourth course required for the emphasis may be chosen from:
- ED 520 Human and Moral Development (June)
- ED 591 Teacher as Researcher (Fall semester)
- A related course from the ESR or Bethany Theological School curriculum.
Courses and admission guidelines
SUMMER SEMESTER — 11 CREDITS
- ED 610 Foundations of Teaching (3 credits)
- ED 630 Literacy: Tools for Inquiry (3 credits)
- ED 660 Practicum I (2 credits)
- ED 690 Teacher as Researcher I (3 credits)
- ED 620 Adolescent Development (3 credits)
FALL SEMESTER — 14 CREDITS
- ED 622 Learning Theories into Classroom Practice (3 credits)
- ED 631 Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment (3 credits)
- ED 661 Practicum II (3 credits)
- ED 680 The Professional Educator (2 credits)
- ED 691 Teacher as Researcher II (3 credits)
SPRING SEMESTER — 12 CREDITS
- ED 662 Practicum III (3 credits)
- ED 681 The Professional Educator II: New Leadership Roles for Organizational Change (2 credits)
- ED 692 Teacher as Researcher III (3 credits)
- ED 623 Equity in Education (4 credits)
View our course catalog for a full list of course offerings.
YEAR 1: SUMMER SEMESTER — 6 CREDITS
- ED 610 Foundations of Teaching (3 credits)
- ED 630 Literacy: Tools for Inquiry (3 credits)
- ED 620 Adolescent Development (3 credits)
Year 1: FALL SEMESTER — 6 CREDITS
- ED 622 Learning Theories into Classroom Practice (3 credits)
- ED 631 Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment (3 credits)
YEAR 1: SPRING SEMESTER — 6 CREDITS
- ED 623 Equity in Education (4 credits)
- ED 680 The Professional Educator I (2 credits)
YEAR 2: SUMMER SEMESTER — 7 CREDITS
- ED 660 Practicum I (2 credits)
- ED 690 Teacher as Researcher I (3 credits)
- ED 681 The Professional Educator II: New Leadership Roles for Organizational Change (2 credits)
Year 2: FALL SEMESTER — 6 CREDITS
- ED 661 Practicum II (3 credits)
- ED 691 Teacher as Researcher II (3 credits)
YEAR 2: SPRING SEMESTER — 6 CREDITS
- ED 662 Practicum III (3 credits)
- ED 692 Teacher as Researcher III I (3 credits)
View our course catalog for a full list of course offerings.
The M.A.T. and M.Ed. programs seek to admit individuals who have the competence and commitment to be outstanding educators and who value the principles and practices that inform the programs.
Both programs accept applications from graduates of Earlham and actively seek graduates from other institutions.
A selection committee of G.P.E faculty and admissions officers assess applicants for both programs using the pieces of the application listed below. Before concluding the application process, applicants are invited to campus to participate in an interview.
Candidate fit and readiness for the programs are assessed through:
- Personal statement (essay)
- Interview
- Grade point average (at least 3.0 in either major or overall course work is desired)
- Three letters of recommendation (at least one from a college professor)
- Transcript review to assess the breadth and depth of student preparation
Commitment to the cohort and the program’s principles and dispositions for teaching are evaluated mainly through analyses of the application essay, interviews and letters of recommendation. We also seek candidates who have positive experiences in working with youth as one other means of confirming their desire and capacity to become an educator.