2011-2012 Graduate Studies

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Master of Arts in Education

Faculty

Eric Cummings, Ph.D., Dean

Annette G. Allison, Ed.D.

Marjorie S. Anderson, Ph.D.

K. Charles Collier, Ed.D.

Arthur Criscoe, Ph.D.

Paul Doyle, Ed.D.

Steve Finch, Ph.D.

Thomas Hutson, Ph.D.

Scott T. Massey, Ph.D.

C. William McKee, Ed.D.

Sharon Roberts, Ed.D.

Frank Ruckman, Ed.D.

Mildred Saffel-Smith, Ph.D.

Bobbie R. Speck, D.A.

Bobbie Staley, Ed.D.

Cathy Toombs, Ed.D.

Phillip Wallace, Ed.D.

George Walker, D.A.

Debbie Whiteaker, MAE

The Master of Arts in Education degree was instituted in 1987 and received accreditation from the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools in 1991. The second area of emphasis of the program, which satisfies initial licensure requirements for the State of Tennessee, was approved in 1992 by the Board of Education of the State of Tennessee under the teacher education policy mandated for implementation in 1994. The third area of emphasis was created in 2001 in response to the State of Tennessee Board of Education’s directive to teacher preparation institutions to provide a program of quicker entry into the teaching profession for holders of a baccalaureate degree but without a teacher license. The Master of Arts in Education – Areas of emphasis I and III are available via both traditional and distance delivery.

Note : Though coursework in Master of Arts in Education program is primarily delivered online, Field Experiences are required in many courses that will necessitate visiting schools during school hours for observations and instructional activity. To see the list of field experiences required by different courses, navigate to the “MAE Field Experiences and Student Teaching page” of the Cumberland University, Academics – Graduate website.

Specific undergraduate degrees at Cumberland University may be combined with coursework in the MAE - Teaching and Learning program to gain teacher licensure. Please see the Master Teacher Option in the undergraduate section and discuss this option with an advisor in the School of Education and Public Service if interested.

Mission Statement

The mission of the Master of Arts in Education is to provide a broad-based teaching curriculum designed to augment teaching skills, introduce the student to innovative dimensions of learning, and to enhance professional performance in the classroom. To that end, each course contained in the program is carefully selected to promote and encourage a prominent degree of professionalism in the MAE student.

Master’s of Education Admissions Procedures

Any student holding a bachelor’s degree who is not a prospective applicant for the MAE program at , such as a person seeking to meet licensure, certification, or local school system requirements, may register for graduate coursework in Education without formal acceptance into the Graduate Programs. Credit earned when not a degree candidate may not be counted toward the degree without completion of all admission standards required in the fully admitted category. When classified as fully admitted, a student may request to the MAE Director that appropriate academic credit earned up to six (6) years prior to admission be applied to the MAE Degree.

Graduate Admissions Requirements for the Current Master’s Degree in Education

Master of Arts in Education (Teaching and Learning)

  1. be the holder of a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university;
  2. complete an application form;
  3. submit official transcripts of all previously completed college or university work;
  4. submit satisfactory scores on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE-general -800) or Miller Analogies Test (MAT – 363);
  5. provide three confidential recommendations on the forms provided.

All materials, completed forms, transcripts, and test scores, along with a $50 non-refundable Application Fee, should be sent directly to:

Graduate Admissions Office

Cumberland University

One Cumberland Square

Lebanon, TN 37087

All materials become the property of and will not be returned.

On-Campus Orientation

All entering MAE candidates are strongly encouraged to attend an on-campus orientation session at the beginning of each semester. These orientations are especially important for Initial Teacher Licensure candidates in the MAE Teaching and Learning Program (Areas of Emphasis II or III). Information related to student teaching requirements and the Teacher Education Progression requirements for approval to student teach are covered. Additionally, information on accessing and using the online learning platforms, student email, and LiveText portfolio requirements are covered in depth.

Advisors (Academic)

Each entering MAE student will be advised by the coordinator of the MAE Program. The coordinator will advise non-licensure-seeking students during orientation and throughout the tenure of the student. The dean will advise all licensure-seeking students. Each semester, all student schedules will be prepared and forwarded to each student by the MAE Coordinator under the supervision of the MAE Director throughout the tenure of each student.

In all academic advising, the student has certain responsibilities. He/She must consult with the MAE Coordinator or Dean prior to registration and other times as necessary. It is the responsibility of each student to know the requirements of the program and to meet them satisfactorily for graduation.

Comprehensive Final Examination

All candidates for the Master of Arts in Education degree at must successfully complete a Comprehensive Written Examination near the completion of all other degree requirements. Regulations concerning the Comprehensive Examination are as follows:

  1. The Comprehensive Written Examination must be taken no later than six (6) months after the completion of all other degree requirements.
  2. All examinations are developed and administered by members of the Graduate Faculty as appointed by the Director of the MAE Program.
  3. This examination is designed to cover the various components of the graduate program.
  4. Grading policy: All tests will be graded to two standards:
  5. All tests will be graded and critiqued for grammar and punctuation.
  6. Each question will be graded and critiqued by the primary author(s) of the question.
  7. A student who does not satisfactorily complete all portions of the Written Comprehensive Examination may, within one year, take all or any part of the examination again as determined by the MAE faculty.

Good Standing

Candidates for the Master’s Degree are required to maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.00 (on a 4.00 scale) in all courses taken for graduate credit. No more than six semester hours of “C” grade course work are acceptable in the graduate program. A grade of “D” is not acceptable; no credit hours will be earned; the course must be repeated prior to graduation. A grade of “F” is unacceptable and may not be repeated without approval of the Graduate Studies Council. No student may receive a Master’s Degree with a graduate course grade of “D” or “F” that has not been successfully repeated with an earned course grade of “A,” “B,” or “C.” A grade of “I” (Incomplete) is given only when part of the work required is missing and arrangements have been made in advance with the professor to complete the work. Normally, this means that an “I” grade should be given only if circumstances arise which are beyond the control of the student, e.g., illness, accident, or other unforeseen circumstances. If the work is not completed by the end of the following semester, the “I” grade will be changed to an “F”.

Graduation Requirements

Listed below is a summary of the requirements graduate students must complete to earn a Master of Arts in Education degree in the field of education at .

  1. Each student must successfully complete the required thirty-six (36) semester hours of graduate coursework for the Master’s Degree within seven calendar years from the date of entry as a degree-seeking student. Students who are in the program to acquire initial Tennessee Teaching Licensure may be required to take more than 36 semester hours of coursework depending on the qualifications and background of the accepted student. All students are required to successfully complete the required 36 semester hours of courses numbered MAE 5000 through 5499.
  2. All candidates must be in good academic standing to meet graduation requirements (see above).
  3. Each student must successfully complete all portions of the Comprehensive Written Examination. (A passing score for this examination is the equivalent of 80% or higher on each portion of the examination.)
  4. Each student must receive the recommendation (approval) from the Graduate Studies Council of Cumberland University indicating this student to be representative of the high ideals of the graduate studies program of Cumberland University.
  5. Each student must file an Intent to Graduate form, pay the required graduation fees, and may participate in the Commencement Ceremonies. Participation is no longer required.