WARRENSBURG — The University of Central Missouri’s online Master of Science in Education (MSE) in Elementary Education Curriculum and Instruction has been ranked number one in the nation for 2021 by Intelligent.com.
The program has also been ranked by other organizations in the past few years, including The Online Schools Report in 2020 for its quality and strength.
Intelligent.com said the program’s engaging online course framework prepares graduate students for the advancement of their professional careers.
The UCM online MSE in Elementary Education Curriculum and Instruction program offers flexible course options for graduate students.
“The program design meets the needs of practitioners in early childhood and elementary education to grow professionally,” Julie Hentges, professor of education and coordinator for the MSE in Elementary Education Curriculum and Instruction, said. “This program supports the university’s emphasis on engaged and future-focused learning with a strong emphasis on authentic, active real-world, project-based teaching and learning.”
The program aligns with UCM’s accreditation by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).
Since 1954, CAEP has held high standards for its accredited institutions, helping to ensure a high-quality education for students who enroll in CAEP-accredited programs.
UCM is the longest continuously CAEP- accredited public institution in Missouri.
Students enrolled in the program can expect a course curriculum designed to teach important and sophisticated concepts such as pedagogical commitment, systematic and exemplary instructional practice and school-community engagement.
“Each course in the program is applicable to educators of children in the early childhood and middle childhood age spans,” Hentges said. “The MSE in Elementary Education Curriculum and Instruction degree program focus aligns with the National Board Professional Teaching Standards for the early and middle childhood education areas.”
To meet the MSE in Elementary Education Curriculum and Instruction application criteria, students must apply to UCM graduate school, submit proof of teacher certification or professional endorsement from any of the 50 U.S. states or territories and must have graduated from a National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) or regionally accredited university. Future graduate students must submit a copy of their last summative teaching evaluation or a letter of recommendation from a certified academic professor or educational leader.
Hentges said the degree “supports the very busy schedules of teachers.”
The full program, 30 credit hours, is offered entirely online.
For more information about UCM’s master’s degree programs, visit ucmo.edu/academics/programs/masters-degrees.
For more information about the program, contact Hentges at (660) 543-8659 or hentges@ucmo.edu.
