The Curriculum & Instruction (C&I) master's degree requires one academic year or more of graduate work beyond the bachelor's degree.
Program Tracks
Reading Instruction and Literacy Leadership Track
This track supports teachers who are interested in becoming knowledgeable in reading instruction and assessment for students experiencing reading difficulties in K–12 classrooms. Once they meet the requirements established by Colorado Department of Education, graduates are eligible to apply for a K–12 Reading Specialist endorsement with the state of Colorado.
STEM Education Track
The CU Boulder School of Education offers this program to support educators and other education professionals who are interested in developing greater understanding of and expertise in education related to STEM (particularly science, mathematics and computational thinking). The program enables teachers, educational designers and scholars to explore and critically analyze educational, pedagogical and curricular strategies designed to support students’ STEM learning and identities. Disciplinary connections to critical issues in STEM are strengthened through lesson design and analysis, fieldwork, coursework and research activities. Throughout these experiences, we center equity, democracy and justice as core concerns in STEM education.
The program serves practicing teachers, educational leaders, designers of informal educational settings, as well as individuals with backgrounds in STEM wishing to learn more about teaching and learning. Graduates of our MA program go on to become teacher leaders, instructional designers, curriculum specialists and district administrators.
MA+ Teacher Licensure
The MA+ teacher licensure program leads to a Colorado initial teaching license in Secondary Math, Science, English or Social Studies plus a master's degree in C&I. This program is for candidates who have earned a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution of higher education and who want to elaborate and deepen the close connections between fieldwork and coursework to become a teacher. For more information, contact the School of Education.
Requirements
General Requirements
Program Requirements
Students must successfully complete 30 credit hours of approved coursework while maintaining at least a B (3.0) average in all work attempted while enrolled.
Students develop a degree plan in consultation with their faculty advisor, typically in their first semester. The frequency of individual course offerings varies; therefore, candidates should plan ahead so that the required 30 credit hours are completed within the four-year time limit.
Transfer Credit
Transfer credit is defined as any credit earned at another accredited institution, credits earned on another campus of the CU system, or credits earned as a nondegree student within the CU system including the Boulder campus. Students who have transfer credits must complete the transfer-of-credit paperwork approval process.
The maximum amount of work that may be transferred from another accredited institution to CU Boulder is 9 credit hours, and is accepted only after approval of the department chair/program director and under the special conditions outlined in the Graduate School Rules. All courses accepted for transfer must be graduate-level courses. A course in which a grade of B- or lower was received will not be accepted for transfer.
Transfer coursework must have been completed in the five years prior to acceptance to the program. Credit may not be transferred until the student has completed 6 credits of graduate-level coursework as a degree-seeking student on the CU Boulder campus with a 3.0 GPA.
Master's degree students who began CU's Teacher Education Program as undergraduates or as post-baccalaureate students have the following transfer credit options:
- If the student took the courses as an undergraduate, they may be eligible to transfer up to two of their track's eligible transfer courses, depending on when those courses were taken and if the credits did not count towards the degree. Contact the School of Education for more information.
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If the student took the courses as a post-baccalaureate student, they may transfer up to two of their track's eligible transfer courses as electives, as long as the courses were taken within the past five years. Note: Students transferring from secondary programs will transfer seven credits; therefore, they will complete a 31-credit master's degree.
Time Limit
The master's degree must be completed within four years.
Program Tracks
Reading Instruction and Literacy Leadership Track with Colorado Reading Specialist Endorsement
Students must complete the following track-specific course requirements.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| EDUC 5220 | Curating and Evaluating Reading Materials for K-12 Classrooms | 3 |
| EDUC 5245 | Foundations of Reading Instruction K-12 | 3 |
| EDUC 5255 | Digital & Disciplinary Literacies | 3 |
| EDUC 5265 | Processes & Skills in Writing | 3 |
| EDUC 5275 | Diagnostic Reading Assessment & Intervention | 3 |
| EDUC 5285 | Literacy Coaching & Leadership | 3 |
| EDUC 5465 | Introduction to ELD/Bilingual and Special Education | 3 |
Electives
An additional 9 credit hours of electives are required. Courses that meet students’ goals and interests are chosen in consultation with the advisor. Education courses must be at the 5000 level or above1.
| 1 | GRTE courses may not count toward a master's degree. |
STEM Education Track
In addition to the required core courses, students must complete the following track-specific course requirements.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Learning and Development | ||
| Choose at least 3 credit hours of learning and development courses. Examples of eligible courses include but are not limited to: 1 | 3 | |
| Knowing and Learning in Mathematics and Science | ||
| Teaching for Understanding and Equity | ||
| Psychological Foundations of Education | ||
| Advanced Child Growth and Educational Development | ||
| Foundations of Education Curriculum | ||
| Choose at least 3 credit hours of foundations of education curriculum courses. Examples of eligible courses include but are not limited to: | 3 | |
| Advanced Social Foundations of Education | ||
| Sociology of Education | ||
| History of American Education | ||
| Queer(ing) Topics in Education | ||
| Introduction to Bilingual/Multicultural Education | ||
| Introduction to Disciplined Inquiry | ||
| Anthropology of Education | ||
| Curriculum and Instruction in Mathematics and Science | ||
| Choose at least 12 credit hours of curriculum and instruction in mathematics and science courses. Eligible courses include but are not limited to: 2 | 12 | |
| Perspectives on Mathematics | ||
| Teaching and Learning Physics | ||
| Assessment in Mathematics and Science Education | ||
| Teaching K-12 Mathematics: Number Sense | ||
| Teaching K-12 Mathematics: Algebraic Thinking | ||
| Teaching and Learning Chemistry | ||
| Teaching and Learning Earth Systems | ||
| Teaching K-12 Mathematics: Geometry & Measurement | ||
| Teaching K-12 Mathematics: Probability & Statistics | ||
| Teaching & Learning Biology In the Classroom | ||
| Capstone Course | ||
| Students are required to take on one of the seminar courses in the spring before graduation to complete their capstone. | 3 | |
EDUC 5177 | Seminar in Curriculum and Policy in Mathematics & Science Education | |
EDUC 5178 | Seminar on Learning in Math & Science Education | |
| Seminar on Teaching and Teacher Education in Math and Science Education | ||
| Electives | ||
| Choose at least 9 additional credit hours of courses at the 5000 level or above from within the School of Education, to be chosen in consultation with your advisor. 2,3,4 | 9 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 30 | |
| 1 | Speak with your advisor about other courses that could satisfy this requirement. |
| 2 | See also "Eligible Transfer Courses" below. |
| 3 | GRTE courses may not count toward a master's degree. |
| 4 | Students may deepen their content knowledge in the mathematics or science disciplines by taking a maximum of 6 credit hours of courses in the College of Arts & Sciences at the 3000 level or above that are taught by graduate faculty. |
Eligible Transfer Courses
See the Transfer Credit section for full details.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| EDUC 5050 | Knowing and Learning in Mathematics and Science | 3 |
| EDUC 5205 | Elementary Mathematics Theory and Methods | 3 |
| EDUC 5215 | Elementary Science Theory and Methods | 3 |
| EDUC 5317 | Perspectives on Mathematics | 3 |
| EDUC 5375 | Problem-Based Math Instruction | 4 |
| EDUC 5385 | Phenomenon-Based Science Instruction | 4 |
Comprehensive Exam
During the final Spring semester prior to graduation, students must enroll in a content seminar course (EDUC 5177, EDUC 5178 or EDUC 5179). The course is a graduation requirement and requires the completion of a paper or project reviewed by faculty to successfully complete graduation and course requirements.
Learning Outcomes
By the completion of the program, students will be able to:
- Demonstrate expertise in teaching and learning within and/or across content domains (e.g., Literacy, STEM Education).
- Demonstrate knowledge of research and practitioner inquiry for evidence-informed teaching and equitable learning experiences within and/or across content domains (e.g., Literacy, STEM Education).
- Demonstrate knowledge of research, scholarship, principles, and practices for broadening participation among youth, families, and communities in the design of equitable learning opportunities within and/or across content domains (e.g., Literacy, STEM Education).