Gifted Education

The non-degree Gifted Education Online Course Series prepares you to better address the characteristics and needs of gifted children. Topics covered in these courses include an overview of issues in the definition of giftedness, identification, curriculum, instructional strategies, program options, special populations, and evaluation. Courses can be used for professional development or applied toward an add-on endorsement in gifted education for licensed teachers in Virginia.

Please note that those seeking the add-on endorsement from VDOE will also need to complete a supervised practicum experience under the mentorship of a teacher who currently holds a valid gifted endorsement. In many cases, a year of full time teaching can fulfill this requirement. UVA typically does not oversee this requirement for practicing educators. Instead, most non-degree students who are practicing teachers coordinate with their schools/divisions to make these arrangements.

This graduate certificate prepares teachers and administrators to lead the development, implementation, and supervision of gifted education curriculum and programming that equitably serves talented learners. Candidates will build specialized knowledge, from shaping instructional strategies to creating research-based program options, that encourages gifted learners to reach their full potential.

With an M. Ed. in Curriculum & Instruction – Gifted Education Focus, you will have strong foundational knowledge of curriculum, instruction, and assessment principles, as well as in-depth understanding of gifted, talented, and high-ability learners. Through the courses in the Gifted Education focus area, you will learn about the characteristics, needs, and behaviors of gifted learners, including those who are twice-exceptional, English Learners, culturally diverse, or from historically underrepresented populations; how to assess and identify gifted learners; models and strategies for meeting gifted education needs in a variety of contexts; and specific techniques for aligning curriculum and instruction with the needs of gifted learners.

For M.Ed. students who hold a valid Virginia teaching license, the gifted education courses included in this degree also fulfill partial requirements toward an add-on endorsement in Gifted Education.

This master’s degree provides a broad understanding of the complexities and processes of today's education environment, while also providing the focused knowledge and skill development that are directly applied to helping students in the classroom. Individuals with a M.Ed. in Ed Psych – Social Foundations (often called the “humanities of education”) find that the solid foundation of broad educational knowledge allows them to more effectively teach a more diverse student body. Courses such as History of Education, Philosophy of Education, Anthropology of Education, Sociology of Education, and Comparative Education provide insight into our educational system and how it effectively, or ineffectively, supports various student populations.

In addition, elective courses in the Gifted Education focus area provide the knowledge required to address specific needs in the classroom and offer our students the opportunity to build the necessary skills to be more effective educators to gifted and talented learners. While earning this M.Ed., you can simultaneously work toward an Endorsement in Gifted Education.

The program is offered full-time or part-time, and the core courses and electives are provided online. 

The Ed.S. degree focuses on courses work in Curriculum & Instruction and gives applicants the opportunity to take electives in an area of interest.  The EdS. is a 30 credit hour graduate degree designed for the professional educator. Applicants must have already earned a master's degree. The Ed.S. degree is for educators who seek to influence positive educational change and improve student achievement through effective curriculum, instruction, and assessment. Employment options include curriculum specialist positions within preK-12 schools, university settings, adjunct faculty, government and military, and more.

The Doctorate in Education (Ed.D.) is a terminal graduate degree for devoted practitioners committed to promoting quality and equity in classrooms, school systems, and communities. The program offers an area of emphasis in Gifted Education. Graduates are uniquely prepared for practice-based research and leadership positions in a variety of K-16 settings, including, national nonprofits and philanthropies, as well as state and federal departments of education. We now offer this program part-time and online.

The primary purpose of the Ph.D. in Education program is to prepare you to take a variety of positions in higher education settings, where you will produce scholarly works on Gifted Education as a research scholar, policy analyst or faculty member.