Curriculum & Instruction: M.Ed. - Master of Education

Admission Requirements

Students may enter the program during the summer, fall, or spring semesters. Admission requirements that apply specifically to this program are listed below: 

Prerequisites
Successful completion of a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution
 

Admission Requirements

• Two recommendations solicited through the online application from faculty and/or employers.
• A goal statement that integrates past experiences, explains how this program supports professional goals related to teaching and learning, and describes how this program and the chosen area of emphasis is a good-fit for the applicant. It should be 1-2 double-spaced pages or no more than 500 words in length.  
• An updated resume.
• Unofficial transcripts (uploaded to the online application). 

Applicants are responsible for ensuring that all required materials are submitted by the deadline. Incomplete applications will not be read and may be canceled if left incomplete. Materials should be tracked using the checklist in the application. Decisions are typically made within two weeks of the application deadline.

Visit our Graduate Admission page for the full admission process.

Transferring Credits

A maximum of 6 credit hours can be transferred into the program if the course is determined by the advisor to meet a number of conditions (e.g., graduate-level, is equivalent in rigor and focus to a course offered in the program of study, the student earned a grade of B- or higher, and the course was successfully completed less than 5 years from the date of admission to the program). 

Graduate Record Exam (GRE) scores are NOT required as part of the application process. International students must submit TOEFL or IELTS scores. Scores must not be more than 2 years old. Applicants who have or will have earned an undergraduate degree from an institution where English is the primary language of instruction do not need to provide TOEFL or IELTS scores.  

Information for Current UVA Undergraduates
If you are a current UVA undergraduate, view our Information for Current UVA Undergraduates page for info on admission into this program.

Guaranteed Admission for UVA Undergraduate
For UVA B.S.Ed. graduates, the UVA School of Education and Human Development offers a guaranteed admission option for recent teacher education graduates who meet eligibility requirements. Review the Guaranteed Admission page for more information. This option also requires a simplified application.

Coursework

To learn more about specific courses taken as part of the completion of this degree, visit the Graduate Record website. These webpages represent the official repository for academic program requirements. 

All M.Ed. in Curriculum & Instruction students are required to take six classes in the Curriculum & Instruction (C&I) core (18 hours). The C&I core classes consist of four pillars—instruction, curriculum, assessment, and diversity built upon a foundation.  

• EDIS 5025: Curriculum, Instruction, & Assessment (Foundation)
• EDIS 5080: Differentiating Instruction (Instruction Pillar)
• EDIS 5422: Cross-Cultural Education for Diverse Learners (Diversity Pillar)
• EDIS 6200: Principles of Curriculum Design (Curriculum Pillar)
• EDIS 6220: Assessment of Curriculum K-12 (Assessment Pillar) 

Students then choose a 12-credit area of emphasis from the following areas:

Educational Innovation, English as a Second Language, Gifted Education, Instructional Technology, Literacy, Professional Studies, Social and Emotional Learning, Social Foundations, Customized Coursework

Students must complete a comprehensive assignment that is embedded in the culminating Curriculum & Instruction course. The course is taken during the final semester.

• EDIS 6880: Masters Comprehensive in Curriculum & Instruction

Licensure Information: Professional Studies Area of Emphasis

Are you teaching on a provisional teaching license in a Virginia public school, preK-12, and need to fulfill your Professional Studies course requirements? Or, are you interested in teaching, but would like an alternative to a full-time teacher education program?

The Professional Studies area of emphasis in the M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction program includes courses that are required by the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) to meet licensure on Virginia’s alternate pathway. 

Students who select the Professional Studies area of emphasis will be given guidance on how to pursue a Virginia teaching license through the alternative licensure path. Visit our Become a Teacher page to learn more about alternative routes to licensure.

Students in the M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction program who select the Professional Studies area of emphasis will work with an advisor to design a course plan that meets program and licensure requirements. 

C&I Core course requirements for the Professional Studies area of emphasis (18 credits):

*Also required for licensure. EDIS 5025 must be completed prior to EDIS 5820

Professional Studies requirements (12 credits):

Special Education, K-12, Early/Primary and Elementary Education

• EDLF 5160: Lifespan Development
• EDIS 5041: Behavior and Classroom Management
• EDIS 5175: Issues in K-12 Education 
• EDIS 6720: Understanding the Code: The Language Systems of Written English

Middle Education

• EDLF 5160: Lifespan Development
• EDIS 5041: Behavior and Classroom Management
• EDIS 5175: Issues in K-12 Education 
• EDIS 6720: Understanding the Code: The Language Systems of Written English

Secondary, PreK-12, and Adult Education

• EDLF 5160: Lifespan Development
• EDIS 5041: Behavior and Classroom Management
• EDIS 5175: Issues in K-12 Education -or- EDLF 7601: Social Foundations of Education
• EDIS 5710: Reading and Writing Across the Content Areas

Note: Final licensure requirements are determined and approved by the Virginia Department of Education. Please reach out to the licensure specialist contact listed on this page as you move forward with your next steps.

 

Dual MBA/M.Ed. in Curriculum & Instruction Option

Few roles in society provide the reach that educators have into people’s lives. But reach does not always translate into impact because the challenges that educators around the world face are profound indeed. This full-time dual degree program is a partnership between two leading schools at UVA–the School of Education and Human Development (EHD) and the Darden School of Business.

The MBA/M.Ed. program integrates two courses of study (education and business) and combines two different approaches to learning (online at EHD and in-person at Darden). This program is designed for the next generation of leaders who will transform education in the United States and around the world.

At the School of Education and Human Development, students complete 24 credits of online graduate coursework and a final comprehensive examination. Students also receive 6 credits for completing all required coursework at Darden, for a total of 30 credits at the School of Education and Human Development. At Darden, students complete 52.5 credits of graduate coursework and receive 7.5 credits for completing all required coursework at the School of Education and Human Development, for a total of 60 credits. 

Required UVA School of Education and Human Development Courses (12 credits)

• EDIS 5025: Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment
• EDIS 7805: Past as Prologue: What’s Old Is New in Educational Innovation?
• EDIS 7815: What’s (Really) Working? Case Studies of Contemporary Innovation
• EDIS 7890: Innovation in Action: Envisioning and Creating Change (Capstone practicum)  

Required Program Course at Darden

• GBUS 8268: Leadership & Innovation in Education

Elective Courses (12 credits)

• 3 credits from one elective course in EHD’s Department of Curriculum, Instruction, and Special Education. To fulfill this requirement, students may choose to take EDIS 6880 Masters Comprehensive in Curriculum and Instruction, the capstone MEd course that supports students as they complete the comprehensive exam.
• 9 credits from an additional area of emphasis of your choosing: curriculum & instruction, diversity, educational policy, English as a second language, higher education, instructional technology, literacy, social and emotional learning, or social foundations.

Comprehensive Examination: Capstone paper written during final semester synthesizing content knowledge and skills gained during the program.

School-Based Opportunities

The final required program course at EHD is a practicum that allows you to collaborate with a school or other educational setting where you can apply the ideas you learn during your studies.

Admission Process

Students in the MBA/M.Ed. program are required to apply separately for admission to EHD and to Darden. Students typically apply and are admitted to Darden before applying to EHD.

Darden MBA application process.