Education - Master's

Qualified students may apply for admission to graduate programs in the School of Education leading to Master of Education (M.Ed.) or Master of Science (M.S.) degrees.

In addition to the Graduate School’s required application materials, the program requires submission of a statement of career goals consistent with the five propositions of the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS), as well as reasons for applying to the program. The School of Education reserves the right to obtain additional information about the student's professional competence from qualified professionals.

Requirements for the Teacher Licensure option:

  1. Hold a bachelor’s degree in a content area related to a teaching major offered at NDSU, including the following: biology, chemistry, earth science, English, French, health, history, mathematics, music, physics, or Spanish. If you hold a different major, consult with program faculty for additional information. 
  2. Compose a 400-500 word original essay that answers the following questions:
    1. What are your reasons for applying to the Teacher Licensure program?
    2. How do your 20 hours working with youth support your decision to apply to the Teacher Licensure program?
  3. Pass the Praxis Core Academic Skills exam, meeting ND cut scores in reading, writing and math.
  4. Complete 20 hours working with youth.  Verification forms are provided in the application system. 

Admission is considered only after all required application materials have been received and reviewed. Where appropriate, all international student requirements must be met.

Admission decisions are based upon the predicted success of the applicant as a student and professional in the chosen field and are made only after considering all available data. A student must meet all requirements for full admission.

Financial Assistance

Graduate assistantships are available in the School of Education. Applications are considered on the basis of scholarship, potential to undertake advanced study and research, and financial need. Students must be accepted into the Graduate School before they are eligible for an assistantship.

Master's programs within the School of Education require a minimum of 30 semester credits (minimums vary by academic program). The Master of Science (M.S.) degree requires a disquisition. The Master of Education (M.Ed.) degree is a non-disquisition, practitioner-oriented degree. Programs vary on requiring a written comprehensive exam or a portfolio/oral.

Teacher Education Required Courses

Required Courses12
Reflective Practice and Research in Education
Students and Their Learning
Curriculum Design and Delivery
Managing/ and Monitoring Learning
Major/Concentration18
Practicum (M.Ed.) or Thesis (M.S.)3-6
Practicum/Internship (or)
Master's Thesis
Total Credits33-36

Teacher Licensure Option 

EDUC 651PInstructional Planning, Methods and Assessment3
EDUC 661Introduction to Special Education3
EDUC 681PClassroom Practice/Methods of Teaching I (Some content areas require an additional special methods course, EDUC 682)3
EDUC 685PStudent Teaching Seminar1
EDUC 686Classroom Management for Diverse Learners3
EDUC 689Teaching Students of Diverse Backgrounds3
EDUC 724Advanced Educational Psychology3
Practicum
EDUC 687PStudent Teaching9
EDUC 688PApplied Student Teaching3
Total Credits31

WHOLE CHILD OPTION

Required Courses18
Organization and Administration of Coordinated School Health Programs
School-wide Physical Activity Promotion
Students and Their Learning
Graduate Seminar ( two 3-credit courses)
Practicum/Internship
Focused Electives12
Counseling Across the Lifespan
Guidance Administration and Consulting
Professional K-12 School Counseling
Graduate Seminar
Social, Cultural and Political Dimensions of Schools
Advanced Educational Psychology
Exceptional Learners in the Secondary School Classroom
Social Inequality
Total Credits30

Computer Science Education Option

Education Core12
Reflective Practice and Research in Education
Students and Their Learning
Curriculum Design and Delivery
Managing/ and Monitoring Learning
Computer Science Core12
Introduction to Computer Science Education
Problem Solving in Computer Science Education
Introduction to Computer Programming (Introduction to Computer Programming, pending)
Data Structures and Algorithms (Data Structures and Algorithms, pending)
Focused Electives6
Students must also choose two of the following:
Principles of Cybersecurity (Principles in Cyber Security, pending)
Cloud Computing
Software Development Processes
Foundations of the Digital Enterprise
Capstone Experience 3
Practicum/Internship (or)
Total Credits33

Core Faculty

Mari Borr, Ph.D. 
University of North Dakota, 2005
Research Interests: Qualitative Research, Family and Consumer Science Education, Adolescent Development, Experiential Learning, and Professional Development Evaluation

Joe Deutsch, Ph.D.
North Dakota State University, 2007
Research Interests: Physical Education Teacher Education, Youth Sport Coaching

Brandon Foye, Ed.D.
Boston University, 2022
Research Interests: Physical Education Teacher Education, Online Physical Education

Jeanette Hoffman, Ed.D.
University of St. Thomas, 2006
Research Interests: Multicultural education, Social justice education, Assessing student learning

Jenny Linker, Ph.D.
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, 2011
Research Interests: Comprehensive School Physical Activity Programs, Physical Education Teacher Preparation

Larry Napoleon, Ph.D.
The Pennsylvania State University-University Park, 2009
Research Interests: Student Options and Retention, Career and Technical Education, Historically Disenfranchised Learners, African-American History

James M. Nyachwaya, Ph.D.
University of Minnesota, 2012
Research Interests: High School And College Students’ Conceptual Understanding of the Particulate Nature of Matter, Pre-Service And In-Service Teachers’ Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) of Chemistry/Science

Amber O'Shea, Ed.D.
University of Nebraska, 2020

Kim Overton, Ph.D.
North Dakota State University, 2008

Justin Pieterick, M.S.
Minnesota State University Moorhead, 2016
Research Interests: Health Education, Teacher Preparation

Florin Salajan, Ed.D.
Columbia University, 2007
Research Interests: Areas Of Expertise: Interactive Learning Technologies; Educational Technology Effectiveness For Teaching And Learning; Generational Attitudes Toward Learning Technologies; Comparative E-Learning; European Higher Education Policies; International Education

Teresa Shume, Ph.D.
University of North Dakota, 2013
Research Interests: Place-based Environmental Education, Socio-Scientific Issues, Ecojustice Theory and Practice, Systems Thinking, Content-Area Language Instruction

Bradford N. Strand, Ph.D.
University of New Mexico, 1988
Research Interests: Physical Education Curriculum and Instruction, Fitness Education, Sport Sociology

Justin J. Wageman, Ph.D.
University of North Dakota, 1999
Research Interests: Standards, Curriculum, Instruction, Assessment, Professional Development and Evaluation

Associate Faculty

Ashley Baggett, History Education

Warren Christensen, Physics/STEM Education

Stacy Duffield, Reading/Literacy

Mila Kryjevskaia, Physics/STEM Education

Adam Marx, Agricultural Education

Lisa Montplaisir, Biology/STEM Education

Brooke Thiel, Agricultural Education

Warren Olfert, Music Education

Michael Weber, Music Education