Education Policy (Ed.M.)

专业详情

Our main master’s degree is the M.A. The overwhelming majority of our non-doctoral students enter the Master of Arts degree program.

However, we offer the Master of Education (Ed.M.) for students who have already acquired an M.A. with at least some coursework with education policy content. The Ed.M. degree further develops students’ knowledge and skills by drawing on interdisciplinary policy studies, the social science disciplines of economics, law, politics, and sociology, and substantive content of policies and practice in early childhood education, K-12 education, higher education, law and education, and data analysis and research methods. The 60-point degree program of study builds on the required M.A. course sequence with additional work in a policy area relevant to the student’s interests. Up to 30 points of eligible coursework from another graduate institution or program may be applied to the Ed.M. degree. 

The 60-point Ed.M. degree is intended for educators and non-educators seeking careers in education policy in either the private or public sector. This advanced master’s degree program is appropriate for students who have already earned an M.A. with at least some coursework related to education policy. The program of study builds on the basic M.A. course sequence and draws on interdisciplinary policy studies, the social science disciplines of economics, history, law, politics, and sociology, courses with substantive content regarding policies and practice in early childhood education, K-12, higher education, law and education, and courses in research design and data analysis methods. Students consult with their advisors to select additional courses in a policy area relevant to their interests. Up to 30 points of eligible coursework from another graduate institution or program may be applied to the Ed.M. degree.

Students will write a reflective essay on what they have learned through their Education Policy Ed.M. degree program. The reflective essay represents an opportunity for students to consolidate what they have done in separate classes and present a comprehensive and critical assessment of the core ideas and skills they have encountered; the intellectual, professional, and personal changes they have experienced; and their ideas and plans for the future. The reflective essay will be assessed as Pass or Fail by the student’s advisor, and students may be asked to revise the essay until it is acceptable. Criteria for the assessment will be: evidence of substantive engagement with program content and efforts to synthesize important ideas; evidence of describing and reflecting on specific experiences and insights from the degree program in the essay (rather than simply describing general impressions or ideas); evidence of a thoughtful comparison of current thinking with perspectives held at the beginning of the degree program; and evidence of careful attention to academic writing quality.