Education: Gifted Education Concentration, Master of Education
Graduate Admission Policies & Procedures
Admission
Regular status will be given to degree-seeking students who meet all of the following requirements:
- A baccalaureate degree from an institution accredited by the regional accreditation agency (or equivalent).
- A minimum 3.000 cumulative GPA. Conditional admission may be granted for candidates with cumulative GPAs lower than 3.000.
- A letter of interest that outlines the candidate’s reason(s) for applying to the M.Ed. program and how they expect to both benefit from and contribute to it.
- Two recommendations from individuals who can speak to potential success in graduate school.
- A teaching license.
International students whose native language is not English must also meet the English language proficiency standard set forth in the Graduate Admissions section of the CSU-Pueblo Catalog.
Continuation
To continue in the program, students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.000.
Program Completion
All students must fulfill the following requirements for a graduate degree:
- A cumulative graduate GPA of 3.000 or better at graduation. A maximum of six semester hours of course work at the grade of C+ or C may be applied toward graduation. A maximum number of nine semester hours of transfer credit may be applied to the degree.
- Regular student status.
- The program’s minimum number of hours of approved course work (38 semester hours).
- Completion of a final portfolio review and oral examination. The portfolio project includes a directed research project.
- Submission of a graduation planning sheet signed by the student’s graduate advisor and program director, in accordance with published deadlines during the semester is to occur. The deadline for submission is published in the Semester Notes, University Calendar, and CSU-Pueblo Catalog.
Student Learning Outcomes
- Educators of gifted learners demonstrate an understanding of the array of unique needs and development of those learners by creating inclusive learning environments with effective curriculum and instruction, including culturally and linguistically diverse considerations.
- Educators of gifted learners follow best practices in the identification and assessment of those learners and make data-driven decisions about program improvement.
- Educators of gifted learners demonstrate professionalism through ethical conduct, reflection, collaboration, and communication.
Specific Program Requirements
The degree is designed with three components:
- core courses in research and professional change;
- pedagogy courses in literacy, differentiation of instruction, and technology; and
- courses in an concentration area chosen by the graduate student.
A unique feature of the degree is its alignment with the standards of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards and participants’ opportunity to work towards national board certification as they complete the degree.
Component 1: Core Requirements (11 hours)
Organizational change and school reform, as well as the responsibilities of professional leadership related to educational change, are emphasized in the core. The four courses in Component 1 are developmental, with the first taken within the first nine hours, the third within the last nine hours, and the final course completed as the capstone experience in the program. All courses focus on knowledge and skills related to teacher change and leadership as a change agent in the schools, concentration in interpreting and conducting research is included.
Although courses in Components 2 and 3 may be completed by teachers, degree plus or senior students who have been admitted to the Teacher Education Program and meet the 2.600 GPA requirements, admission to all Core courses requires full admission to the graduate program.
Course Requirements
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ED 502 | Teacher As Change Agent (Core 1) | 3 |
| ED 503 | Teacher as Researcher (Core 2) | 3 |
| ED 504 | Leading Change in America's Schools (Core 3) | 3 |
| ED 593 | Seminar | 2 |
| or ED 581 | Practicum & Seminar in Education | |
| Total Credits | 11 | |
Component 2: Pedagogy Requirements (choose 3 hours from each category, 9 hours total)
CSU Pueblo recognizes that master teachers demonstrate expertise in understanding and applying current best practices in each of the following areas: literacy education, instructional technology, and differentiation of instruction for all learners. All three were selected because recent research has indicated that application of best practices in these three areas will impact the quality of student achievement in K-12 classrooms, Teachers will select courses based on their development plan, with input from their graduate advisor. Courses cannot be double counted in concentration areas and the Pedagogy Core.
Instructional Technology
Graduate students may select from instructional technology courses offered by the University, with approval of their faculty advisors. Sample courses include:
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select 3 credits, samples include the following | 3 | |
| Educational Media and Technology | 3 | |
| Teaching & Managing Technology | 3 | |
| Literacy & Technology | 3 | |
| Diverse Learners & Technology | 3 | |
| Hardware & Networking for Educators | 3 | |
| Instructional Theory & Tech Design | 3 | |
| Multimedia Design | 3 | |
| Technology & Assessment Tools | 3 | |
| The Technology Coordinator | 3 | |
| Distance Learning | 3 | |
| Special Topics | 1-3 | |
| Total Credits | 3 | |
Differentiation of Instruction
Graduate students may select from any differentiation course, including the following:
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select 3 credits from any differentiation course, including the following: | 3 | |
| Content Instruction for EL Learners | 3 | |
| Teaching Diverse Learners | 3 | |
| Diverse Learners & Technology | 3 | |
| Total Credits | 3 | |
Literacy Education
Graduate students may select from any literacy course, including the following:
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select 3 credits from any literacy course, including the following: | 3 | |
| Literacy for Eng Lang Learners | 3 | |
| Literacy & Technology | 3 | |
| Advanced Disciplinary Literacy | 3 | |
| Advanced Reading Assessment & Intervention | 3 | |
| Total Credits | 3 | |
Component 3: Concentration Area Requirements (18 hours in one area)
The purpose of Component 3 of this program is the development of knowledge and skills related to gifted education, with a focus on adding the Gifted Education Core (ages 4-21) endorsement to a Colorado teaching license. The 24 credit hours shown below include all courses required for the added endorsement, where ED 611 and ED 612 meet the Pedagogy Requirements (Component 2) of Differentiation of Instruction and Instructional Technology, respectively. The remaining 18 credit hours constitute the formal concentration.
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| All courses below are required for the added endorsement of Gifted Education Core (ages 4-21). Only 18 credits are needed for the concentration. | 18 | |
| ED 610 | Gifted Learner Development | 3 |
| ED 611 | Learning Environments for Gifted Learners | 3 |
| ED 612 | Instructional Strategies for Gifted Learners | 3 |
| ED 613 | Curriculum for Gifted Learners | 3 |
| ED 614 | Assessment & Evaluation in Gifted Education | 3 |
| ED 615 | Foundations & Ethics in Gifted Education | 3 |
| ED 616 | Collaboration & Communication in Gifted Education | 3 |
| ED 681 | Practicum in Gifted Education | 3 |
Additional courses in Gifted Education may be substituted with approval of the Program Director.
Program Overview
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Core Requirements | 11 | |
| Pedagogy Requirements | 9 | |
| Concentration Area Requirements | 18 | |
| Total Credits | 38 | |