Specialized Studies in Education (MA)

Department Website

Program Description

The MA program in Specialized Studies in Education is designed for individuals who are interested in studying education – specifically contemporary teaching and educational theories, principles, and practices and the social context of these aspects of education – but are not interested in obtaining initial teacher certification credentials.

Admissions

Not Accepting Applications

To best meet the needs of our students, we have decided to suspend applications for admission to the Specialized Studies in Education (MA) while we undertake a program review.

Program Requirements

Course List

Course	Title	Credits
Required Courses
Core Curriculum
Educational Foundations 1		3
Social Justice/Diversity/Equity/Inclusion 2		3
Additional Requirements
Other Elective Credits 3		24
Total Credits		30

¹

Chosen by advisement from such areas as sociology, history, philosophy or politics of education; inquiries into teaching and learning; educational or development psychology; learning sciences, and other relevant fields.

²

Chosen by advisement from such areas as disabilities education; educational advocacy; cross-cultural learning; bilingual and multilingual education; urban education; human rights education, and other fields.

³

Electives by advisement taken to create an interdisciplinary program of study or to focus on a particular area of study; may include internships and/or independent study. Strongly encouraged to take at least one course in conducting research in educational settings.

Additional Program Requirements

Culminating Experience

An integrative master's project: action research project, design study, or a paper synthesizing and analyzing prior research in the student's chosen field of study or focus.

Sample Plan of Study

Plan of Study Grid

1st Semester/Term		Credits
Educational Foundations course		3
Social Justice/Diversity/Equity/Inclusion course		3
Elective		3
Elective		3
	Credits	12
2nd Semester/Term
Elective		3
Elective		3
Elective		3
	Credits	9
3rd Semester/Term
Elective		3
Elective		3
Elective		3
	Credits	9
	Total Credits	30

Learning Outcomes

1. Apply contemporary political, economic, historical, and social theories of teaching and learning and related research to real world educational settings in local, national, or global contexts.
2. Investigate complex educational problems by recognizing that all education is contextual in time and place and involves people with multiple and intersecting identities.
3. Identify ways to address complex educational problems by drawing on qualitative and quantitative research to outline possible strategies and solutions.

Policies

Department of Teaching and Learning

Policy on Academic Progress

Students are expected to maintain satisfactory progress each semester per Steinhardt’s policy on academic progress. The minimum required GPA for satisfactory academic progress is a 3.0 (equivalent to a B) for Master’s and Advanced Certificate students in the Department of Teaching and Learning. A grade minimum of B- in student teaching seminar courses is required for students in teacher certification track programs.

Students with a grade point average below this will be considered not making satisfactory progress and will be reviewed by the Steinhardt Committee on Student Progress. Please review Steinhardt’s Academic Policies and Procedures page for more information.

Pass/Fail Grading Option

NYU Policies

University-wide policies can be found on the New York University Policy pages.

Steinhardt Academic Policies

Additional academic policies can be found the Steinhardt academic policies page.