M.A. in Elementary Education

The Master of Arts in elementary education is designed to prepare students to serve as team leaders, grade level or subject area supervisors, curriculum consultants, or master teachers.

• Admission
• Requirements
• Comprehensive Examination

Admission

Applicants must meet the admission requirements of the Graduate College. They must have completed an undergraduate teacher preparation program in either early childhood or elementary education.

Requirements

The M.A. in elementary education with thesis requires a minimum of 30 s.h. of graduate credit; the M.A. without thesis requires a minimum of 32 s.h. Students must take 24 s.h. in University of Iowa courses and complete 8 s.h. on campus. Course work completed 10 or more years before admission does not count toward the M.A.

• Elementary Education Graduate Core

All of these (9 s.h.):
07B:120 Teaching in a Culturally Diverse Society (or equivalent approved by advisor) 3 s.h.
07E:267 Inquiry-Based Curriculum Development in Early Childhood and Elementary Education 3 s.h.
07E:300 Design and Organization of Curriculum 3 s.h.

• Instructional Cluster

with instructional issues in the elementary classroom. The courses are drawn from one or more of the following areas: art education, music education, social studies education, science education, math education, special education, other acknowledged specialization areas. Students must choose courses outside their specialization area.

• Specialization

Students take three courses (9 s.h.) in their specialization area, chosen in consultation with their advisor.

• Electives

Students choose 6 s.h. of elective course work.

Comprehensive Examination

• Students must pass each of the core courses with at least a grade of B.
• Students will select a comprehensive exam committee of three faculty in consultation with their advisor. All three faculty members on the committee must approve the results for the student to pass.
• The exam will be comprised of two parts. One part will cover general elementary education and curriculum issues, and the other will target the student’s area of specialization. Each will be a traditional question or set of questions to be taken during the designated comp exam period. The questions will be designed by the advisor, or any other member of the committee at the advisor’s discretion. Both parts of the exams require the approval of all three faculty on the student’s committee.

*Because faculty are not widely available in the summer months, students are discouraged from scheduling their comprehensive exams during the summer.