School of Education

Master of Arts in Education

The purpose of the M.A.Ed. program is to provide relevant continuing programming for educators seeking a diversity of knowledge, skills, and values for post-baccalaureate preparation and licensure.

Objectives

Students in the M.A.Ed. program will:

Enhance their knowledge, skills and values relating to the major issues facing today's practitioners in education.
Apply research skills to current education problems.
Augment current licensure with new licensure programs.
Initially prepare, for some individuals with non-education degrees, to become licensed teachers.
Be encouraged in their Christian commitment and service to society.

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Program Details

Program Distinctives

Christ-centered

Union's academic excellence is integrated with Christian faith. You can be encouraged professionally and in your Christian commitment and service to society.

Augment Current Licensure

Are you already a teacher with licensure but would like to add a new endorsement? The MAEd is for you.

Areas of Initial Licensure

Biology
Business Administration
Chemistry and Physics
Communication Arts
Education
English
History, Political Science, and Geography
Language
Mathematics and Computer Science
Music
Physical Education, Wellness, and Sport
Psychology
Sociology
Special Education
Teaching English as a Second Language

See Full List

Requirements

The M.A.Ed. with teacher licensure is available in all endorsement areas offered by Union University (see The Educator Preparation Program). Beginning in Fall 2024, all coursework for elementary, middle grades, and secondary licensure areas will be offered in a fully online format. Coursework for special education licensure areas is offered in a hybrid format at the Jackson, TN campus only.

Two options are available for completion of the M.A.Ed. Degree: a thesis option requiring a minimum of 33 semester hours of graduate credit, and a non-thesis option requiring a minimum of 39 semester hours of graduate credit.

Students choosing the thesis option of the program are required to write a thesis or research report while students choosing the non-thesis option of the program are required to successfully complete the Capstone Research Seminar. All degree requirements must be completed within five years of the date of admission to the degree program.

Both the thesis and non-thesis options of the M.A.Ed. are available on the Jackson and Germantown campuses.

Option One: M.A.Ed. Thesis Program

A minimum of 33 semester hours of approved graduate work is required for completion of the thesis option of the M.A.Ed. degree. This option consists of four components: a required core, a concentration area, education electives and the thesis.

Required Core: 12 hours
1. EDU 610
2. EDU 671
3. EDU 650
4. EDU 665
Select one Concentration
1. Concentration: Designed Studies (12 core + 15 concentration hours)
  1. Education Electives, advisor-approved, 6-9 hours
  2. Education Electives or other Electives, advisor-approved, 6-9 hours
2. Concentration: Curriculum and Instruction, Non-Licensure (12 core + 15 concentration hours)
  1. EDU 604, EDU 637, EDU 626
  2. PSY/EDU 614
  3. Education Electives, advisor-approved, 3 hours
3. Concentration: Human Growth and Development, Non-Licensure (12 core + 15 concentration hours)
  1. SE 630, PSY 610, EDU/PSY 614, EDU 629
  2. Education Electives, advisor-approved, 3 hours
Thesis, EDU 690 and EDU 695: 6 hours

Option Two: M.A.Ed. Non-Thesis Program

A minimum of 39 semester hours of approved graduate work is required for completion of the non-thesis option of the M.A.Ed. degree. This option consists of three components: a required core, education electives and concentration area.

Required Core: 15 hours
1. EDU 610
2. EDU 671
3. EDU 650
4. EDU 665
5. EDU 675
Select one concentration
1. Concentration: Early Childhood Education, Licensure (15 core + 24 concentration hours)
  With appropriate prerequisites, initial licensure and Praxis II Specialty Tests*, this program leads to an additional endorsement in Early Childhood PreK-4.
  1. EDU 544, 552, 556
  2. EDU 602, 629, 646
  3. PSY 624 and SE 630
2. Concentration: Elementary Education, Licensure (15 core + 25 concentration hours)
  With appropriate prerequisites, initial licensure and Praxis II Specialty Tests*, this program leads to an additional endorsement in Elementary K-8.
  1. EDU 527, 544, 552, 556
  2. EDU 602, 604, 629
  3. PSY 624 and SE 630
3. Concentration: Secondary Education, Licensure (15 core + 24 concentration hours)
  With appropriate prerequisites, including those in the teaching content field, this program leads to an initial licensure in a secondary (Grades 6-12) field. Praxis II Tests and 2 years of successful teaching experience on a job-embedded Practitioner license appropriate to the endorsement area are required for licensure but not for the degree.
  1. EDU 530
  2. EDU 602, 604, 626, 637, 638
  3. SE 630
  4. Option A: If hired on a Practitioner License -EDU 623, EDU 627 and EDU 628
    Option B: EDU 614 and either EDU 660 or director-approved 3-hour elective.
4. Concentration: Special Education, Licensure (15 core + 24 concentration hours)
  With appropriate prerequisites, initial licensure and Praxis II Specialty Tests*, this program leads to an additional endorsement in SE Interventionist K-8 and 6-12.
  1. SE 505, 605, 606, 630, 631, 632, 648
  2. If seeking initial licensure, candidate will take EDU 623, 627, and 628.
5. Concentration: Curriculum and Instruction, Non-Licensure (15 core + 24 concentration hours)
  1. EDU 604, 616, 626, 637
  2. EDU/PSY 614
  3. Education Electives, advisor-approved, 9 hours
6. Concentration: Human Growth and Development, Non-Licensure (15 core + 24 concentration hours)
  1. SE 630, EDU/PSY 614, EDU 629
  2. EDU 6463. Education Electives, advisor-approved, 8 hours
7. Concentration: Designed Studies (15 core + 24 concentration hours)
  1. EDU/SE Electives, advisor-approved, 6 hours
  2. EDU/SE/PEWS Electives, advisor-approved, 18 hours

* Praxis II Specialty Area Tests appropriate to the endorsement are required for licensure but not for the degree.

Catalogue & Schedules

Graduate Catalogues

Course Schedules

Fall 2025

Admissions Contact

Christopher Smith
Coordinator, Off-Campus Programs
Email Christopher Call Christopher Schedule A Meeting With Christopher

Program Costs & Financial Aid

2025-2026 Tuition & Fees:
- Tuition: $620 per credit hour
- Student Service Fee: $33 per credit hour
- Summer Workshop: $464 per credit hour (no student fee required)
- Estimated Financial Aid Budget
Financial Aid is available by application and through the FAFSA process. For more information visit Union's Office of Student Financial Aid

Are you an undergraduate student who received the HOPE Scholarship? If so, you may qualify for extended eligibility for graduate studies.

The Estimated Financial Aid Budget (also known as the Cost of Attendance) is used in part to help determine a student's financial aid eligibility and to estimate costs associated with attending college. It is not meant to be the exact costs every student will pay, but a standard estimate that is used for all categories of students for financial aid purposes. Some costs are Direct Costs, meaning they are charged to a student as part of your bill through the University. Other costs are Indirect Costs, meaning a student would not be billed for them — but they are costs to consider when evaluating what is needed to attend for a given period of time. Your costs may vary based on your individual decisions or circumstances.

COA for Master of Education or Master of Arts in Education students during 2025-2026
Direct Costs (these are the costs that would be part of your student bill as an off-campus student)
Tuition	$11,160	Based on 6 credits each semester over Fall, Spring, and Summer
Mandatory Fees	$594	Based on fees for 18 credits total
Total Direct Costs	$11,754	This is prior to any applied financial aid — but GREAT news, financial aid is available!

Indirect Costs (these are costs you may incur in attending college but are not billed to you by the university)
Housing	$13,956	This is a standard allowance for the cost of off-campus rent or other housing costs over the course of the academic year. Your actual costs may vary.
Food/Meals	$5,976	This is an allowance for off-campus food/meals over the course of the academic year. Your actual costs may vary.
Books, Course Materials, Supplies, and Equipment	$450	This is an estimate; your costs could differ depending on how you obtain your books and required course materials or supplies.
Transportation	$4,056	This is an estimate for transportation fees you may incur over the year for items such as traveling to class or trips home; your costs could vary greatly depending on your situation.
Loan Fees	$650	This is an estimate for the average cost of Federal student loan fees such as origination fees; your costs could vary based on your decisions to borrow, contact SFP for more information.
Personal Expenses	$12,912	This is an estimate of costs for day-to-day expenses you may have over the next academic year. Your costs could vary greatly based on your situation and financial decisions.
Total Indirect Costs	$38,000

Total COA	$49,754	Total allowable Cost of Attendance for Master of Education or Master of Arts in Education students (prior to application of any financial aid eligibility)

Campus Contact Information

Coordinator: Christy Wyatt, cwyatt@uu.edu, 731-661-5523