Master’s in Education

Admission to Graduate Education Programs

The Master’s in Education includes a minimum of 36 credits. The number of credits for initial teaching licensure programs plus the Master’s vary. All licensure students must also apply for the M.Ed. or C.A.G.S. Choose from one of the following M.Ed. concentrations: Arts, Curriculum, School Leadership, Literacy, or Special Education. Eighteen credits from the licensure program may be applied to the 36 credit M.Ed. Program.

Graduate Education Applicant Requirements

A Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited American college or university, or its foreign university equivalent, with a minimum of a 3.0 G.P.A.
For initial licensure applicants, please see specific requirements under the endorsement sought.
Applicants for whom English is not a native language should consult the “Admission Procedures for International Students” in the front of the catalogue.

Graduate Education Admission Procedure

Applicants to the Graduate and Teacher Licensure Programs in Education will follow the procedure for admission as stated below or as found in the Application for Graduate Admission. Please note: International applicants should also follow “Admission Procedures for International Students.”

Complete the application for Graduate Admission: http://www.smcvt.edu/graduate/admission/
Send official paper or electronic transcripts from all undergraduate or graduate coursework to Karen Abbott (kabbott@smcvt.edu) (Please note: International applicants should have official transcripts sent directly from the institution to Saint Michael’s College. Program directors may require foreign academic credentials to be evaluated independently).
Two letters of recommendation and reference forms are required. One must be from an academic institution or employer, whichever is the most relevant and within the last 5 years. The second must be from a person who has observed your work with children in the age group you are interested in (i.e. Elementary is K-6; Middle 5-7 and Secondary 7-12) within the last 5 years if you are applying for a licensure program.
Include a résumé.
Submit a two page essay describing an experience that has shaped you as an educator, aspiring educator, or aspiring educational leader. Please read our mission statement on the website and refer to at least one of the five outcomes. Please be specific and descriptive.
Include the application fee (no fee for SMC graduates or employees).

While Saint Michael’s College usually notifies applicants regarding the completeness of their files, it is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that all necessary materials are received. The applicant will be contacted by an advisor to schedule an interview.

Admission decisions are made by the program director in consultation with the admissions committee. Meeting applicant requirements does not guarantee acceptance. Applicants are notified of the admission decision after all requirements of the admission process have been satisfied, including the interview.

Requirements for M.Ed. Completion

1. Writing Assessment

Students must demonstrate writing proficiency through successful completion of a writing skills assessment. The Graduate Education Writing Assessment is offered through GED 516 Educational Foundations: Understanding the Past and Creating the Future and GED 558 Educator as Researcher. Writing proficiency must be demonstrated before student teaching or completing the M.Ed.

2. Candidacy

Before completing twelve credits, the student must apply for Candidacy. With an advisor, the student fills out a Candidacy form, which is a course of study for the M.Ed. It includes a list of courses taken, courses proposed, transfer credits, and a “Statement of Goals.” Up to nine graduate credits may be transferred from other institutions not included as part of another degree with the academic advisor’s approval.

3. Completion of Course and Credit Requirements

When all program requirements have been completed, the student, the academic advisor, and program director complete an “Intent to Graduate Form” which informs the registrar that the student may graduate. The following courses are required for all M.Ed. students. All credits must be taken within seven years.

Note: GED 558 and GED 699 are required for the Master’s in Education.
Students develop a research proposal in GED 558, collect the data the following semester, and then write and present findings in in GED 699. GED 699 should be your last course in the program. It is necessary to leave at least one semester between GED 558 and GED 699. The reasons are two-fold: 1) if taken back to back, most often GED 558 will not have ended before GED 699 begins, thus, the research proposal would not be ready for the first Capstone class, and 2) this provides more time for data collection.

The Educator as Researcher instructor approves the research proposal (Introduction, Literature Review and Methodology) if the proposal is ready. In addition, students must submit the online Institutional Review Board (IRB) application to the IRB coordinator during GED 558 and be accepted before collecting data and enrolling in GED 699: Capstone.