For quality education with a dose of southern hospitality, there is no better starting point than one of the accredited master’s in education degree programs in Alabama. The “Heart of Dixie,” as the state has been dubbed, is known for its friendly residents, beautiful beaches and byways, and fine educational institutions. Both in-state and out-of-state students can enrich their teaching careers by pursuing an advanced degree at an Alabama school.
Alabama A&M University
School of Graduate Studies
Founded by a former slave in 1875, Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University enrolls about 4900 undergraduates and 900 graduate students at its Huntsville campus. The land-grant institution has five undergraduate schools offering 41 baccalaureate programs, and its graduate school offers 23 master’s degrees.
The university was named one of the best in the nation in 2014 by Washington Monthly Magazine, placing 33rd out of 671 institutions that grant master’s degrees. The ranking is based on each school’s contributions to the public good through research, service, and social mobility.
Master in Education
Alabama A&M offers master’s programs in both elementary education and early childhood education. There are programs designed for current teachers who want to advance their education as well as for students with undergraduate degrees in other fields.
In the traditional elementary education graduate program, teachers can expect to take classes in topics such as foundations in teaching reading, research in elementary education, and elementary school curriculum. The traditional early childhood program includes classes like curriculum design and computer-based instructional technology. All students must pass a comprehensive departmental examination.
If you have a degree in another subject, you can pursue an alternative master’s program, also known as a “fifth year” program. Although much of the coursework is similar to traditional graduate programs, students also may be required to take additional classes, and they must complete a teaching internship.
Accreditation
- Southern Association of Colleges and Schools’ Commission on Colleges
- Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation
Contact
Alabama A&M University
School of Graduate Studies
P. O. Box 998
Normal, Alabama 35762
Phone: (256) 372-5000
Email: info@aamu.edu
http://www.aamu.edu/academics/gradstudies/pages/default.aspx
Alabama State University
The Harold Lloyd Murphy Graduate School
Alabama State University is one of the nation’s oldest institutions of higher learning founded for African-Americans. Established as Lincoln Normal School in 1867, the school was started with $500 raised by nine freed slaves. Today the university is home to a diverse population of 5600 students based on a 172-acre campus in Montgomery.
Alabama State offers nearly 50 educational programs at the undergraduate, graduate, and continuing education levels. The university has a strong commitment to public service, emphasizing the importance of giving back to the community through a variety of outreach programs.
Master of Education
Alabama State’s oldest and largest college is the College of Education, where students will find a comprehensive selection of advanced education degrees. The 18 available master’s programs include early childhood education, elementary education, collaborative education, administration, biology, general science, English, history, mathematics, music, social science, general counseling, school counseling, library education media, health, reading specialist, instructional leadership, and physical education.
The graduate school’s stated goal is to train highly qualified applicants who will become leading professionals in their fields. In the education arena, master’s candidates follow a traditional curriculum track if they have undergraduate teaching degrees. If their degrees are in a different discipline, they can enroll in a fifth-year master’s program. Admission and course requirements vary by field, but all students must pass a comprehensive written examination to graduate.
Accreditation
- Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
- National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education
Contact
Alabama State University
915 S. Jackson Street
Montgomery, AL 36104
Phone: (334) 229-4100 or (800) 253-5037
Email: admissions@alasu.edu
http://www.alasu.edu/academics/graduate-school/index.aspx
Auburn University
College of Education
Auburn University is a public institution located on a 1841-acre campus in Auburn. Founded in 1856 as the East Alabama Male College, the school currently enrolls more than 25,000 students in its undergraduate, graduate and professional programs. More than 140 degrees are offered at the university’s 13 colleges.
Auburn has received many accolades over the years. U.S. News and World Report has ranked the school among the top 50 public universities for 20 years in a row. The land-grant college was 48th among public schools and 103rd among public and private schools nationally in the magazine’s 2014 college listings.
Master in Education
With more than two dozen master’s options, Auburn’s College of Education covers a wide range of specialties. All of the degree options are available as traditional programs for students with undergraduate teaching degrees. A smaller number of master’s programs are offered as non-traditional options for students with undergraduate degrees in other subjects.
The master’s selection includes degrees in administration of elementary and secondary education, administration of higher education, administration of supervision and curriculum, adult education, school counseling, collaborative teacher special education, early childhood education, early childhood special education, and elementary education. In addition, students can receive advanced teaching degrees in individual subject areas such as agriscience education, biology, business-marketing, chemistry, English for speakers of a second language, English-language arts, history, math, music – instrumental or vocal, French, general science, physical education, physics, reading, and Spanish.
Many full degrees and individual education courses are available through Auburn’s Distance Learning Program – an online program that was ranked sixth in the nation in the U.S. News and World Report’s 2014 rankings.
Accreditation
- Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
- National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education
Contact
Auburn University Graduate School
106 Hargis Hall
Auburn, AL 36849
Phone: (334) 844-4700
Email: gradadm@auburn.edu
http://www.grad.auburn.edu/
Faulkner University
College of Education
Faulkner University is a private Christian university based in Montgomery. The school also offers programs online and through extended campuses in Birmingham, Mobile, and Huntsville. Faulkner was founded in 1942 as Montgomery Bible College, a school for preacher education. The school changed names several times, taking its current name in 1985 in honor of a long-time university supporter.
Faulkner currently offers more than 70 degrees, including 15 graduate programs and seven online degrees. With its enrollment of 3300 students, the university’s mission is to “glorify God through education of the whole person, emphasizing integrity of character in a caring, Christian environment where every individual matters every day.” The school is affiliated with the Churches of Christ.
Master of Education
Faulkner’s master of education program is designed for students who received an undergraduate degree in a non-education field. The master’s program leads to teaching certification in six different areas: elementary education, English, math, biology, history, or physical education.
The master’s program offers a flexible schedule, welcoming both traditional on-campus students and adult enrollees. Education courses are held for eight weeks in the evening. Graduate students take core courses in educational fields along with specialty courses in their area of concentration. Degree candidates are required to complete clinical hours in diverse educational settings
Accreditation
- Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
- National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education
Contact
Faulkner University
5345 Atlanta Highway
Montgomery, AL 36109
Phone: (334) 272-5820, (800) 879.9816
http://www.faulkner.edu/graduate/
The University of Alabama in Huntsville
College of Education
The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) is a public research institution with an enrollment of about 7500 undergraduate and graduate students. Founded in 1950, the school is known as a premiere research university, offering more than 80 different areas of study through five colleges. The university’s 400-acre campus is located in an urban setting near the southern border of the Appalachian Mountains.
UAH has been ranked as a top-tier national university by U.S. News and World Report, placing 184th among all national universities in the magazine’s 2013 report. Both the Princeton Review and USA Today have named the university as one of the top 50 educational values in the country.
Master of Education
An education enrollment increase led to the addition of this master’s option at the school. The degree is available both to those who studied teaching as undergraduates and to non-traditional students with baccalaureate degrees in other fields. The traditional program offers concentrations in autism spectrum disorders, differentiated instruction in elementary education, reading education, and English speakers of other languages. The alternative or “fifth-year” programs are available for chemistry, language arts, mathematics, and physics. Master’s candidates also can pursue advanced licensure in biology, chemistry, language arts, physics, and history.
The master’s program has flexible options, including some courses offered entirely online. By graduation, students are expected to understand effective classroom management, innovative assessment and instructional approaches, cultural factors in schools, methods for working collaboratively, and how to teach students from diverse backgrounds.
Accreditation
- Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
- National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education
Contact
University of Alabama in Huntsville
301 Sparkman Drive NW
Huntsville, AL 35805
Phone: (256) 824-1001
http://www.uah.edu/education
The University of West Alabama
College of Education
The University of West Alabama has its roots as a church-supported school for women. Originally founded as Livingston Female Academy in 1835, the institution went through several name changes before receiving its current title in 1995.
About 2200 students are enrolled in one of seven colleges at the public university’s 600-acre campus in Livingston. Another 2800 students are enrolled in the university’s UWA Online program. Three undergraduate programs and 24 graduate programs are offered entirely online, following an eight-week format. The online program has extended the university’s reach to nearly every state.
Master of Education
The College of Education has been training teachers for more than 175 years. Today’s students can pursue a Master of Education degree in elementary education, early childhood education, secondary education, preschool to grade 12 education, instructional leadership, library media, school counseling, and special education collaborative teacher.
In addition, the school offers two Master of Arts in teaching degrees – one which leads to state certification as a teacher and one which does not. Core professional coursework as well as specialty classes are required for each option. Students also may choose to earn a Master of Science degree in adult continuing education, focusing on areas such as library media, student affairs in higher education, and guidance and counseling.
Degree candidates can benefit from the availability of the UWA Campus School, a laboratory school offering early childhood teaching experience. Extensive online offerings also make the programs more accessible to some students.
Accreditation
- Southern Association of Colleges and Schools’ Commission on Colleges
- National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education
Contact
The University of West Alabama
Address: 100 U.S. 11
Livingston, AL 35470
Phone: (205) 652-3400 or (877) 892-1835
Email: uwaonline@uwa.edu
http://www.uwa.edu/graduate/
The University of North Alabama
College of Education and Human Sciences
The University of North Alabama (UNA) is the oldest four-year public university in the state. Founded in 1830 as LaGrange College, the school originally was located in a town of that same name. The college moved to Florence and underwent several title changes before taking its current name in 1974. About 7200 students are enrolled there.
More than 50 majors are offered at the 130-acre campus, and about 275 full-time faculty are employed. UNA was listed as a top-tier public university in 2008 in the U.S. News and World Report’s college rankings.
Master’s of Education
The University of North Alabama offers a traditional master’s program leading to state teacher certification in 19 disciplines. These fields include biology, business marketing, chemistry, collaborative teacher for special education, English for speakers of other languages, English language arts, elementary education, general science, geography, history, instructional leadership, mathematics, music-choral, music-instrumental, physical education, physics, social science, and school counseling.
Graduate students who do not hold a teaching certificate may enroll in the school’s alternative master or fifth-year program. This program offers a path to certification in a dozen fields, including biology, business marketing, chemistry, English language arts, English for speakers of other languages, general science, history, mathematics, music-choral, music-instrumental, social science, and physical education.
The college’s goal is to produce teachers who know how to demonstrate professionalism, to use assessment strategies for learning, to use technology to promote learning, to plan for diversity in curriculum development, and to work collaboratively with teachers, parents, and community members.
Accreditation
- Southern Association of Colleges and Schools’ Commission on Colleges
- National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education
Contact
The University of North Alabama
Graduate Admissions
UNA Box 5011 | Coby Hall
Florence, AL 35632
Phone: (256) 765-4447
Email: graduate@una.edu
http://www.una.edu/graduate/index.html
The University of South Alabama
College of Education
The University of South Alabama (USA) was created by an act of the Alabama Legislature in 1963 to replace programs operated by the University of Alabama in the Mobile area. The public research university enrolls more than 15,000 students and employs about 5500 workers. Prospective students can pursue baccalaureate, graduate, and doctoral degrees at the school’s 1224-acre, suburban campus in Mobile.
More than 50 bachelor’s degree and certificate programs and more than 40 master’s degree options are available to students. USA was listed as the 52nd best public university in the southern region by U.S. News and World Report in 2012.
Master of Education
As the university’s second-largest school, the education college offers traditional master’s degrees leading to certification in nine fields of study. These include early childhood education, educational leadership, educational media, counselor education, elementary education, physical education, health education, secondary education, and special education. Graduate candidates whose undergraduate degrees were not in education can pursue an alternative master’s program in elementary education, secondary education, or special education. In addition, the college offers a Master of Science degree in counselor education, physical education, or instructional design and development.
The college’s goal is to develop practitioners who have greater expertise and a broader range of skills in their area of professional practice. Master’s students may choose from both thesis and non-thesis degree options, and coursework is based on the individual field of study. Comprehensive written or oral examinations may be required for completion of the degree program.
Accreditation
- Southern Association of Colleges and Schools’ Commission on Colleges
- National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education
Contact
College of Education
University of South Alabama
University Commons 3600
Mobile, AL, 36688
Phone: (251) 380-2738
Email: coe@southalabama.edu
http://www.southalabama.edu/coe/
No matter what kind of teacher you aspire to be, you can find some of the best career preparation at colleges and universities in the south. The wide variety of accredited master’s in education degree programs in Alabama offer comprehensive options that can get you ready to teach students from pre-school through high school and beyond.
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