Graduate Studies in Education

• Mission Statement

  The mission of the Master of Education program is to extend the professional knowledge, skills, and attitudes of educators in schools, business, industry, and higher education through advancing the theoretical and practical applications of curriculum and instruction.
  The program has a secondary mission of preparing post-baccalaureate students for an entry level teaching license in either elementary education, secondary education, or special education. The mission of this segment of the program aligns with the Teacher Education Department’s mission: We work within our communities to prepare caring, competent educators and to promote equitable, inclusive, and transformative education practices.

  Community: 

  • We recognize that effective educator preparation is a cooperative endeavor involving faculty and staff members within the Teacher Education Department, the Moyes College of Education, and Weber State University. Our community also includes school districts, administrators, and teachers as well as professional organizations.  Our success depends on effective and consistent collaboration between all groups.

  
  Caring, Competent Educators: 

  • Our central aim is to ensure that teacher candidates develop necessary skills and dispositions as outlined in the Utah Effective Teaching Standards. We also acknowledge that it is of indispensable importance that each teacher develops an enduring ethic of care—the propensity and ability to meet the educational needs of each student.

   

  Equitable, Inclusive, and Transformative Education Practices: 

  • We believe that processes and institutions of teaching and learning can and should become increasingly equitable, promoting the well being of all students, with special emphasis on underserved populations. To that end, we are committed, where necessary, to transforming the attitudes and beliefs of teacher candidates and to extending our research and professional outreach in shaping general educational practice and policy.
• Student Learning Outcomes
  • Graduate Certificate

    Students completing the Educational Leadership, Elementary Teaching, Secondary Teaching, and Special Education Certificates

    • Knowledge of the history and philosophy of education.
    • Knowledge the issues related to differences among groups of people and individuals and the impact on teaching and learning.
    • Knowledge of important theories of learning and development and the implications for education.
    • Knowledge of principles of curriculum development and assessment.
    • Knowledge of instructional strategies and practices that facilitate effective learning.
    • Ability to use writing to meet scholarly and professional goals.
    • Ability to use highly developed verbal communication in presentations, questioning, and discussions.
    • Ability to analyze, critique, and summarize educational research.
    • Ability to find and report on a significant educational question that has usefulness and applicability in educational settings.
    • Ability to critically and reflectively synthesize personal and professional experiences.
  • Associate Degree (Not Applicable)

     

  • Graduate Degree

    Critical Analysis -- Critically analyze key theories, issues, trends, and/or concepts affecting the education/family system.

    • 1. Issues, theories, and/or concerns are critically considered, clearly stated, and comprehensively described.
    • 2. Information is incorporated with interpretation and/or evaluation to develop a comprehensive analysis or synthesis. Viewpoints of experts are thoroughly questioned and/or analyzed.
    • 3. Complex issues are analyzed in-depth. Limits of the analysis, perspective, and/or thesis are acknowledged.

    Research -- Design and/or implement research or evaluation related to current issues.

    • 1. Specific research/evaluation question(s) and/or aims of the study are clearly stated and described in the context of previous studies relevant to education.
    • 2. Research/evaluation design and methods for data collection and analysis are clearly explained and analyzed for their strengths and weaknesses in relation to the research question.
    • 3. Results are clearly and accurately discussed in the context of the research/evaluation question, and limits of the study’s findings are identified and discussed in relation to the question and methods.

    Writing -- Model professional-level writing skills in academic and non-academic settings.

    • 1. The written work includes an introduction and conclusion that clearly state and explain the thesis, position, or purpose of the work.
    • 2. Information is organized in a logical and easy to understand format that makes effective use of transitional statements between ideas. The writing is mostly free of errors relative to effectively communicating ideas.
    • 3. The tone and style of writing is appropriate to a professional/academic and/or non-academic audience.

    Evaluation -- Create and/or defend an evidence-based argument regarding effective models within education contexts.

    • 1. Evaluation of arguments contains thorough and insightful explanation, reviews logic/reason, examines feasibility of solution(s), and weighs impacts of solution(s).
    • 2. Proposes one or more solutions/hypotheses that indicates a deep comprehension of the problem/issue. Solution/hypotheses are sensitive to contextual factors as well as ethical, logical, and cultural dimensions of the problem/issue.
    • 3. Studies/reports used are appropriate to the topic and are from current and professional sources.
       

   

• Curriculum Grid

   

   

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• Program and Contact Information

  The Master of Education (MED) Program is the oldest master’s program on the WSU campus.  It began in 1978 as collaboration between WSU and Utah State University; although, all the courses were taught by WSU Teacher Education faculty. In 1988, it became the first stand-alone master’s degree on campus, three years before Weber became a university.  The program caters to practicing teachers, on-campus personnel wishing to pursue a master’s degree, and to people in business and medical fields who teach as part of their jobs.
   
  Contact Information:
  Dr. Louise R. Moulding
  1351 Edvalson St., Dept. 1306
  Ogden, UT 84408
  McKay Education Bldg, Rm 224
  (801) 626-7665

   

  Graduate Certificates in Teaching:

  • In an effort to help those who already had bachelor’s degrees and wanted to teach, the department added a licensure track for secondary education in 2007 at the post-baccalaureate level. This part of the program was immediately successful.  The following year, due to popular demand, an elementary licensing track and a special education (mild/moderate) licensing track began.  It is estimated that approximately two-thirds of the students admitted each semester are seeking a teaching license. By summer, 2015 all three post-baccalaureate licensing programs were accepted by the Utah Board of Regents as Graduate Certificate programs.
  • The licensing portion of the program gained accreditation through the Teacher Education Accreditation Council (TEAC) arm of the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) on May 21, 2015.  The program is also approved by the Utah State Office of Education.
  • Because the GCT is a licensing program, all assessment data will be reported in the Teacher Education Department’s annual report. These data are also part of the CAEP report.

   

  Contact Information:
  Dr. Nadia Wrosch 
  1351 Edvalson St., Dept. 1306
  Ogden, UT 84408
  McKay Education Bldg, Rm 224
  (801) 626-7410

• Assessment Plan

  Assessment of outcomes will rely on the culminating experiences in the MEd program: 1) final project for Curriculum and Instruction and Family Life Education; 2) internship for Higher Education Leadership; and 3) the culminating experience for Educational Leadership is the internship and Praxis score used to report to AAQEP, the national accreditor for licensing programs.
   

  Outcome 1: Critical Analysis - Critically analyze key theories, issues, trends, and/or concepts affecting the education/family system.
  	1.1. Issues, theories, and/or concerns are critically considered, clearly stated, and comprehensively described.
  	1.2. Information is incorporated with interpretation and/or evaluation to develop a comprehensive analysis or synthesis. Viewpoints of experts are thoroughly questioned and/or analyzed.
  	1.3. Complex issues are analyzed in-depth. Limits of the analysis, perspective, and/or thesis are acknowledged.
  Outcome 2: Research - Design and/or implement research or evaluation related to current issues.
  	2.1. Specific research/evaluation question(s) and/or aims of the study are clearly stated and described in the context of previous studies relevant to education.
  	2.2. Research/evaluation design and methods for data collection and analysis are clearly explained and analyzed for their strengths and weaknesses in relation to the research question.
  	2.3. Results are clearly and accurately discussed in the context of the research/evaluation question, and limits of the study's findings are identified and discussed in relation to the question and methods.
  Outcome 3: Writing - Model professional-level writing skills in academic and non-academic settings.
  	3.1. The written work includes an introduction and conclusion that clearly state and explain the thesis, position, or purpose of the work.
  	3.2. Information is organized in a logical and easy to understand format that makes effective use of transitional statements between ideas. The writing is mostly free of errors relative to effectively communicating ideas.
  	3.3. The tone and style of writing is appropriate to a professional/academic and/or non-academic audience.
  Outcome 4: Evaluation - Create and/or defend an evidence-based argument regarding effective models within education contexts.
  	4.1. Evaluation of arguments contains thorough and insightful explanation, reviews logic/reason, examines feasability of solution(s), and weighs impacts of solution(s).
  	4.2. Proposes one or more solutions/hypotheses that indicates a deep comprehension of the problem/issue. Solution/hypotheses are sensitive to contextual factors as well as ethical, logical, and cultural dimensions of the problem/issue.
  	4.3. Studies/reports used are appropriate to the topic and are from current and professional sources.

  Project rubrics can be viewed beginning on page 6 of the 2022 report.

• Assessment Report Submissions
  2021-22
  2019-20 - No Report Submitted
  2017 
  2016
  2015

• Program Review

  2023-24

  2018-19

  2013-14

This information is part of the cyclical program review process. Details such as mission statements, learning outcomes, etc., are updated as part of the biennial assessment reporting process, an integral component of program review.