Education, M.A.

The Master of Arts (M.A.) program in education may be completed with or without a thesis component.

The M.A. program in education is designed to enable students to engage thoughtfully and critically with questions of perennial importance in education, broadly conceived. The faculty makes every effort to help students integrate research and theory with educational policy and practice. In so doing, students master central concepts in the field of education as well as develop the ability to analyze empirically, think critically, and speak and write professionally in the appropriate genre for their educational field.

The graduate program in education is flexible by design in order to encourage students’ personal growth and specialization within the discipline. To achieve this level of flexibility, each student works closely with the Graduate Program Advisor as well as specific faculty whose research aligns with the students’ particular interests and professional goals. Specific fields of study that carry the advantage of faculty depth and the potential for original research are: language acquisition, human development, math education, early literacy development, the history of educational thought, the philosophy of education, the sociocultural foundations of education, and educational policy.

Learning Objectives/Program Goals

Master of Arts. The M.A. program in education will enable students to engage thoughtfully and critically with questions of perennial importance in education, broadly conceived. The student who completes the M.A. program will be able to:

Analyze, interpret, and critique a range of classic and contemporary scholarship in the field of Education and demonstrate a developed understanding of qualitative, quantitative, humanistic, and mixed research methodologies; and
Identify a scholarly topic of significance to the field, demonstrate command of the relevant scholarship, and formulate a well-considered, research-based position on the topic.

Student Profile

The M.A. program attracts intellectually curious and highly motivated individuals who have various professional aspirations including:

Those considering doctoral study or a future as an educational researcher, scholar, or policymaker; and
Current teachers and administrators seeking to enhance their knowledge of educational theory and research.

Admission

The Department of Education is not accepting applications or matriculating new graduate students for the 2017-2018 academic year. The information below is for reference purposes only and does not constitute an intent to consider or admit new students for the 2017-2018 academic year.

Admission to the graduate programs in education is selective. Minimum requirements for admission include:

A baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution;
An undergraduate grade point average of 3.0 or better (on a 4-point scale);
At least three letters of recommendation from college instructors or others who can attest to the applicant’s intellectual promise, motivation, and maturity;
A carefully composed statement of purpose; and
Satisfactory scores on the Graduate Record Examination.

The statement of purpose should be at least 1000 words in length and should articulate how the applicant’s scholarly interests and/or professional goals fit with the goals and objectives of the graduate program. Applicants who do not meet these minimum requirements may be considered for provisional or probationary admission at the discretion of the Graduate Program Advisor or the faculty of the Department of Education .

Students seeking admission to the graduate program should contact the Graduate Program Advisors in the Department of Education with further questions about the program and admission procedures. Applications are reviewed year round, but for full consideration, applicants are asked to turn in a completed application prior to March 1 for the following Fall semester and prior to October 15 for the following Spring semester. The deadline for scholarships and assistantships is earlier, typically between January 15 and February 1. (See the Graduate School website for details.) Application materials should be submitted directly to the Graduate School at The University of Tulsa.

Non-thesis Option (36 hours)

Core Courses (15 hours)

Elective Courses (21 hours)

Elective courses must include at least 15 hours in education coursework.

Thesis Option (30 hours)

Core Courses (15 hours)

Elective Courses (12 hours)

Elective courses must include at least 6 hours of education coursework.

Thesis (3 hours)

EDUC 7981-5 Research and Thesis
Thesis is typically taken for 3 hours but may be taken for 1, 2, 4 or 5 hours. Consult the graduate advisor for additional requirements if fewer than 3 hours of thesis are elected.

Common Questions

Colleges

Education, M.A.

Learning Objectives/Program Goals

Student Profile

Admission

Non-thesis Option (36 hours)

Core Courses (15 hours)

Elective Courses (21 hours)

Thesis Option (30 hours)

Core Courses (15 hours)

Elective Courses (12 hours)

Thesis (3 hours)