Academic Program Approval
Reviewers: Dr. Robert
Opila and Dr. Gail Wade
The primary objective for the Master of Arts (M. A.) in Education is “to provide an option for Ph.D. students who want to obtain a Master’s degree in conjunction with their doctoral degree, or for Ph.D. students who have to leave the doctoral program prematurely due to family, personal or health reasons”. The broader goal for this program is the same as for the Ph.D., “to attain an advanced level of scholarship, to possess scholarly dispositions and habits, to become prepared to make significant contributions to the field of education by conducting research that answers important questions about the nature of education”. As a program requesting permanent status, goals and objectives for the M. A. in Education program that are different from those defined for the Ph. D. program are needed.
The strength of this program is that it offers an option for students who are unable to complete the Ph.D. However, the outcome of this program is not the same as for the Ph.D. program. Therefore, expected outcomes of the Master of Arts in Education should be specified. What specifically should individuals who complete the Master of Arts in Education be able to do that is different from completion of the Ph.D. program? In addition, outcomes for students who received the M. A. in Education should be intermediate to those who receive a bachelors or doctorate degrees. While the M. A. graduates were listed, there employment or further education was not tracked.
According to the self-study, there are no additional demands on other instructional, research, or service programs of the University as this program is embedded into an existing Ph.D. program. The admission requirements are the same as for the Ph.D. program. In order to obtain the M. A. in Education, specific criteria for being in “good standing” are defined. In the past three years, 21 students have received the M. A. in Education. Although the number is small, no additional resources were needed. Based on the self-study report, it is assumed that advisement and mentoring are available. However, the type and nature of advisement for students choosing to change to the M. A. in Education pathway should be identified.
The program requires fewer credits than the Ph. D. program (the number of credits for the Ph.D. program were not specified). Therefore, additional expenses should not be incurred. The current resources available are well defined and should be sufficient for the M. A. in Education.
This area needs further development to distinguish outcomes for the M. A. in Education from a Ph. D. As stated in the section on program goals and objectives, the goals and objectives are very global and relate to the Ph. D. program, but appears to only serve as a pathway for those students who are not able to complete the doctoral program. Student evaluation criteria for the M. A. in Education are specified as successful completion of the second Proseminar Assessment course (PSA). However, program evaluation and assessment criteria are not indicated. Besides the stated criteria for awarding an M. A. in Education, appropriate learning outcomes, assessment criteria, and benchmarks for success should be established. In addition, the type of job placement associated with an M. A. in Education should be specified.
. For students enrolled in the Ph. D. in Education program, the M. A. in Education offers a viable option for those whose life situations make it difficult to complete the terminal degree. Because the M. A. in Education is embedded in the Ph. D. program, there are limited criteria to distinguish one program from the other. The goals and objectives are very global without specific learning outcomes or pathways to job placement. To be awarded permanent status, this program needs specific outcomes. The curriculum design could include two pathways with outcomes. The advisement process for determining which pathway to take should be delineated. The M. A. in Education as a permanent program needs to be structured as a viable “stand alone” option and not as an alternative when unable to complete the Ph. D. requirements.