FORT SMITH, Ark. (KFSM) — The University of Arkansas - Fort Smith (UAFS) will soon launch its second graduate program.
On Monday (Sept. 23) UAFS announced it has received approval from the Higher Learning Commission to offer a Master of Education degree.
Classes are scheduled to begin in January 2020.
The degree will allow licensed teachers, or those eligible for licensure, to choose between two areas of emphasis: curriculum and instruction or English.
Dr. Terisa C. Riley, UAFS chancellor, said the new degree offering is an important milestone in the university's history.
“It’s a direct reflection of the excellence of our faculty,” Dr. Riley said. “Gaining the approval of our accrediting agency underscores the quality of this program. I applaud the hard work of Provost [Dr. Georgia] Hale along with Drs. [Monica] Riley, [Cammie] Sublette, and everyone involved in making today possible. The benefits of this program will be felt in classrooms and communities throughout our region.”
The degree is a 30-hour program with 12 hours of core, hybrid coursework, including interactive on-campus activities with an online component and 18 hours of specific content offered entirely online.
Faculty from UAFS' education department worked together to ensure the curriculum meets the requirements from both the Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation and the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.
“As the more than 1,400 graduates from the UAFS undergraduate education programs can attest, we prepare exceptional teachers,” said Cammie Sublette, chair of the English, Rhetoric, & Writing Department. “Our M.Ed. in curriculum and instruction and English will deepen and strengthen the knowledge and skillsets teachers bring to the classroom.”
More information on the Master of Education degree can be found by contacting the Office of Graduate Studies by email at graduate-studies@uafs.edu or the executive director of the School of Education by phone at 479-788-7912. Applications for the Winter 2020 semester are now being accepted through the university website.