Master’s in Education (M.Ed.)

All students will participate in a core program. The core of the program emphasizes inquiry in education, policy, curriculum and instruction, and leadership skills. These areas will provide a shared foundation for all program participants. All students will also take at least one graduate-level elective course, allowing them to pursue a topic specific to their interests. In addition to the core, students will select from one of two tracks based on their professional goals and interests.

• Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment I: Development and Planning for Digital Age Learners (3 credits)
• Public Education History, Philosophy, and Policy (3 credits)
• Cultivating Ethical Leadership (3 credits)
• Teacher Inquiry (3 credits)
• Elective (3 credits)

To see course descriptions please review the Graduate Catalog.

The first track is designed for those who are already certified teachers and those who work in the educational landscape through work on curriculum, policy, or advocacy outside of traditional classroom and/or administrative roles (e.g. museum educators, non-profits, informal learning centers). This group of students will choose one of UMF’s certificate programs:

• Nature Based Education and Outdoor Learning, Certificate
• English for Speakers of Other Languages, Certificate
• Gifted and Talented Education, Certificate
• Special Education, Certificate
• Systems of Student Support, Certificate
• Inclusive Special Education and Leadership, Certificate

This concentration is designed for educators interested in gaining their Secondary Education endorsement in Maine in a particular subject area. In addition to the courses below, applicants will need 24 credit hours in that subject area to qualify for the endorsement with the Maine Department of Education.

Required Courses

• PSY 525: Human Growth and Development
• SED 560: Teaching Individuals with Disabilities in the Gen K-12 Classroom
• EDU 503 Culturally Responsive Pedagogy and Teaching Methodologies for Multilingual Learners
• EDU 577 Internship (3-6 credits)

One of the following methods courses

• • Methods for Teaching Mathematics in the Middle/Secondary School (taught at UM or USM)
  • Methods for Middle/Secondary English Education (taught at UM or USM)
  • Methods for Middle/Secondary Social Studies (taught at UM or USM)
  • Methods for Middle/Secondary Science (taught at UM or USM)

A baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university is required.

If you have a foreign degree, it must be validated by World Educational Services, Center for Educational Documentation, Inc., or other appropriate agency. The decision to accept the degree is made on a case-by-case basis by the UMF Director of Graduate Programs in Education.

Download our Application (pdf) >

Please email completed forms to: gradstudies@maine.edu

Please provide official transcripts from each institution you have attended (including both the undergraduate and graduate level). Official transcripts must be sent directly from the institutions to the UMF’s Office of Graduate Studies.

If you attended a UMaine System school (UMA, UMF, UMFK, UMM, UM, UMPI, or USM), the Office of Graduate Studies can obtain your transcript for you.

Applicants must write a 500-word essay on the following:
Begin by describing your philosophy for teaching and learning for your grade level and/or subject area. Then explain how UMF’s Master’s in Education will support your work and growth as an educator. Please consider including how your philosophy has evolved or has been influenced by mentors or practices that you have encountered.

If you are requesting an individualized concentration, then you will need to provide us with supplemental information.

Please submit the following additional materials in one document:

• Propose a title for the focus of your concentration.
• List the courses you have taken that you are requesting for transfer. Include course prefix, title, institution, and grade received. (Official transcripts and syllabi are required for final decision regarding transfer of credit.)
• List the courses you may take at UMF or other institutions to complete the concentration (refer to UMF’s graduate catalog for UMF courses).
• Provide a brief (500 word limit) description of the focus. Include: What knowledge and skills do you hope to obtain? How would this focus promote your growth as a teacher leader?

Two recommendation forms are required:

One from a current administrator
One from a professional colleague of your choosing
Download Recommendation Form>>

Note: This is a fillable form, and you may need to download it to enable it.

You will need to provide us with a copy of your Teaching Certificate.

If you are requesting that graduate-level coursework be transferred from another institution into this UMF Master’s program, in addition to your transcript you must submit the syllabi for each course you would like considered for transfer. Transfer decisions are made at the time of admission.

A student, with the approval of the Admissions Committee, may transfer up to 9 graduate credits from another institution into his/her academic program; only 3 of these credits may be in the core of the program.

These credits must have been earned from a regionally accredited institution, within 5 years prior to admission, and with a minimum grade of B (or equivalent). Graduate credits applied toward an undergraduate degree cannot be used toward the Master’s degree.