Master of Arts in Education (M.A.E)

In 1986, after the signing of House Bill 196 which established Truman State University as the state’s highly selective liberal arts and sciences institution, Truman State University began implementing a challenging new teacher education program, the Master of Arts in Education (MAE) program.  The program has been fully operational since 1990 and is the only avenue by which students can seek an education degree at Truman State University.  The MAE underwent a continuing accreditation review by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) in the fall of 2002. This resulted in the MAE program having its accreditation extended until 2008 at which time it will undergo another review. Students admitted into the MAE must first complete a bachelor of science or bachelor of arts degree in a liberal arts and sciences field. A student must also possess exemplary GRE scores and a minimum 2.75 grade point average, although most admitted students have a 3.00 or better.  References for each candidate are also considered. The admissions committee considers academic ability as well as interpersonal skills.  There are six main components to an MAE degree:

·   The undergraduate liberal arts and sciences degree

·   Graduate education coursework

·   Graduate specialty area coursework

·   A semester or year-long internship in a public school

·   The research component, and

·   The digital portfolio

The undergraduate degree may be completed at Truman State University or any other accredited institution of higher education. Typically, a prospective student applies for admission into the program during the Fall or Spring of the senior year. Deadlines for the Fall and Spring applications are September 15th and February 15th respectively. During the summer or fall semester following completion of the baccalaureate degree, students enroll in the pedagogical course work and the specialty area course work. The internship experience can be either an unpaid one-semester internship or a paid year-long internship. In the latter internship, the MAE student is hired as a teacher of record by a public school. The intern signs a contract and is paid by the public school to fill a full-time teaching position while completing the internship requirement. The MAE program encourages internship placements in diverse settings which include schools in the St. Louis and Kansas City regions. Internships may also be arranged in rural school settings.  Candidates may choose from a number of options to complete the research component.