Master of Education (M.Ed.)

Home » Graduate Education » Master of Education (M.Ed.)

Program Chair: Jan Zulich, Ph.D.
Office: University Classroom Building 322, (808) 974-7585
Web: hilo.hawaii.edu/academics/education/

Professors:

Jan Zulich, Ph.D.

Associate Professors:

Diane Barrett, Ph.D.
Michele Ebersole, Ph.D.
Jeanine Hirtle, Ed.D.
Manulani Aluli Meyer, Ed.D.

Assistant Professors:

Darius Kalvaitus, Ph.D.
Avis Masuda, Ph.D.
Jan Ray, Ed.D.

Junior Specialist/Program Advisor:

Travis Nakayama, MPA

Department Clerk Steno:

Madeline Sehna

Program Description

The Master of Education degree (M.Ed.) is a 30-semester-hour program designed to foster professional growth and renewal of licensed teachers. It is a cohort program that requires four semesters and two summers to complete. Courses are offered in the evening and/or on Saturdays. While the teaching force on Hawaiʻi Island is a natural target population, the M.Ed. also is designed for licensed teachers throughout the state and in select areas of the countries of the Pacific Rim. The program promotes teacher leaders who will engage in school renewal and reform through curriculum development, school decision-making, and community outreach.

The M.Ed. is a generalist degree designed to address the unique professional development needs of Hawaiʻi Island teachers who choose neither to relocate nor to enroll in a specialized degree program. It is designed to be broadly useful and is, therefore, interdisciplinary. The curriculum focuses on philosophical, psychological, and curriculum foundations. It emphasizes research and teaching tools including technology, assessment, research methodology, and advanced instructional strategies to facilitate instructional school-based leadership.

M.Ed. Graduates Will Be Able To

Analyze and apply current trends and issues in education including school change initiatives, reform movements, infusion of technology throughout schools, and methods of addressing the needs of diverse student populations;
Engage in critical and reflective analysis enabling them to integrate and apply a variety of research-based methods, materials, and processes in their classrooms;
Conduct and report action research which will enable them to contribute to the positive intellectual climate of their schools and to assume instructional leadership roles.

Admission Requirements

Admission is based upon previous preparation and requires completion of a baccalaureate degree and evidence of eligibility for the initial basic license to teach as defined by the UH Hilo Education Department. Generally, an applicant must have earned a minimum grade point average of 3.0 (4.0=A scale) or the equivalent in the last four semesters or approximately 60 semester credits of his/her undergraduate record and in all post-baccalaureate work. Applications and a detailed description of requirements are available from the Education Department or from the UH Hilo Graduate Office of Admissions. Interested potential students may contact the Education Department at (808) 974-7582 for more information.

Following are the major requirements for admission:

Baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution;
A cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 (4.0 = A scale) or the equivalent in the last four semesters or approximately 60 semester credits of the undergraduate record and in all post-baccalaureate work;
Evidence of eligibility for an Initial Hawaiʻi Basic License to teach;*
Three letters of recommendation from references who have observed or supervised the applicant’s performance and are able to comment on the quality of the applicant’s teaching experience, ability to pursue graduate study, and general character.

* Applicants who do not hold a license to teach should meet with an Education Department Advisor ((808) 974-7582 for appointment) prior to submitting documentation for admission to the M.Ed. Program. Applicants must submit evidence of their eligibility by documenting the following:

Development of knowledge, skills, and dispositions described in the Hawaiʻi Teacher Standards Board’s Teacher Performance Standards;
Experience teaching;
Ability to participate in the study of education at the level required in a graduate program.

The UH Hilo Education Department M.Ed. Admissions Committee will evaluate above evidence submitted as one of the components in the M.Ed. application.

Application packets will be reviewed only when they are complete. International applicants also must provide verification of financial status. An official TOEFL score report may be required for international applicants.

The UH Hilo M.Ed. Program does not lead to licensure in the State of Hawaiʻi.

Course and Graduation Requirements

M. Ed. Course Requirements

ED 600 Education of Ethnic Groups in Hawaiʻi (3)
ED 602 Technology in Education (3)
ED 608A, B, C Fundamentals of Educational Research (3)
ED 610 Foundations of Education (3)
ED 612 Literature Reviews in Education (3)
ED 616A, B, C Assessment and Evaluation in Education (3)
ED 620 Individual Differences: Learner Characteristics (3)
ED 622 School Curriculum (3)
ED 625 Seminar in Teaching Field (3)
600+ Elective (3)

M. Ed. Graduation Requirements

Students must complete all program courses, including the elective course.
To remain eligible for continuance in the M.Ed. and to be awarded the graduate degree, students must maintain progress toward completion of the program and must have a B average (3.0 GPA) for all courses completed in the program.
Each student must complete a culminating experience; this is an independent project that integrates what he or she has learned during the five semesters of the program. The project must be completed independently of any course and will not be associated with program course credit.

Cohort and Other Requirements

Students enroll in the M.Ed. program as members of a cohort which is expected to complete all requirements in four semesters and two summers.
Courses are offered during the evening and/or on Saturdays.
Typically, all students in a cohort will take courses together and in the sequence prescribed by the department.
New cohorts will be established based on student demand and available resources.
Students must remain continuously enrolled while in the M.Ed. program.

Faculty Advising and Guidance

Each student will be assigned a faculty advisor who will meet with the individual student to review, approve, and provide guidance for the culminating project.