Curriculum and Instruction Cert-Only

Program Overview

The Curriculum & Instruction Certification Only program is a fully online certification program designed for candidates to develop the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to serve as curriculum specialists at the classroom, department, building, or system level. They do so by completing 15 credit hours of advanced pedagogical coursework and six credit hours focused on assessment and applied research where students develop the skills needed to conduct field research in the areas of curriculum, instruction, and instructional program evaluation.

Program of Study

The program includes 21 total hours, including 15 hours of curriculum and instruction core courses, a 3 hour research and assessment course, and a 3 hour capstone and applied research course.

Curriculum & Instruction Core Courses (15 credit hours)

• EDCI 7510: Curriculum Development and Evaluation
  This course provides an analysis of curriculum development and methods for aligning course content to goals and evaluation procedures. The ideological, philosophical, historical, psychological, and social foundations of curriculum will be explored to help students better understand how curriculum models might be utilized in an ever changing and emerging educational environment. As a result of this course, students will demonstrate advanced ability to design, implement, and evaluate curriculum that promotes student learning.
• EDCI 7520: Cognition, Development, and Instruction
  Course addresses recent advances in learning theories and human development from birth to emerging adulthood with application to P-12 student learning in the content areas (reading, writing, mathematics, science, history, and second languages) as well as recent advances in the areas of critical thinking, self-regulation, and motivation. Current research in the area of human development is explored from a cross-cultural perspective- helping educators understand how culture impacts development and why it matters. These understandings are then integrated with learning theories and applied to instruction in diverse P-12 settings by exploring instructional methods that foster meaningful learning for all students.
• EDCI 7530: Instructional Decision-Making
  Instructional Decision-Making is designed to develop teachers’ abilities in improving student learning within their classrooms through the cyclical process of analysis of data on student learning, evaluating available resources and strategies for the appropriate intervention, and continued assessment of the results of the intervention on future learning. Teachers will also learn to scale up this process with content or grade level teams through collaborative assessment of student learning, analysis of areas of difficulty, and planned interventions.
• INED 7760: Curriculum Development for Diverse Learners
  Curriculum Development for Diverse Learners prepares teachers to develop curriculum and instruction that is universal in design and based on best practices research in General Education, Special Education, and Teaching Speakers of Other Languages. The proposed curriculum model follows the precepts of Universal Design for Learning and provides built-in adaptations to lessons that reduce the amount of time needed to create individual accommodations and modifications for diverse students (i.e., students with exceptionalities and those who are culturally and linguistically diverse). Key concepts addressed in this course include Curriculum Mapping, Backwards Design, Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP), Universal Design for Learning (UDL), and Interdisciplinary Unit Development. Additional attention will be paid to the Core Curriculum and other Georgia Performance Standards as they continue to unfold from the Georgia Department of Education.
• ITEC 7400: 21st Century Teaching and Learning
  This course introduces candidates to the technologies most commonly purchased by school districts and explores technology-supported, research-based pedagogical strategies to maximize student learning in the candidate’s certification field. Candidates will apply current research and instructional design principles to digital age learning experiences for students using interactive white boards, student response systems, instructional software and other frequently-purchased productivity tools.

Research & Assessment Core (3 hours)

• EDUC 7705: Assessment and Evaluation in the Content Area
  This course focuses on planning, constructing, analyzing, and applying educational assessment to document student performance for instructional and accountability purposes. Specific topics include guidelines for the development of traditional assessment questions, including the use of multiple-choice questions to measure critical thinking and problem-solving skills; guidelines and rubrics for the development and scoring of performance, writing and portfolio assessments; assessing affective outcomes; describing, analyzing and refining data to improve assessment; and the application and interpretation of standardized norm and criterion-referenced measures. Additionally, attention will be paid to multicultural assessment procedures and concerns relevant to external assessment programs.

Capstone & Applied Research in C&I (3 hours)

• EDCI 7590: Curriculum and Instruction Capstone Seminar

  This seminar serves as a capstone experience for the candidate in the Curriculum and Instruction program. Candidates develop their expertise in a focused area of curriculum and instruction through an independent, research-based project. Candidates will provide evidence of their ability to design, implement and evaluate curriculum and instruction to improve student learning. Face-to-face and online delivery methods will also be utilized.

Admission Requirements

1. An earned Master’s degree in professional education or a related field;
2. A clear and renewable Georgia Teaching Certificate or departmentally-approved equivalent;
3. At least, three years of professional teaching or administrative experience or both in P-12 education (current full-time employment as a professional educator is preferred);
4. Professional Reflection Statement: The applicant will compose one to two pages documenting the applicant's professional training and interests, educational beliefs, professional goals, and why the applicant seeks to pursue a degree at KSU.
5. Two References: The applicant will obtain references from two individuals who can address the applicant's teaching ability, commitment to the education of all learners, and potential success as a graduate student. The individuals should complete their references using the Evaluation Form.
6. Mentor: This program provides degree candidates with authentic, field-based learning experiences. Completion of these experiences often requires the facilitation of an educator (usually a current administrator or Lead Teacher) who agrees to serve as the candidate’s mentor during his or her degree program. The mentor operates as part of a learning team with the candidate and university faculty, ensuring the candidate has an opportunity to complete his or her field experiences or working with university faculty and the candidate to identify appropriate alternative experiences. The applicant must identify a mentor and have the mentor complete the Mentor Commitment Form as part of the admission process.

Application Process

1. Complete the Online Graduate Application.
2. Obtain and submit official transcripts from EACH college or university attended, including those institutions where degrees were NOT earned. Official transcripts are those in a university sealed envelope. Your transcripts should reflect, at least, a Master’s degree with, at least, a 2.75 GPA (on a 4.0 scale).
3. Obtain and submit a copy of Georgia Teaching Certificate or a departmentally-approved equivalent.
4. Complete and submit a Professional Resume documenting education, teaching experience, volunteer and service accomplishments, and record of leadership activities. Your resume MUST reflect, at least, three years of teaching experience.
5. Complete and submit the Professional Reflection Statement.
6. Obtain and submit two references using the Evaluation Form.
7. Obtain and submit the Mentor Commitment Form.
8. Submit a copy of the Transfer Credit Request Form, if applicable.
9. International Applicants Only: Please contact the International Student Admissions Office at 470.578.4377 for all international admission requirements related to your citizenship or visa status or visit the Graduate International Admissions website.

Please note that an interview may be required for admission. If an interview is required for your application, you will be contacted by the Program Coordinator to set up the interview.

Contact Us

For more information they can email educ_grad@kennesaw.edu and or call 470-578-6043.