Online Master's in Curriculum and Instruction Degree Programs
Curriculum and instruction is a field of research and practice within the field of education that encompasses core areas of the teaching profession, from curriculum development and instructional design to program assessment and educational technology implementation. Educators who specialize in curriculum and instruction, often referred to as C&I (or CI), are commonly teachers, administrators, researchers, or policy professionals with a focus on preK, elementary, secondary, post-secondary, or adult education. The priority in C&I is to use educational research to implement best practices in classrooms and other settings while fostering healthy learning environments that promote diversity and inclusion and lead to improved educational outcomes.
Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction programs prepare educators and other professionals to design, create, and assess instructional materials for classroom or non-classroom use, take on leadership roles in schools and educational organizations, and improve or equip others with improved classroom management techniques. Graduates from these programs typically find employment in schools, school districts, government agencies, private educational foundations, colleges and universities, businesses, textbook publishing, and educational technology providers. Career paths range from grade-level or content-specific teaching, designing curriculum, or program administration.
What is a Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction Degree?
Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction degrees provide graduate training in the knowledge, skills, and proficiencies education professionals rely on to develop curricula, assess instructional programs, perform evidence-based education research, implement learning technologies, and provide leadership in the field through administration and/or instruction. These programs culminated in a master’s degree, typically a Master of Education (MEd), Master of Arts (MAT), or Master of Science (MS) degree. The C&I curriculum generally consists of coursework in theories of learning and curriculum design, instructional strategies, assessment techniques, research methodologies, administration and leadership, and approaches to promoting inclusion among diverse learners. In addition, master’s training in curriculum and instruction typically incorporates subject- or age-specific pedagogical training, practical experiences, and a research- or experience-based capstone or thesis project.
Master’s programs in curriculum and instruction may be accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), a nonprofit, non-governmental professional organization that maintains standards for bachelor’s and master’s programs in teaching and education. The Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP) may also accredit master’s programs in the field. In addition, curriculum and instruction programs may align parts of their curriculum with instructional designer competencies developed by the International Board of Standards for Training, Performance, and Instruction (IBSTPI), the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS), and/or the National Education Association (NEA). The NBPTS is a certification body, while the NEA is a professional advocacy and policy organization.
Online Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction Programs
Online Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction programs are distinguished from their campus-based counterparts by their methods of instruction and course delivery. Online programs provide the same level of graduate training as campus-based programs but do so using internet-based learning management systems (LMSs). An LMS is a digital platform colleges and universities use to deliver live and/or prerecorded lectures and class meetings to online students. Students in an online program typically complete assignments and exams via a program’s LMS and engage in online discussion groups with classmates and instructors as well.
While most online master’s programs in curriculum instruction do not require students to attend any campus-based sessions, some program may incorporate one or two campus meetings per year. Programs that incorporate practical experiences, either through internships or practicums, generally permit students to complete these in-person requirements at a site near their place of residence rather than on campus. Thus, online programs provide working professionals and students who do not live near the college or university offering the program an opportunity to earn their master’s degree in curriculum and instruction without have to commute to the school’s campus or relocate from their current place of residence. Note: OnlineEducation.com classifies programs as online programs if they require two or fewer campus visits per year.
How OnlineEducation.com Identifies and Classifies Online Master’s Programs in Curriculum and Instruction
OnlineEducation.com researches online degree programs and identifies programs that provide master’s training in curriculum and instruction. This includes Master of Arts (MA), Master of Science (MS), and Master of Education (MEd) programs with a curriculum and instruction focus or specialization as indicated by the program’s curriculum. In addition, programs must be offered by an accredited, nonprofit college or university and provide all or most of their instruction online.
Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction programs that require students to attend more than two campus visits per year are classified as hybrid programs and not listed on OnlineEducation.com. However, online master’s programs in education commonly require students to engage in site-based internships or practicums that cannot be completed online. Internships and practicums complement a program’s didactic coursework and typically do not require students to be on campus. Rather, online students generally find sites near their place of work or residence in order to complete practical experiences.
What Students Learn in Online Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction Programs
While curricular details vary by school and by program, a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction generally consists of roughly four semesters of training and instruction that covers core proficiencies in the design, evaluation, implementation, and improvement of educational programs for elementary, secondary, and post-secondary school students. Students also learn about contemporary issues in the field, such as diversity and inclusion, as well as educational technologies both for traditional classroom and online instruction. Leadership skills, knowledge of state and national standards for public and private school programs, and theories of learning and development are also included as part of the core curriculum for graduate programs in C&I.
In addition to a program’s core curriculum, students studying curriculum and instruction at the master’s level generally incorporate a specialization or focus area into their studies through elective coursework or an optional concentration. Curriculum and instruction specializations may be tied to an age group, such as kindergarten and preschool, and elementary, secondary, or post-secondary school education, or to a particular subject area, such as reading and literacy, or science, technology, and other STEM subjects. English as a second language, special education, e-learning, and diversity and inclusion are other common areas of specialization, as are leadership and administration, instructional theory and program design, and research and assessment. Finally, many programs challenge students to apply what they have learned in their didactic coursework through practical experiences and/or a research-based master’s thesis or capstone project.
Common Courses in Online Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction Programs
The table below provides an overview of courses commonly offered as part of a Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction degree program. The names and descriptions were aggregated from research conducted on actual online master’s programs in the field currently offered by accredited, nonprofit colleges and universities.
| Course Title | Course Description |
|---|---|
| Curriculum Design: Theory and Practice | Explores current theories and practices in curriculum design and the foundations which underlie these models. |
| Teaching and Learning in Diverse Classrooms | An examination of practices and strategies for improving the learning experiences of underrepresented groups and an exploration of how ethnicity, race, gender identity, language, and socio-economic status can impact learning outcomes. |
| The Role of Teachers in a Democratic Society | Explores the American educational system through political, historical, and policy lenses, examining such factors as social norms, educational funding, and broader role of education in a democratic society. |
| Fundamentals of Learning | Introduces students to theories of development and learning, and examines how these theories apply to the assessment, design, and improvement of curriculum and instruction in the real world. |
| Technology Practices for Instructional Improvement | An overview of current trends and innovations in educational technology and their impact on student learning, curriculum design, the role of the teacher, and learning outcomes. |
| Foundations of Educational Research | The quantitative and qualitative research methods used to evaluate and improve teaching, learning, and the design of educational programs. Students learn to evaluate research in the field, design experiments, and incorporate findings into their work. |
| Improving Instructional Effectiveness: Clinical Experience | Participants study teacher behaviors that influence student academic success, learn new, more effective ways of teaching, implement at least one new strategy into their field placement, and collect and analyze data to assess the impact on student learning. |
| Assessment for Student Learning | Covers assessment theories and practices and their use in curriculum and instructional design. Students learn go interpret assessment data from numerous sources and apply the findings to curriculum design and to the evaluation of learning outcomes. |
| Standards-Based Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment | Examines national and state learning standards by content area and grade level, teaching students to use research-based curricula to create assessments that align with these standards. |
| Differentiated Instruction | Covers the implementation of differentiated instruction (DI) strategies to meet the needs of diverse students, including exceptional learners, students with learning disabilities, students from underrepresented populations, and students for whom English is a second language. |
Admissions to Online Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction Programs
Baseline eligibility for admission to a master’s program in education is a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university. Additional requirements vary by school and by program. For example, many programs prefer or require applicants to have achieved a minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA, often 2.5, 2.75, or 3.0 on a four-point scale, or have a minimum GPA of 3.0 in prior graduate school coursework. Some curriculum and instruction master’s programs have additional academic requirements, such as passing grades in undergraduate developmental psychology, basic statistics, and introductory sociology courses, or training in teaching or education. Some programs also require applicants to be licensed teachers with one or more years of teaching experience.
Applicants to a curriculum and instruction graduate program may also be asked to submit two or three letters of recommendation, a personal statement, written answers to one or two essay questions, and/or GRE test scores, in addition to submitting a formal application, relevant transcripts, and a resume or CV. Finally, some programs may ask applicants to complete a virtual admissions interview as part of the application process.
Online Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction Format Options
There are several key format and structure variables that differentiate online master’s programs, including the method of instructional delivery, enrollment options, and campus-visit requirements. Variations in program format and structure can impact the relative convenience and flexibility of an online program, as well the overall learning experience. The sections below provide relevant details on the different modes of online instruction, part-time vs. full-time enrollment, and campus-visit requirements.
Synchronous vs. Asynchronous Instruction: Synchronous and asynchronous instruction are the two primary modes of online course delivery, and they are commonly deployed in tandem with one another by online programs. Understanding the difference can be helpful when researching programs, as they can have a significant impact on the online learning experience. Synchronous instruction is similar to traditional, campus-based instruction in that it takes place in real-time and requires students to be logged on to a program’s LMS for live-stream lectures and virtual class sessions that use video-conferencing software. Asynchronous instruction, by contrast, encompasses all forms of instruction that do not have a real-time component, including pre-recorded lectures, self-service learning modules, voice-over PowerPoint presentations, readings and homework assignments, and online discussion forums.
While all online Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction programs utilize asynchronous instruction, only some programs incorporate synchronous instruction. It is important to note that both forms of online instruction are effective, however, students should consider their preferred learning style and choose a program that offers that form of online instruction. For example, students who prefer to interact with instructors and classmates in real-time and who need weekly scheduled class meetings in order to keep up with course materials, should look for programs that use synchronous instruction. Students who are more self-disciplined and self-motivated, and who need scheduling flexibility to review course materials and complete assignments on their own time, should look for programs that mainly use asynchronous instruction.
Part-Time vs. Full-Time Enrollment: Graduate programs are commonly designed to accommodate professionals who have already begun their career and students who intend to continue working while earning their degree. Online Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction programs, for example, typically anticipate that some students will already be teaching or working in an educational capacity when they begin their graduate studies. Thus, these programs generally have several enrollment options, allowing students to carry a full-time course load that can amount 40 or more hours of schoolwork per week, or to earn their degree on a part-time basis, reducing the weekly commitment to between 15 and 20 hours.
Students who opt for full-time enrollment in a curriculum and instruction master’s program can typically graduate within 16 to 24 months, depending on the program’s requirements and whether or not courses are offered year-round. Part-time students generally take two or more years to earn their degree, depending on how many credits they earn per term. Programs that offer courses during the summer and programs that utilize shorter alternatives to the traditional 15-week semester offer students additional options for earning their degree. Some programs may allow students who enroll full-time to graduate in 12 to 16 months, while others may allow students to take a reduce courseload each term and still graduate in two years.
Campus Visits: While many online Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction programs are fully online and do not incorporate any campus-based requirements, some programs require online students to attend one or two campus sessions per year. These campus visits, often referred to as residencies, immersion sessions, or intensives, can enrich the online learning experience by giving students opportunities to meet face-to-face with instructors, participate in hand-on training, and/or attend instructional sessions that benefit from having students on site. However, the travel associated with campus visits, especially for students who do not live in driving distance to program’s campus, can add to the overall cost of the degree program, as these expenses are typically not be included in a program’s tuition rates and fees. Potential applicants should review program requirements carefully prior to submitting an application. Programs that require more than two campus visits per year are classified as hybrid programs and not online programs on OnlineEducation.com.