The AUD Master of Education (M.Ed.) is conceived with two target audiences in mind:

1. practicing elementary and secondary school teachers who may or may not have an undergraduate degree in education, and
2. university graduates with no prior teaching experience who wish to pursue a graduate degree in education with the intention, upon graduation, of teaching at the primary or secondary level.

  Program requirements vary slightly depending upon in which of these two groups a candidate falls. As with other AUD degree programs, it is expected that diversity will characterize students seeking admission to the M.Ed. These will include both U.A.E. nationals and expatriates, native speakers of English and non-native speakers, individuals who will live permanently in the U.A.E., those who are here for a short stay, and those who seek residency of a considerable length. The M.Ed. program has been designed to meet the needs of these various groups. While courses are taught in English and a TOEFL score of 550 is required for admission, students may enroll in the university’s Intensive English Language Program prior to commencing graduate study. In order to ensure that the degree is offered to an international standard, the curriculum is aligned with the standards of the Interstate New Teachers Assessment and Support Consortium (INTASC), based in the U.S. AUD’s M.Ed. has been accredited by the UAE Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research M.Ed. Program Overview The M.Ed. is a two-year, 36-credit-hour professionally-oriented program with a solid academic basis, for practicing or prospective teachers. The program combines six core courses for all candidates, with specialized courses in elementary education or secondary education and a capstone research project. M.Ed. Program Mission The Mission of the Master of Education program at AUD is to provide the region with qualified and culturally responsive educators who are current in pedagogy and content knowledge at either the elementary or secondary level, skillful in professional practice and adept in the use of instruction technologies.   M.Ed. Program Goals

1. develop professional ethics and collaborative skills to meet the needs of a multi-cultural student population in a 21st learning environment;
2. develop specific knowledge of current trends in teaching and learning and innovative instructional technologies, as well as classroom-based problem-solving abilities aimed at improving student learning;
3. develop knowledge, skills, and dispositions required to meet the unique learning needs of all students and guide them to becoming life-long learners;
4. apply contemporary curricular theory to teaching practices with appropriate modes of assessment;
5. meet generally accepted international standards for teacher preparation; and,
6. develop capacity to conduct and critically assess research in order to guide and inform professional practice.

  M.Ed. Program Learning Outcomes At the completion of the programs, students will:

• be an effective part of an educational team within a creative learning environment;
• be able to understand the political, social and cultural contexts of education;
• be able to differentiate instruction to meet students’ unique learning needs and create environments that are conducive to student learning and development;
• be able to meet the challenges of teaching by designing and implementing an effective classroom management plan;
• be able to use assessment data to improve instruction, advance student learning, and better design content-specific instruction;
• be able to identify, locate, evaluate, design, prepare, and use technology as an instructional resource;
• be able to conduct research and utilize important findings to inform current practices and make new contributions to the field of education.

  Internship and Practicum Candidates without undergraduate preparation and/or teaching experience are expected to complete either EDEL 630 (Elementary Student Teaching Internship/Practicum) or EDSE 630 (Secondary Student Teaching Internship/Practicum) in order to fulfill degree requirements. The Dean of Education will work with the students and schools to find appropriate placements. The faculty member supervising the internship will follow the guidelines for internships/field placements as described in the M.Ed. Internship Guidelines manual and assess continued appropriateness of field placements and cooperating teachers. Using appropriate international standards, students will be evaluated on mastery of relevant program knowledge, skills, and dispositions for field-based educators. Data from classroom observations, one-on-one conferences with student teachers, and self-reflection memos will be used to determine the student’s growth and readiness for entry into the K-12 educational setting. Students can refer to the Internship/Practicum Handbook for more information.