CTER Admission
| Master in Education Program Focusing on Curriculum, Technology, and Education Reform (CTER) |
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| The College of Education has developed an online Master in Education program focusing on Curriculum, Technology, and Education Reform (CTER). This focus provides practicing teachers with the opportunity to earn a coherent high quality masters degree at home or at their local school through personal computers and Internet connections. |
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CTER, together with the Department of Educational Psychology carefully considers all applicants for graduate study. The quality of the applicant's undergraduate and graduate training and grade-point average (GPA) are a primary consideration. Other important factors evaluated include the letters of recommendation and scores on the Graduate Record Examination (suggested but not required). Previous educational background and experiences which match the student's goals are also considered.
The current guidelines are:
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Undergraduate grade-point average: 3.0 to 4.0 for the last 60 hours of undergraduate work (A=4.0)
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Graduate grade-point average: 3.5 to 4.0 (A = 4.0)
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GRE: verbal + quantitative 1200
An applicant whose measures fall below the guidelines may be accepted
for graduate study when experience, references, or other information
strongly suggest that success in a graduate program is highly probable. We
strongly suggest that students with GPA scores lower than 3.0 take
the GRE
Students must submit the following information:
Completed
Application for Admission to the Graduate College http://www.oar.uiuc.edu/prospective/grad/instruct.html
Payment
of application fee ($40 for domestic students, $50 for international)
Completed Departmental Application for Admission to the Master in Education
online program with a focus on Curriculum, Technology and Education
Reform, available at the following URL: http://cterport.ed.uiuc.edu/CTERApplications/apply.html
Official transcripts for all undergraduate
and graduate studies, issued by the institutions and sealed in original envelopes.
Three letters of reference, preferably from persons who
can speak about the scholarly potential of the applicant. If possible, please request your
recommenders to send their letters to us electronically, and then to send the
originals by regular mail. This will help us to easily post your
recommendation letters to our on-line review system.
Support letter signed by your Principal or School Administrator
indicating awareness and support of your participation. (Principal letter- pdf file)
Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores. While we do not
require the GRE for Admission, we look at these test scores as
an added piece of information when reviewing applications. We strongly
suggest that students with GPA scores lower than 3.0 take
the GRE. Information about the GRE can be found at http://www.gre.org/
To be considered for admission to the program starting in the summer semester of 2005, prospective applicants must complete and return ALL information listed under Admission Requirements to the following address. It is your responsibility to see that all required information is received by February 15, 2005.
| CTER OnLine
Admissions |
Departmental recommendations concerning acceptance or rejection for graduate study to begin for Summer term will be mailed by April 15.
International Applicants: Applicants from other countries may want to complete their applications earlier to allow adequate time for processing .
A student who is currently enrolled in college study should not
wait until the end of the semester or quarter to have transcripts
sent. If the applicant is admitted, the Office of Admissions will request final
transcripts.
Letters of reference directed to the department office should be
requested at the earliest possible time. Missing transcripts and
letters of reference are the main causes of incomplete applications.
Admission on limited status may be granted to some applicants whose grade point averages do not meet departmental guidelines. If this is the case, all conditions of limited status will be specified. Students must remove all limited status deficiencies within a reasonable period, usually specified, and continued GPAs of less than 3.0 will result in academic probation.
Accommodations are made for students with visual and hearing disabilities.
Orientation MeetingAll students are required to attend a face-to-face weekend orientation meeting starting Sunday at noon, June 12 through Monday, June 13, 2005 at 5pm at the UIUC Education Building. More specific information about the orientation meeting will be sent to students accepted into the program. Please note that all housing, food and transportation costs are the responsibility of the students and are not included in the tuition and fees.
Registration for the CTER courses is handled by the Office of Academic Outreach. Tuition costs and services provided to off-campus students are different than those offered to on-campus students. Tuition and fees per online course for the 2004-2005 academic year are $1,468. Students are also responsible for the cost of an Internet provider, textbooks, required hardware and software, and travel and accommodations for any on-campus instruction.
Financial AidStudents must be enrolled in two courses each semester that financial
aid is requested.
You will find more information also in the Academic
Outreach page of Financial Aid Services for Term-based Course students
CTER students eligible for financial aid should complete a FAFSA
form online at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/
or call the financial aid office at 1-800-252-1360 ex. 3-0100
Special Instructions for Graduate College Application
Please include the following information on the Graduate College Application:
Admission Term: Select Summer 2005
Planned course of Study: Educational Psychology--10KS0210EDMU
Note: Please indicate that your studies will initiate "Off Campus" and indicate CTER in the "Field of Specialization".
Information regarding courses and admission to the Curriculum, Technology, and Education Reform specialization is available at: http://cter.ed.uiuc.edu or you may contact any one of the following staff members:
Questions regarding the CTER program: Norma Scagnoli (217) 244-315
Questions regarding the application process: Helen Katz (217) 333-5242
The Master of Education (Ed.M.) degree requires eight units of coursework. For CTER Online, there are five required and three elective courses. Some of these courses are offered in sequence during six academic semesters. Any deviation from this sequence would require prior written approval. Descriptions of all courses offered in an online format are located at: http://cter.ed.uiuc.edu/about_CTER/descriptions/index.html
Computer Literacy RequirementRequired Courses
Elective Courses
At least three 400 - level courses are needed for graduation
All students enrolled in the CTER Online courses are expected to have elementary knowledge of a microcomputer operating system and basic knowledge of software tools including word processing, electronic mail and web browsers.
Minimum Hardware, Software, and Network Connectivity Requirements:
Power Macintosh (PPC, G3, or G4) or IBM compatible
Pentium or equivalent (available BOTH at home and at
work)
Minimum 256MB RAM.
CD-ROM drive.
Mac OS X (10.2.1 or higher recommended) -OR- Windows
2000 or XP for PC. Windows ME, 98, and 95 are not
supported.
56K modem, cable modem, or DSL connection (cable modem
or DSL recommended)
Internet provider for home access (must have prior
to start of program)
Sound card, microphone, and speakers
Netscape Communicator 6, Internet Explorer 5.0 or
higher version
Email software (Eudora, Outlook, or other)
Ability to be on-line for a minimum of 20 hrs/week
Information for Students in the CTER On-Line Master of Education Program
Three types of Master's degrees are available at the College of Education. The Master of Arts (A.M.) and Master of Science (M.S.) degree programs are for the student who has research interests in education. These candidates often enter the programs with the intent of eventually pursuing a doctoral program leading to the Ed.D. or Ph.D. degree. The Master of Education (Ed.M.) degree program is designed to meet the academic and professional interests of a person working in the educational field. The major difference between these three programs is the requirement that a master's thesis is not completed and defended as part of the Ed.M. degree.
Teachers, administrators, and technology coordinators are now offered the option of pursuing a Master of Education (Ed.M.) degree in the areas of Curriculum, Technology, and Education Reform in an on-line format. This program is not solely a professional development program. The courses have been put together to offer hands-on technology training that will enable education professionals to integrate technology into their classrooms, and to enhance students' understanding about new technologies and how they impact our society. All students admitted to an Ed.M. degree program must complete a minimum of 32 hours. Eight of the 32 hours include courses in psychological foundations of learning and social and philosophical foundations of education. The remaining 24 hours include courses related to different aspects of educational technology.
Expectations for CTER On-line Courses
CTER students begin the program with a 2-day on-campus orientation. During orientation, students will receive a university email account, library card, a CD-ROM with communication tools to be used during the program, and additional information about the on-line courses. This is also the opportunity to meet other CTER students and faculty, to receive training on the tools to be used in the program, and to purchase any additional software or books you may need at the UIUC Central Stores Computer Center and UIUC Bookstore.
Each course usually includes one full-day face-to-face meeting that provides opportunities to give presentations, to introduce upcoming courses, and to continue to build a community among students. Each CTER on-line course may include a combination of synchronous and asynchronous activities. Since the majority of students enrolled in the on-line courses are working professionals, every attempt will be made to schedule any synchronous activities in the evenings or on weekends. Synchronous activities can include, but are not limited to, on-line chats, real-time audio or video mini-lectures or discussions, or face-to-face meetings on the UIUC campus. In addition to instructor-authored course web pages, students use textbooks, course packs, and other materials. Some textbooks (when available) may be checked out of the University's Academic Outreach library system.
Students should expect a maximum of one on-line synchronous class meeting each week during the Fall and Spring semesters, (16 week courses) and more frequent on-line synchronous class meetings for all summer courses. Students are required to attend all face-to-face meetings. Each course varies in the amount of on-line synchronous and asynchronous activities, however, these on-line courses tend to include at least one face-to-face meeting. Failure to attend these meetings may affect the participation portion of your grade.
Final course grades are based on a combination of individual and group assignments and participation in the course. Each instructor sets his or her own standards for evaluating student work and includes the grading procedure in the on-line syllabus.
Expectations of Technologies Used for On-Line CoursesWe will introduce some of the latest advances in technology used in education. With technology changing so rapidly, please understand that you may be asked to upgrade your computer system or modem during the course of our program.
Internet Service Providers (ISP)Our on-line courses currently use WebBoard and RealPlayer. We have found those students using America On-Line (AOL) experience problems using these programs and tend to have slower connection speeds making audio conferencing difficult. If you have problems participating in CTER activities through your current Internet service provider, we suggest that you find another alternative. Our technical support staff will be happy to assist you in locating an ISP in your area.
Credit for Work Completed ElsewhereA Master of Education candidate may petition to transfer up to 10 hours of graduate credit earned at other universities to apply toward the 32-hours requirement. Official transcript(s) must be attached to the petition if not previously filed in the Graduate College. Work involved must be at the graduate level and must have been completed within the last five years with grades of A or B. A petitioner must first have completed at least 8 hours at UIUC. For more information, refer to the Graduate Programs Handbook on-line at http://www.ed.uiuc.edu/COE/IPO/.
Additional information regarding admission to the Graduate College can be obtained on the Web at: http://www.grad.uiuc.edu/ or by writing to: Office of Admissions and Records, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 10 Henry Administration Building, 506 South Wright Street, Urbana, IL 61801.
To obtain a hard copy of the CTER application packet, please
contact:cter-info-l@listserv.uiuc.edu, or Norma Scagnoli (scagnoli@uiuc.edu)
or call 217/244-3315