Advance your career.
The Education Specialist in Secondary Education program (formerly certificate of advanced graduate studies) at Worcester State University offers advanced study in education with a disciplinary focus to teachers in grades 5–12, curriculum leaders, international students, and those interested in educational research—all of whom have a master’s degree in education, a cognate area, or a field related to their teaching license.
The program offers you a wide range of disciplinary focus areas, including bilingual, multicultural, and English as a Second Language; biology; educational leadership; English; history; humanities; international and comparative education; mathematics; multi-literacies in content area, technological, and visual literacies; reading; Spanish; and STEM.
It grants you the flexibility to create your own personalized course of study that meets your unique interests and goals. What’s more, you will be able to advance your career at your own pace: You can complete the program either full- or part-time, and courses are offered in a range of formats, including in person, online, and hybrid (a mixture of both). You will also work closely with faculty, conducting original research on a topic of your choosing.
Graduates of this program go on to rewarding careers in educational research, curriculum leadership, and teaching. You may use your Education Specialist in Secondary Education credentials to further your career advancement—and as a possible pathway to professional educator licensure through the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
Admissions Requirements
Candidates for the Education Specialist in Secondary Education program will be required to meet the competencies established by the graduate program for all candidates seeking education specialist credentials at Worcester State.
In addition, applicants for this program must provide the following:
• Proof of a bachelor’s degree with a minimum 2.75 GPA from a regionally accredited institution or from a recognized foreign institution of higher education
• Proof of an earned master of education or master’s degree in a related field with a minimum GPA of 3.0
• Completed graduate application, including fee and essay
• Official transcripts (Official Course-by-Course transcript evaluation required for all college level courses taken outside of the United States)
• Two current letters of recommendation (Less than 6 months old)
• Results of an approved English proficiency assessment, if applicable
Program of Study
This program consists of a minimum of 10 courses for a minimum of 30 graduate credits, which are selected with the approval of the program coordinator. Courses include 1 course in the philosophical, sociological, or cultural foundations of education; 2 or 3 courses in secondary education areas such as curriculum, assessment, leadership, and/or instruction; 4 or 5 courses in a disciplinary focus such as math, history, biology, English, Spanish, reading, or language and culture; 1 course in research methods; and a 3- to 6-credit research project. At the conclusion of the program, students will select a portfolio or comprehensive exam option with the approval of the program coordinator.
Requirements of the Program
- Minimum of 30 credits plus comprehensive exam or professional portfolio (2 credits)
- Education Foundations (3 credits)
- Secondary Education (6–9 credits)
- Disciplinary Focus (12–15 credits)
- Research Design and Methodology (3 credits)
- Research Project (3–6 credits)