M.A. in Professional Education – Early Childhood Education

This 36-hour option prepares advanced program candidates for roles as content-area specialists or curriculum coordinators. Selection of graduate courses will vary according to candidate's area of interest. Graduate courses offered through the College of Arts and Sciences, such as Mathematics, History, Biology, and English, can be included. Upon completion of the degree, you will have gained knowledge and skills that can be applied in areas of curriculum and instruction, such as possibly teaching at the junior college level. Also, if you are interested in Teacher Education, a Post-Baccalaureate Teacher Certification plan can be combined with your Master's degree plan, thereby allowing you not only to earn a master's degree but also certifying you to teach in a PK-12 school. One-third of the courses in this program option are online.

Graduate Professional Education Program Admission Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college or university
• GPA of 3.0 or better in the last 60 credit hours of coursework leading to the baccalaureate degree – or – Successful completion of previous Master’s Degree
• Essay submitted and reviewed: “What are your reasons for choosing the area of emphasis that you have selected for your studies in this program?”

Conditional Admission

• Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college or university
• GPA below 3.0 – 2.5 in the last 60 credit hours of coursework leading to the baccalaureate degree
• Essay submitted and reviewed: “What are your reasons for choosing the area of emphasis that you have selected for your studies in this program?”
• OTHER EVIDENCE: At least one of the following:
  • Minimum GRE score of 282 (verbal and quantitative combined);
  • The University of Texas of the Permian Basin takes a holistic approach in the admission of applicants to graduate programs as authorized by section 51.842 of the Texas Education Code. This section authorizes graduate programs to consider certain academic, socioeconomic, family, geographic, and other factors relating to an applicant’s background in making an admission decision for admission into the graduate program.

M.A. in Professional Education Requirements

• Students must complete 36 semester credit hours to earn a M.A. in Professional Education.
• Coursework includes six semester credit hours in developing curriculum in early childhood education and parent involvement.
• Students must complete nine semester credit hours in other early childhood courses.
• The master’s degree must be completed within eight years.