Program Description
Master of Arts in Middle Level Education

Opportunities for graduate study in education are available for individuals with teaching credentials who wish to design a planned program that satisfies the requirements for continuing professional certification by the State of Michigan or that leads to the Master of Arts degree.

Individuals who have earned an undergraduate degree but have not fulfilled requirements for teaching certification are not eligible for graduate study in the Department of Teacher Education and Professional Development.  These individuals may contact the EHS-Center for Student Services, 204 Ronan Hall, (989)774-3309, to learn more about programs available to them which will lead to the initial teaching certificate.

Program Leading to the Master of Arts in Middle Level Education Degree

The program leading to the Master of Arts in Middle Level Education degree has been developed based on teacher preparation standards written by the National Middle School Association and adopted by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), the accrediting body for Michigan teacher education programs.  Any certified teacher meeting the requirements for entry into graduate studies at Central Michigan University will be able to enter this program.

The Master of Arts in Middle Level Education is a result of the efforts of the Middle Level Teacher Preparation Committee of the Department of Teacher Education and Professional Development.  In addition, the design and implementation of this program was funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation through the Michigan Schools in the Middle Project.

The Master of Arts in Middle Level Education:
     articulates a sound philosophy of middle level education;

     promotes an understanding of the developmental needs of early adolescence and maintenance of an academically excellent,
     developmentally responsive, and socially equitable learning environment;

     prepares teachers to apply organizational structures and instructional strategies appropriate for the middle level learner, such as
     interdisciplinary

     teams, flexible scheduling, integrated instruction, active learning, and the use of a variety of classroom grouping patterns;

     prepares teachers to work collaboratively with other teachers, staff, parents, and the community;
     stresses the integration of knowledge and the teaching of lifelong learning skills that facilitate critical thinking and problem solving;
     and

     requires continuous and progressive teaching experiences that provide meaningful interaction with young adolescents and
     exposure to exemplary middle level practices.

Successful completion of the appropriate number of hours and experiences included in this program will also permit the graduate student to apply for a Michigan middle level endorsement for his or her elementary or secondary teaching certificate.

Degree Requirements

To qualify for graduation, candidates for the Master of Arts in Middle Level Education degree must meet a residency requirement and demonstrate significant scholarly ability.  This demonstration will typically involve the development and completion of a thesis
(Plan A) or the completion of a comprehensive written examination at the end of the individual’s coursework (Plan B).

The residency requirement is fulfilled by taking at least 12 semester hours on the Mt. Pleasant campus or in a CMU off-campus course taught by a Teacher Education and Professional Development tenure or tenure-track faculty member.

The program requires 36 semester hours of credit for the Plan A (thesis) option or the Plan B (capstone seminar) option.

At least one-half the credits earned toward the degree must be taken at the 600 and 700 levels.  All credits must be completed in the seven-year period immediately preceding the granting of the degree.

Admission Criteria

Regular admission is required for assignment to a faculty advisor.  Since the advisor and student must discuss and sign the program requirements, individuals interested in obtaining a degree should seek admission to the appropriate program early in their studies.  The number of prior courses and transfer credits that may be included on the program is limited.  Applications for admission to this degree program are accepted throughout the year.  Click here for application materials.

Other Degree Options

The Department of Teacher Education and Professional Development also offers Master of Arts degree programs in Early Childhood and Classroom Teaching, Secondary Education, Reading & Literacy K-12, and Educational Technology.  Please click on any of the links above for more information on these programs.

Non-Degree Professional Development

Eligibility for the Michigan Professional Education Certificate requires the holder of a provisional certificate to either obtain a degree at the master’s level or higher or to complete 18 semester hours in a planned course of study within the first six years  of the teaching career.  These programs are often called 18 hour planned programs.  Other planned programs that satisfy the requirements of the Michigan Professional Certificate for teaching may emphasize study in early childhood and elementary education, effective teaching and instruction, middle level education, and secondary education.

Education professionals in Michigan have career-long needs for professional development opportunities because the professional education certificate is valid for five years.  To renew a professional education certificate, individuals must complete six semester hours of credit (or the equivalent in continuing Education Units) every five years.

There is no residency requirement for non-degree professional development programs, and courses are offered through the Division of Professional Education (formerly the College of Extended Learning) at locations throughout the state, including Traverse City, Petoskey, Gaylord, Cadillac, Alpena, Oscoda, Bay City, Saginaw, Mount Clemens, Port Huron, Grand Rapids, Ionia, and Lansing.

Some courses taken for professional development or to meet continuing certification requirements may later be used to satisfy the requirements of a degree program.  The number of courses that can be used in this way and the length of time in which these courses are valid as part of the degree program are strictly limited.  Individuals considering a degree program are encouraged to apply for admission to the specific program option early in their graduate study.

Middle Level Education Center

The students in both the Master of Arts in Middle Level Education and the undergraduate middle level education minor have access during the course of their studies to the Center for Excellence in Middle Level Education, the only Michigan collection of middle level education resources from all over the United States.

Print and video resources are available in this “middle school classroom of the future” as a result of funding from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation for the Michigan Schools in the Middle Project.  Information about the middle level education programs and the resource center are available by contacting:

Center for Excellence in Middle Level Education
678 Ronan Hall
Mt. Pleasant, MI 48859
Telephone: (989)774-7678
Fax: (989)774-7684
Website:  www.schoolsinthemiddle.cmich.edu

For Additional Information

Individuals with specific questions about graduate study in the Department of Teacher Education and Professional Development may write to:

Coordinator of Graduate Studies
Teacher Education & Professional Development
Central Michigan University
208 Ronan Hall
Mt. Pleasant, MI  48859
email:  tepd@cmich.edu

CMU (an AA/EO institution) encourages diversity and resolves to provide equal opportunity
regardless of race, sex, disability, sexual orientation, or other irrelevant criteria.