Curriculum Themes

UVM's Interdisciplinary Studies in Education M.Ed. is self-designed and uniquely crafted to fit each student's interests and goals. All programs are worked out under the supervision of a program advisor. Many students pursue individualized interests across a broad array of topics and others focus on social justice education, learning more about how race, gender, ability, social class, region, gender and sexuality shape educational experiences. Whichever strand students choose, individually-designed or social justice-focused, there are many excellent courses to choose from within the college and the university.

Curriculum Requirements

There are 30 credits required for program completion within a 5 year time period. All courses are offered once a week in the late afternoon or early evening. Summer continuing education courses are also available. Most of these summer courses run daily for two weeks, 4 1/2 hours at a time. The average number of years that students take to complete the Interdisciplinary Program is currently 3 years. The majority of students are part-time.

A minimum of 2 Foundations (EDFS) courses are required of most graduate programs in the College of Education and Social Services. Students in the Interdisciplinary Studies in Education master’s degree satisfy this requirement by enrolling in EDFS 6990 (396) Introduction to Interdisciplinarity, and/or EDFS 6020 (302) Philosophy of Education, as well as any other EDFS course at the graduate level. Other EDFS courses include quantitative and qualitative research methodologies, and social justice education.

The program has a 6-credit thesis option. Currently, over two-thirds of students elect to write a thesis. Selecting and researching a thesis topic is an excellent way to integrate all the components of the program. Thesis topics are designed in consultation with the program director to help students work toward their professional, educational, and lifelong learning aspirations.

There is a no-credit, written, comprehensive exit requirement for graduation. The comps are a portfolio of papers already written for courses with a 5-10 page reflection on the trajectory of interests a student has developed over the course of their degree.