About the Program
Master of Education
Degree Requirements
The Ed.M. program is student-centered and committed to the personal and professional development of English teachers as they pursue their academic and research lives. We recognize and value the variety of needs and experiences of our diverse student body, and we strive to provide our students with individualized programs. All students pursuing the Ed.M. degree will have a faculty advisor with whom they will work throughout the course of their degree. While the Ed.M. program offers tremendous flexibility in coursework, the following program requirements must be fulfilled:
English Education Courses (no more than 45 points)– Depending upon the number of points transferred in, students must complete between 15 and 45 points at the A&HE 4000, A&HE 5000, and A&HE 6000 levels. Students transferring up to 30 points should take most of their courses at the more advanced A&HE 5000 and A&HE 6000 levels. It is possible to substitute a 12-15 point specialization in an area other than English Education and/or one graduate-level course at Columbia University with an academic faculty advisor’s approval.
A&HE 4000 level courses (no more than 15 points):
• A&HE 4050 Literature and teaching (3)
• A&HE 4051 Critical approaches to literature (3)
• A&HE 4052 Adolescents and literature (3)
• A&HE 4053 Cultural perspectives and literature (3)
• A&HE 4056 Feminist perspectives and literature (2-3)
• A&HE 4057 English methods (3)
• A&HE 4058 Teaching of reading (3)
• A&HE 4100 Teaching drama and theater (3)
• A&HE 4150 Teaching literacies in secondary maths, sciences, and the humanities (3)
• A&HE 4151 Teaching of writing (3)
• A&HE 4152 Literacies and technologies in the secondary English classroom (3)
• A&HE 4155 Critical issues in the secondary English classroom (2-3)
• A&HE 4156 Writing: Nonfiction (3)
• A&HE 4157 Writing: Fiction and personal narrative (3)
• A&HE 4158 Writing: Poetry (3)
• A&HE 4550 Teaching of poetry (3)
• A&HE 4551 Teaching of Shakespeare (3)
• A&HE 4552 Curriculum and assessment in the secondary English classroom (3)
• A&HE 4561 Teaching narrative and story (3)
• A&HE 4751 Fieldwork and observation in secondary English (1)
• A&HE 4904 Independent study in teaching English (1-6)
A&HE 5000 and A&HE 6000 level courses (no more than 30 points):
• A&HE 5149 Writing research: Methods and assumptions (3)
• A&HE 5150 Research in practice (3)
• A&HE 5151 Perspectives on “popular” texts in English classrooms (3)
• A&HE 5154 Rhetoric and teaching (3)
• A&HE 5204 Fieldwork in teaching of English (1-6)
• A&HE 5504 Research paper: Teaching of English (3)
• A&HE 5514 Readers’ responses: Research, theory, and practice (3)
• A&HE 5518 Teaching English in diverse social and cultural contexts (2-3)
• A&HE 6011 The politics of teaching English (3)
• A&HE 6015 College teaching of English (3)
• A&HE 6151 Narrative research in English education (3)
• A&HE 6152 Advanced narrative research in English education (3)
• A&HE 6204 Advanced fieldwork in teaching English (1-6)
• A&HE 6404 Internship in college teaching of English (1-6)
• A&HE 6450 Internship in teaching English (1-3)
• A&HE 6514 Postmodern textual theories (3)
• A&HE 6904 Research and independent study (1-6)
Breadth Courses
At least three 2-point courses. Educational foundations courses are intended to broaden students’ knowledge of the history of education, philosophies of education, and educational issues and practices beyond their particular areas of concentration. Students must take at least three Teachers College courses (for a minimum of 2 points each) from programs outside the English Education Program (that is, three courses that do not carry the A&HE prefix). The breadth requirement must be completed while at Teachers College; students may not transfer in breadth courses.
Research Methods Courses
At least 9 points (three courses) of research methods must be completed for the Ed.M. degree. These courses may be from either 4000 or 5000 levels. Although courses may include both quantitative and/or qualitative methods, we recommend that at least one course represent study in the area of qualitative research. At least one course should be taken from the research offerings in the English Education Program: the two other courses may be taken in any department at Teachers College.
A&HE 5504. Research paper: Teaching of English (3)
The research paper for A&HE 5504, required of all Ed.M. students, is the core of the Ed.M. program. This research paper represents a refined presentation of the student’s research question and area of inquiry. The purpose of this paper is to evidence the student’s ability to do independent research. It entails work that results in an original synthesis of a broad reading of theory and research, and is underscored by the student’s practical experience as a teacher. The A&HE 5504 research paper includes:
(a) A rationale for the project and demonstration of an understanding of the literature of the field related to the topic(s) undertaken; (b) A pilot study, including data gathering and analysis and justification of research methods employed; (c) A critique of the pilot study, including the student’s reflections on the study’s design and methodology as well as on her/his research strengths and weaknesses; and(d) Implications relevant to the student’s future research.
If the student’s intent is to continue on for doctoral work, the research paper for A&HE 5504 may serve as a prelude to work on a doctoral dissertation. Students may continue to conduct and write up their research while enrolled in the internship and fieldwork courses.
