University of Maryland College Park Advanced Graduate Specialist Certificate in Curriculum and Instruction
Majors Overview June 21, 2013Has anyone ever told you that you would make a terrific teacher? Indeed, you may have tremendous potential. Perhaps you have the natural ability to build rapport with any audience, or to break down complex teachings and facts into relatable examples. If so, then you should not be content with just potential, but should consider pursuing the teaching profession. The University of Maryland at College Park offers an advanced graduate specialist certificate in curriculum and instruction, available through the College of Education.
UMD’s Curriculum and Instruction
The program is presented by the Department of Teaching and Learning, Policy and Leadership specifically, and relates to the subject matter of curriculum and instruction, specifically the degree and certificates that qualify educational authority. These include Master of Arts or Master of Education, as well as Advanced Graduate Specialist, Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) or Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.). In addition to educational content, research assignments are given to students with the intent to develop leadership ability. Yes, students who have earned their certificate may go on to consulting, education, and supervising roles as they help entities develop curriculum according to a broad range of disciplines. There is also curriculum planning at the elementary, secondary and higher education level.
Full-time study is available and recommended for intensive study like the PhD. Depending on the courses, some will have specific emphasis, such as art education, history, English second language, and math. There are areas of special concentration, such as urban education, music education, professional development, reading, and science. The certificate training programs will open doors for you immediately upon completion.
Admissions Information from UMD
In order to be recommended for admissions to the Advanced Graduate Specialist Certificate in Curriculum and Instruction program, the student must maintain a grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 for the undergraduate programs and a 3.5 GPA for the graduate programs. Students who cannot meet or exceed the high demands may be able to gain provisional admission. The Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) score is required for some certificate programs, along with official transcripts and three letters of recommendation.
Students must also prepare a statement of their goals in the study, as well as their area of interest for research assignments. Transcripts and a writing sample (for certain programs) are also requested on the application. Within this program at UMD are graduate study classes that take full use of facilities such as the Center for Mathematics Education, the Science Teaching Center and other buildings with state-of-the-art systems. Lastly, remember that fellowships are available to students who show exceptional merit and can go long ways in helping students gain valuable experience in research and education.
If you want to reach your full potential as a teacher, leader, and developer of young minds then you should consider going back to school to learn the foundation and structure of education. This will help you stay organized and communicate effectively within the profession through the proper channels. It can be done, and it will be a career you may look back on fondly during your retirement years.
