Education: International Advocacy & Leadership Concentration, M.A.

Required Courses

• ED 641 - Cultural Sensitivity & Global Citizenry (3)
• ED 642 - Gender Considerations in Global Education & Advocacy (3)
• ED 643 - Law & Politics for Human Rights & Social Justice Education (3)
• ED 644 - Informal & Non-formal Education (3)
• ED 645 - Education in Conflict & Post-Conflict Settings (3)
• ED 646 - Technology as a Tool for Global Outreach (3)
• ED 647 - Grant Writing & Management for Education & Community Development (3)
• ED 648 - International Advocacy & Leadership Field Experience (3)
• ED 649 - Master’s Project Seminar in International Advocacy & Leadership (3)
• ED 650 - Language & Culture (3)
• ED 680 - Special Topics (1-3) (3 hours total) or
• An approved 3 hour elective.

Education Academic Policy for Master’s Programs

Students must complete a minimum of 33 hours of coursework in one of the concentrations to receive a Master of Arts degree in Education. A maximum of 15 hours of transfer credit is allowed. To maintain enrollment, the student must maintain a 3.0 grade point average in all graduate coursework with no grade below a “C.” Only one grade of “C” is accepted toward the 33-hour program. Only one course may be repeated one time in the entire program. Students who are unable to maintain these academic standards will be dismissed from the program.

Outcomes

The educational outcomes are designed to prepare practicing professionals with the skills necessary to model professional practice, integrate educational theory with practice, assume leadership roles, and demonstrate knowledge of current educational research and practice. Graduate education outcomes assess skills in receptive and expressive communication, thinking strategies and skills, personal and social development, and depth and breadth of knowledge. Master’s degree-seeking students must meet the outcomes as identified for the particular area of concentration. All course requirements are tied to the Avila Learning Outcomes and the School of Education’s Conceptual Framework. Courses in the Teaching English as a Second Language and Teaching and Learning concentrations are also aligned with the Missouri Standards for Practicing Teachers and the InTASC Core Teaching Standards. Courses in the International Advocacy and Leadership concentration are also tied to the NAFSA Knowledge, Skills and Dispositions.

• Gain knowledge of the world outside of their own national borders and of the forces and issues that drive global education, policies, economics and behavior. Possessing this knowledge will help global leaders make informed decisions and understand the impacts of those decisions on peoples, nations, and global systems.
• Develop skills and dispositions to be reflective and ethical practitioners committed to promoting social justice across cultural contexts. Courses in this area will provide learners with the cultural sensitivity and adaptive skills needed to interact with diverse colleagues, students, and community constituents in culturally appropriate manners.
• Develop leadership potential, a sense of “global-mindedness,” and capacity for intellectual humility, integrity, and empathy. They will form leadership and operational approaches to lead more successfully in a global context.
• Acquire critical analysis and application skills to organize, implement, and lead social change initiatives in a global landscape. Students will demonstrate a deep understanding of the nexus between culture, child development, and education and use this knowledge to advocate and serve variety of contexts.
• Gain the skills needed to ethically manage human, technological, and fiscal resources to respond to the needs of children, youth, families, and communities. Courses in this area will provide learners with tools to make ethical decisions and bolster others toward ethical action.
• Exhibit the ability to design, implement, and assess formal and informal educational programs that promote social justice and social inclusion for marginalized and vulnerable people.
• Demonstrate appropriate use of research-based pedagogical strategies and technologies to deliver effective lessons in formal and non-formal education and advocacy settings. Students will demonstrate appropriate uses of assessments for measuring and promoting learning and development.

Assessment

Outcomes for the Master of Arts degree in Education are assessed through written examinations, key assessments, and performance evaluations. Individual course syllabi show in detail the way in which the course addresses and evaluates the graduate outcomes.

Alignment matrices showing the assessment of outcomes in each graduate concentration is located in the School of Education Office. Concentrations require capstone courses in which the outcomes are assessed in clinical settings.

Note

The Master of Arts degree in Education is a 33 credit-hour program with areas of concentration in International Advocacy and Leadership, Literacy, Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL), and Teaching and Learning.