Master of Arts in Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Education, District Partnership

Program Details

If you feel passionate about improving educational outcomes for your students from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds, University of Colorado Denver and select area districts have partnered to bring you an endorsement with an optional MA in Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Education (CLDE). This transformational, practice-oriented program for elementary and secondary teachers and instructional leaders will develop your knowledge, leadership skills and classroom practices to support multilingual learners and their families. Your cohort will earn the 24-credit CLDE endorsement in five semesters. Next, you may pursue the optional master’s in CLDE for an additional six credit hours.

This cohort of educators will address relevant, emerging topics in CLDE such as:

• Leveraging the strengths of culturally and linguistically diverse learners to improve educational outcomes
• Planning and differentiating instruction to help all students acquire the language and literacy needed for school success
• Building successful family and community involvement, and
• Designing and interpreting assessment (summative and formative, of both language and content) for bilingual learners.

To complete the program, teachers will participate in three types of credit-bearing experiences, each designed specifically for teachers in our partner districts: graduate courses, professional development experiences for graduate credit and practicum hours.

Plan of Study

Most assignments will apply directly to your school and district context.

Graduate courses:

• CLDE 5010: Foundations of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Learners
• CLDE 5030: Language Development for Multilingual Learners
• CLDE 5820: Teaching Multilingual Learners, Advanced
• CLDE 5070: Linguistic Analysis for English: Implications for Teaching
• CLDE 5050: Assessment and Advocacy for Diverse Learners
• CLDE 5160: History and Law of Bilingual and Immigrant Education

Practicum courses:

• CLDE 5827: Culturally Responsive Teaching of Content
• CLDE 6910: Leadership Practicum

Additional courses needed for the MA:

• CLDE 5035: Theory to Practice
• CLDE 6912: Teacher Inquiry into Multilingual Classrooms

Time and Location

Cohort members take one full-load graduate class per semester during the school year, with additional job-embedded practicum credits. Your endorsement courses will be held on Thursday evenings, with synchronous meetings approximately once per month, either fully online or at a district facility.

CU Denver Faculty Advisor

Chris Carson
Christopher.carson@ucdenver.edu
303.315.4931

Adams 12 Schools Contact

Robyn Werpy
robyn.m.werpy@adams12.org

JeffCo Schools Contact

Jennifer Harrington
jennifer.harrington2@jeffco.k12.co.us

St. Vrain Valley Schools Contact

Patrick Kilcullen
kilcullen_patrick@svvsd.org

Westminster Schools Contact

Jennifer McNally
jmcnally@westminsterpublicschools.org

Tuition and Cost of Attendance

Regular CU Denver tuition is $478 per credit hour plus fees. Classes taught in-district are offered at a reduced tuition rate and lower fees. Other cost-saving benefits of the cohort model include lower-cost conversion of practicum and professional development experiences into graduate credit.

• MA - 30 Credits
• Endorsement - 24 credits
• Certificate - 9 credits

Financial Aid and Incentives

MA students in CLDE may be eligible for thousands in Federal and State grants to cover tuition. In addition, most teachers earn a significant pay increase through graduate study. Please consult with district HR resources for salary lane change benefits for the certificate, endorsement, or master’s degree.