Education and Human Development - BA to MA

Develops the knowledge, leadership skills, and classroom practices that support multilingual learners and their families. Graduates help meet the increasing need for knowledge and skills to design effective practices to serve the number of children who speak and learn in multiple languages.

The MA in Culturally & Linguistically Diverse Education (CLDE) requires 3 core courses (9 credits hours). Three courses (9 credit hours) are applied from the undergraduate professional year.  In consultation with your faculty advisor, select 2 electives from the Thematic Course Categories.  Finally, take CLDE 6912 as your research course (3 credits) and then complete the Capstone course (3 credits) for a total of 30 credits.  This plan is for students who have completed their initial teacher license as an undergraduate student in the SEHD.

This degree plan does not include a license or an endorsement.

Prepares educators to become advocates for multilingual learners in school districts by exploring the opportunities and challenges among Latinx students. Graduates help meet the need for leadership in Colorado and nationwide as the Latinx population grows and the achievement gap for students widens.

Recommendations for endorsements are made by the SEHD, but endorsement is granted by the State of Colorado. Individual state requirements vary and may include teaching experience and examinations in addition to a valid teaching credential. Students should consult with the Colorado Department of Education or another state in which they wish to be endorsed for the most updated endorsement requirements.

This degree plan includes the CLDE endorsement.

Prepares early childhood educators to become specialists in special education to meet the unique educational needs of young children with and without developmental disabilities. This pathway leads to becoming a classroom teacher or a specialist supporting classroom teachers.

Choose 2 courses (6 credit hours) from ECE or other subject areas to reach 30 credit minimum required for the MA (please discuss your course selections with your faculty advisor): 

Classes are listed in recommended order. Prerequisites: Please note that a recent Child Development course as well as an Initial Practicum are prerequisites, determined on an individual basis at admissions.

Please note:  This program plan does NOT include an endorsement.

Choose from of the following courses to reach 30 credit minimum required for the MA
(you may also take courses from other subject areas- please discuss with your faculty advisor):

Prepares early childhood educators to meet the unique educational needs of young children with and without developmental disabilities. This pathway will give you an additional credential for professional success. As a special education specialist, you will be prepared to lead an inclusive classroom yourself in a teaching role, or support teachers from within the specialist role.

Nine (9) credits from the ECE EDHD BA program will be applied to this program.  Classes are listed in the recommended order of completion. Please note: If you individualize your plan of study, courses may not be offered in the semester you hope to take them.

Prerequisites: Please note that a recent Child Development course as well as an Initial Practicum are prerequisites, determined on an individual basis at admissions.

ALL COURSES ARE REQUIRED

*Students must complete ECED 5010, 5070, 5080, 5200, 6100, and 6200 prior to enrolling in any practicum course, or have faculty permission to take their first practicum course concurrent to their final prerequisite course.

The Learning Design and Technology (LDT) MA is a unique, fully online graduate program in which students combine (or “stack”) LDT certificates to create customized paths to the MA based on professional interests and goals. LDT certificates cover a variety of topics including:

• Creating inclusive learning/instructional designs
• Producing media and materials for learning (e.g., websites, videos, podcasts, digital stories, games, presentations)
• Designing and facilitating online modules and courses
• Investigating critical trends and issues related to technology and digital platforms for learning (e.g., AI, open educational resources, accessibility, critical digital pedagogy, design justice)
• Providing leadership for learning design and technology use in a variety of educational settings

Although this degree plan does not include a license or an endorsement, the LDT MA will enhance your learner-centered design and teaching practices, enabling you to create inclusive learning experiences and materials that meet the interests and needs of your students.

If you are interested in this BAMA, please complete the following:

Prepares educators to work with perse K - 12 students to develop reading, writing, and oral language skills. This concentration and endorsement enhance literacy instruction skills and credentials and provide advanced knowledge and training to build on students' languages, abilities, cultures, and real-world experiences.

Please note: The Colorado Department of Education requires completion of an approved MA program for reading specialists, at least 3 years of licensed teaching experience, and a valid Colorado teaching license to apply for the Reading Specialist endorsement.

This plan might interest teachers interested in enhancing their students’ reading, writing, and critical thinking skills as well as their own leadership goals related to Literacy Education.

This MA plan includes an endorsement.

Do you love asking questions about how things work or why things happen, specifically in educational settings? Those of us in this field come from a wide variety of backgrounds, but have the common thread of questioning status quo and striving to explore ‘what works’ in order to improve our educational system. 

Our program is very practitioner-focused so you’ll learn quantitative and qualitative methods along with ways to combine these. We have a strong focus on improvement and evaluation of current practices, programs, and policies. If you are interested in this BAMA you would take these classes:

These are all online that will fit around your teaching schedule.

Email Courtney.Donovan@ucdenver.edu for more information.

Positions teachers to work successfully in leadership roles in urban and diverse schools and understand the important role mathematics play in students' lives. Graduates help meet the high demand for qualified, effective mathematics teachers. Core courses are fully online. Offered in on-campus, hybrid, or fully online formats.

For Math, there are 4 required courses (12 credits hours). In consultation and with approval from your faculty advisor, select 2 courses from the Thematic Course Categories to customize your learning (6 credits).  (Nine (9) credits from your UG are counted toward the Thematic Course credit requirements.) For instance, you may want to customize your Thematic Course Categories selections for elementary or secondary. Finally, take a research course (3 credits) for a total of 30 credits.

*This degree plan does not include a license or an endorsement.

Positions teachers with expertise in STEM learning and highly effective assessment and teaching practices to effectively guide today's learners. Graduates help meet the demand for qualified math-science teachers and become leading educators at the forefront of this field. Offered in on-campus, hybrid, and fully online formats.

For Math and Science, there are 4 required courses (12 credits hours), two courses from the Math core (6 credit hours) and two courses from the Science core (6 credits hours). In consultation and with approval from your faculty advisor, select 5 courses from the Thematic Course Categories to customize your learning (15 credits).  Finally, take a research course (3 credits) for a total of 30 credits. 

*This degree plan does not include a license or an endorsement.

For the MA in Culturally & Linguistically Diverse Education (CLDE) with the Bilingual Education Specialist (BES) endorsement, there are 3 required courses (9 credit hours). Then, there are 2 required courses for the BES endorsement from the Spanish department (1 pedagogy course and 1 Spanish sociolinguistics course, 6 credits). Three courses (9 credit hours) are applied to the MA from your undergraduate program. Finally, take CLDE 6912 as your research course (3 credits) and then complete the Capstone course (3 credits) for a total of 30 credits.

Prepares educators to work with diverse K - 12 students to develop reading, writing, and oral language skills. Graduates gain in-depth knowledge about building on students' languages, abilities, cultures, and real-world experiences to design highly effective and relevant teaching practices.

For Literacy there are 5 required courses (15 credits hours). With advice and approval from your faculty advisor, select 5 courses from the Thematic Course Categories to customize your learning (15 credits). For example, you may want to customize your Thematic Course Categories selections for elementary or secondary teaching.

This plan might interest teachers in virtually any licensure area – Elementary Education, Social Studies, Special Education, STEM, World Foreign Languages – who want to enhance their students’ learning in reading, writing, and critical thinking.

This degree plan does not include a license or an endorsement.

*BAMA students in Secondary English licensure will have taken LCRT 5720 as LCRT 4720 in their BA program and should, therefore, take an additional Thematic Course to reach the 30 credit minimum required for the MA.

Prepares educators to work with diverse adolescents in different settings and help them develop an appreciation for literature and writing. The approach integrates many areas of knowledge that underlie effective teaching of English to serve the needs of today's diverse student population, building on students' languages, abilities, cultures, and real-world experiences.

The MA in Literacy with an English Education concentration requires 4 core courses (12 credit hours). In addition, in consultation with and approval from your Faculty Advisor, select 2 elective courses (6 credit hours) from the Department of English. You also complete a research course (3 credit hours), for a total of 30 credit hours.  The Final MA Portfolio is completed during the last semester in lieu of comprehensive exams or thesis. See faculty advisor for details and guidance.

This plan might interest BAMA students licensed in Social Studies, Elementary Education, Special Education, World Foreign Language, or STEM content areas.

This degree plan does not include a license or an endorsement.

Prepares licensed teachers to identify and champion the strengths and assets of children with differing abilities. Graduates are equipped with the most impactful and effective skills for leading inclusive classrooms and collaborating with professionals in the field and the community.

Students in the MA SPED program will choose a core area from the following:

1. Literacy/Specific Learning Disability: Leadership in support of the systematic literacy development of K-12 learners
2. Multi-Tiered Systems of Supports/ Leadership in support of the systematic social and emotional development of K-12 learners
3. Inclusion; or
4. Secondary Special Education.

In consultation and with approval from your faculty advisor, select 2 courses from the Thematic Course Categories to customize your learning (6 credits). Finally, take a research course (3 credits) and then complete SPED 5401 Advanced Seminar which fulfills the capstone requirement (3 credits) for a total of 30 credits.

This degree plan does not include a license or an endorsement.

Prepares motivated educators to identify and champion the strengths and assets of individuals ages 5 - 21 with differing abilities, including those with identified disabilities. Graduates are equipped with the most impactful and effective skills for leading inclusive classrooms and collaborating with professionals in the field and the community.

The MA in Special Education Generalist with endorsement is designed for currently licensed teachers seeking career advancement and the expertise needed to work effectively with students with special needs and from diverse backgrounds. The program is fully accredited by the Colorado Department of Education and adheres to the professional standards put forth by the Council for Exceptional Children. Recommendations for endorsements are made by the Special Education Program, but endorsement is granted by the State of Colorado. Individual State requirements vary and may include teaching experience and examinations in addition to a valid teaching credential. Students should consult with the Colorado Department of Education or the state in which they wish to be endorsed for the most updated endorsement requirements. 

This plan includes an MA and Endorsement.

** Based on a comprehensive record review (i.e. teaching experience & classroom placements), SPED 5933: Internship & Site Seminar (Approximately 192 Hours or 24 days) may be required at the discretion of SPED program faculty.

Praxis Exam - 5354 Special Education Core Knowledge & Application must be passed prior to final internship. Please submit test scores to University of Colorado Denver.

Study Guide for this Exam is available through Student Success Center

Prepares licensed practicing teachers to think critically about the nature of science education from a research-oriented perspective. Graduates are positioned to be leaders in their communities and in diverse schools.

For Science, there are 4 required courses (12 credits hours). In consultation and with approval from your faculty advisor, select 2 courses from the Thematic Course Categories to customize your learning (6 credits).  (Nine (9) credits from your UG are counted toward the Thematic Course credit requirements.) For instance, you may want to customize your Thematic Course Categories selections for elementary or secondary. Finally, take a research course (3 credits) for a total of 30 credits.

*This degree plan does not include a license or an endorsement.