Education, Dual Language and English Learner Education Concentration, M.A.

(Major Code: 08994) (SIMS Code: 331956)

How to Apply

See Critical Literacy and Social Justice Specialization (M.A.) Program Application for requirements.

Submit the following in the supplementary program application.

Two letters of recommendation;
Letter of intent that includes your background or experiences working with diverse populations and your goals as a graduate student and education professional.

For more information contact:
Department of Dual Language and English Learner Education
http://go.sdsu.edu/education/dle/
619-594-5155

Admission to the Degree Curriculum

Applicants must satisfy the general requirements for admission to the university with classified graduate standing, as described in Admission and Registration . In addition, applicants must have completed a minimum of 12 units in professional education courses and must either be admitted to the program of teacher education or hold a valid California credential, other than an emergency or provisional credential, before being recommended for classified graduate standing. (This is not applicable to students in the Departments of Administration, Rehabilitation and Postsecondary Education, Counseling and School Psychology, Learning Design and Technology, Special Education, and School of Teacher Education.)

A student desiring a concentration in educational leadership must, in addition to the above, meet specific requirements for admission to the appropriate advanced credential program. A student desiring a master’s degree concentration in counseling, dual language and English learner education, or in special education must also meet specific admission requirements. (For further information, refer to the College of Education, Office of Graduate Programs, or to the coordinators of the respective programs. Students in counseling and school psychology should go to the Department of Counseling and School Psychology website http://go.sdsu.edu/education/csp/Default.aspx.

Advancement to Candidacy

A student desiring a Master of Arts degree in education with a concentration in counseling, educational leadership, elementary curriculum, instruction, reading education, or secondary curriculum and instruction may be advanced to candidacy upon completion of the basic requirements as described in Requirements for Master’s Degrees .

Specific Requirements

In addition to meeting the requirements for admission to the university with classified graduate standing and the credential requirements as applicable, the student must satisfy the basic requirements for the master’s degree described in Requirements for Master’s Degrees . In addition, the student must meet the requirements specified for one of the concentrations in education (described below). Courses common to all concentrations are

ED 690 - Methods of Inquiry Units: 3
or
Teacher Education 634

Plan A

Which requires

ED 799A - Thesis Units: 3
or

Plan B

In which three options are available

All candidates for the Master of Arts degree in education who elect Plan B must pass a comprehensive examination and complete ED 791A and ED 791B or ED 795A and ED 795B .

ED 791A - Evaluation Techniques Units: 3 and
ED 791B - Practicum: Evaluation Units: 1-3 (1)
or
ED 791A - Evaluation Techniques
Units: 3 and
ED 791B - Practicum: Evaluation
Units: 3
or
ED 795A - Seminar Units: 3 and
ED 795B - Seminar Units: 3

The Comprehensive Examination

This written examination, designed to evaluate the achievement in the specific area of the student’s concentration, is required of all candidates for the master’s degree in education. A student is eligible to take the comprehensive examination only after advancement to candidacy.

The examination is offered near the midpoint of the final semester. In some cases, a reservation must be made at least one week in advance of the examination.

Selection of Plan A or Plan B

In general, applicants will be programmed for Plan B, the seminar plan. After the student is approximately half way through the program, has secured an adviser and established a thesis plan, permission to transfer to Plan A may be requested. Plan A is designed for students who have a particular research problem they wish to investigate in some detail. Requests for transfer to Plan A must be prepared as an official change in program for the master’s degree, countersigned by the faculty adviser, and submitted to the Office of Graduate Programs in the College of Education.

Both Plan B options provide students the opportunity (1) to have two experiences which emphasize research or evaluation and writing, (2) to participate actively in the projects of the other members of the seminar, and (3) to subject their own work to critical evaluation by the other seminar members. Both plans require the ability to formulate and define research or evaluation problems, to assemble data pertinent to the problem, to draw conclusions, and to present the study in acceptable written form. It is expected that the two seminars will be at least as demanding as the thesis with respect to the difficulty and quantity of work required. Selection of one of the Plan B options must be made with the approval of the departmental faculty adviser.

Course Requirements

NOTE: Students are requested to consult with the appropriate master’s degree adviser prior to taking any coursework leading to the master’s degree. Students are urged to take ED 690 (3 units) as early as possible in their first graduate year.

Concentrations

Dual Language and English Learner Education

The Master of Arts degree in education with a concentration in dual language and English learner education is designed to provide special knowledge and training for two diverse audiences with different career goals. Option 1, critical literacy and social justice, is geared for the classroom teacher or resource specialist who will be working directly with language minority students. Option 2 , the outside specialization, has been developed to allow participants to cross-specialize in additional areas. The nine to 12 unit outside specialization may be in other College of Education departments or in other cooperating departments across campus. Students with an outside specialization need approval for outside courses from both the Dual Language and English Learner Education department and the cooperating department.

Students in each specialization will take the same 18 units of research and core classes but their other 12 units may vary as described below. All students must follow the guidelines and procedures established for the Master of Arts degree in education (i.e. take a comprehensive examination based on core coursework after advancing to candidacy).

Research (Required for Both Options)

Nine units total.

ED 690 - Methods of Inquiry Units: 3 and
ED 795A - Seminar Units: 3 and
ED 795B - Seminar Units: 3
or
ED 799A - Thesis Units: 3 and
ED 797 - Research Units: 1-3 (3)

Option 1: Critical Literacy and Social Justice Specialization

Core

Specialization

Select 12 units from the following with consent of adviser.

DLE 553 - Language Assessment and Evaluation in Multicultural Settings Units: 3
DLE 596 - Special Topics in Bilingual and Multicultural Education Units: 1-3
DLE 603 - Community and Schools in a Diverse Society Units: 3
DLE 604 - Learning and Teaching Language in a Dual Language Setting Units: 3 *
DLE 651 - Curriculum, Teaching, and Assessment: Designated and Integrated ELD Units: 1-3
DLE 652 - Literacy and Language: Critically Examining Curriculum for Teaching and Learning Units: 3
DLE 653 - Language Development in K-12 Multilingual Classrooms Units: 3
DLE 686 - Seminar in Multicultural Education Units: 1-6
DLE 798 - Special Study Units: 1-6

Note

* Bilingual authorization credential or score of 3 on SDSU Spanish examination is a prerequisite for course.

Option 2: Outside Specialization

Core

Specialization

Twelve units with nine to 12 of the units taken outside the Department of Dual Language and English Learner Education with consent of graduate adviser, and a cooperating department or program.