Adult Learning and Development Program
Specialization leading to a Master of Education degree.
Thirty credit hours.
Introduction
Learning is a life-long process. Today’s rapidly changing world requires adults to learn new ways of doing their jobs or to change careers several times throughout their lives. This new reality requires adults to return to educational institutions for classes, to partake in on-the-job training and development courses, and to attend continuing professional education seminars in order to achieve new career goals. The influx of adult learners into adult education venues has resulted in a demand for qualified adult educators to assist adult learners as they cope with the effects of an ever-changing world.
Adult educators are employed to plan, teach, administer, coordinate, and evaluate programs for adult learners. They work in many different types of settings, such as higher education, business and industry, labor unions, GED/ABLE programs, cooperative extension services, community agencies, professional continuing education programs, museums, health education centers, hospitals, libraries, and correctional institutions.
The purpose of this program is to prepare present and future adult educators with the theories, competencies, and knowledge that will help them plan, teach, and administer programs for a diverse population of adult learners in a variety of settings. The M.Ed. program is committed to providing adult educators with a cognizance of the issues and challenges confronting adult educators in diverse learning environments. Theories, philosophies, history, and practices concerning adult learning and development, teaching adult learners, and program planning and administration are emphasized through a variety of courses throughout the program. Students also gain practical experience through participation in internships.
Specialization Tracks
Three specializations tracks with recommended elective courses for each track are available to students to focus their studies. These three tracks are: Organizational Learning, Higher Education, or Community Education. Students may choose elective graduate courses particular to each of these tracks to specialize in a particular area of adult learning and development, or with the help of their advisor to address their own interests, they may choose other elective courses which may help them achieve their career or personal goals.
Students can choose three courses within each track to complete an elective specialization.
Organizational Learning: ALD 545 , ALD 631 , ALD 646 , ALD 647 , ALD 664
Higher Education: ALD 545 , ALD 606 , ALD 653 , ALD 665 , ALD 679 , CNS 524
Community Education: ALD 600 , ALD 603 , ALD 610 , ALD 631 , ALD 664 , ALD 679
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