UC Davis School of Education

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Master of Arts in Education: Three Tracks

The MA Program in Education offers (1) a general track that serves a broad range of student research interests and career plans, and (2) a Practicing Teachers track that offers research training and experience focused on classroom-based inquiry and instructional intervention and (3) an MA/Credential track that integrates the MA with the Teaching Credential and focuses particularly on classroom-based research. 

Our graduates' thesis titles represent the types of research pursued by MA students. MA Thesis titles are available in the database of Dissertations & Theses.

MA General Track

Students in the M.A. General Track complete 30 units of coursework, including:

  • EDU 200, Educational Research, 4 units
  • EDU 201, Qualitative Research in Education, 4 units
  • EDU 203, Educational Testing and Evaluation, 4 units
  • EDU 207, Concepts of the Curriculum, 4 units
  • At least 12 graduate-level units in one of the following areas of emphasis:  Instructional Studies, Psychological Studies, or Sociocultural Studies. Emphasis area courses are approved by the student’s faculty adviser.

Coursework prepares the student to complete a thesis in his/her area of interest.  Coursework, the thesis, and other requirements are described in the MA Program Degree Requirements (pdf file). The Advising Form (pdf file) is provided to facilitate planning and to record completion of program requirements.

MA for Practicing Teachers Track

Students in the M.A. for Practicing Teachers track complete 30 units of coursework, including:

  • EDU 206A, Inquiry Into Classroom Practice: Traditions and Approaches, 2 units
  • EDU 260B, Inquiry Into Classroom Practice: Intervention and Data Collection, 4 units
  • EDU 206C, Inquiry Into Classroom Practice: Data Analysis, Interpretation and Reporting, 4 units
  • EDU 292, Special Topics in Education: Teacher Research, 4 units
  • At least 8 graduate-level units in one of the following areas of emphasis: Instructional Studies, Psychological Studies, or Sociocultural Studies. Emphasis area courses are approved by the student's faculty adviser.

Coursework prepares the student to complete school-based research and a thesis focused on student learning and instructional intervention in the classroom. Coursework, the thesis, and other requirements are described in the MA Program Degree Requirements (pdf). The Advising Form (pdf file) is provided to facilitate planning and to record completion of program requirements.

MA/Credential Track

Students in the MA/Credential track complete 30 units of coursework, including:

  • EDU 206 A, Inquiry Into Classroom Practice: Traditions and Approaches, 2 units
  • EDU 206 B, Inquiry Into Classroom Practice: Intervention and Data Collection, 4 units
  • EDU 206 C, Inquiry Into Classroom Practice: Data Analysis, Interpretation and Reporting, 4 units
  • EDU 292, Special Topics in Education:  Teacher Research, 4 units
  • EDU 275, Effective Teaching, 4 units
  • Additional courses related to instruction, learning, and educational issues, approved by the program’s graduate adviser.

Coursework prepares the student to complete a school-based research project focused on student learning and instructional intervention in the classroom.  Coursework, the thesis, and other requirements are described in the MA Program Degree Requirements (pdf). Further information about the MA/Credential Teacher Research and our graduates' thesis abstracts illustrate the research preparation and thesis work completed by these students.

As of spring 2006, we have graduated our third cohort of students completing the MA/Credential track of the MA Program. Graduates of this classroom inquiry based track have reported feeling especially well prepared (1) to view classroom teaching and learning challenges through the lens of inquiry; (2) to engage in follow-up research on issues related to those they examined for their MA projects; and (3) to become, in their schools and districts, new leaders who share their research findings with colleagues in informal gatherings and in professional meetings and workshops.