Master of Education in Elementary Education

at Shorelight Group - Towson University USA

The Master of Science program provides students with a broad knowledge in applied mathematics with an emphasis on areas with the highest demand in business and industry. Among the areas stressed in the program are mathematical modeling, numerical computations, operations research, financial mathematics and statistical analysis. Numerical, computational and algorithmic approaches to problem solving are stressed throughout the program. Graduates of the program will be qualified to work in such fields as operations research, stochastic modeling, financial data analysis and statistics, among many others. Graduates of the program will also be prepared for further work at the doctoral level.

The main objectives of the program are:

1. To prepare individuals to apply advanced mathematical skills to problems in areas of science, business and industry;
2. To develop the students’ abilities to integrate, in a meaningful way, the use of technology in their everyday professional practice;
3. To give educators an opportunity to satisfy their in-service requirements and simultaneously enhance their knowledge of technology and enrich their mathematical backgrounds;
4. To supply students with the mathematical competency necessary for advancement to a more professional role;
5. To educate students to solve problems, to work in teams and to communicate in an interdisciplinary setting;
6. To familiarize students with the recent advances in applied mathematics;
7. To prepare students for further graduate work at the doctoral level in applied mathematics; and
8. To enrich the academic culture by providing opportunities for interaction of mathematical and industrial research.

• In the production of art and/or design work, students will demonstrate a working knowledge of the elements of art and the principles of design.
• In the production of art and/or design work, students will demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the materials and processes of their chosen discipline.
• In creating and/or evaluating art and design work, students will recognize and demonstrate understanding of perspectives of people from cultures and situations other than their own.
• Students will articulate, through writing, verbally and through the production of a body of work, their personal aesthetic and/or professional direction.

Students interested in teaching Middle School students (Grades 4-9) should contact the Department of Secondary & Middle School Education. Middle School Education majors must select two content areas from the following: English, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies/History, which leads to Maryland State Teacher Certification in Middle School in both of the content areas selected. The Pass (PS) grading option may not be used for any of the courses listed below. 

The program provides advanced study in the theory of writing, writing techniques and style, principles/techniques of editing, and the functions of written communication within the professional/occupational setting. Courses aim to develop the communication skills of people seeking to enter or to advance in occupations requiring extensive writing and/or the analysis and reporting of data. Students choose from tracks in writing for the public and private sectors, technical writing and information design, teaching writing, journalistic writing, scientific writing and creative writing.

Students may elect to become certified in both Elementary and Special Education by selecting the major. This program, specially designed to integrate both elementary and special education, prepares students as elementary classroom teachers and as elementary/middle special education teachers.

The Elementary Education & Special Education major is provided at Towson University, Towson University in Northeastern Maryland (TUNE) and The Universities at Shady Grove. The program is a screened major. The total program equals 127 units.

Majors must complete 54 units. The program is divided into four parts, and writing skills are emphasized throughout.

• First, students must complete two introductory courses, one each in political science and economics, which acquaint students with the nature of law and its role in American society.
• Second, students will take four required courses: one at the lower-division, two at the upper-division level and an advanced writing course. These courses further situate students in American culture, politics, judicial policymaking and logical thinking.
• Third, students will have several options in choosing electives, which will be offered by several departments: Accounting, Mass Communication and Communication Studies, English, History, Philosophy and Religious Studies, and Political Science.
• Fourth and finally, students will undertake a 6-unit capstone experience of their choice and, if possible, design. Advanced students may wish to undertake a project in the workplace and then write an evaluative essay on that experience as it fits into the overall program. Other students will participate in a senior seminar, in which they will write a research paper on some aspect of the law or develop a thesis supervised by the program director.

The Psychology major requires 3-4 units in prerequisite coursework and 44 units in psychology (47-48 units total) with a grade equivalent of 2.00 in all courses. No “Pass” grades are accepted for the 44 units in psychology. All students must satisfy the relevant prerequisites for individual psychology courses taken.

• Use a working critical vocabulary to do textual and ethnographic analyses of cultural phenomena, showing an understanding of both verbal and visual texts, students own everyday experience, and the inter-relatedness of social, political, historical, and economic components of their worlds.
• Through writing, convey an understanding of a variety of critical strategies (e.g. semiotics, content analysis, structuralism) applicable to cultural studies cross-disciplinary core.
• Acquire the habits and attitudes of an inquiring mind, for looking into questions of culture in ways that resonate with students’ lives and finally even beyond these lives, into an awareness of ethical, cognitive, and emotional issues that may at first seem foreign to their own systems of cultural values.
• Evaluate critically the sources and content of information. This goal is listed among the Middle States Commission on Higher Education Expectations Regarding Information Literacy and Technological Competency.
• Understanding and applying relevant discipline-specific methodologies and strategies of inquiry.
• Engaging intellectually and seeking to understand the experiences and views of people with different cultural backgrounds and beliefs, whether in their own country or abroad.

The study of animal behavior has received an increasing amount of attention from the public because of the emphasis placed by zoological parks on behavioral biology and the large number of presentations in the media regarding animal behavior and sociobiology.

The Animal Behavior Concentration is designed to offer a solid foundation in the diverse approaches used to study behavioral biology. The program uses a carefully selected combination of courses in biology and psychology to achieve this goal. In addition, students are required to complete either an independent research project or an internship in order to apply their knowledge in an intensive research experience.

Students who complete the program may be qualified for positions at zoological parks, aquariums and nature centers. In addition, they will have the necessary technical knowledge to pursue a career in freelance writing about animal behavior. However, students who are considering attending graduate school will need to complete additional courses in either biology or psychology. Most of the students currently enrolled in the program are also majoring in either Biology or Psychology.

Students who are considering the Animal Behavior Concentration must meet with one of the program coordinators before declaring Interdisciplinary Studies as a major. Students who are also majoring or minoring in Psychology or Biology should contact the respective co-coordinator: Mark Bulmer (Biological Sciences), Paul Pistell (Psychology).

The Master of Science in Marketing Intelligence and the embedded Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Interactive Marketing are designed to fill a growing need for graduates with the skills necessary to acquire, analyze and utilize marketing intelligence information in the digital age. The program is designed with an applied, experiential learning focus based on industry needs.

With digital marketing options evolving rapidly, companies need individuals who can create, implement and evaluate data-driven marketing strategies.