The Master of Education (MEd) degree at King College is primarily designed for successful, experienced teachers who want to grow professionally and become better classroom teachers. The program will renew and strengthen teachers' commitment, improve knowledge and skills, and prepare teachers to be instructional leaders.

The MEd program is also open to individuals who have completed a bachelor's degree but who have not completed a teacher preparation program and wish to earn a teaching license. The MEd program with initial licensure provides professionals with the specialized knowledge, skills, and dispositions needed to meet the educational needs of students attending today's schools.

The program standards are aligned with the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education, and Tennessee Teacher Licensure Standards: Professional Education.

The program focuses on curriculum and instruction. The MEd requires 36 credits, and those students seeking licensure must also complete student teaching. The program of study includes 30 hours of core courses with six hours of courses required in either elementary or secondary education. Six of the 36 hours will be completed through an action research project.

Program Goals

• Provide students with an opportunity to enhance ongoing personal and professional growth through reflection guided by Christian principles.
• Prepare educators capable of critically reflective instructional leadership.
• Create a learning environment that promotes optimum delivery of education services.
• Challenge students to use research tools that enable them to investigate questions about teaching, learning, and school reform and use that knowledge to improve instructional practices.
• Engage students in leadership endeavors related to the expansion of equitable educational opportunities, school reform initiatives, and professional development.
• Encourage students to commit to the growth of education as a profession and to embrace responsibilities incumbent upon the professional person in society.
• Satisfactorily complete all required coursework while maintaining a minimum GPA of 3.0.
• Present an exit presentation of the student's action research project.
• Pay all fees and tuition charges.

Student Outcomes

• Synthesize theory, research, and values within a conceptual framework.
• Expand critical thinking skills and diagnostic skills to make informed decisions.
• Interpret professional literature and apply best practices in multiple and complex situations in the classroom.
• Connect knowledge and understandings developed in coursework to actual classroom settings.
• Practice advanced teaching reflectively, guided by theory and expanded knowledge.
• Apply learning theory to design, implementation, and evaluation of learning processes.
• Differentiate instruction to meet the learning styles and needs of all students.
• Develop, conduct, and interpret research projects, which directly affects student learning.
• Make decisions based on ethical, professional, and Christian standards.
• Understand the implications of local, state, and national policies on education.
• Use outcome criteria to improve the quality of teaching.