MEd for Experienced Educators

Build upon your educational experience.

As a working teacher, you need a program that works for you. Our transformative M.Ed. for Experienced Educators and Certificate programs will help you meet your professional and personal goals by building on your expertise and supporting new growth. This M.Ed. in Foundations of Education allows you to determine the focus of your studies, with programs designed to intersect with your existing work, be it in the classroom, a community-based setting, or in higher education. Small, highly personalized, online classes are individually crafted by our own faculty, who are themselves deeply engaged in their fields of study. You will get to study with other working educators from around the country and the world, folks who share your passion and are eager to engage with colleagues about some of the most cutting-edge topics in the field, like nature and place-based education, mindfulness, trauma-informed teaching, integrated STEAM education, and problem-based learning.

This degree is offered by AU New England.

Program Overview

With inspiring concentrations and a delivery model that suits your busy life, AUNE’s M.Ed. and Certificates for working teachers celebrate the individual professional learning paths of experienced educators. At AUNE, you can choose a concentration that feeds your passion for teaching and supports the career path you envision. Online courses (including three Practicums) during the school year allow you to put your studies to work in your context and offer the flexibility your schedule demands while optional face-to-face classes for one or two weeks in the summer provide the reflection time and professional community you crave.

Fully online options available: Dyslexia Studies, Integrated Steam Education, Mindfulness for Educators, Place-Based Education, Problem-Based Learning Using Critical Skills, Reggio Emilia Approach, Self-designed, Trauma-Informed Education

Low-residency: Educating for Sustainability, Humane Education, and Nature-Based Early Childhood Education

Online courses during the school year offer the flexibility your schedule demands.

Face-to-face classes for one or two weeks in the summer and weekend classes in Nature-Based Education during the school year give you the reflection time and professional community you crave. Three practicums provide you with personal advising from AUNE faculty.

Curriculum

Our small courses combine the flexibility of online learning with the community and collegiality you crave. You’ll create new expertise via experiential learning, application of new ideas, and creation of new tools and strategies. Classes focus on both theoretical and practical exploration, impacting your teaching in both the short and long term. Most importantly, we realize that our students are working professionals with busy lives, so we work with you to make the best use of your time and meet your individual learning goals.

Online classes

Our fully-online classes offer an opportunity to collaborate with faculty and educators from around the U.S. and the world in small classes focused on translating theory into practice in your individual context. Typical courses include reading, viewing, reflective writing, and real-time applications of new ideas in your current setting.  

Optional Summer Residencies 

If you choose to come to a summer residency or weekend classes instead of doing your program fully online, you can expect a retreat-like experience in beautiful Keene, NH. Our small summer and weekend courses offer lots of hands-on activities, community-based learning opportunities, and a socially engaging week of meeting with your online classmates and AUNE faculty. In most concentrations, you have a choice of whether to attend face-to-face classes for either one or two weeks in the summer and you don’t have to decide in advance. You can consult with your adviser and see what fits your schedule and learning style best.  The

Dates for residencies 

Experienced Educators Summer Residency Courses are held the first two full weeks of July following the week of the Fourth of July holiday- typically the first and second or second and third weeks of the month. You can choose to attend for the first or second week, or come for both weeks depending on your program. Additional courses may be offered later in July or in late June and weekend courses happen throughout the year. Your advisor will be able to tell you when different classes are typically offered.

Practicum Courses 

All Experienced Educators M.Ed concentrations require three semesters of practicum.  This is your chance to take charge of your own learning goals, try new things in your classroom or teaching context, and work 1-1 with your faculty adviser.  Each practicum term, you will develop a mini-cycle of inquiry, do some reading and reflecting, keep a journal of how things unfold during your teaching, and write up a summary of your results.  Practicum themes are: 

• Child Study
• Curriculum
• Equity and Change

For course descriptions, please see the current course catalog.

Concentrations

Fully online or low residency options available: 

• • DYSLEXIA STUDIES
  • EDUCATING FOR SUSTAINABILITY
  • INTEGRATED STEAM EDUCATION
  • HUMANE EDUCATION
  • MINDFULNESS FOR EDUCATORS
  • NATURE-BASED EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION (some weekend classes may be required)
  • PLACE-BASED EDUCATION
  • PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING USING CRITICAL SKILLS
  • REGGIO EMILIA APPROACH
  • SELF-DESIGNED
  • TRAUMA INFORMED EDUCATION

Low-residency (primarily online with 1-2 weeks and/or weekends on campus during the summer):

• Nature-Based Early Childhood Education

Not ready to commit to a full Master’s Degree program? Consider beginning with a certificate in any of our concentration areas. Including: 

• • • Reggio Emilia Approach

• • • Dyslexia Studies

• • • Trauma-Informed Education

Program Outcomes

This program provides an opportunity for public school teachers to advance on the salary schedule in accordance with district and school policies. Additionally, the acquisition of new skills and knowledge will improve classroom practice creating opportunities for new job roles within the school and district environment.

Possible Job Titles

• Adjunct Faculty
• Adult Learning Facilitator
• Department Chair
• Classroom Teacher
• Consultant
• Teacher Leader
• Instructional Coach
• Professional Development Provider