MEd for Experienced Educators

Build upon your educational experience.

As a working teacher, you need a program that works for you. Our transformative Experienced Educators M.Ed and Certificate programs will help you meet your professional and personal goals by building on your expertise and supporting new growth. We understand that you have a lot on your plate, so our programs are designed to intersect with your existing work, be it in the classroom, a community-based setting, or in higher education.  Small, highly personalized, on-line classes are individually crafted by our own faculty, who are themselves  deeply engaged in their fields of study.  You’ll 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 ten inspiring concentrations and a delivery model that suits your busy life, AUNE’s M.Eds 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 Practica) during the school year 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: Educational Technology Integrator, Integrated Steam Education, Library Media Specialist, Mindfulness for Educators, Place-Based Education, Problem-Based Learning Using Critical Skills, Self-designed

Low-residency (primarily online with 1-2 weeks on campus during the summer): Educating for Sustainability, Nature-Based Early Childhood Education

Online courses during the school year give you the flexibility your schedule demands. Face-to-face classes for one or two weeks in the summer give you the reflection time and professional community you crave. Put your studies to work in your classroom. Three practicums bring AUNE faculty into your classroom for personal advising.

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.

On-line 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 instead of doing your program fully on-line, you can expect  one or two weeks of a retreat-like experience in beautiful Keene, NH.  Small classes offer lots of hands-on activities, community-based learning opportunities, and a socially engaging week of meeting with your on-line 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. 

Dates for residencies 

The 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. 

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: 

• • DIGITAL LEARNING SPECIALIST (path to New Hampshire Licensure)
  • LIBRARY MEDIA SPECIALIST (path to New Hampshire Licensure) 
  • EDUCATING FOR SUSTAINABILITY
  • INTEGRATED STEAM EDUCATION
  • MINDFULNESS FOR EDUCATORS
  • NATURE-BASED EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION (some weekend classes may be required)
  • PLACE-BASED EDUCATION
  • PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING USING CRITICAL SKILLS
  • HUMANE EDUCATION
  • INTEGRATED STEAM EDUCATION

• • SELF-DESIGNED

• • • With a Certificate in Reggio Emilia Approach

• • • With a Certificate in Dyslexia Studies

• • • With a Certificate in 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 Masters Degree program? Consider beginning with a certificate in any of our concentration areas.

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

• School librarian
• Educational Technology Integrator
• Department Chair
• Classroom teacher
• Experienced Educator 
• Consultant
• Professional Development Provider