Applied Learning and Instruction (M.Ed.)

USC Upstate’s M.Ed. program is offered with broad support from district leaders who understand how advanced training will ensure that the region’s youngest students will be better prepared for college.

Programs of study leading to the degree of Master of Education in Applied Learning and Instruction are offered with concentrations in early childhood education, elementary education, literacy, and teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL), and research in practice.

Aimed at equipping teachers to meet the needs of students in their diverse classrooms, the M.Ed. in Applied Learning and Teaching emphasizes the application of theory and evolving practices in clinical settings, positively impacting schools and communities. The four concentrations within the M.Ed. focus enable teachers to focus their studies an area of interest that may also lead to additional professional certifications.

Teachers who select the early childhood or elementary concentration will take courses that may be applied toward the South Carolina add-on certification in early childhood and elementary education respectively.

The concentration in literacy offers courses that may be applied toward the South Carolina literacy teacher add-on certification and the TESOL concentration offers courses that may be applied toward the South Carolina ESOL add-on certification. Coursework in the TESOL concentration may also be applied to the Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) K-12.

The research in practice concentration offers a flexible path for teachers to earn a variety of relevant endorsements toward their South Carolina teaching certificate (e.g. Gifted and Talented, Problem-Based Learning, etc.) and explore and apply the most current research in their field in their own classrooms.