Education

School

College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences

School Interim Dean

Betsy Smith, Ph.D.

Department

Education

Program Director

Angeli Willson, Ph.D.

The Master of Arts in Curriculum and Instruction with Dual-Credit Certification prepares high school educators to meet Texas requirements for teaching dual-credit courses by earning a master’s degree and 18 graduate hours in a discipline-specific area. Rooted in the Catholic and Marianist mission of St. Mary’s University, the program promotes educational excellence, service, and the common good by expanding access to rigorous, college-level learning—particularly for underserved populations. By equipping teachers to deliver high-quality dual-credit instruction, the program strengthens college readiness, reduces financial barriers for students, and fosters collaborative, inclusive educational communities that support seamless pathways from high school to higher education.

Admission is granted only to those who show a high promise of success in graduate study. Students must meet the following minimum criteria to be considered for admission:

  1.  Have a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university.

  2. Have a valid teaching certification.

M.A. in Curriculum and Instruction

Click on the course number to view course title and description. 

Curriculum and Instruction (30 credit hours)
Core Curriculum Courses (12 hours)
ED 5350Foundations of Curriculum and Instruction3
ED 6350Effective Teaching and Learning Methods3
ED 6360Differentiated Instruction for Diverse Learners3
ED 6370Contemporary Issues in Curriculum and Instruction3
Discipline-Specific Content Area (18 hours)18
Dual Credit Teaching in English
Dual Credit Teaching in Government
Dual Credit Teaching in Mathematics
Dual Credit Teaching in Psychology
Dual Credit Teaching in U.S. History
Total Semester Hours30

To view discipline-specific content area requirements, please click on the desired subject below: 

ED 6000X. Continuous Graduate Enrollment. 0 Semester Hours.

ED 6350. Effective Teaching and Learning Methods. 3 Semester Hours.

This course provides comprehensive coverage of the central concepts of effective teaching methods—knowing, connecting, and supporting your diverse students; instructional planning; teacher-centered and student-centered instructional strategies; differentiating instruction; engagement and motivation; managing lesson delivery; classroom management and discipline; assessment and reporting; and collaborating with colleagues and families.

ED 6360. Differentiated Instruction for Diverse Learners. 3 Semester Hours.

This course explores the characteristics of diversity in today’s global environment. Students will apply current theories on differentiated instruction to create lessons that demonstrate how curriculum and instruction can be differentiated to address the cognitive, socio-emotional, and socio-cultural needs of the culturally diverse learner.

ED 6370. Contemporary Issues in Curriculum and Instruction. 3 Semester Hours.

This course takes an in-depth look into the various topics and current issues that teachers face today in EC-12 schools. Issues such as the lack of quality teachers, the need to do differentiated instruction to address the needs of diverse learners (especially students with disabilities and English Language learners), and the effective use of technology (especially, AI) in the classroom will be some of the topics addressed in the course.

ED 7100. Directed Studies in Education. 1 Semester Hour.

ED 7200. Directed Studies in Education. 2 Semester Hours.

ED 7300. Directed Studies in Education. 3 Semester Hours.