About This Program

The Master of Education in  Mind, Brain, and Education integrates research in cognitive and educational psychology as well as neuroscience to identify effective teaching methods as well as gain a deeper understanding of learning. The degree is a 30-hour, non-thesis, non-certification program, focused on integrating cognitive science, neuroscience, and education to challenge and inform pedagogy. The program focuses on the potential and limits of cognitive neuroscience in education and the central role educators can play in shaping research agendas in MBE. Graduates serve their community and the field by completing projects during coursework. Applications are reviewed three times per year.

Competencies

1. Upon completion, students will be able to identify how to improve teaching and learning in formal and informal settings.
2. Upon completion, students will be able to research from cognitive science, neuroscience, and educational psychology to improve teaching methods.
3. Upon completion, students will be able to design effective learning environments that incorporate instructional and technological innovations.
4. Upon completion, students will be able to recognize how educators can play a key role in shaping research agendas in mind, brain and education applications.

 
 

Admissions Criteria

Admission to the Master of Education in  Mind, Brain, and Education is competitive. Some qualified students may not be admitted if demand exceeds the program’s capacity to serve all applicants. All students must meet university, college, department, and Texas Administrative Code qualifications in order to participate in educator preparation programs. Out-of-state students will not qualify for Texas educator certification. Therefore, students should review their state's requirements to determine if completion of a program at UTA will lead to certification in their state.

Unconditional Admission

Requires:

1. Proof of two or more years of relevant experience.
2. Undergraduate transcripts with at least a 3.0 GPA during the last 60 hours or at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA. The higher of these GPAs will be used for admission purposes. A 3.0 GPA on the last 9 hours of graduate coursework may be considered in place of the undergraduate GPA. 
3. Two professional letters of reference. Letters from supervisors are strongly encouraged. Applicants for the M.Ed. in Special Education submit a personal statement of interest. Applicants for M.Ed. in Special Education who are not certification seeking submit only a personal statement of interest rather than letters of reference. 

Program areas have additional requirements including documents for TEA reporting, including: 1) a written response to the given prompt (fulfills “other screening instrument” as required by The Texas Education Agency), and 2) completion of Attestation and FERPA forms. In addition, some programs require access to an approved Pre K-12 setting. The overall grade point average (GPA) of each incoming class admitted between September 1 and August 31 of each year by an educator preparation program (EPP) may not be less than 3.0 on a four-point scale or the equivalent. Certification programs have additional TAC requirements for GPA (used by the program in addition to, not in lieu of, the requirements stated above).

Probationary Admission

1. Applicants who have less than 2 years of relevant experience and have a GPA of at least 3.0 and two letters of reference, may be granted probationary admission. The faculty admissions committee may require additional documents (e.g., GRE scores) for consideration. MEd in Special Education program applicants may also be admitted on a probationary status with less than 2 years of relevant work experience, and a personal statement of interest.
2. Students granted probationary admission must maintain a 3.0 (B or better) GPA in the first 9 credit hours of graduate coursework in the College of Education program to be converted from probationary to unconditional admission.

Program areas have additional requirements including documents for TEA reporting, including: 1) a written response to the given prompt (fulfills “other screening instrument” as required by The Texas Education Agency), and 2) completion of Attestation and FERPA forms. In addition, some programs require access to an approved Pre K-12 setting. The overall grade point average (GPA) of each incoming class admitted between September 1 and August 31 of each year by an educator preparation program (EPP) may not be less than 3.0 on a four-point scale or the equivalent. Certification programs have additional TAC requirements for GPA (used by the program in addition to, not in lieu of, the requirements stated above).

Deferred Admission

An applicant’s admission may be deferred when a file is not complete or when denying admission is not appropriate. 

Denied Admission

An applicant may be denied admission if the conditions for unconditional or probationary admission are not met. In addition, if a student was suspended or expelled from the University of Texas at Arlington or any other university or program for reasons other than academic, that student may be denied admission or readmission to an educator preparation program in the UTA College of Education.

Criminal History Acknowledgement

As required by Texas HB1508, applicants need to be aware of the following.

1. In order to receive educator certification in Texas, you must pass a criminal history background check.If you have been convicted of an offense that is considered not appropriate for an educator, you could be ineligible to earn this certification from the state of Texas.
2. You have a right to request a preliminary criminal history evaluation letter from the Texas Education Agency prior to admission into this program. The Texas Education Agency currently charges a non-refundable $50 fee for this criminal history evaluation.

Curriculum

MEd Foundations
EDUC 5360	INTRODUCTION TO MIND, BRAIN, AND EDUCATION	3
EDUC 5361	INTRODUCTION TO EDUCATIONAL NEUROSCIENCE	3
EDUC 5362	THE NEUROSCIENCE OF TYPICAL & ATYPICAL LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT	3
EDUC 5363	THE NEUROSCIENCE OF TYPICAL & ATYPICAL DEVELOPMENT OF MATHEMATICAL AND REASONING ABILITY	3
EDUC 5366	EVALUATING AND DEBUNKING EDUCATIONAL INTERVENTIONS	3
EDUC 5367	RESEARCH METHODS IN MIND, BRAIN, AND EDUCATION	3
EDUC 5368	CONDUCTING RESEARCH IN MIND, BRAIN, AND EDUCATION	3
Specialization
Select 3 courses in consultation with program director.		9
Total Hours		30

Program Completion

Time to Degree

The degree must be completed within six years (time in military service excluded) from initial registration in the Office of Graduate Studies. Coursework that is more than six years old at the time of program completion cannot be used toward meeting degree the requirements. Coursework that is more than five years old cannot be used toward state certification requirements for licensure (further restrictions may apply, depending on program).

Professional Dispositions

Each student/candidate in the College of Education will be evaluated on professional dispositions by the faculty and staff. These dispositions are identified as essential for a highly-qualified professional. Instructors and program directors will work with students/candidates rated as “unacceptable” in one or more stated criteria. The student/candidate will have an opportunity to develop a plan to remediate any digressions. If digression(s) are not, or cannot be successfully remediated as in the case of an egregious digression, a determination will be made by committee on continuation or dismissal from the College of Education.

Educator Preparation Program Guidelines

For certification-eligible candidates, per 19 TAC 228.40, (d) an Educator Preparation Program (EPP) shall determine the readiness of each candidate to take the appropriate certification examination of content, pedagogy, and professional responsibilities, including professional ethics and standards of conduct. An EPP shall not grant test approval for a certification examination until a candidate has met all of the requirements for admission to the EPP and has been contingently or formally admitted into the EPP. An EPP may make test approval contingent on a candidate completing additional coursework and/or training to show that the candidate is prepared to pass the test if the candidate is seeking test approval from the EPP in an area where the standards and/or test changed since the candidate completed the EPP or if the candidate has returned to the EPP for test approval five or more years following the academic year of completion.

Out-of-State Students

Changes

Program requirements may change as state/TEA certification requirements change.

Advising Resources

Location:

Trimble Hall, Room 105

Email:

coedgrad@uta.edu

Phone:

817-272-2956

Web:

Advising Information and Appointments