Online Masters
TLAC makes graduate- level education more accessible
Offering a master's degree in curriculum and instruction via the Internet to serve school teachers and other educators who cannot conveniently come to the campus was approved December 6, 2005, for Texas A&M University, with the program possibly launched as early as the 2005 spring semester.
The Texas A&M request to offer the degree via the Internet was formally approved by The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents at its meeting at Texas A&M University -Corpus Christi.
The degree will be offered through the Department of Teaching, Learning and Culture in the College of Education and Human Development as a non-thesis master of education degree with an emphasis on science. Dr. Jon Denton, TLAC Professor and Executive Associate Dean, anticipates that the program may be expanded in the future to include emphasis in areas such as mathematics, multicultural education, social studies and reading and language arts education.
The primary objective to offering the already existing degree through the Internet is to enable school educators who cannot come to campus for classes to continue their education while remaining in their teaching positions, Dr. Denton said.
Dr. Denton noted that much is already in place to offer the distance education degree, adding that the program could be launched as early as the spring 2005 semester.
Dr. Denton also stated that, at the anticipated enrollment levels for the degree, no additional faculty would be required. Distance education fees will support the remaining required course conversion and needs of the program.
Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board rules for offering existing degree programs via distance education require that such programs be on the institution's inventory of approved degree programs. Prior notification must also be given to the Coordinating Board, which will be done now that the Board of Regents has approved the program.
