Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the difference between M.A. and the M.Ed.?
A: The Master of Arts (M.A.) programs are generally designed for practitioners working on earning initial teacher preparation certification. This includes those applicants who hold temporary certification, as well. The M.A. programs prepare graduates to be career ready for the teaching field by requiring professional education and content area courses, successful completion of the Florida Teacher Certification Exam (FTCE), and supervised (including on-the-job) internships in the local public school system. Exceptions to this are Early Childhood Development and Education, Instructional Systems, Community College Teaching tracks, Career and Technical Education, Sports and Fitness, Curriculum and Instruction, and Educational Leadership. These programs do not lead to initial teacher certification but are designed for the professional who wishes to expand employment options, keep training and skills current, meet new educational goals, or even establish a foundation for future doctoral studies.
The Master of Education (M.Ed.) programs are designed for those who already hold professional teacher education certification. Generally, the professional certification must be in the same field for M.Ed. admission qualification (for example, if you are already certified in Elementary Education, you are qualified to apply for the M.Ed. in Elementary Education but are NOT also qualified to apply for the M.Ed. in Exceptional Education). The exceptions to this field-to-field certification policy are for those areas where there is no undergraduate certification available: Reading Education, Educational Leadership, Educational Media, and Counselor Education.
Q: Is the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) required for admission?
A: Those who intend to earn only the graduate certificate will not be required to take the GRE for admission. Those who plan to earn a Master of Arts or Master of Education degree will be required to take the GRE for admission to the program.
Q: Will Certificate Programs lead towards a Master of Arts or Master of Education?
A: Yes. Many certificate programs are designed to count toward an M.A. or M.Ed. degree by sharing many of the same courses. The application of certificate courses to a master’s degree is always at the discretion of the faculty program coordinator. Courses from an earned UCF graduate certificate program are not considered as post-bac or transfer credits and so don’t count towards the 9 hour post-bac limit.
Q: If I’m already teaching on a temporary certificate, do I have to quit my job to meet the internship requirement?
A: No. The Master of Arts programs that lead to initial teacher certification have the option of an on-the-job internship that can be arranged with the assistance of our Clinical Experiences staff. Their contact information is 407-823-2436.
Q: Can I continue my present employment and be in the graduate program?
A: Yes. Most graduate students enroll on a part-time basis (3 to 6 semester hours per semester). The courses are offered in the evenings and on some Saturdays at various campuses throughout the Central Florida area. Many of our graduate courses are also
web-based (on the class schedule, look for the class location as “www”), so you may be able to complete some course requirements from the comfort of your home. Your faculty program coordinator can help you set up a “plan of study” that best suits your situation.
Q: How long does it take to complete the program?
A: The certificate programs are designed to be completed in one calendar year and average between 12 to 18 semester credits. The masters programs can be completed in about two and a half years depending on whether you can enroll full-time (9 hours per semester) or part-time (between 3 to 6 credits per semester). Some full-time students complete the masters degree in a summer-fall-spring-summer-fall sequence (for example, they might begin summer 2005 and finish in fall 2006).
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