Trying A New Format
100% online education was new to Bailey Boyett when she began searching for master’s degree options. But now that she
has obtained her Master of Science in Education in Curriculum & Instruction degree from Arkansas State University, she knows how valuable it can be.
Choosing A-State was easy for Bailey, especially after several administrators at her job suggested the university. She appreciated the personalized relationships she was able to build with her instructors as she studied. Their accessibility made it easier for her to navigate online learning. “Every professor I talked to explained how things worked in their class,” she said.
Virtual courses equipped her to gain advanced credentials at the location and time of her choice. “Give learning online a shot,” she recommended. “You can do it at your own pace—with a family, with a job, with all the things that go along with being adults—while also managing your schedule.”
Considering New Perspectives
Once enrolled, she found the flexible program to be both fun and challenging, pushing her to discover more effective ways to design school systems for students. She immediately used what she learned from the coursework in her professional role. “I was able to take Elementary School Curriculum and Secondary School Curriculum courses and apply them to what I was doing,” she said. “A project for a class paper bloomed into reality [at my school], which is really cool.”
Bailey found particular value in the frequent opportunities to collaborate and share ideas among like-minded peers working in education across the country. “Learning how [my classmates] teach their students down the road from me or in another state—and how they take information and make it available for processing for students— was really nice,” she said.
Considering different theories from classmates and highly qualified faculty led her to question and eventually strengthen her methods for creating functional curriculum. “Getting outside perspectives on things has pushed me to ask myself, ‘Is what we’re doing correct, just because it’s the way we’ve always done it? Are we challenging students?'” Gaining her master’s in curriculum and instruction online helped her to become an expert with a broad viewpoint in her field.
Reaching New Career Milestones
Now a 2023 graduate of the A-State curriculum and instruction master’s degree program, Bailey has seen so much growth in her career that she wishes she had pursued it sooner. “A-State was a good fit for me. It’s made for teachers,” she asserted. “The only thing I remember asking myself is, ‘Why didn’t I do it earlier? Where could I be in my career had I just done this earlier?'”
Take Your Education Career to The Next Level
Prepare to add a master’s degree and specialized certification to your resume with the Master of Science in Education in Curriculum & Instruction program from Arkansas State University. Build expertise for a career as director of Curriculum and Instruction, Special Education, or Gifted and Talented when you choose one of our dynamic concentrations. Coursework will help you further develop your curriculum design, school leadership, and classroom instruction skills.
This CAEP-accredited program is designed to empower practicing teachers with the flexibility you need to enhance your credentials while continuing to work full-time. The 100% online program is focused on techniques you can apply immediately in your current role. Highlight your undergraduate degree and a minimum of two years teaching experience during the streamlined admission process and get ready to take advantage of support from our experienced faculty who are dedicated to your success.
Students in this master’s degree program focus on areas of learning that include:
- Enhancing leadership skills, dispositions and practices
- Evaluating and improving processes of curriculum development
- Enriching instructional best practices
- Developing tools for individuals to serve as professional curriculum specialists
- Enhancing professional growth by emphasizing critical and analytical skills, communication and collaboration skills and strong organizational and management skills
A-State offers a variety of graduate programs in a convenient online format. Explore our full range of online graduate programs.