College of Education
Teacher and Counselor Education Department
Master of Education (EdM) Program Handbook
Online Master of Education (EdM)Program
Oregon State University
College of Education
104 Furman Hall
Corvallis, OR 97331-3502
541-737-4661
Welcome!
The faculty and staff in the College of Education would like to welcome you to the online Master of Education program hosted through Ecampus. Maintaining an advanced program that is challenging, rewarding, and meets the needs to teaching in the 21st century is of utmost importance. We appreciate your feedback for continuous program improvement and offering an extraordinary learning experience.
This handbook was designed to provide you with important department and program information, including graduate school policies and OSU governance. Although every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of this information, OSU and the Oregon State Board of Education have the right to make changes at any time without prior notice.
Students are responsible for informing themselves regarding individual Department and Graduate School Policies and Procedures. Refer to the specific department or school when necessary:
Oregon State University
OSU Graduate School
OSU Extended Campus
College of Education
Online Master of Education
Master of Education (EdM) Program Handbook
Table of Contents
Oregon State University
OSU Graduate School
Graduate School Program Policies (Abbreviated)
REGISTRATION, CONTINOUS ENROLLMENT, & TRANSFER CREDITS
TIME LIMIT, GRADES, & STUDENT CONDUCT
GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS
GRADUATION PAPERWORK
OSU Extended Campus (Ecampus)
College of Education
Retention Policy
Master of Education (EdM) Program
Conceptual Framework
Program Outcomes
Frequently Asked Questions
Student Expectations
Coursework
Course Schedule
Course Descriptions
Elective Courses in Teacher and Counselor Education
Electives in Other Departments (Ecampus courses)
Program Schedule Example
Student Advising
Contact List
EdM Final Exam = Capstone Project & Comprehensive Portfolio
EdM Program Checklist
OSU Information and Resources
FINANCIAL AID & SCHOLARSHIPS
STUDENT ONLINE SERVICES
TUTORING SERVICES
IMPORTANT OFFICES ON CAMPUS
OSU RESOURCES
Master of Education (EdM) Program Handbook1
Oregon State University
Introduction
Oregon State University(OSU) is a comprehensive, major research university and a member of the Oregon University System. It is the state’s land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant institution, as well as a Carnegie Doctoral/Research Extensive University. We measure our success by the caliber of entering students, the accomplishments of students and alumni, the quality of the faculty, the quality of instructional research facilities, the effectiveness and productivity of engagement with businesses and constituents, and the support for research and scholarship.
Oregon State University is regionally accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). The Oregon State Board of Higher Education has authorized the University to offer undergraduate and graduate level certificates, baccalaureate, masters, doctorate, and first professional degrees.
Mission
Oregon State University, a land grant institution, promotes economic, social, cultural and environmental progress for people across Oregon, the nation and the world through our graduates, research, scholarship, outreach, and engagement.
Vision
To best serve the people of Oregon, Oregon State University will be among the Top 10 land grant institutions in America.
Goals
1.Provide outstanding academic programs that further strengthen our performance and pre-eminence in five thematic areas.
2.Provide an excellent teaching and learning environment and achieve student access, persistence, and success through graduation and beyond that matches the best land grant universities in the country.
3.Substantially increase revenues from private fundraising, partnerships, research grants, and technology transfers while strengthening our ability to more effectively invest and allocate resources.
Core Values
- Accountability. We are committed stewards of the loyalty and good will of our alumni and friends of the human, fiscal, and physical resources entrusted to us.
- Diversity. We recognize that diversity and excellence go hand-in-hand, enhancing our teaching, scholarship, and service as well as our ability to welcome, respect, and interact with other people.
- Integrity. We practice honesty, freedom, truth, and integrity in all that we do.
- Respect. We treat each other with civility, dignity, and respect.
- Social responsibility. We contribute to society's intellectual, cultural, spiritual, and economic progress and well-being to the maximum possible extent.
OSU Home Page:
OSU Virtual Tour:
OSU Graduate School
Introduction
The Graduate School contributes to OSU's goal of achieving top ten land grant status by providing leadership in all aspects of graduate education, through advocacy for the critical importance of the graduate enterprise to the university's mission, and by providing core centralized services to the graduate community. In partnership with the Graduate Faculty, the Graduate School plays a leadership and advocacy role to ensure that OSU attracts the best graduate students and delivers a compelling and high-quality graduate experience that prepares them to create new ideas and knowledge, to educate others, to make positive impacts on society, and to lead innovation.
Graduate work at Oregon State University is administered by the Graduate School. The regulations, policies, and procedures governing graduate education are implemented by the Dean of the Graduate School. The dean coordinates graduate programs, courses, admission standards, and certificate and degree requirements; enforces current regulations; recommends changes in graduate policy to the Graduate Council; acts on petitions to deviate from existing regulations; and is responsible for the efficient and effective operation of the Graduate School. It is the student's responsibility to refer to the OSU Graduate Catalog for information regarding official OSU graduate education policy and procedures.
OSU Graduate Catalog:
Graduate School Program Policies (Abbreviated)
As a graduate student, your are responsible for knowing the academic regulations and for observing Oregon State University procedures and Graduate School Policies that govern the Online Master of Education program. These regulations apply to not only graduate students, but any student enrolled in a master’s program with OSU Extended Campus.
This section is an abbreviated version of relevant graduate school policies in regard to the Online Master of Education program at OSU. Specific information regarding Graduate School policies should be addressed to: 300 Kerr Administration Building, 541-737-4881,
The Graduate School also has a useful document for graduate students that provide detailed information on all of the academic regulations. “Guide to Success” can be found at
Graduate School Policies for International Students
REGISTRATION, CONTINOUS ENROLLMENT, & TRANSFER CREDITS
Academic Load - Registration Requirements
Full-time status as a graduate student is defined by the Oregon University System as enrollment in 9 credits per term. The maximum load for a full-time graduate student is 16 credits. A student may exceed this limit only with the approval of the Graduate School. Students receiving approval to exceed 16 credits will be assessed a per-credit overload fee.
Full-time status (i.e., a minimum of 9 credits per term) may be sufficient to qualify for purposes of veterans’ benefits, visa requirements, external fellowships, and federal financial aid.
Part-time status is at least 6 credits a term. This is required in order to receive financial aid.
To assure full compliance with visa regulations, international students should consult with the Office of International Student and Faculty Services for additional information about registration requirements.
Continuous Enrollment
Students must continuously register for a minimum of 3 creditseach term (except summer) and pay fees if they will be using university resources (e.g. facilities, equipment, and computing and library services, or faculty or staff time), regardless of the student’s location. This includes students who are taking only preliminary comprehensive or final examinations or presenting terminal projects. If degree requirements are completed between terms, the student must have been registered during the preceding term.
Note:The Online Masters program is considered a “summers only” program. Students in this program are required to take at least 3 credits every summer throughout the course of their graduate study. See the Leave of Absence section for more information.
Leave of Absence
On-leave status is available to students who need to suspend their program of study for good cause. Students who desire a leave of absence will work with their major professor, program administrator, and the Graduate School to arrange authorized leave. Students understand that while on leave they will not use university resources.
A graduate student intending to resume active graduate student status following interruption of his or her study program for one or more terms, excluding summer session, must apply for Regular or Planned Leave of Absence to maintain graduate student standing in his or her degree program and to avoid registration for 3 graduate credits for each term of unauthorized break in registration. Leave of Absence/Intent to Resume Graduate Study Forms must be received by the Graduate School at least 15 working days prior to the first day of the term involved.
Failure to enroll for a minimum of 3 graduate credits during each summer term or to request a Regular or Planned Leave of Absence will result in an unauthorized break in registration. Extended Campus will relinquish his/her graduate standing in the university. Students who wish to have their graduate standing reinstated will be required to file an Application for Graduate Readmission, pay the readmission fee, and register for 3 graduate credits for each term of unauthorized break in registration.
Note: To be granted exemption from the continuous enrollment policy, students in the Online Masters program MUST request a “Regular Leave of Absence” (using a Leave of Absence form) within their first term indicating that they are in a “summers only” program. This allows a student to miss a term (fall, winter, or spring) without penalty. If students wish to take course work during the academic year, they must register for a minimum of 3 credits.
See Registration Requirements (Continuous Enrollment):
Transfer Credits
All graduate programs must include at least 30 graduate credits from Oregon State University. Therefore, a maximum of 15 transfer credits is allowed into a 45-credit program. Transfer credits will only apply toward elective courses in the Online Masters’ program and must meet the following requirements:
- All transfer coursework must be approved by the student’s advisor and should be submitted and approved early in the student’s Program of Study.
- Courses to be transferred must be graduate level, taken after the completion of a four-year baccalaureate degree (or equivalent).
- Transfer courses must have grades of "B" (3.00) or better and have been taken in the last 7 years.
- Graduate courses to be transferred to an OSU master's degree must not have been used to satisfy the requirements for a master's degree (or equivalent) or a doctoral degree from another institution. Credits used to acquire a teaching endorsement are acceptable.
- Graduate courses taken at OSU while the student was a graduate non-degree seeking student are considered transfer courses.
- Any transfer credit used in a master’s degree program must be documented with an official sealed transcript from an accredited university.
- Courses delivered off-campus or by electronic means must satisfy the OSU guidelines for the electronic delivery of courses. It is the responsibility of the student wishing to transfer the course to provide the necessary documentation to satisfy the OSU guidelines. Traditional extension and correspondence courses with no live or real-time interaction with the instructor are not transferable.
Most graduate level courses (500 & above) are acceptable; HOWEVER, there are certain exceptions:
- No 700 or 800 courses, such as project, seminar, or workshop courses
- No slash courses, i.e., ED 412/512
- No Pass/No Pass courses
- Only 9 credits of “blanket” courses, i.e. courses with a zero in the middle (e.g. 508)
Students who wish to transfer graduate credits from other universities must provide official transcripts for courses already completed to the Graduate School prior to the submission of a program of study. If a student undertakes a transfer course after his or her study program has been approved, the student must provide the Graduate School with a transcript of this course prior to the final examination. The Graduate School does not assume responsibility for obtaining transcripts from other institutions.
If the transfer credit is from a foreign university, the student must provide copies of the original transcript and an English translation of the transcript, with the courses to be transferred clearly indicated. Grades and credits for the courses must be clearly identified. In some countries, the first university degree, which OSU considers to be equivalent to a baccalaureate degree, may take five years or more to complete. All of the course work toward such a degree is considered a requirement for the first university degree, and hence none of it can be transferred to a graduate certificate or graduate degree at OSU.
TIME LIMIT, GRADES, & STUDENT CONDUCT
Time Limit
All work toward a master’s degree, including transferred credits, coursework, and the final exam (capstone project) must be completed within seven years.
Grade Requirement
A grade-point average of 3.00 (a "B" average) is required: 1) for all courses taken as a degree-seeking graduate student, and 2) for courses included in the graduate degree or graduate certificate program of study. Grades below "C" (2.00) cannot be used on a graduate program of study. A grade-point average of 3.00 is required before the final oral or written exam may be undertaken.
Incomplete Policy
A student may request that an incomplete (for a course that has not been completed) be granted by an instructor, if the reasons for the incomplete are acceptable to the instructor, and so long as the student is passing the course at the time the request was made. The incomplete that is filed by the instructor at the end of the term must include an alternate/default grade to which the incomplete grade defaults, if the student does not make an effort to resolve the incomplete coursework within one year of recording the incomplete. Examples of the new incomplete grades are (I/A, I/A-, I/B+, I/B, I/B-, I/C+, I/C, I/C-, I/D+, I/D, I/D-, I/F, I/P, and I/N). Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (S/U) grade options are converted after the submission of the “I/Alternate Grade” is determined by the instructor. For example, if the student has requested an incomplete and has opted for an S/U grade, the instructor will submit an “I/Normal Grade” (e.g., I/B+) at the end of the term. The Office of the Registrar will subsequently convert the “I/Normal Grade” to an “I/S” or “I/U” in accordance with the grading option chosen by the student.
The calculation of the Alternate/Default Grade is determined by the work to be completed for the course over the entire term. For example, while a student may be passing at the time the incomplete request is granted, the Alternate/Default Grade is NOT what the student has earned up to the point of the incomplete request. The Alternate/Default Grade is what grade the student would have earned if the instructor includes what was completed and if the student did no more work from the point of the incomplete request to the end of the term.
Withdrawal from the University
Any student in good standing is entitled to withdraw without prejudice at any time prior to the beginning of finals week. This may be accomplished by the student obtaining from the Registrar’s Office the proper form and directions for completing the process.
- Withdrawal from the university prior to the beginning of finals week will result in the grade of W being recorded for each course for which the student is registered.
- When a student’s academic progress is interrupted by an emergency situation such as serious illness, accident, or death of a family member, within the last four weeks of the term, and the student submits evidence of such to the Registrar, he or she may withdraw from the university with I grades in all subjects.
To withdraw from the university, contact the Registrar’s office to receive instructions on faxing in a declaration of withdrawal from the university for the current term so that the request and signature on file. They will also accept email transmissions which have a scanned signed authorization attached.
Dismissal from Graduate School
Advanced-degree students (regularly, conditionally, and provisionally admitted) are expected to make satisfactory progress toward a specific academic degree. This includes maintaining a GPA of 3.00 or better for all courses taken as a graduate student and for courses included in the graduate program, meeting departmental or program requirements, and participating in a creative activity such as a thesis.
If a student is failing to make satisfactory progress toward an academic degree, as determined by the major department/program or the Graduate School, the student may be dismissed from the Graduate School.
Student Conduct Regulations
Graduate students enrolled at Oregon State University are expected to conform to basic regulations and policies developed to govern the behavior of students as members of the university community. The regulations have been formulated by the Student Conduct Committee, the Student Activities Committee, the university administration, and the State Board of Higher Education. Violations of the regulations subject a student to appropriate disciplinary or judicial action. The regulations and the procedures for disciplinary action and appeal are available via the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards;
GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS
Prior to graduation, you must request an audit from the Graduate School where they will check to see if you have met all of the graduation requirements:
- Courses listed on the Program of Study match the courses and grades in the university transcripts.
- Official transcripts from other institutions where credits have been transferred into the program MUST be on file in the graduate office.
- The student’s accumulative GPA must be at least a 3.0.
- A student must be enrolled for at least 3 credits during the final term in which he or she graduates.
Final Exam - Capstone Project