View course descriptions for
ED 541 History of American Education (3) Offered on campus and online: Fall, Spring, Summer. Students learn the historical events and ideas which contributed to the development of present-day American education. Students also examine the present condition of public education and the strong need for Christian education.
ED 542 Philosophy of American Education (3) Offered on campus and online: Fall, Spring, Summer. Students examine the historical and contemporary philosophical positions and theories which have influenced American education and analyze the connection between philosophy and educational practice.
ED 545 Principles of Instruction and Methods (3) Offered on campus: Fall, Spring, Summer odd; online: Fall, Spring, Summer. The student will receive an overview of Christian traditional methodology and instructional techniques used in pre K through secondary classrooms and apply the knowledge in a teaching presentation. A comparison of current and traditional teaching practices is also included through research and presentations.
ED 600 Education Seminar (3) Offered online: Spring odd, Summer odd. The student applies philosophy to practice through attendance at Summer Seminar in a chosen track and through associated research and writing.
ED 602 Educational Assessment (3) Offered on campus: Spring, Summer; online: Spring. Students examine and develop a variety of assessment instruments, evaluate standardized examinations, and interpret and apply assessment data in academic decision making.
ED 607 Personal and Professional Relationships in Education (3) Offered on campus and online: Summer odd. Students learn biblical foundations and practical applications for developing the Christian educator’s successful relationships with God, family, school administration, teachers, students, and parents.
ED 617 Technology Applications in Education (3) Offered on campus: Spring; online: Spring even, Summer. This course is designed to assist educators in learning to integrate current technologies into classroom instruction as a tool to enhance the teacher-directed classroom.
ED 618 School Management and Leadership (3) Offered on campus: Summer; online: Fall odd, Summer. This course is designed to give the graduate student skills necessary for biblical leadership and successful management of the Christian school. The student will apply these skills to aspects of school management such as personnel development, office and records, advertising and public relations, admissions, ancillary services, technology, and educational management.
ED 626 Financial and Legal Aspects of Christian School Operation (3) Offered on campus and online: Spring even, Summer even. Students study the laws and court decisions affecting Christian schools and also prepare an annual budget using income sources and expense-control systems learned in the course.
ED 627 Managing Technology and Information Systems (3) Offered on campus: Fall; online: Fall, Summer odd. This course focuses on the effective use of technology as a strategic resource. Students learn contemporary issues such as information technology (IT) resource planning and management, e-commerce, enterprise systems, and systems planning and integration. Emphasis is placed on practical application of this knowledge to individual areas of interest. The role of integrating effective IT systems into an organization’s culture is the focal point of this course.
ED 628 Organization and Administration of Elementary Curriculum (3) Offered on campus: Summer; online: Fall even, Summer. The graduate student will learn the sequential design of the elementary school curriculum. The scope and sequence of each grade level of the elementary curriculum will be reviewed, and the student will become familiar with the content of each grade level in the elementary curriculum.
ED 629 Current Issues in Education (3) Offered on campus and online: Fall odd, Summer. Students study, analyze, and discuss theoretical issues and events influencing current thought and practice in elementary and secondary education in light of their philosophical roots and their impact on traditional Christian education.
ED 639 The Administrator in Practice (3) Prereq.: Ed.D. in educational leadership and approval of the instructor of record. This practicum affords practicing or future Christian school leaders field experiences in the principalship or related educational administrative leadership positions. The student will maintain a log of a minimum of 120 hours of administrative activities covering a period of 5 to 15 weeks. Included in these activities will be the creation of a professional resource file and two projects of appropriate levels of responsibility mutually agreed to by the site supervisor and the instructor of record.
ED 641 Materials and Techniques of Reading Instruction (3) Offered on campus: Summer odd; online: Fall even, Spring even. Prereq.: ED 545. The graduate student develops instructional techniques for teaching reading and applies them to in-class teaching presentations. The student also examines methodologies for teaching reading with an emphasis on intensive phonics, the key to beginning reading.
ED 651 Elementary Arithmetic Instruction (3) Offered on campus: Summer even; online: Spring odd, Summer even. Prereq.: ED 545. Students are prepared to teach mathematical concepts from arithmetic to basic geometry and algebra in the traditional Christian elementary school. Emphasis is placed on learning strategies for the successful teaching of these concepts. In addition, students will research current trends in the learning and teaching of mathematics in the elementary grades.
ED 655 Elementary Science Instruction (3) Offered on campus: Summer even; online: Fall odd, Spring odd. Prereq.: ED 545. Students will develop an understanding of the concepts and teaching methods used to instruct elementary students in the following areas: plants, animals, the solar system, basic chemistry, and health.
ED 658 Elementary Language Instruction (3) Offered on campus: Summer odd; online: Summer. Prereq.: ED 545. Methodology and the content of elementary language curriculum are discussed. In addition to grammar, creative writing, and spelling, students will study philosophical considerations of the origin and importance of language.
ED 661 Elementary History Instruction (3) Offered on campus: Summer even; online: Fall. Prereq.: ED 545. Using a Christian approach to history, this course emphasizes teaching ancient history, United States history, and government to elementary students. Its specific purpose is to give necessary foundational skills for teaching history in the elementary grades.
ED 673 Teaching Secondary History (3) Offered on campus and online: Spring even, Summer even. Prereq.: ED 545. The student will learn the methods and techniques for teaching history in the Christian school. In addition, the student will study the content of the history curriculums for the Christian high school.
ED 674 Teaching Secondary English (3) Offered on campus: Spring; online: Spring odd, Summer even. Prereq.: ED 545. This course deals with the methodology and the content of high school English. Students demonstrate instructional techniques, presentation skills, and teacher behaviors for the teaching of grammar, literature, and composition. In addition, students perform formal research on a current issue in English curriculum and present it in light of traditional, Christian education.
ED 675 Organization and Administration of Secondary Curriculum (3) Offered on campus: Fall; online: Fall even, Summer even. The student is exposed to the epistemology as it relates to learning and the sequential design of the high school curriculum. The student examines from a Christian perspective the philosophy, content, structure, and sequence of curriculum within each of the disciplines.
ED 676 Teaching Secondary Mathematics (3) Offered on campus: Summer odd; online: Fall even. Prereq.: ED 545. Students learn to teach mathematics from arithmetic to the basics of higher mathematics. Problem solving and thinking skills are included. Students will demonstrate their skills through teaching lessons. Students will research current trends in education. This course helps students develop a conscious Christian philosophy for teaching mathematics in the Christian school.
ED 677 Teaching Secondary Science (3) Offered on campus: Summer odd; online: Fall odd, Summer even. Prereq.: ED 545. Students will develop teaching techniques, methods of lab demonstration, methods of lab utilization, and other techniques peculiar to science in the Christian high school. Students also will study the content in the science curriculum of the Christian high school.
ED 679 Practicum in Teaching and Directing Secondary Speech and Drama (3) Offered on campus: Summer. During this practicum, the student will prepare, observe, and teach courses relating to dramatic productions as well as prepare for and direct a short production. Miscellaneous production assignments will be given at the direction of the instructor. The practicum will be a minimum of 120 hours which includes the summer high school Drama Camp.
ED 680 Strategic Organizational Leadership (3) Offered on campus: Fall, Spring; online: Spring, Summer. This course is designed to equip the student for leadership positions in a dynamic global environment. Students will demonstrate comprehension in major leadership theories of change management, organizational effectiveness, and communication as they interact with organizational design. These concepts will be studied from a Christian perspective. Students will investigate the meaning and practice of leadership and of increasing organizational effectiveness.
ED 716 Considerations of Learning and Instructional Practice (3) Offered on campus: Summer even; online: Fall. The graduate student will examine the learning theories such as behaviorism, cognitive processes, information processing, mastery learning, and developmental learning theories. In addition, the student will develop a knowledgeable framework from which to make an application to the biblical perspective of the child’s learning process.
ED 718 Educational Statistics (3) Offered on campus: Summer odd; online: Spring even, Summer odd. Students will examine descriptive and inferential statistical techniques as applied to educational research. Students will also examine hypothesis testing, correlation techniques, and analysis of variance. Students will analyze data using SPSS software. Students will practice these statistical techniques by producing several educational results sections based upon the educational data provided.
ED 724 Crafting Formal Research (3) Offered on campus: Spring even; online: Spring. This writing course introduces graduate students to dissertation research. Given a sample research topic, students learn how to develop problem and purpose statements, formulate research questions, and locate relevant, current literature. Students will learn Chicago style and apply it in writing a dissertation research proposal and literature review on the topic.
ED 726 Quantitative Methods of Educational Research (3) Offered on campus: Summer odd; online: Fall. Prereq.: ED 718 and 724. Students will learn to address a research problem through the use of causal-comparative research, correlation research, experimental research, and quasi-experimental design research. The course project is a written research proposal based upon a chosen problem in education.
ED 728 Qualitative Methods of Educational Research (3) Offered on campus: Summer even; online: Spring odd, Summer even. Prereq.: ED 724. Students will learn to address a research problem using qualitative techniques such as narrative research, phenomenological research, and case study research. The course project is a written research proposal based upon a chosen problem in education.
ED 731 Readings in Education (3) Offered on campus: Summer odd; online: Spring. Students review comparative philosophies before reading and analyzing primary writings on education by Locke, Descartes, Rousseau, Dewey, and Skinner. Students also write a paper on the educational influences of a current writer and present their analysis to the class.
ED 739 The Administrator in Practice (3) Prereq.: Ed.D. in educational leadership and approval of the instructor of record. This practicum affords practicing or future Christian school leaders field experiences in the principalship or related educational administrative leadership positions. The student will maintain a log of a minimum of 120 hours of administrative activities covering a period of 5 to 15 weeks. Included in these activities will be the creation of a professional resource file and two projects of appropriate levels of responsibility mutually agreed to by the site supervisor and the instructor of record.
ED 761–769 Continuing Dissertation Services Each candidate for the doctor of education degree must register each term for Continuing Dissertation Services when the final course has been completed or upon approval of the Topic Approval Form (whichever comes first). Enrollment in Continuing Dissertation Services must continue without break until the dissertation is successfully defended and presented for binding.
ED 810 Dissertation Prospectus (6)
ED 820 Dissertation Defended (6)