Program Overview

New Mexico State University

The School of Teacher Preparation, Administration, and Leadership at New Mexico State University offers various programs for students pursuing a career in education.

Masters in Education Options

The university provides three options for the Masters of Arts in Education:

• Master of Arts in Education (for licensed PK-12 teachers)
• Master of Arts in Education Plus Licensure Concurrently (earn a teaching license in the areas of elementary education and secondary education while earning a Master of Arts in Education degree)
• Master of Arts in Education (Non-Licensure)
• The Master of Arts in Education: Educational Learning Technologies (Non-Licensure)

Applying for the MA or MAT Program in Education

To apply for the MA or MAT program, students must:

• Apply to the NMSU Graduate School
• Select "Education" to indicate the application is for the "MA in Education" or the "MAT in Education"
• Include a letter of interest describing the reason for pursuing a Master's Degree, area of interest, and teaching experience and/or teaching goals
• Submit 3 recommendation letters
• For best consideration, submit the application before November 15th for Spring admission and March 15th for Summer and Fall admission
• Note that the GRE is not required for the MA in Education or the MAT Program

Once You Are Accepted

After acceptance, students must:

• Meet with their advisor and complete the Preliminary Program plan
• Read the MA/MAT Handbook and NMSU Graduate Catalog
• Follow the MA Program Checklist from the MA/MAT Handbook
• Get to know the faculty
• Fill out the "Program of Study" form with the assistance of their advisor after completing the first 12 hours of classes

Curriculum & Instruction/Special Education MA Exam or Thesis

The MA Exam is available for students completing their degrees and graduating. To register, students must:

• Apply for graduation during their final semester
• Register for the MA Exam, which will be administered remotely
• Submit the MA Exam Registration Form and Checklist
• Note that there are only 2 attempts allowed to take the master's exam, and both attempts must be completed within a year's time from the final semester in the program

The MA Thesis

Students interested in conducting an MA Thesis instead of taking the MA Comprehensive Exam must:

• Read the applicable sections of the NMSU Graduate Catalog
• Meet with their advisor and the Associate Director for Graduate Programs
• Note that an MA Thesis is similar to a Doctoral Dissertation but is slightly smaller in scale and will take more than one semester to complete

Programs & Alternative Licensure

For complete details about the MA in Education (C&I) Program and Program Areas, students can refer to the MA/MAT Handbook. Alternative licensure information is also available.

Graduate Assistantships

To apply for a Graduate Assistantship, students must:

• Carefully read the information on the Graduate Assistantship web page
• Fill out and submit the Graduate Assistant Application form along with their resume to the TPAL Office

Resources

Available resources include:

• Masters Program Handbook
• Program of Study Masters form
• MA Portfolio
• MA List-serv (available to admitted students)
• The NMSU Graduate School
• University Programs Serving Under-represented Groups
• Other resources such as International Student Services and Student Accessibility Services