Master of Education Online

Career Outlook

M.Ed. degree graduates accept roles as special education teachers, literacy specialists, and literacy coaches and advisors.

Employment of special education teachers is expected to grow by 2028, with the majority needed in elementary and secondary schools.¹ The need for instructional coordinators and specialists is also projected to increase in the K–12 environment.² 

Depending on the concentration chosen, the Master of Education online can prepare educators to create more inclusive settings for students and staff or design, implement, and evaluate literacy instruction that meets the needs of all learners.

Curriculum

At Calvin University, the M.Ed degree provides a Christian frame for understanding education and student well-being.

The Master of Education online program consists of 30 to 32 credit hours, depending on whether you choose the literacy concentration or inclusion concentration. Common courses provide a knowledge foundation that serves students in their concentrations. Students can also complete a practicum in their area.

Admission Requirements

To apply for the Master of Education online program from Calvin University, you’ll need:

• A completed application
• Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university
• Official transcripts of all post-secondary academic coursework to demonstrate a minimum cumulative 2.8 GPA on a 4.0 scale
• Two letters of professional recommendation
• An essay detailing the applicant’s professional goals
• Documented teacher certification or eligibility for teacher certification

Tuition Details

This 30 to 32 credit hour program costs $585 per credit hour. Find out more about tuition so you can make an informed financial decision.

Clarence Joldersma Ph.D., Co-Director

Clarence Joldersma is the resident philosopher and interdisciplinary scholar of the Graduate Studies in Education Program at Calvin University. He has been influenced by theorists from several academic areas, including Thomas Kuhn and Michael Polanyi in the philosophy of science, Jurgen Habermas and Emmanuel Levinas in continental philosophy, and Hendrik Hart and Nicholas Wolterstorff in Christian philosophy.

Over fifteen years of experience as a high school science teacher in Ontario have helped shape his thinking about education and schools. His graduate work at the Institute for Christian Studies and the University of Toronto was in philosophy, first the philosophy of science and the philosophy of mind and cognitive science.

Those who have studied with Professor Joldersma have observed that he works “at the boundaries,” at the intersection of political science/theory, sociology, natural sciences (especially biology), and education. In particular, what animates him are issues of social justice and sustainability. This wide range of interests enables him to ask philosophical questions that expand conceptual horizons, both for himself and his students. He has an eye for asking penetrating questions and has a knack of framing complex issues in ways that move thinking forward, without doing it for you.

James Rooks Ed.D., Co-Director

James Rooks’ work in literacy and reading education has spanned 20 years. During this time, he has been awarded three Title II professional development grants to work with teachers from public and Christian schools in the Grand Rapids area, and he has taught graduate courses in literacy and cultural awareness and has lead professional development programs for teachers in Honduras.

His association with Calvin began some time ago when he received his undergraduate degree here. He earned his master’s and doctorate degrees from the University of Toronto and taught at Redeemer University College in Canada. He has taught at the elementary and high school levels and served as a principal in Christian schools in the Toronto area. He recently stepped down from his role as Dean of Education, and now serves as a professor in the Calvin graduate program.