Best Master's In Gifted And Talented Education Degrees

Overview

This public flagship university is located in Grand Forks, ND. With over 15,000 students enrolled, the university manages to keep class sizes small with a student-to-faculty ratio of just 19:1. This university offers a comprehensive MS in Special Education with a specialization in Gifted and Talented Education. The curriculum prepares students to work with students of all skill levels through a combination of research-based coursework and hands-on internships.

Program Features

Each candidate in this program receives individualized advising from responsive faculty who help customize an individual plan of study. The program requires no entrance examinations for admission and provides students with the option of on-the-job fieldwork and applicable projects. Students will take a range of courses, including:

• Legal/Ethical Practices
• Inclusive Methods
• Behavior Management
• Identification and Assessment

Notables

The University of North Dakota has received high accolades for all of its programs, but its education programs are particularly acclaimed. U.S. News and World Report has recognized the university as a top public school as well as one of the country’s overall best. This is primarily due to the affordable tuition, starting at just $410 per credit-hour, and academic rigor enjoyed by all on-campus and online students.

Overview

The University of Cincinnati, a public research institution, was founded in 1819 and currently enrolls over 36,000 students. Many of those enrolled will take an online class at least once, and a large percentage are enrolled entirely online, including those pursuing a Master of Education in Educational Leadership for Gifted, Creative, and Talented Students.

Program Features

Students will take 33 credit-hours, including six credits of practicum alone that prepare them to create effective, enriching classroom experiences for all learners. Required classes include:

• Educational Research for Masters Students
• Curriculum and Instruction: Theories and Trends
• Teaching and Learning in Diverse Classrooms
• The Role of Teachers in a Democratic Society

Notables

This school is world-renowned for its commitment to real-world education and connects students to hundreds of cooperative learning experiences and hands-on activities around the country. This flexible program is awarded hundreds of millions of dollars each year to conduct innovative research and is ranked by U.S. News and World Report as one of the best public schools in the entire nation.

Overview

This for-profit Christian research university is located in Phoenix, AZ and offers dozens of bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees. The university offers an outstanding MA in Gifted Education that prepares teachers who are proficient in areas such as brain-based learning, educational research, and creativity development. The school offers accelerated degree programs that can be pursued at a flexible pace and affordable price.

Program Features

This flexible program allows students to transfer up to 12 credit hours, making it a convenient option for students who began their studies elsewhere. The program requires 32 credit-hours, with each course lasting only six weeks. Required core courses include:

• Instructional Methods in Gifted Education
• Gifted Programming and Environments
• The Social-Emotional Needs of Gifted Learners
• Multicultural Gifted Education

Notables

One of Grand Canyon’s hallmark features is that it offers generous financial aid and funding opportunities to students of all backgrounds. A range of scholarships are available through the Grand Canyon University Scholarship Foundation. Tuition is highly affordable, starting at just $530 per credit-hour, with steep discounts available for students who qualify.

Overview

West Virginia University offers an affordable Master of Arts in Gifted Education that is designed for working teachers who wish to make a difference in the lives of gifted and talented students. Located in Morgantown, WV, this large institution (which enrolls over 31,000 students a year), offers three start dates a year. Once enrolled, students are engaged in rigorous research, allowing them to develop new curriculum for students at all skill levels.

Program Features

This program is incredibly flexible, allowing full-time students who pursue nine credits a semester to graduate in just 18 months. The curriculum allows for gifted education certification in most states. Each student is given an enrollment coach and academic advisor to help ease the transition into full-time or part-time study. Each candidate will take classes such as:

• Legal/Educational Foundations: Special Education
• Individualizing Academic Instruction for Special Needs
• Designing Supportive Learning Environments for Special Needs
• Co-Planning/Co-Teaching for Inclusion for Special Needs

Notables

Upon enrolling, students receive access to a dedicated faculty mentor. They may choose between completing a culminating project or practicum experience, allowing them to demonstrate their skills in Gifted Education. The degree is flexible, allowing students to obtain a teaching certificate if so desired.

Overview

At the University of Northern Colorado, students learn from experts in the field. This school, which originated in 1890 as a teachers’ college, now offers dozens of higher education programs, including those allowing for doctoral research and professional development. The Master of Arts in Special Education with an emphasis in Gifted and Talented Education allows students to gain experience in the identification, education, and assessment of gifted students.

Program Features

This degree requires 36 credit-hours for completion, with each student granted access to a writing center, tutoring services, and even research assistance. It does include occasional summer sessions in which students work with gifted students in the University of Northern Colorado Summer Enrichment Program. Other course requirements include:

• The Gifted Learner: Nature and Needs
• Emotional and Social Development of the Gifted and Talented
• Program Strategies and Services for the Gifted and Talented
• Creativity in Gifted Education

Notables

This program was designed based on the feedback of students, teachers, and Colorado Department of Education experts. As a result, it is highly tailored toward post-graduate success, enabling students to be successful in teaching, administration, and policy development. Students receive access to generous financial assistance – including a shockingly low tuition rate – as well as online tutoring, career services, and extracurricular activities.

Overview

Lindenwood University is located in St. Charles, Mo., and offers exemplary private education at a low cost comparable to that of a public school. The online Master of Arts in Gifted Education is designed for candidates to develop a keen understanding of how to best educate gifted students. Distance learners are granted the same affordable tuition as those studying on campus, a model which allows them to pay for semesters instead of credits.

Program Features

This program is ideal for teachers who are working in honors classrooms, as well as those seeking credentials to become administrators or gifted coordinators. Required classes include:

• Curriculum Analysis and Design for Gifted Education
• Middle/High School Classroom Teaching and Technology
• Elementary Teaching and Technology
• Practicum: Diagnosis of Reading Difficulties
• Assessment of Intellectual Skills

Notables

Students studying online through Lindenwood enjoy the same exemplary services as those studying on campus. Students have access to financial aid options, including scholarships and fellowships, as well as career services, tutoring, academic success coaching, and even counseling. All of these options are available entirely online, facilitating a distance learning experience that is practically identical to that received on campus – but one that is highly convenient.

Overview

Western Kentucky University is one of the country’s premier providers of distance education, offering a Master of Arts in Education in Gifted Education and Talent Development for K-12 teachers in all settings. The university is currently home to over 20,000 students studying in nationally-recognized program, many of which are offered online. The program’s unique assessment model allows students to progress through coursework as they master it, meaning most students can graduate in two to three years.

Program Features

This program comes equipped with two distinct pathways. Students may choose from an advanced certification option or an advanced research option. Regardless, 30 to 37 credit-hours are required, with sample classes including:

• Nature and Needs of Gifted, Creative, and Talented Students
• Curriculum, Strategies, and Materials for Gifted Students
• Assessment and Identification of Gifted and Talented Children
• Developing Creativity and Leadership in Gifted Youth

Notables

Western Kentucky is unique in that each of the school’s hundreds of programs are designed with the goal of providing students with career-centered education. Students receive a no-nonsense approach to teaching and graduate with degrees that are marketable and backed by hundreds of hands-on experiences. Candidates engage in project-based learning in their own communities and don’t have to worry about making it to campus for regular class times.

Overview

Northwestern State University of Louisiana offers the state’s oldest and largest digital campus. The M.Ed. in Special Education with a concentration in Gifted Education is designed for talented learners who want to help meet the needs of equally gifted students. The program incorporates a variety of hands-on learning activities, such as case studies, practicum and internship experiences, and cooperative learning projects.

Program Features

A total of 36 credit-hours are required for degree completion, with a fast-track option available for students wishing to take two classes per eight-week term. The university also offers summer courses, allowing for maximum flexibility within a working teacher’s schedule. Required classes include:

• Psychology of the Gifted
• Curriculum and Methods for the Academically Gifted
• Practicum, Academically Gifted
• Counseling the Gifted

Notables

This program is one of few that is aligned with the Gallaspy College of Education and Human Development Conceptual Framework Models for Learning. This model requires students to engage in creative thinking, as well as critical problem solving, decision-making, and responsibility-taking. This framework allows teachers to graduate with the experience and know-how necessary to educate students of all backgrounds and abilities.

Overview

Fort Hays State University is, and always has been, a school designed specifically for teachers. Founded in 1902 as a teacher’s college, the university continues to offer exceptional degrees in education, with many available online. The MS in Special Education with a concentration in Gifted Education is focused on action research and practical experience in the classroom.

Program Features

Fort Hays has a phenomenal reputation in the realm of distance education, with nearly all of its student body – including those enrolled on campus – taking an online class at some point. The 36 credit-hour program in Gifted Education allows students to graduate in fewer than 18 months. Required classes include:

• Legal and Professional Issues in Special Education
• Theories of Exceptionalities and Diversity
• Assessment and Lab in Special Education
• Strategies in Gifted Special Education
• Consultation and Collaboration in Gifted

Notables

This program is distinct in that it has no daily time constraints, with all courses taught asynchronously through technology such as Blackboard. Students can graduate in less than two years when pursuing two courses per semester. All candidates leave Fort Hays with a well-developed professional portfolio in hand to help summarize their experiences and market them to potential employers.

Overview

Located in sunny Virginia Beach, VA, Regent University offers a fully online M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in Gifted and Talented Education. This program teaches students how to modify, adapt, and develop educational programs to meet the needs of gifted and talented students. This Christian university has spawned over 800 Teachers of the Year and is ranked as one of the Best Online Graduate Education Programs in Virginia.

Program Features

Students in the online campus are supported just as much as they would be in an on-campus environment. Graduate students receive access to career, library, and tutoring services, all from the comfort of their own homes. This program includes two pathways: an endorsement option for students in the state of Virginia, and one for students located out of state. In addition to the Gifted and Talented specialization, Regent also offers degrees in:

• Educational Leadership
• Special Education
• Reading Specialist
• Student Affairs

Notables

Regent University has been repeatedly recognized for its affordable and excellent distance education programs. It is highly flexible, allowing students to take courses in either eight- or ten-week chunks. Online students have access to affordable tuition, as well as academic advising and professional development opportunities.

Overview

Converse College, located in Spartanburg, SC, was originally designed as a women’s college, but now offers coeducational programs to educators and other professionals alike. The college operates a 36 credit-hour program in Gifted Education that is designed for current and future educators, allowing them to meet permanent certification requirements in the state of South Carolina.

Program Features

This program includes two distinct practicum experiences that enable students to develop leadership programs in their own hometowns. It can also be completed on campus at Converse in a summer camp program for elementary students. Other required classes include:

• Identification and Other Issues in Gifted Ed
• Nature and Needs of the Gifted
• Curriculum and Instruction for the Gifted
• Special Topics in Gifted Education Portfolio
• Theories and Designs in Action Research

Notables

Converse is skilled at providing quality education to online students, enrolling nearly 1,500 students in the online campus alone. The Master of Education in Gifted Education is just one of many programs that emphasizes the importance of engagement, requiring students to collaborate with faculty and each other as they work toward their degrees. This program is also highly affordable, allowing online students to pay the same affordable tuition rate enjoyed by on-campus students, as well as access to the same financial aid opportunities.

Overview

Millersville University of Pennsylvania offers an online program in Gifted Education that can be completed asynchronously and with the addition of other specializations, electives, and practical experiences. Specializations include psychology, leadership, and others, with all students completing a core curriculum in the topics that are most significant for gifted and talented education, such as instruction and curriculum development.

Program Features

This program is highly flexible, allowing candidates to complete the practicum requirement at their own places of employment, or within their hometowns. Graduates will complete 36 credit-hours, with sample classes including:

• Psychology of the Gifted
• Programming for the Gifted
• Evaluating Instructional Effectiveness: Application for the Gifted
• Teaching Gifted Learners: Instructional Strategies

Notables

Millersville is repeatedly recognized as one of the most respected institutions of higher education in the United States, offering a variety of hands-on programs at an affordable price. While this program does not lead to certification, it is ideal for candidates seeking experience that will enable them to become administrators or facilitators. Beyond that, it is highly convenient, allowing students to complete degrees at their own pace.

Overview

Eastern Kentucky University’s program in Gifted and Talented Education is one of the oldest in the country, working to train outstanding future educators for the last century. The MA in Education with a specialization in Gifted Education is designed to prepare teachers to work with the most talented young learners. This school is unique in that it emphasizes the importance of collaborative learning, requiring even online students to work in groups as they complete their studies, and also encourages students to be actively engaged within the community.

Program Features

This program leads to certification in many states. It requires 30 credit-hours, with asynchronous coursework available over short eight-week terms. Class sizes are incredibly small, allowing students to develop skills in a real-world setting while at the same time benefiting from attentive, dedicated faculty. Required classes include:

• Gifted and Talented Youth
• Organization and Supervision of Student Teaching
• Discipline and Classroom Management
• Foundations of Multicultural Education
• Exceptional Learners in the Regular Classroom

Notables

Eastern Kentucky is habitually at the top of national and state rankings for the quality of its distance education programs. It offers students access to online tutoring, library services, and even academic and career advising. Tuition is charged at a flat rate, regardless of each student’s state of residence, and includes free access to all the aforementioned services, along with one of the best training programs in education in the entire country.

Overview

Wichita State University’s sprawling 330-acre campus in Wichita, KS, is an idyllic setting where nearly 12,000 students a year choose to earn a highly-respected education. However, this university also offers many accredited and award-winning programs online, including the M.Ed. in Special Education with an emphasis in Gifted Education. This program prepares and certifies students for work in both elementary and secondary grades, with 30 credit-hours required to graduate.

Program Features

Wichita State is ideal for students transferring in credits from another university, allowing these students to transfer in dozens of credits that can help to reduce the time to degree completion. This program does require an initial teaching license, with additional course requirements including:

• Foundations of Special Education
• Characteristics: Gifted Learning Needs
• Methods and Assessment of Gifted Students
• Practicum: Gifted
• Family & Professional Collaboration

Notables

Wichita State’s program in Gifted and Talented Education is one of the most affordable on this list, allowing online students to pay the same tuition rate as those studying on campus. Students receive premier access to campus student services as well, including writing centers, career and counseling services, and even free online tutoring.

Overview

Mary Baldwin University is one of many schools on this list that found its roots as a small women’s’ college. Now, this university, located in Staunton, VA, offers dozens of programs to men and women alike, with many available entirely online. The Masters of Education in Gifted Education is one of these programs, offering certified teachers the option to earn a degree and advanced endorsement at the same time.

Program Features

This program requires 35 credit-hours to complete, along with a 45-hour practicum. This can be completed at the student’s current place of employment and requires students to synthesize their experiences with an inquiry research project. Other required courses include:

• An Integrated Approach to Exceptionality
• Advanced Studies of Gifted Learners
• An Inquiry Approach to Differentiated Curriculum and Instruction
• Technologies to Advance Learning

Notables

Mary Baldwin provides students with the training and networking necessary to be successful in their current positions, as well as in the search for future teaching positions. Nearly 100 percent of all education students receive promoted licensure, with most of these students also going on to obtain steady, full-time employment in the teaching profession.