WQIO Ohio's Super Station
Mount Vernon Nazarene University is introducing a new graduate program designed to help licensed teachers advance their careers while building on the professional learning they’ve already completed.
The university announced this week that its new Master of Arts in Education in Curriculum and Instruction will welcome its first cohort beginning in October 2026.
The program is designed for working educators seeking to deepen their instructional knowledge, prepare for leadership opportunities or expand their teaching credentials without duplicating prior professional development.
“Our M.A.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction is a program designed with the licensed teacher in mind,” said Dr. Angela Castleman, the program’s director. “Whether you are seeking to increase your depth of knowledge while strengthening your instructional craft, develop your leadership potential, or you wish to enhance your credentialing to expand your teaching repertoire, this program accomplishes all these goals.”
A unique feature of the new degree is MVNU’s partnership with AccuEd, which allows educators to apply up to nine credit hours of approved AccuTrain professional development toward the master’s degree. University officials say the partnership recognizes the training teachers are already receiving through their school districts while reducing unnecessary coursework and lowering overall costs.
Students will complete four core courses covering curriculum leadership, ethical practice, innovative instruction and inclusive education before selecting one of three concentrations:
- Curriculum Studies
- Mathematics
- English
Each concentration includes six additional graduate courses and concludes with a capstone project designed to address real classroom challenges or develop innovative curriculum and instructional strategies.
The university says the curriculum also prepares educators to thoughtfully incorporate emerging technologies, including generative artificial intelligence, while emphasizing ethical decision-making and responsible classroom implementation.
Rooted in MVNU’s Wesleyan-Arminian tradition, the program emphasizes teaching as both a profession and a calling.
“Teaching is a calling, and at MVNU, we believe the best preparation for our vocation happens at the intersection of faith and learning,” Castleman said. “‘To Seek to Learn is to Seek to Serve’ is more than our motto; it is our instructional design.”
The program’s capstone experience gives students the opportunity to complete action research on a real educational challenge or design and implement a curriculum or technology integration project with measurable outcomes. Graduates will also complete a professional portfolio they can use to demonstrate their work to school administrators and future employers.
University officials say the flexible format is intended to accommodate full-time educators balancing graduate school with classroom responsibilities. The first classes are scheduled to begin in October 2026.
