Master of Arts in Secondary Mathematics Education

Overview

The Master of Arts in Secondary Mathematics Education program is designed especially for secondary mathematics teachers. During this two-year cohorted program, you will:

• experience and implement innovative mathematics-teaching practices, especially drawing on reform methodology and curricula
• acquire greater fluency with educational technologies, including internet resources, website development, and graphing technologies
• investigate current research in mathematics teaching and learning and how it translates into practice
• conduct applied classroom-based research
• deepen your knowledge and understanding of broad issues, policies, and controversies that impact schools in general and mathematics teaching in particular
• develop as a leader in mathematics education through presentations and participation in professional organizations and support networks

Readings, in-class activities, and assignments aim to help you apply current research and technologies to make your teaching more effective. Most major assignments center on your personal teaching experiences in your current classroom. The culmination of the program is your own research project in which you investigate a mathematics teaching or learning question through a systematic classroom-based study. In addition to becoming more effective mathematics teachers, graduates of this program will be well prepared for roles as department chair, math coach, or teacher leaders; for leading conference sessions or workshops; for some community-college positions; and for further study at the doctoral level.

The cohorted program comprises 10 courses (30 units): 8 core courses and 2 electives. Core classes meet from 4:00 – 6:45 pm and 7:00 – 9:45 pm every Tuesday for four semesters. These classes are generally reserved for the mathematics-education master’s cohort: a small group of mathematics teachers who will be one of the most powerful sources of your learning in the program. The professional and personal connections you develop with cohort-mates will last well beyond graduation and serve as resources for years to come. Enrollment is closed for the current cohort. The next cohort will run from Fall 2023 to Spring 2025. The two elective courses, in education or mathematics, are normally taken during the two-year program; some students will be able to substitute courses taken prior to this program (e.g., in a recent CSUN teaching-credential program) for these two electives.

Course of Study

The program comprises 10 courses (30 units): 8 core courses and 2 electives. Core classes meet from 4:00 – 6:45 pm and 7:00 – 9:45 pm every Tuesday for four semesters. The two elective courses, in education or mathematics, are normally taken during the two-year program; some students will be able to substitute courses taken prior to this program (e.g., in a recent CSUN teaching-credential program) for these two electives.

Class List/Sequence:

Two Required Elective Courses (6 units)

For program completion, six (6) units of credential program, transfer, or other qualified coursework are needed. If you completed your credential program at CSUN within the past five years, you may be able to apply two of your credential courses to meet this requirement. Graduate courses or post-baccalaureate credential courses from other institutions may also be eligible substitutions for these electives.

Coursework at the time of graduation cannot be more than seven (7) years old. Candidates in the program without these units, in consultation with the program directors, may enroll in an Independent Study, graduate-level mathematics courses, or other appropriate coursework during the summer or regular semesters.