Agricultural Education
Associate Director of Agricultural Education Programs: Richard Clark
174 Bevier Hall
905 South Goodwin Avenue
Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 333-3165
E-mail: aces-aged@illinois.edu
Major: Agricultural Education
Degrees offered: M.S.
Online and Off-Campus Programs: Agricultural Education
Degrees offered: M.S.
Graduate Degree Programs
The M.S. in Agricultural Education is a professional degree for training community and classroom based educators to address psychological, educational, and research issues as they pertain to teaching and learning in and about the agricultural, life, and environmental sciences. Students may choose among the teacher education option (teaching certification, non-thesis), applied research (non-certification, thesis) option, the program development (non-certification, non-thesis) option, and the online option. Students completing the teacher education option will be eligible for Illinois teacher certification in agricultural education for grades 9-12.
Admission
We are looking for highly motivated students with strong academic records. Students with backgrounds in education, behavioral or social sciences are especially encouraged to apply. The minimum grade-point average for admission is 3.0 (A = 4.0). Applicants for the online/off-campus program are not required to take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), however applicants for the on-campus options must take the GRE. As a guideline, GRE scores should be greater than 500 for the quantitative and verbal tests and 4.0 for analytical writing, though the Admissions Committee may admit candidates with lower scores who demonstrate compelling strengths in other areas. International applicants from non-English-speaking countries must have official TOEFL scores of at least 575 (written version) or 233 (computer-based version) to be eligible for admission. Our application deadline for the on-campus program is January 15 for possible admission the following fall semester. Applications for the online program are accepted March 15, June 15, and November 15 for possible admission the following semester.
In addition to meeting the above criteria, applicants to the teacher education option in the Master of Science program in agricultural education must pass the Illinois Certification Testing System test of Basic Skills test prior to admission. If taking this examination prior to admission presents substantial hardship (e.g., the applicant is from another state), the applicant should contact the director of the agricultural education graduate program to discuss the possibility of a conditional admission. Students conditionally admitted must pass the examination by the end of the first semester of enrollment. Each applicant’s undergraduate transcript will be evaluated for completion of general education courses required for certification by the Illinois State Board of Education. Students with deficiencies may be admitted with the stipulation that these be met before completion of the master’s program.
Degree Requirements
*For additional details and requirements refer to the department's Graduate Program Information and the Graduate College Handbook.
Master of Science
| Required Courses: | Thesis Option - Required Hours | Non-thesis Option - Required Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Agricultural Education Foundationsa (AGED 400 and 420) |
6 | 6 |
| Instructional Methods & Design (AGED 430 or 490) | 4 | 4 |
| Educational Research (AGED 545) | 4 | 4 |
| Agricultural Education electives | 3-4 | 3-4 |
| Electives in agriculture or educationb | 10-11 | 10-11 |
| Thesis or Independent Study Hours Requiredc– AGED 599 or 549 (min/max applied toward degree): | 4-8 | 4 |
| Total Hours | 32 | 32 |
| Minimum 500-level Hours Required Overall: | 12, 8 must be in the unit | 12, 8 must be in the unit |
| Other Requirements:* | ||
| Minimum GPA: | 2.75 | 2.75 |
a Requirement may be waived if taken as an undergraduate at UIUC. If waived, student may substitute this credit requirement with an agricultural education or technical subject matter elective.
b Students may take up to four credit hours in agricultural education to fulfill the technical subject matter course requirements. This is only recommended for students completing a thesis (AGED 599 credits) or for students who desire to take an agriculture content course for teachers (i.e. AGED 500 - Special Topics in Agriculture Education).
c The applied research option requires the completion of a thesis, and the program development and online options require the completion of a project in the area of agricultural education, broadly defined, and submission of a research/professional paper.
Online Program
Agricultural Education can be pursued as an online degree. Please refer to aged.illinois.edu/online.php for more information.
Financial Aid
We are committed to funding all of our students who are making timely progress. The duration and amount of our commitment varies by program. Funding may include fellowships, research assistantships, and/or teaching assistantships. These opportunities typically include stipends and tuition waivers. In some cases, fees are also waived. All applicants are automatically considered for all department funding opportunities; there is no separate application process. Federal and state financial aid is completely separate from the support provided by our department. For information regarding federal and state financial aid, please refer to www.osfa.illinois.edu/.