Master of Science in Online Teaching and Learning

Pre-COVID-19, online courses were already growing in the United States and around the world, yet during the pandemic they became a necessity for most institutions. And it’s not likely we will ever fully go back to the previous situation, as we can expect the demand for online courses to dramatically increase now that most students have directly experienced this new modality, and many institutions have invested in it. As we move forward to a “new normal” in education, we need teachers, specialized staff, and instructional leaders who can ensure quality delivery of online and digitally-rich instruction.The Warner School is among a select few schools of education across the country to offer programs that will teach you the strategies and skills necessary to design and implement learning experiences that leverage online and digital learning in a variety of instructional settings. You can also choose among multiple options to fit your context and career goals.The 33-credit master's degree in online teaching and learning will prepare you to teach online andor support institutional efforts to provide high-quality online offerings. The program includes 15 credits of electives that can be customized to meet specific interests and career goals.

Specific criteria for admission include:Applicants must have received a bachelor\u2019s degree from an accredited institution or equivalent by the time they enter the program at Warner, with the exception of those applying to early admission programs.Applicants must have the ability to do graduate work at the University of Rochester, as demonstrated by their past academic performance and their academic writing skills.Applicants must demonstrate sufficient communication and interpersonal skills to perform well in their chosen career in education.Applicants\u2019 career goals, professional interests, academic background, attitudes, and philosophy must be consistent with the programs offered by the Warner School and its stated mission.Additional criteria may be established for individual programs.Please scan and upload your transcripts to the online application. Official transcripts of all previous post-secondary education are required if admitted to the program.Letters of recommendation from members of the academic community and/or workplace professionals who know your qualifications for graduate study are required. Preferably, at least one recommendation should be from a former professor. At least two letters are required for master\u2019s applicants and three for doctoral applicants. Letters of recommendation are managed on the online application.A statement of purpose describing your academic or professional background and your interest in pursuing graduate study at Warner is required. The statement of purpose is generally between two and four pages, double-spaced. You can upload a file or cut and paste into the online application.Current resume or curriculum vitae should be uploaded to the online application.A writing sample. Upload your writing sample with your application. This must be written in English and may be a term paper from your earlier academic work, or a five- or six-page commentary on an issue in education that you have written for this purpose only. The paper should support an academic argument, reference citations, and use a research style sheet