MEd in Inclusive Education: Equity and Social Justice

Acadia’s Master of Education in Inclusive Education: Equity and Social Justice program will provide experienced educators and leaders with the knowledge and skills necessary to continue to make progressive social change in their professional practice environments. Program content is research-informed and transdisciplinary and takes up the lenses of both systemic oppression and decolonization. Foundational to all coursework will be anti-racist pedagogies and intersectionality. Educators will be prepared to participate in the policymaking, curriculum-planning, instruction, and assessment vital for inclusive education. Through a Capstone Project or Thesis option, program participants will have the opportunity to explore, in depth, a research topic or passion project related to their professional goals.

Modality of Program Courses:

For students accepted into this program, there will be in-person summer residency requirements at the Acadia university campus for the first two courses (EDUC 5063 and EDUC 5123) as well as the two courses offered in the summer of the second year. All fall, winter and spring courses in the program will have some in-person residency requirements. This will involve either some Fridays / Saturdays or evening in-person gatherings, complemented by synchronous / asynchronous offerings. The location and timing of the in-person requirements for the fall, winter, spring courses will be determined by the geographic composition of the cohort, availability of instructors and other relevant program considerations.

Acadia University’s School of Education began offering this focused program in July 2022.  The cohort-based, two-year part-time cohort-based program accepts a maximum annual enrolment of 20 educators.

Note: Students are responsible for contacting the teacher certification branch to determine if a program and constituent courses meet requirements for upgrades to licenses or new endorsations for a change in job designation.

General Information about Graduate Studies at Acadia: http://gradstudies.acadiau.ca/home.html

Questions about the program?  Please email: graded@acadiau.ca

 

Program Schedule - 2022 Cohort

Term

MEd in Inclusive Education: Equity and Social Justice - Cohort 2022

Summer 2022

EDUC 5063 SU02

Inclusive Education and Social Justice (Dr. Kesa Munroe-Anderson, Jul 5-15)

Summer 2022

EDUC 5123 SU01

Curriculum Practice for Inclusive Schooling (Dr. Lynn Aylward, Jul 11-22)

Fall 2022

EDUC 5513 FA01

Research Design in Education (Dr. Lynn Aylward)

Winter 2023

EDUC 5313 WI01

Assessment for Learning (Natasha Yorke-Phillip)

Spring 2023

EDUC 5053 SU02

Topics in Education: UDL and Accessible Learning (Barbara Welsford)

Summer 2023

EDUC 50H3 SU01

Disability Studies in Education (Cynthia Bruce)

Summer 2023

EDUC 5933 SU01

Equity and Leadership (Dr. Kesa Munroe-Anderson)

Fall 2023

EDUC 5053 FA04

Topics in Education: Mi'kmaw and Indigenous Education (Kelly Oliver)

Winter 2024

EDUC 5053

Topics in Education: Mental Health Literacy

Spring / Summer 2024

EDUC 5053

Topics in Education: Capstone Project

 

 

 
 

* EDUC 5113

OR

* EDUC 5523

Qualitative Research in Education * (Thesis students only)

OR

Quantitative Methods in Educational Research * (Thesis students only)

 

* EDUC 5966

Graduate Thesis * (Thesis students only)

 

Program Schedule - 2023 Cohort
Term MEd in Inclusive Education: Equity and Social Justice - Cohort 2023
Summer 2023 EDUC 5063 SU02 Inclusive Education and Social Justice (Dr. Kesa Munroe-Anderson)
Summer 2023 EDUC 5123 SU01 Curriculum Practice for Inclusive Schooling (Dr. Lynn Aylward)
Fall 2023 EDUC 5513 FA01 Research Design in Education (Ayman Aljarrah)
Winter 2024 EDUC 5053 WI02 Topics in Education: Mental Health Literacy
Spring 2024 EDUC 5143 Educational Explorations in Equity & Social Justice (Open entry following completion of 9 hours in M.Ed. in Inclusive Education – Equity and Social Justice program & approval of Equity and Social Justice Program Lead)
Spring 2024 EDUC 5313 Assessment for Learning
Summer 2024 EDUC 50H3 Disability Studies in Education
Summer 2024 EDUC 5933 Equity and Leadership
Fall 2024 EDUC 5053 Topics in Education: Indigenous Education
Winter 2025 EDUC 5053 Topics in Education: Capstone Project
 

* EDUC 5113

 

* EDUC 5523

Qualitative Research in Education * (Thesis students only)

OR

Quantitative Methods in Educational Research * (Thesis students only)

  * EDUC 5966 Graduate Thesis * (Thesis students only)
Applications for 2023 Cohort

Applications for the 2023 Cohort starting in July 2023 closed on February 17, 2023.

Information on future cohorts will be provided as it becomes available.

Application requirements include:

  • Application through Acadia Graduate Studies office (online) - see below
  • Letter of Intent (see guidelines below)
  • Résumé / CV
  • Two Reference Letters (one academic, one professional),
  • Official Transcripts (for all post-secondary studies)

Instructions for Letter of Intent

In addition to the general application procedures for graduate studies, the “letter of intent” is often the deciding factor with respect to admission to the program.

We are looking for a cohort of in-service educators and leaders who are committed to the study and practices of Equity and Social Justice in Inclusive Schooling.

Please use the following questions as content guides for your letter of intent.

  • Cohort Graduate study in the area of Equity and Social Justice in Inclusive Education is constructively challenging in both its content and learning process. In terms of  your own professional growth: why this program and why now?
  • Describe how your positionality and social identities connect to your study and practice of equity and social justice within education?
  • What recent community employment or education experiences demonstrate your commitment to work towards progressive social change in your professional practice environments?

General Information about Graduate Studies at Acadia: http://gradstudies.acadiau.ca/home.html

* Note: Students are responsible for contacting the teacher certification branch to determine if a program and constituent courses meet requirements for upgrades to licenses or new endorsations for a change in job designation.

Questions about the program?  Please email graded@acadiau.ca

Applicants should be advised that the application process is competitive. Students in the pool of applications often meet the minimum requirement yet distinguish themselves through other aspects of the application documentation and/or process. Given the number of applications received, the faculty is not resourced sufficiently to respond to queries about unsuccessful applications.

Courses

Modality of Program Courses:
For students accepted into this program, there will be in-person residency requirements at the Acadia University campus during the summer of 2022 and 2023. The first course in both summer 2022 and 2023 will be fully in-person (typically 10 consecutive days). The second course in both summers will have some in-person requirements (likely the first 3-4 days) followed by synchronous / asynchronous learning opportunities for the remainder of the course. All fall, winter and spring courses in the program will have some in-person residency requirements. This will involve either some Fridays/Saturdays or evening in-person gatherings, complemented by synchronous/ asynchronous offerings. The location and timing of the in-person requirements for the fall, winter, spring courses will be determined by the geographic composition of the cohort along with other considerations.  

EDUC 5063 - Inclusive Education and Social Justice
Foundational concepts embedded within the principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion are examined using the analytical tools of intersectionality, decolonization, systemic oppression, anti-racist education, ableism, gender, culture, and power.

EDUC 5123 - Curriculum Practice for Inclusive Schooling
This course examines curricula and practices (such as anti-racist pedagogies, Africentric learning, treaty education, gender friendly classrooms, culturally responsive pedagogy, and UDL) that are responsive to and affirming of all learner identities in current educational contexts.

EDUC 5513 - Research Design in Education
Course content encourages participants to develop a critical research orientation to their professional work while acquiring a facility for designing projects and analyzing current scholarship in Social Justice education.

EDUC 5313 - Assessment for Learning
From a critical and equity building perspective this course explores the intentions and practices of Level A and B assessment practices as well as the cultural and ethical considerations in the use of assessment to inform educational supports for learners who face systemic barriers.

EDUC 5053 - Topics in Education: Indigenous Education
This course will examine the historical and colonial history that led to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action as well as the study of Treaty Education frameworks and the contributions of indigenous decolonization scholars working in education today.

EDUC 50H3 - Disability Studies in Education
Disability Studies in Education offers a critical, first voice framework for understanding disability as a social/political/cultural phenomenon that challenges the normative ideals informing educational policies and practices.

EDUC 5933 - Equity and Leadership
This course studies intersectional and cultural leadership models within educational organizations.

EDUC 5053 - Topics in Education: Mental Health Literacy
This course will investigate current and relevant topics of mental health and schooling that enable the recognition or prevention of mental health challenges while considering the factors that contribute to mental well-being.

EDUC 5053 - Topics in Education: UDL and Accessible Learning (2022 Cohort only)
Universal Design for Learning principles and Accessible Learning strategies will be considered across a diversity of instructional arrangements with a particular focus on the role of technology and Access by Design 2030 ( NS)  education standards

EDUC 5143 - Educational Explorations in Equity and Social Justice (2023 Cohort only)

Access: Pre-requisite of 9 credit hours in the Equity and Social Justice MEd in Inclusive Education program

This course provides an opportunity for the exploration of a variety of educational issues related to equity and social justice through participation in formats such as community-based learning, institutes, workshops, and mini-courses. Evidence of 3h equivalency (120 hours of approved voluntary professional development activities), program relevance, and appropriate academic standards are to be submitted for prior approval to the Program Lead – Equity and Social Justice Cohort.  Evaluation is on a pass/fail basis. Available only to students enrolled in the Equity and Social Justice M.Ed. in Inclusive Education program.

Dates: Open Entry
Fee:  $200

Notes: Students must have approval from the Equity and Social Justice Program Lead before registering to get credit for EDUC 5143

Educational Explorations (Equity and Social Justice concentration) is a course credit that allows students to get credit for 120 hours of accumulated professional development experiences directly and justifiably related to equity and social justice.

This professional development (PD) would normally take place during their enrollment in the Equity and Social Justice cohort- MEd in Inclusive Education program. Some exceptions apply.

This course is only accessible to enrolled MEd students who have completed 9 credit hours in the Equity and Social Justice MEd. in Inclusive Education program.

After the forms (see below) are completed as per the directions included and following the approval of the Equity and Social Justice Program Lead, students pay per-course tuition and then get credit (3 ch) for the Explorations course as part of their Acadia program.

Read the instructions carefully as some restrictions apply and forward any questions regarding suitability to the Equity and Social Justice Cohort Program Lead.

•  Education Explorations Form (.pdf or .doc)

•  Education Explorations Instructions ( .pdf or .doc)

EDUC 5053 - Topics in Education: Capstone Project
Participants will be guided through collaboration and mentorship to complete a research informed project relevant to their current interests, strengths, and professional practice in the area of Inclusive Education: Equity and Social Justice.

EDUC 5113* - Qualitative Research in Education (*Thesis students only)
Course content actively engages students in analysing data from a variety of qualitative interpretive perspectives.

EDUC 5523* - Quantitative Methods in Educational Research (*Thesis students only)
This course is intended to provide a background in quantitative methods for the educator who must use statistics in research. The fundamental statistical tools are reviewed and particular statistical methods applicable to educational problems are introduced in this course.