TTU Master's Degree in Education now available during Regents Online Degree Program

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. (Aug. 28, 2002) – Tennessee Tech University's master of education program knows no boundaries.

That's because TTU is among the six Tennessee Board of Regents universities now offering the curriculum through the Regents Online Degree Program, which uses the Internet to make courses available at the student's convenience, regardless of his or her location.

"We've designed the online program's curriculum so that its content is really tied to the student's daily activities as a teacher," said Darrell Garber, TTU's Dean of Education and chair of the new program's development committee.

And he describes its courses — with titles such as "Readings in Curriculum," which focuses on improving teachers' instruction methods — as a type of mirror.

"The courses will provide a foundation for constant personal improvement because each participant will be forced to reflect nightly on his or her daily classroom activities," Garber said.

While students who are employed full-time are limited to taking only two online courses a semester, they can still likely earn their master's degrees in less than two years.

To apply for the RODP master of education, candidates must select one of the six TBR universities as a "home institution" — the school that will issue the student's diploma upon program completion — and meet its admission requirements.

A total of 37 students are currently enrolled in the entire RODP master of education program. Although none yet consider TTU as their "home institution," Curriculum and Instruction Chair Larry Peach recommends the university because of its "focus on the student and performance-oriented reputation."

All online courses are of the same content and rigor as courses offered on campus, and student services — such as advising, library services and student support — are all delivered online.

For more information about the RODP master of education program, call TTU's College of Education at 931/372-3124 or go to the RODP website at www.tn.regentsdegrees.org and click on "teacher education online."

--Tracey LeFevre

This information posted 28 August 2002