Cost & earnings at Abilene Christian University-Undergraduate Online What students borrow here, and what they go on to earn
Education graduates earn a median $49,058 Across 466 US programmes, two years after finishing
See the degree grade →A fifth‑year M.Ed. designed for ACU undergraduates who hold or are completing teacher certification, combining graduate coursework with a year‑long clinical teaching placement in high‑needs classrooms. Suits high‑performing teacher candidates seeking classroom‑focused graduate study and initial certification through an accelerated sequence.
This is a fifth‑year Initial Certification track (M.Ed. in Teaching & Learning) for ACU students enrolled in an undergraduate program that includes teacher certification. The program requires 36 credit hours, is structured to be completed in about 12–15 months, and includes a year‑long clinical teaching placement in high‑needs schools. High‑performing candidates may begin graduate courses in their final undergraduate semester.
The program blends graduate seminars, applied courses and two semesters of clinical teaching. Example and listed coursework includes:
The course sequence begins with six graduate hours in the spring of the senior year (which can waive six undergraduate hours), continues through a first summer and a fall and spring of clinical practice, and concludes in a second summer term.
Applicants must be currently enrolled in an ACU undergraduate degree that includes teacher certification and follow a staged application process: submit a Statement of Intent in the EDUC 211 semester, formally apply to the Fifth‑Year Master’s Degree Sequence during the fall semester one year prior to matriculation, and submit the application by the stated November deadline. Minimum academic standards include a 3.0 overall GPA and 3.0 in the content field, no grade below a B in undergraduate professional education courses (EDUC, READ, EACH, SPED), and no score below 3 on the Dispositions Review completed by three ACU faculty. Applicants must submit a statement of purpose and philosophy (max two pages, 12‑point font, double‑spaced) meeting rubric standards; candidates who do not meet criteria may be considered via interview. Accepted candidates must maintain these qualifications and complete a graduate school application (with fee) in the fall prior to beginning M.Ed. courses.
Graduates are prepared for classroom leadership and roles that influence learning across contexts; specified outcomes include work in education policy development and curriculum development, as well as instructional coaching and other school‑based improvement roles given the program’s emphasis on clinical teaching and data‑informed practice.
Students should consult ACU’s Office of Graduate Programs for current pricing, billing, and any scholarship or funding opportunities; the program page notes a per‑credit tuition figure and advises contacting graduate admissions for detailed cost and funding information.
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