Adult Education
School/College: School of Education
Degree(s) Offered: Master of Science
Graduate Coordinator: Bernadine S. Chapman Email: chapmanb@ncat.edu Phone: (336)334-7916
Department Chair: Miriam L. Wagner Email: wagnerm@ncat.edu Phone: (336)334-7916
The program of study is composed of a professional core curriculum consisting of 21 graduate semester hours, including a faculty supervised practicum experience, and a minimum of 15 semester hours in a research or practice concentration. The concentration entails graduate research and cognate studies in an adult education specialty (thesis option) or an adult education practice concentration (non-thesis option). The concentration (thesis or non-thesis) is determined by the participant in collaboration with his or her faculty advisor and is subject to approval by the Department Chair. Practice concentrations are currently designated in Community Education, Counseling, Higher Education, Human Resources Development, Instructional Technology, and Interdisciplinary Community College Teaching. As a culminating experience, the Research Concentration (Thesis Option) participant must research and write a masters’ thesis in the field of adult education under the supervision of his/her major advisor, and defend it before a departmental Thesis Research Committee. Practice Concentration (Non-Thesis Option) participants must complete a four-hour master’s comprehensive examination administered by the Department. The Adult Education Program offers a Certificate in Community College Teaching. To be eligible for this certificate program, one must hold a Master’s degree, or seeking a Master’s degree that includes a minimum of eighteen graduate credits from a single discipline. This discipline is one that should commonly be taught at the Community College Level. The certificate will be awarded after the completion of five (5) Adult Education Core courses. The unique feature about this Adult Education program is the master's in Interdisciplinary Community College Teaching. This degree consists of a professional core curriculum consisting of 21 graduate semester hours and 18 within an academic discipline (e.g. English, Biology, Business Education, Manufacturing Systems and History).
Additional Admission Requirements:
- Submit a professional portfolio; if requested by ADED program
- Complete a written sample
Program Outcomes:
- Measurement and Evaluation: Develop and apply standards for evaluating projects, programs and educational research.
- Program Development: Assess design, deliver, and evaluate adult education and training programs.
- Application: Apply adult learning and development theories to increase adult performance at the individual, group, and/or organizational levels.
- Adult Program Processes: Facilitate the understanding of adult education program processes-planning, organizing, leading, implementing, budgeting, and evaluating.
- Communication: Demonstrate effective written and oral communication skills.
Degree Requirements
The Master's of Adult Education with concentrations requires 36 semester hours that includes 21 credit hours of professional core courses and 15 credit hours in the concentration.
Core Course(s) (21 Credit Hours)
- ADED 707 Foundations of Adult Education or ADED 718 Adult Learner: Andragogical Principles
- ADED 708 Methods in Adult Education
- ADED 709 Adult Development and Learning
- ADED 700 History and Philosophy of Adult and Continuing Education or 719 Assessment
- ADED 701 Organization, Administration, & Supervision of Adult Education Programs or ADED 776 Principles of College Teaching
- ADED 716 Qualitative Research in Adult and Continuing Education
- ADED 702 Practicum and Seminar in Adult Education (50 contact hours or more) or ADED 720 Workforce Training and Experiential Learning
Research Concentration (Thesis Track)
- HDSV 707 Applied Research (3)
- Comparable Research Design Course (3)
- ADED 705 Thesis Research in Adult Education (6)
- Approved Electives (3)
In lieu of taking the master’s comprehensive examination, thesis students will defend their completed research before their respective faculty advisory committee.(15 credit hours)
Practice Concentration (Non-Thesis Track)
Electives to comprise a practice concentration consisting of 15 credit hours.
In consultation with his/her advisor, the student may elect to pursue a designated practice concentration (below), or develop a unique concentration from among university-wide course offerings that is tailored to his/her career interests and goals.
Recommended Courses for Practice Concentrations
Community Education
ADED 771 Program Development in Community Education
ADED 772 Program Management in Community Education
ADED 711 Gerontology
ADED 712 Developmental Adult Education
One Approved Elective
Higher Education
ADED 776 Principles of College Teaching
ADED 714 The Community College
ADED 778 Student Personnel Services
ADED 77 (3) Leadership
One Approved Elective
Human Resource Development
ADED 710 Foundations of Human Resource Development
CUIN 612 Instructional Design
CUIN 714 Instructional Technology Services for Business and Industry
TECH 670 Introduction to Workplace Training and Development
TECH 671 Methods and Techniques of Workplace Training and Development
Instructional Technology
CUIN 742 Instructional Design
CUIN 617 Computers in Education
CUIN 762 Advanced Internet Uses in Education
CUIN 765 Authoring Software
CUIN 716 Media Center Management
CUIN 742 Instructional Design
Interdisciplinary Community College Teaching
18 Credits Biology
BIOL 615 Virology
BIOL 6 (3)1 Endocrine Physiology
BIOL 640 Intro to Bioinformatics
BIOL 665 Evolution
BIOL 671 Immunology
BIOL 700 Environ Biology
18 Credits Business Education
MGMT 712 Foundation of Enterprise Mgmt.
ECON 706 Seminar in Economics
ACCT 708 Seminar in Financial Concepts
MIS 713 Business Applications Dev.
MGMT 718 Mgmt. & Org. Analysis
MKGT 716 Strategic Marketing
18 Credits English
ENGL 653 English as Second Language
ENGL 650 African-American Folklore
ENGL 627 Literature for Adolescents
ENGL 721/722 American Literature
ENGL 712 Freshman Writing
ENGL 755 Grammar and Rhetoric
18 Credits History
HIST 735 Historiography
HIST 730 Seminar in History
HIST 701 Recent US Diplomatic Hist.
HIST 712 20th Cent Afri-Ameri. Hist.
HIST 725 Teaching Trends, Soc Science
HIST 740 Hist. Soc. Sci. Contemp. World Prob
18 Credits Manufacturing Systems
MSIT 701 Leadership & Techno Innovations
MSIT 702 Enterprise Resource Planning System
MSIT 703 Stats & Prob. In Industrial Tech.
MSIT 336 Research Methods for IT
MFG 710 Mfg. Materials
MFG 720 Industrial Economics
MFG 721 Industrial Op. Mgmt.
MFG 735 Mfg. Org. & Mgmt
MAG 745 Managing New Prod. Dev.
MFG 755 Production Mgmt. & Control
MFG 770 Managing a Total Qual. Syst.
MFG 772 Strategic Concepts in Quality
MFG 610 Six Sigma Applied to Mfg.
MFG 613 Supply Chain Management Syst.
MFG 614 Industrial Logistics
MFG 621 Manf. Operation Modeling
MFG 651 Principles of Robotics
MFG 673 Ind. Productivity Meas. & Analysis
MFG 674 Study of Automation & Control Syst.
MFG 696 Applied Comp. Integrated Mfg.
Admission to Candidacy
Applicants must possess a baccalaureate (Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts) degree preferably in the areas of education, history, philosophy, psychology or sociology. Applicants who have creditable professional and/or volunteer experience in adult education are encouraged to submit a brief portfolio.
Advising
The following academic procedures and process will serve to assist graduate students as they matriculate through the program. After acceptance, each student will be assigned an advisor. The academic advising process serves to:
- Assist students in planning a program of vocational interest and professional study.
- Identify student learning blocks and related obstacles to career or educational progress.
- Recognize students’ skills, abilities, aptitudes, and interests leading to appropriate career selection.
- Periodically assess student’s academic progress and career goals.
- Advise and place students in appropriate course selection taking into account appropriate sequence and required prerequisites.
- Advise students of all requirements for graduation.
- Refer students to appropriate remedial developmental services.
- Provide students with any other assistance deemed necessary.
- Prepare students to register for courses each semester.
Once students are assigned an advisor, they will remain with that advisor throughout the program. Students will not change advisors unless so directed and approved by the department chairperson. All departmental advising is done in accordance with the University Academic Advisement Handbook.
Program Certification/Accreditation
The Adult Education program follows professional standards devised by the Commission of Professors of Adult Education.
Directory of Faculty
- Bernadine Chapman, B.S., Elizabeth City State University; M.A., Teachers College, Columbia University; Ed.D., North Illinois University; Associate Professor
- Sharon Waldrum, B.S., M.S., North Carolina A&T State University, Ph.D., University of South Florida.
