Skip to main
Grad students in classroom.

Innovations in Teaching and Learning (formerly Curriculum & Instruction)

A program designed to develop the next generation of teacher leaders, the Master’s in Innovations in Teaching and Learning from McDaniel will prepare you to address current classroom trends, needs and challenges.

Mortarboard
Degree Types
Master's
Dollar sign
Program Cost
$552 per credit
Key
Format
Online
Calculator
Total credits
33

About the Program

Effective for the Fall 2020 semester, McDaniel College’s highly regarded Curriculum and Instruction program has been revised, resulting in the new Master of Science in Innovations in Teaching and Learning program. Offered completely online to provide flexible scheduling and convenience to working educators, the program is particularly suitable for educators in PreK–12 schools.

The M.S. in Innovations in Teaching and Learning was designed in partnership with PreK-12 leaders, ensuring that the knowledge and skills you develop are immediately applicable to your practice and relevant to professional growth.  

Courses focus on:

  • brain-based teaching and learning,
  • social and emotional learning,
  • instructional technology,
  • teaching diverse populations,
  • teacher leadership and development,
  • assessment and data analysis,
  • problem based instruction,
  • innovative pedagogy. 

Why McDaniel for Innovations in Teaching and Learning

We designed our program to put you in the center of the educational process—so you can actively apply theory and research about teaching and learning to your current everyday work while expanding your leadership skills and becoming a master teacher. Relevant problem-based and integrated learning forms the foundation of the program as candidates tackle relevant classroom challenges and apply course content to find innovative solutions. You’ll learn from experienced practitioners who quickly become both mentors and peers.

The Innovations in Teaching and Learning program features:

  • Timely and relevant content—you’ll be able to take what you learn at McDaniel and apply it directly to your classroom or other professional goals
  • Small class sizes that ensure personal attention
  • Partnerships with local school systems and faculty who are school leaders in those systems
  • Support through ongoing and easily accessible advising
  • Highly competitive tuition

What You Need to Know About Innovations in Teaching and Learning

Admissions Requirements

  • Application for graduate study (online)
  • Official transcripts conferring bachelor’s degree (minimum of 3.00 GPA*) from an accredited institution; graduate transcripts if applicable.
  • Copy of a Teaching Certificate - Maryland State Department of Education Standard Professional Certificate (SPC I or SPC II). Students with Professional Eligibility Certification or evidence of completion of teacher preparation program and passing Praxis II scores can be accepted in lieu of teacher certification.  Teachers who hold a license or certification from states outside of Maryland must also provide a copy of their teaching certificate.  Students holding Provisional or Conditional teacher certification would not be eligible for the MS in ITL program. Provisional or conditional certificate holders should discuss program options with the Graduate and Professional Studies office.

Please note: Students who have a 2.75 to 2.99 GPA may be admitted provisionally and will be required to maintain a 3.0 GPA in the first 9-12 credit hours. Students with less than a 2.75 GPA will be considered for provisional admission on a case-by-case basis but may be required to provide additional documentation and/or participate in an interview. Admission may also come with additional conditions.

International Students:

This program requires practicum in the US. It is also delivered primarily online and as a result does not meet the SEVIS regulations for international students to study in the US.  If you are a US citizen living outside of the US, you should contact gpsadvising@mcdaniel.edu to discuss your eligibility for admission to this program.

 

Degree Requirements

The requirements for successful completion of the degree include:

  • Completion of 33 credits, maintaining a GPA of 3.0 (B) or better

State Authorization & Professional Licensure

Find Out More

Discover more about this program and others at one of our monthly, virtual open houses!  

Register

Apply

This program begins in Fall, Spring, and Summer. 

Start Your Application

Program Coordinator

Lauren Keenan

410-386-4626

Email the Coordinator

Certification and Reputation

McDaniel is an established, respected institution in the field of education. This program has been evaluated and approved by:

  • The Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC)
  • The Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE)
Official seal of the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP)

McDaniel College is a member in good standing of the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP), a national accrediting organization recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. The Master of Science in Innovations in Teaching and Learning program has been awarded initial accreditation status by AAQEP through June 30, 2029. Accreditation acknowledges that a program prepares effective educators who continue to grow as professionals and has demonstrated the commitment and capacity to maintain quality.

Advancing Your Career

The ITL Program offers multiple paths to leadership in education:

  • Teacher leadership (coaching/mentoring, instructional technology) through instructional and curricular expertise developed in the program.
  • Supervisory leadership (curriculum design, staff development, assessment, etc.) through coursework that leads to Administrator I Certification.
  • School-building leadership through coursework that leads to Administrator I Certification.

Meet a Graduate | Brittany Pierce M.S. '24

What led you to earn your M.S. in Innovations in Teaching and Learning?

After teaching for several years, I decided to advance my career with leadership opportunities. I have always loved school and the art of learning. At the end of the 2023-24 school year, I will have finished my eighth year in teaching.

Why McDaniel?

I chose McDaniel because many leadership members in my school district had received their graduate degrees from this program. I also had many colleagues who were in this program who spoke highly of it. It was a clear choice of what would challenge and prepare me for a leadership role.

What were your program highlights?

I am very thankful for the structured and helpful professors I had in this graduate program. Every professor challenged me with rigorous learning opportunities but supported me so that I could be a successful. 

I’m also really thankful that the program was completely online, and the professors were very flexible and easy to get ahold of and really challenged me through rigorous courses. I enjoyed reflecting on my experiences and using my new skills in practice.

Headshot of Brittany Pierce in graduation regalia.
Headshot of Brian Thompson wearing a red shirt and tie with a black suit coat.

Brian Thompson M.S. ’15 selected as 2024 Carroll County Teacher of the Year

Brian Thompson M.S. '15 is the Carroll County Public Schools (CCPS) Teacher of the Year for 2024-25. He earned his master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction (now Innovations in Teaching and Learning) from McDaniel in 2015, and his Administrator I Certificate from McDaniel in 2018.

“While I’ve always felt confident in my music education pedagogy, I feel like I really became a more complete teacher after my time in the Curriculum and Instruction graduate program at McDaniel College,” he says.

Read more about Brian's teaching career.

Related Programs

Administrator I Certification Teaching, M.S. Educational Leadership, M.S. Gifted and Talented Education Specialist (GATES) STEM Instructional Leader

Find Out More

Discover more about this program and others at one of our monthly, virtual open houses!  

Register

Apply

This program begins in Fall, Spring, and Summer. 

Start Your Application

Program Coordinator

Lauren Keenan

410-386-4626

Email the Coordinator
McDaniel College
2 College Hill
Westminster, MD, 21157
© McDaniel College All Rights Reserved