Take your career to the next level with a master's degree in ALEC. You'll experience personalized attention that nurtures big dreams for big impact.
Students and faculty from all backgrounds will encourage you in our welcoming, collaborative environment.
Pathways
Students can choose from one of three different pathways to best fit their individual needs.
Program Development (On Campus & Online)
A concentration in Applied Program Development will give you formal and informal educational and other learning opportunities in an organizational community context. This concentration will help with many different kinds of programs such as organizational and extension. This track is available to both on-campus and online students.
| Required | 15 | |
| ALEC 500 | Foundations of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications | 3 |
| ALEC 510 | Program Planning, Implementation and Evaluation | 3 |
| ALEC 505 | Science and Art of Teaching and Learning | 3 |
| ALEC 545 | Research Methods and Design | 3 |
| AGCM 495 | Communicating Science | 3 |
| Electives | 17 total credit hours. 5 or more credit hours of ALEC, LEAD, AGED, or AGCM coursework not listed above. Up to 12 credit hours from outside the ALEC Program that can be applied to and relevant for professional goals. | 17 |
| Total Hours | 32 |
Research (On Campus Only)
Sharpen your research skills by working hand-in-hand with individual faculty members in one of their current research endeavors. As a capstone to your degree, you will complete and defend a master’s thesis. This concentration it is only available to students full-time students.
| Required | 24 | |
| ALEC 500 | Foundations of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications | 3 |
| ALEC 510 | Program Planning, Implementation and Evaluation | 3 |
| ALEC 505 | Science and Art of Teaching and Learning | 3 |
| AGCM 495 | Communicating Science | 3 |
| HDFS 590 | Advanced Research Methods | 4 |
|
HDFS 591 or HDFS 594 |
Qualitative Methods Intermed Statistical Analysis |
4
|
| ALEC 599 | Thesis Research | 4 |
| Electives | 8 credit hours. Any graduate-level coursework that can be applied to and relevant for professional goals. | 8 |
| Total Hours | 32 |
Teacher Licensure (On Campus & Online)
Our Teacher Licensure concentration is structured to support students in earning a license to teach subjects related to agriculture in public secondary schools in the state of Illinois.
| ALEC 500 | Foundations of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications | 3 |
| ALEC 510 | Program Planning, Implementation and Evaluation | 3 |
| ALEC 505 | Science and Art of Teaching and Learning | 3 |
| ALEC 545 | Research Methods and Design | 3 |
| AGED 410 | Grad Early Field Experience | 2 |
| AGED 510 | Education Program Management | 4 |
| AGED 511 | Grad Professional Dev in Ag Ed | 1 |
| CI 473 | Disciplinary Literacy | 3 |
| SPED 517 | Disability Issues in Special Education | 4 |
| EDPR 442 | Educational Practice in Secondary Education | 5 |
| Electives | 1 credit hour. Any graduate-level coursework that can be applied to and relevant for professional goals | 1 |
| Total Hours | 32 |
Apply Today!
Applications for our full-time on-campus program are due on February 15 for the following academic year. You must apply by this deadline to be considered for financial support. Applications for our online program are due on June 15 for Fall admission and November 15 for Spring admission.