The Area of Concentration (or AoC) in the School Improvement program provides a specialized, thematic concentration to the student's studies. Made up of 12 credit hours of electives and the student's dissertation, the AoC comprises a student's focus within the program. Specific AoC's are developed in conjunction with various departments within College of Education at the University of West Georgia. Currently, the available AoC's include:
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School Counseling
- CEPD 8138 - Advanced Multicultural Counseling
- CEPD 8152 - Consultation, Collaboration and Programs
- CEPD 8156 - Designing Effective Programs
- CEPD 8102 - Lifespan Human Development
- CEPD 8171 - Current Issues in Counseling/Supervision
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Educational Leadership
- EDLE 8304 - Leadership for Organizational Change
- EDLE 8305 - Effective Management to Promote Student Learning
- EDLE 8306 - Instructional Leadership for Improving Schools
- EDLE 8312 - School Finance & Resource Management
- EDLE 8324 - Ethics in Educational Leadership
- EDLE 8329 - School Leadership in a Pluralistic & Diverse Society
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K-12 Online Teaching
- MEDT 7461 - Instructional Design
- MEDT 7472 - Introduction to Distance Education
- MEDT 7491 - Implementation, Assessment, and Evaluation of Online Learning
- MEDT 7492 - Leadership and Administration of Online Learning and e-Learning
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Instructional Technology
- MEDT 8461 - Diffusion of Innovations
- MEDT 8463 - Issues in Instructional Technology
- MEDT 7461 - Instructional Design
Choose one elective from the 7000 series list below:
- MEDT 7479 - Digital Game Based Learning
- MEDT 7480 - Global Learning and Collaboration with Technology
- MEDT 7462 - Internet Tools, Resources and Issues in Education
- MEDT 7464 - Integrating Technology into the Classroom
- MEDT 7465 - Resources for Children & Young Adults
- MEDT 7466 - Digital and 35mm Photography
- MEDT 7467 - Web Design for Instruction (prerequisite MEDT 6401)
- MEDT 7468 - Introduction to Multimedia (prerequisite MEDT 6401)
- MEDT 7470 - Digital Video Production & Utilization
- MEDT 7471 - Data Networks for Instruction
- MEDT 7472 - Introduction to Distance Education
- MEDT 7473 - Advanced Multimedia (prerequisites MEDT 7467 & MEDT 7468)
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Reading
- READ 7201 - Integrating Language, Literacy, and Technology Across Content Areas
- READ 7261 - Literacy Engagement through Writing
- READ 7262 - Trends in Literacy Instruction
- READ 7263 - Comprehensive Literacy Assessments and Interventions
- READ 7267 - Culturally Diverse Literature, P-12
- READ 7271 - Literacy Theory, Development, and Practices in the Digital Age
- READ 7285 - Special Topics
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Media Specialist
- MEDT 7469 - Supervision of School Library Media Program
- MEDT 8464 - Issues in School Library Media
- MEDT 7485 - Special Topics
Choose one elective from the 7000 series list below (or other approved by school library media family):
- MEDT 7472 - Introduction to Distance Education
- MEDT 7475 - Distance Education Professional
- MEDT 7464 - Designing Technology-Enhanced Instruction
- MEDT 7476 - Assessing Learning in Technology - Enhanced Instruction
- MEDT 7490 - Visual & Media Literacy for Teaching & Learning
- MEDT 7473 - Advanced Multimedia
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Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)
- PTED 7239 - Language & Culture in the Classroom
- PTED 7241 - Teaching English as a Second Language: Methods, Materials, & Assessment
- ECSE 8562 - Using Data to Meet the Needs of Diverse Learners
- PTED 7239 - Language & Culture in the Classroom
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Special Education
- SPED 7701 - Program Planning & Evaluation
- SPED 7704 - Administrating Special Education Programs
- SPED 7716 - Autism Characteristics and Theory (Autism Endorsement)
- SPED 7726 - Autism Instruction and Collaboration (Autism Endorsement)
- SPED 7729 - Special Education Law
- SPED 7767 - Challenging Behaviors (Autism Endorsement)
- SPED 8771 - Curriculum Design & Implement
(Note: Autism Endorsement includes SPED 7716, SPED 7726, and SPED 7767)
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Early Childhood Education
- ECED 8272 - Teacher as Leader
- ECED 8271 - Advanced Curriculum Seminar
- ECED 7266 - The Young Child: Home & Community
- ECSE 8562 - Using Data to Meet the Needs of Diverse Learners
- ECSE 7566 - Advanced Instructional Strategies for the 21st Century Classroom
- ECSE 7560 - Contemporary Issues in Education
- ECED 7273 - Family/School Involvement for School Improvement
Another option available to students is to develop a customized AoC. At a minimum, an individual AoC must meet the following criteria:
- It must have a thematic, cohesive foundation.
- It must consist of a minimum of 12 semester hours of credit.
- The coursework must be post-Masters level.
- It must be approved by the Director of the Ed.D. Program in School Improvement.
- It must have been completed within seven years of the date of admission to the Ed.D. degree program.
- A grade of B or higher must have been earned in the coursework.
**Please note that any customized AoC must be pre-approved by the program.**