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Admissions and Academic Advisor
The UW Tacoma School of Education admits new students every quarter for the Master of Education (M.Ed.) for Practicing Educators Program. See the Priority Application Deadlines section below for dates.
The graduate degree program is designed to build upon the skills, knowledge and commitment of practicing educators and other professionals working in educational settings. This graduate degree program offers five areas of emphasis that you can select to best fit your professional learning and development needs. With this high-quality graduate degree from UW, you will be prepared to meet the needs of 21st century learners. Our UW Tacoma professors are skilled instructors who are actively engaged in schools and produce quality research. As our students complete this graduate program, they typically earn higher salaries and promotions, realize exciting new career opportunities, and advance the lives of their students in truly meaningful ways.
Is this Graduate Program right for me? A teaching certificate is not required to enroll. Our graduate students include full-time practicing teachers; educational consultants; school support personnel; instructional, behavioral and emotional coordinators and coaches; counselors and advisors; community college instructors; after school program educators; and those working in nonprofit educational organizations. This program is for professionals with full-time jobs. It is designed as a part-time program, with most classes meeting during the evening with hybrid and online options. Generally, the core and concentration area courses are completed in the first year, and elective courses and a culminating experience are completed in the second year. The program allows certified teachers to embed endorsements for Special Education and English Language Learners into their degree program.
Please Note – Candidate program plans may result in Candidates participating in the UWT graduation ceremony before completing final program requirements.
Information for Candidates
The application process is completed entirely online within the UW Graduate School Application. All materials will be either uploaded or completed online. Your application will not be reviewed for admission until all materials have been received. Complete applications received by the application date will be assured of a review; complete applications received after the application date will be reviewed on a space-available basis.
| Priority application dates | |
|---|---|
| Summer Quarter | April 1st |
| Autumn Quarter | July 1st |
The application process is completed entirely online within the UW Graduate School Application. All materials will be either uploaded or completed online. Your application will not be reviewed for admission until all materials have been received. Complete applications received by the application date will be assured of a review; complete applications received after the application date will be reviewed on a space-available basis.
Bachelor's degree
from a regionally accredited institution
3.0 grade point average
calculated from the applicant's final 90 graded quarter credits or 60 graded semester credits. Applicants who do not meet this requirement may be eligible for admission depending on the quality of their complete application file.
Unofficial transcripts
From every college or university you have attended must be uploaded into the online application. If admitted to the program, one official transcript from your bachelor's degree college (except if UW) will be required by the UW Seattle Graduate Admissions Office.
UW Graduate School application
For Degree Seekers:
Choose "Graduate" from the pull-down menu of application types when applying online. Then be sure to choose "Education - Tacoma (MEd - General for Practicing Educators)" from the pull-down menu of graduate programs.
For non-matriculated; non-degree seeking:
Choose "Graduate Non-Matriculated" from the pull-down menu of application types when applying online. Then be sure to choose "Education - Tacoma (MEd - General for Practicing Educators)" from the pull-down menu of graduate programs.
Proof of Immunization
All enrolled students are required to provide proof of immunity. Students will not be allowed to register for any classes until the UW Tacoma Registrar's Office confirms that they have satisfied this requirement. Students born before 01/01/57 are considered to be immune and therefore do NOT need to submit proof of immunity.
Graduate Degree Seeking
additional requirements:
Personal goal statement
The mission and values of the University of Washington Tacoma School of Education underscore our primary goal of building educator capacity to understand and meet P-12 student needs. In this context, please include the following in your 2-page double-spaced goal statement:
- A discussion of: 1) Your experiences in seeking to understand and meet the needs of children and youth; 2) and how those experiences shape your professional ambitions.
- A discussion of how UWT graduate studies in the education program will help meet your professional goals.
Holistic criteria will be used for goal statement evaluation and will include attention to clarity and quality of discussion, example specificity, and mechanics.
You may wish to review UWT School of Education mission/values for guidance.
Two letters of recommendation
Letters of recommendation should be secured from non-relative persons (no family or friends) who can describe your professional potential for working with children and/or for managing the academic requirements of a rigorous graduate school program of study. The letters of recommendation are incorporated into the online application, and you will identify your recommenders within the application.
The application process is completed entirely online within the UW Graduate School Application. All materials will be either uploaded or completed online. Your application will not be reviewed for admission until all materials have been received. Complete applications received by the application date will be assured of a review; complete applications received after the application date will be reviewed on a space-available basis.
The application checklist is a helpful document to ensure that all items are complete.
UW Graduate School application
Graduate Non-Matricluated; Non-Degree-Seeking
Graduate Non-Matriculated (GNM) defines a student status at the University of Washington designed to provide access to graduate courses for those who already hold a master’s degree, or qualified post-baccalaureate individuals who are not at the present time seeking a graduate degree but who may later want to apply those credits toward a degree. A maximum of 12 GNM credits, or any combination of GNM and transfer credits, may be applied toward the degree.
The application process is completed entirely online within the UW Graduate School Application. All materials will be either uploaded or completed online. Your application will not be reviewed for admission until all materials have been received. Complete applications received by the application date will be assured of a review; complete applications received after the application date will be reviewed on a space-available basis.
UW Graduate School application
Students must complete the minimum number of credits and components as outlined in the selected study option.
Core courses
The core courses provide the background, perspectives, and resources necessary for in-depth work in an area of specialization. They prepare individuals to understand the basics of theory and research in education. All students are required to complete a total of 12 quarter credits as follows:
| Course number | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| TEDUC 501 | Foundations of Education | 3 |
| TEDUC 502 | Learning about Learning | 3 |
| TEDUC 504 | Understanding Educational Research | 3 |
| TEDUC 520 | Equity and Justice in Educational Practice | 3 |
Program Plan
Endorsement options
The study option provides focused study in one specialized area of education. Students must select one study option and complete required courses:
Education electives
The education electives provide an opportunity to explore areas of individual interest and gain depth in specific content. Courses must be selected from offerings within the Master of Education program and in consultation with an adviser. Note that there are several study options that do not include an education elective component.
Culminating experience
Each student will participate in a culminating experience. This component of the program allows students to gain more applied knowledge of the field, and synthesize prior learning. There are two pathways for this experience as outlined below: Project Pathway and Practicum Pathway.
Project pathway
For: For Masters students and those pursuing the Teaching English Language Learners (TELL) study option.
The Project pathway will provide you with the opportunity to engage in systematic, reflective inquiry within the context of your current educational setting and/or broader contemporary educational issues.
| Course number | Title | Credits | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter quarter | TEDUC 599 | Culminating Project | 3 |
| Spring quarter | TEDUC 599 | Culminating Project | 3 |
Washington Educators Skills Test - Endorsement (WEST-E) / National Evaluation Series (NES)
A passing score on the WEST-E / NES exam is required for any student wishing to add an endorsement to their teaching certificate.
Courses are subject to change at the discretion of the School of Education
Register in advance for the session. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
| Day | Date | Time | Location | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuesday | April 8, 2025 | 4:00pm | Zoom | RSVP |
| Wednesday | May 14th, 2025 | 4:00pm | Zoom | RSVP |
| THursday | June 5, 2025 | 4:00pm | Zoom | RSVP |
Contact Justin Gailey: (jgailey@uw.edu; 253-692-5698) for program and admission information
For a map of campus click here!
When can I begin this program?
We admit new students every quarter for the Master of Education (M.Ed.) for Practicing Educators Program. See the Priority Application Deadlines section above for dates.
Where do I start the process of learning about the program?
It is highly recommended that you attend one of the information sessions listed in the tab above.
Can I continue to work while attending this program?
In most cases, yes, however there maybe exceptions. During the academic year, each course meets just once per week from 4:30pm-7:00pm. Summer quarter times vary.
How long is the program?
This is a 36-39 credit program consisting of, for the most part, 3 credit classes. The duration of the program depends upon how many courses you take each quarter. The typical student will take 2-3 years to complete the program. The graduate school allows a maximum of 6 years to complete your degree.
Please Note – Candidate program plans may result in Candidates participating in the UWT graduation ceremony before completing final program requirements.
How much is tuition?
Please visit the UW Tacoma tuition webpage for updated information.
Tuition Exemption?
School of Education Tuition Exemption Policy - Located on the Current Students webpage.
How do I get information about scholarships and other financial aid opportunities?
Please visit the Student Financial Aid website for Graduate Students and the School of Education Scholarship webpage.
Questions? Contact Justin Gailey (jgailey@uw.edu; 253-692-5698)
