University of Houston Graduate Programs for Health Science Educators

Course Requirements
The Master's of Education in Curriculum and Instruction with an Emphasis in Teaching and Learning for Health Sciences Education is designed to be completed in under two years, includes 10 courses (30 semester credit hours of coursework) and a capstone project.

Required Courses
Students are required to complete at least one of the following two courses:

However, depending on a student's individual degree plan, both of these courses may be taken and can count toward the master's degree.

In addition, master's students must complete at least two of the following courses, although depending on a student's individual degree plan, three or four of these courses may be taken and can count toward the master's degree.

Additional Courses
Students will select their remaining courses from the following list*:

*Other courses not appearing on this list may count toward the master's degree with the approval of a student's advisor.

Other Course Options
With the consent of their academic advisor, students may take other educationally relevant courses that are taught face-to-face, online or in a hybrid format through the main campus of the University of Houston.

A maximum of two courses (6 semester hours) of graduate work with a grade of A or B or its equivalent and relevant to the planned program may be transferred from another university into the Master’s program. Official transcripts showing successful completion of these courses must be submitted. Transfer credit is subject to approval of a student's advisor, department chair and the College of Education's Associate Dean for Graduate Studies.

Degree Plan
Students enrolled in the program are required to submit a degree plan which lists the specific courses that will be taken to complete the course requirements for the master's degree. The degree plan should be completed in the early stage of a student's program and each student should make an appointment with their academic advisor to discuss course requirements and options and complete the College of Education Master's Degree Plan. More information about submitting a degree plan may be found at:
http://medical.coe.uh.edu/download/How-to-Access-MyAdvisor-Submit-Degree-Plan.pdf

Once the degree plan is approved and signed by the student's academic advisor, it is submitted to the Chair of the Department and the Associate Dean for Graduate Studies for their approval.

Any changes to a student's degree plan must be submitted on MyAdvisor and approved by the student's academic advisor, the Chair of the Department, and the Associate Dean for Graduate Studies.

Retention in Degree Program (Continuous Enrollment)

To maintain their status in a degree program, students must be enrolled in consecutive fall and spring semesters each calendar year, starting with the date of admission. Students who cannot register each semester must apply for a leave of absence or they will be dropped from the degree program. Students dropped from the degree program must petition and be approved for reinstatement.

Petitions may be submitted on MyAdvisor and students should discuss their plans with their academic advisor..

Master's Capstone Project

Students in the Master’s program are now required to design and present a Capstone Project at the end of their course of study. The purpose of the Capstone Project is to demonstrate the depth and breadth of a student’s educational growth through the Master’s program including the knowledge and skills gained as well as growth as a reflective practitioner.

What are the Requirements for the Master's Capstone Project?

The Master's Capstone Project consists of two components: a project design document and a narrated multimedia presentation. Each component is described in detail below.

Capstone Project Guidelines

All master's students must complete a Capstone Project. The project components are presented through a self-running narrated multimedia presentation that includes examples and demonstrations of content knowledge, instructional practices relevant to the student’s professional goals in an academic health science setting.

Selecting a Topic for the Capstone Project
The topic of the Capstone Project is determined by the student, with approval of a student's advisor. Students are encouraged to select a topic about which they have some prior knowledge and is related to a real-world problem or issue. The Capstone Project should address an instructional need that can be identified and effectively addressed in the presentation. Once the topic has been selected, students should login to MyAdvisor and submit the Comp/Capstone application.

The Capstone Project Design Document
As part of the Capstone Project, students will create and submit a written document that includes descriptive details of the learning task, objectives, instructional strategies and potential audience. These components of the Capstone Project are demonstrated through the self-running narrated multimedia presentation that presents a valid rational for the instructional project, appropriate instructional design guidelines and high quality applicable multimedia.

The Capstone Project Design Document should include the following elements:

Title Page: Include your name, date, advisor, and the title of your Capstone Project.
Capstone Problem and Rationale:Describe the need or problem that will be addressed by the project and include any supporting data that substantiates the need for the project.
Setting/Context: Provide an audience analysis that defines the audience for the project and describes where and how the project might be used.
Project Goals and Objectives: List the goal(s) of the project and the specific learning/performance objectives; plus any background information about the problem that justifies the instructional goals.
Personal Learning Statement: Include a personal statement that provides thoughtful reflection on personal learning gained from the project and sets goals for continued learning and growth.

The Narrated Multimedia Presentation
The audio-narrated presentation is a video in which you present the core information that addresses the topic you selected. There are many ways that you can create an audio-narrated presentation. For instance, you could use a screencasting tool to record your voice as you narrate PowerPoint slides, or you could video yourself as you discuss and show your work.

Your presentation should include a brief introduction of yourself and a reflection of the development of the project from beginning to end. The presentation should also clearly demonstrate how your project followed the instructional systems design process and offer recommendations and implications for the intended audience. You should also acknowledge any copyrighted material you used (with permission from the copyright holder).

The narrated multimedia presentation should be 10-15 minutes in length.

Due Dates and Submission Guidelines
All components of the Capstone Project are due at least two weeks before the end of a student's final semester. Students should consult with their advisor on how to submit copies of the multimedia presentation and the written design document.

Grading of the Capstone Project
Each student’s graduate advisor, along with other faculty members in the master's program area review, evaluate and approve the submitted Capstone Project. The Capstone Project will be graded as Pass/Fail by the student's advisor along with input from other members of the faculty. The following rubric outlines the expectations for each component of the Capstone Project and is intended to guide you in creating a high-quality project that effectively highlights your knowledge and skills:
Medical Center Master’s Program Capstone Project Rubric.pdf

A student who receives a grade of C+ or lower in 12 semester hours of credit attempted at this institution for graduate credit or for application toward the graduate degree, regardless of the student's classification, whether or not in repeated courses, is ineligible for any advanced degree at this institution and will not be permitted to re-enroll for graduate study. The Termination of Enrollment section specifies other regulations.

Minimum Grade Point Average
A minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.00 (B) for all graduate courses attempted is required for all graduate degree programs at the University of Houston. Failure to maintain a 3.00 GPA may result in a warning, probation, suspension, loss of financial support, or dismissal. Students with a conditional admission status must earn a minimum GPA of 3.00 during the first 12 hours of graduate level course work attempted at the University of Houston.