There is no required sequence of courses that students need to follow. However, EDT 621 requires a prerequisite of 12 credits BEFORE students can enroll. This course has been designated in our program for students who wish to enroll in a thesis (EDT 693) for their capstone, and students must declare their intent to write a thesis as required by university policies. For more information, see the M.Ed. Capstone options section below. Other courses do not have prerequisites.

Students will receive a letter from GVSU indicating that they have been accepted into the graduate program. Once accepted, the university will send you a letter with your student G-number and username. You will then be able to enroll in courses using Banner. You should also be contacted by the program coordinator with information about how to enroll in courses, schedule an advising session, etc.

You will need to contact the Education program to be assigned an academic advisor. Please email Dr. Beomkyu Choi at [email protected]. Advising sessions are available via telephone, online video, or on-campus in a face-to-face meeting at our downtown Grand Rapids campus. Once you have been assigned an academic advisor, you can locate your academic advisor and their contact information by following the video tutorial available here.

Banner includes all courses offered by GVSU and only those courses identified as Online in the Location column do not require on-campus class sessions. Hybrid courses have some required on-campus time and are generally for students in our on-campus programs.

Online program students need to ensure that the courses they register for are designated as ONLINE course offerings in Banner.

Some courses require a permit to enroll, while others will not allow students to enroll if the course has reached its current cap on students. Students may follow the Registration Override Request directions [PDF] to request an override. Students with questions should email Dr. Beomkyu Choi at [email protected]. Be sure to indicate that you are a student in the Online Learning, Design, and Technology program. You should receive an email regarding the override decision.

All courses to be counted for an M.Ed. degree at GVSU must be completed within 8 years of taking the first course towards a planned program. This time limit is a way of ensuring the student's validity and currency of knowledge at the time of graduation. If a course in your program is more than 8 years old, you will need to contact your advisor to apply for a waiver through the Dean of Graduate Studies.

Students who have not completed a course in a year or more will also need to contact the Registrar’s Office to change their status in Banner, as you will not be listed as an active student. The Registrar’s Office can be reached at [email protected] or (616) 331-3327.

In order for graduate-level credits to transfer, they need to meet the following requirements:

• They must be graduate-level credits.
• They must be from an accredited institution of higher learning. This includes credits from other colleges or universities that are accredited; and graduate-level credits offered by school districts, ISD's, or other academic agencies.
• They must be approved by an academic advisor.

If your credits from another institution qualify, you must request an official copy of your transcript from that institution be sent to the GVSU Registrar’s office. Once the transcript has been received, you should contact your advisor and schedule an appointment to review and complete the transfer credit paperwork.

This is a 12-credit graduate certificate in online/blended instruction and assessment. The program is ideal for professionals who are looking to assist with online/blended instruction. The certificate requires completion of four (4) courses: EDT 635, EDT 629, EDT 684 (certificate field experience), and EDT 626. Most of these courses can be completed in combination with the M.Ed. degree, or through the certification.

More information about the certificate can be found on the Graduate Certificate in Online/Blended Instruction page.

GVSU offers students two (2) options for completing their M.Ed. capstone experience: a development project (EDT 693) or a research/thesis (EDT 695).

• EDT 693 Project: A project involves curriculum or program development, and applies theory to practice. For a project, students create, implement (in EDT 685), and evaluate a product of personal interest that is used in a professional capacity.
• EDT 695 Thesis: A thesis is a traditional research capstone where an advanced degree candidate gathers data, analyzes that data, and presents the results along with their interpretations. During a thesis, students implement and evaluate a research study, analyze data to answer a research question or test a hypothesis in an area of interest.

Students may choose either option. Note there are different requirements depending on your choice. Information on the Education website provides help when choosing a thesis or project, as does coursework completed in EDT 621: Emerging Learning Technologies. Students who choose to complete a project (EDT 693) must submit an application (available online) the term before they plan to complete their project. There are deadlines for applications for each term.

Students who choose to complete a thesis (EDT 695) must declare their choice between 30-60% of completion of their course work (after completing 12 to 18 credits, during EDT 621), must identify a thesis advisor, form a thesis committee, and register for EDT 695. Those students who select a thesis but are unable to finish it in one term may enroll in EDT 696 in subsequent terms. Other university requirements for completion of a thesis (EDT 695) can be found on the Graduate School's Thesis and Dissertation Information page. Students who are considering a thesis (EDT 695) are encouraged to talk with their advisor after the completion of 18 credits so they can designate their plans as required by GVSU.

The GVSU Graduate School requires Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) training to ensure that all graduate students at GVSU meet federal requirements regarding research.

• Students in the Learning, Design, and Technology program must complete RCR "Stage 1- Basic", which consists of seven modules. These seven modules are required for students in the Learning, Design, and Technology program.
• RCR must be completed prior to completion of 50% of the graduate program, or prior to engaging in any research activity. Research activity includes enrollment in the capstone project (EDT 693) or thesis (EDT 695).
• RCR Certification expires after 3 years, and must be current while engaging in any research activity.

More information about RCR is available on the Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) Requirement page.