Master of Science in Curriculum & Instruction – National Board Certification PreK-12 Online

Empower yourself with the tools to make a positive impact on student learning as a highly qualified educator in public and private school settings. This affordable and accredited online program from Emporia State University is designed to prepare you for the review process to become a National Board Certified Teacher.

Apply By: 8/4/25

Start Class: 8/18/25 Apply Now

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Program Overview

Learn why our online MS C&I – National Board Certification PreK-12 program stands out

Empower yourself with the tools to maximize student learning as a highly qualified educator in public and private school settings. The Master of Science in Curriculum & Instruction (C&I) – National Board Certification PreK-12 online at Emporia State University prepares you for the review process to become a National Board Certified Teacher.

In the online coursework, you will receive guidance on developing your portfolio and organizing supportive professional documentation, as designed and required by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards® (NBPTS). You'll also explore practical application of data, trends and innovations in contemporary teaching strategies to effectively educate students of all backgrounds.

Core courses include Curriculum Leadership: Models and Strategies; Cultural Influences and Educational Practices; Supporting Technology Integration for School Leaders; Developing Authentic Assessments, and more.

Please note this program does not lead to obtaining a teaching license.

In this online MS C&I – National Board Certification program, you will:

Prepare for the rigorous process of receiving National Board Certification as recognized by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards® (NBPTS)
Learn to design and implement curriculum for grades PreK-12
Apply course material to improve critical thinking and problem solving as well as decisions related to evaluating and producing curriculum for national, state and local levels
Gain practical understanding of fundamental principles, generalizations, and theories of curriculum leadership, curriculum models, and educational research
Develop and hone leadership skills in the area of technology integration and its partnership with curriculum reform

Prepare for the rigorous process of receiving National Board Certification as recognized by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards® (NBPTS)
Learn to design and implement curriculum for grades PreK-12
Apply course material to improve critical thinking and problem solving as well as decisions related to evaluating and producing curriculum for national, state and local levels
Gain practical understanding of fundamental principles, generalizations, and theories of curriculum leadership, curriculum models, and educational research
Develop and hone leadership skills in the area of technology integration and its partnership with curriculum reform

This online program prepares you for roles such as:

National Board Certified Teacher Leader
Instructional Coordinator
Instructional Specialist
Curriculum and Instruction Director
Curriculum Coordinator
Curriculum Specialist

National Board Certified Teacher Leader
Instructional Coordinator
Instructional Specialist
Curriculum and Instruction Director
Curriculum Coordinator
Curriculum Specialist

Emporia State University offers you an opportunity to complete both your Master of Science in Curriculum & Instruction and Master of Science in Educational Administration accelerated online programs together, saving you time and tuition compared to completing these programs separately.

When completed together at ESU, the dual-degree option shares a maximum of 12 credit hours.

This option is ideal for if you are:

Interested in pursuing the Educational Administration program, but do not have the minimum required teaching experience (3 years per KSDE) to start that program. You can begin the C&I program without experience and work to add professional experience for the Ed Admin while completing your C&I.
A working educator who wants to earn your MS in C&I degree while also completing nearly half of the coursework requirements for the Ed Admin program.
An educator who wants to become an administrator and also add to your marketability with an advanced degree in curriculum and instruction.

As a dual-degree student, scheduling and pacing of coursework is up to you, but we recommend that you complete your MS in Curriculum & Instruction first, then continue with the remaining coursework for the Ed Admin program. If you pursue the dual-degree option, you will likely find that the C&I concentrations in Curriculum Leadership or Instructional Coach are most relevant to MS in Educational Administration coursework.

Note: As a dual-degree student, you can return at any time for the second program, provided all coursework is completed within a 7-year time frame (starting with the first dual course applied towards the second degree), per university policy.

For more information on the accelerated online dual-degree option, please contact the program’s academic advisor, MaryAnne McNeal, via email (preferred) at [email protected] or via phone at (620) 341-5091.

When completed together at ESU, the dual-degree option shares a maximum of 12 credit hours.

This option is ideal for if you are:

Interested in pursuing the Educational Administration program, but do not have the minimum required teaching experience (3 years per KSDE) to start that program. You can begin the C&I program without experience and work to add professional experience for the Ed Admin while completing your C&I.
A working educator who wants to earn your MS in C&I degree while also completing nearly half of the coursework requirements for the Ed Admin program.
An educator who wants to become an administrator and also add to your marketability with an advanced degree in curriculum and instruction.

Also available:

Emporia State offers a wide range of graduate education degree programs in a convenient online format. Explore all of our online education programs.

$10,956^* Total Tuition

As few as 12 months Duration

33 Credit Hours

Accreditation

The Teachers College at Emporia State is accredited under the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation standards through the CAEP accreditation system, for a period of seven years.

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Tuition

Learn about our affordable program tuition

Tuition for the MS in Curriculum & Instruction – National Board Certification PreK-12 online degree program is the same for in-state and out-of-state students. All fees for the MS program are included. However, additional fees specific to the National Board process will apply. For more details please contact the NBC administrator: Alvin Peters at 620-341-6788 or [email protected]

Program	Per Credit Hour	Per Course	Per Program*
MS – C&I – National Board Certification PreK-12	$332	$996	$10,956

Tuition breakdown:

$10,956^* Total Tuition

$332 Per Credit Hour

Calendar

Know the schedule for our online education program

The MS in Curriculum & Instruction – National Board Certification PreK-12 program is delivered in an online format ideal for working professionals, conveniently featuring multiple start dates each year. Choose the start date that's best for you.

View full calendar +

Now enrolling:

8/4/25 Apply Date

8/18/25 Class Starts

Have questions or need more information about Emporia State online programs?

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Admissions

Find your fit in our online degree

Your journey begins here! The admission process is the first step toward earning your degree. Be sure to get familiar with these requirements to enroll in the MS in Curriculum & Instruction – National Board Certification PreK-12 online program.

Admission Requirements:

Official transcripts
Bachelor's degree
Minimum GPA of 2.75

MS in Curriculum & Instruction – National Board Certification PreK-12 Online Admission Requirements

Bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution with a minimum GPA of 2.75 or higher in the last 60 hours of study or an overall GPA average of no less than a 3.0 for a completed master's degree.
No GRE, teaching license or experience required for the MS program. However, National Board Certification will require both a teaching license and teaching experience. It is strongly encouraged that students submit a copy of their teaching license by the admissions document deadline and required no later than the first day of class. Students that do not submit a copy by first day of class could potentially be dropped from all classes. The teaching license can be uploaded to the Graduate Application Portal or emailed to [email protected].
Official transcripts from all institutions attended can be submitted via a secure electronic service offered by the issuing institution to [email protected] or by selecting Emporia State University on the transcript request form, mailed (or overnighted) to:

Emporia State University
Graduate School
Room 313 Plumb Hall
1 Kellogg Circle
Emporia, KS 66801

Students who have obtained a degree from a foreign university/college must have a transcript evaluation from a recommended external source that is a member of NACES (National Association of Credential Evaluation Services). Students will not be allowed to enroll until the evaluation has been received in the Graduate School.

Have a question? Call us at 800-721-2248800-721-2248

Courses

Take a look at the online master's in curriculum and instruction classes

The MS in Curriculum & Instruction – National Board Certification PreK-12 online curriculum is comprised of 11 courses (33 credit hours), including 24 credit hours of core courses and nine credit hours of National Board Certification Area of Concentration courses.

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Core Courses

You must take the following courses.

ED 810: Supporting Technology Integration for School Leaders

Duration: 7 Weeks weeks

Credit Hours: 3

This course is designed to prepare school leaders (teachers, instructional coaches, administrators, etc.) for the integration and application of diverse educational technologies into classrooms and schools in ways that reflect a theoretical, research-based and practical understanding of curriculum development and the effective uses of technology. Course content explores practical ways to integrate technology into both teaching and learning as well as the critical importance of adequate training and professional development for successful integration

ED 820: Curriculum Leadership: Models & Strategies

Duration: 7 Weeks weeks

Credit Hours: 3

Students completing this course will, as current or future educational leaders, explain and work effectively with the design and management of academic programs, grades Pre-K-12. They will interpret past, current and emerging curriculum initiatives and describe their intended impact on school curricula, teachers and students. Students will also explain and demonstrate in simulated settings processes for creating, implementing and managing local academic programs in the context of those reform initiatives. Students will be asked to apply their knowledge in four projects which gauge how students can successfully apply what they have learned in a variety of curriculum-related settings.

ED 833: Beliefs, Values & Issues in Educational Practice

Duration: 7 Weeks weeks

Credit Hours: 3

In this course, differing values and issues in education are addressed, as are the philosophical, historical and social forces that create the issues. Students will be challenged to investigate the historical and cultural antecedents of modern education. They will also examine their own belief systems with regard to the institution of education and to the role and function of the teacher and school leader.

ED 835: Cultural Influences & Educational Practices

Duration: 7 Weeks weeks

Credit Hours: 3

This course is designed to prepare students to effectively educate culturally, ethnically, racially different, and differently abled students. Major components are: to explore personal biases and methods of overcoming them; explore the basic principles underlying multicultural education and to develop appropriate strategies for teaching, leading, and other functions of the school and its community.

ED 880: Contemporary Teaching and Learning Strategies

Duration: 7 Weeks weeks

Credit Hours: 3

This course will examine classroom and instructional organization practices that promote effective teaching, student learning, and applications of that learning and student engagement. Students through the course will examine a variety of teaching structures, assessing their potential impact on learning, and will develop a teaching and learning template applicable to their content areas and classroom management and teaching styles.

ED 887: Developing Authentic Assessments

Duration: 7 Weeks weeks

Credit Hours: 3

This course focuses on authentic assessment as a means of equitable student evaluation. Students will differentiate assessment, evaluation, grading and reporting. Approaches to assessment products, performances, processes, tests, and student self-reflection and self-evaluation are explored in this course. Through triangulation, students will create a balanced assessment plan for one course they teach. Participants will create rubrics for one summative assessment and observation instruments for use in evaluating processes. Students may choose to create instructions for portfolio assessment.

ER 753: Research in Education

Duration: 7 Weeks weeks

Credit Hours: 3

This is an introductory graduate-level course in research methodology designed to allow the student to function as a knowledgeable and critical consumer of scholarly research in his/her field. The course will also emphasize the use of action research for program improvement.

ED 895: Practicum

Duration: 7 Weeks weeks

Credit Hours: 3

The purpose of this course is to provide the opportunity for the candidate to develop and demonstrate his/her abilities as a teacher-leader in one or more areas to be selected in collaboration with the university advisor and the practicum field supervisor from among topics including leadership in curriculum development and assessment development, leadership in faculty development, site-based council management, and leadership on school building leadership teams. Student must complete majority of C&I program prior to practicum start date.

National Board Certification Area of Concentration Courses

ED 842: NBC Portfolio Development

Duration: 7 Weeks weeks

Credit Hours: 3

This course is designed to provide teachers with the basic requirements for portfolio development as designed by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS). Students will have an opportunity to review and study the current portfolio manuals and standards documents in their respective disciplines/developmental levels as well as other relevant publications from the NBPTS. Students will also receive guidance and consultation that will be helpful in gathering and organizing the supportive professional documentation required for the NBPTS assessment procedures.

ED 844: NBC School Based Project I

Duration: 7 Weeks weeks

Credit Hours: 3

This course is for teachers who are candidates for advanced certification as designed by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS). The course provides professional support and guidance for teachers during the academic year they are completing the components of the NBPTS process relating to differentiation of instruction and the written center exercises.

ED 846: NBC School Based Project II

Duration: 7 Weeks weeks

Credit Hours: 3

This foundational course in professional development will provide educators an introduction to knowledge, skills, attitudes, behaviors and aspirations that a Teacher Leader will use in designing, facilitating, implementing and assessing high-quality professional development. Additionally, principles and practices to leading adult learners will be integrated throughout the course.

*Tuition is subject to change on an annual basis.

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7 week courses	Program Start Date	Application Deadline	Document Deadline	Registration Deadline	Payment Due
Summer 2025, Session II	6/30/25	6/16/25	6/19/25	6/23/25	6/26/25
Fall 2025, Session I	8/18/25	8/4/25	8/7/25	8/11/25	8/14/25
Fall 2025, Session II	10/14/25	9/30/25	10/3/25	10/7/25	10/10/25

Master of Science in Curriculum & Instruction – National Board Certification PreK-12 Online

Learn why our online MS C&I – National Board Certification PreK-12 program stands out

In this online MS C&I – National Board Certification program, you will:

This online program prepares you for roles such as:

Dual-Degree Option: Accelerated online MS in Curriculum & Instruction + MS in Educational Administration

Also available:

Accreditation

Request Information

Learn about our affordable program tuition

Tuition breakdown:

Know the schedule for our online education program

Now enrolling:

Have questions or need more information about Emporia State online programs?

Ready to take the next step toward earning your degree online from Emporia State?

Find your fit in our online degree

Admission Requirements:

MS in Curriculum & Instruction – National Board Certification PreK-12 Online Admission Requirements

Take a look at the online master's in curriculum and instruction classes

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