This summer, Indiana University East will offer its first graduate degree program at its Ivy Tech Community College site in Lawrenceburg. On Friday, March 12, the Indiana Commission for Higher Education approved the Master of Science in Education degree program for the Lawrenceburg campus.

Chancellor Nasser Paydar said the partnership between IU East and Ivy Tech Community College continues to thrive, providing for a significant expansion of educational opportunities in southeastern Indiana.

“The opportunity for teachers to continue their education through graduate work and develop as professionals is extremely important,” Paydar said. “IU East’s partnership with Ivy Tech has provided the ability to increase our reach to residents in southeastern Indiana and to increase the number of people in our communities with higher education. By reaching more residents, we will ultimately enhance the economic development of southeastern Indiana and add to the quality of life of its citizens.”

The partnership between the two institutions has already established undergraduate degree completion programs for the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, RN to Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Bachelor of Science in Communication Studies, and Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education.

Now, through this first graduate program, teachers will have local access to an Indiana University master’s degree. The curriculum focuses on teachers as professional development leaders in the public schools. The design of the original program was based on a needs assessment completed by the school with input from regional teachers and administrators, as well as research identifying best practices in P-12 education.

Teachers in southeastern Indiana, as well as from the neighboring states of Ohio and Kentucky, will be able to complete the degree on site in Lawrenceburg, through the nationally accredited IU East School of Education.

Courses will begin this summer with the Best Practice Academy portion of the program starting on June 14, 2010. The Best Practice Academy is an intensive six week summer program, where students earn 12 credits during the summer, followed by one or more courses during each semester of the academic year. Graduate students examine and analyze current prevailing practice regarding what is most effective and efficient in terms of program design, curriculum development, teaching strategies and classroom management.

In addition to the master’s program, graduate courses for re-certification purposes will be offered every fall and spring either on site or as online courses. IU East also offers online bachelor’s degree completion programs in Business Administration, Communication Studies and English with a concentration in Technical and Professional Writing.

For more information about the Master of Science in Education at Lawrenceburg, contact Dan Doerger, clinical assistant professor of education, at (812) 537-4010 or e-mail ddoerger@iue.edu.