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Plan of Study for the CAGS in Interdisciplinary Studies

The Interdisciplinary CAGS Program is designed to be completed in four - six semesters.
No more than 12 credits per semester may be taken. Candidates may pace themselves.

The total for Interdisciplinary CAGS is 36 credits, made up in the following way:

A. REQUIRED COURSES (12 credits)

IDIS 9000 Advanced Research Methods	(Taken as on-line courses through Fitchburg State College)	(3 cr.)
IDIS 8000 Critical Inquiry	(Taken as on-line courses through Fitchburg State College)	(3 cr.)
IDIS 9600 Action Research	(Taken at cohort site through Catherine Leahy Brine)	(6 cr.)

B. CORE CURRICULUM (24 credits)
(Taken at cohort site or on-line through Catherine Leahy Brine)

Candidates choose to complete two of the four Discipline Areas.

The combinations of Discipline Areas are:

Diversity and Teacher Leadership or
Diversity and Pedagogy or
Diversity and Fundamentals of Reading Instruction or
Teacher Leadership and Pedagogy or
Teacher Leadership and Fundamentals of Reading Instruction

DISCIPLINE AREA I: Diversity (Each course is 3 credits, for a total of 12 credits.)

ENGL 8042 Methods and Materials in ESL

SPED 8011 Differentiating Content Instruction in Inclusive Classrooms

PSY 8100 Child Abuse and Neglect

SPED 7410 Adv. Strategies for Teaching School-Age Children with Emotional and Behavioral Problems

DISCIPLINE AREA II: Teacher Leadership (Each course is 3 credits, for a total of 12 credits.)

EDLM 8000 Community Relations

EDLM 8040 Curriculum Leadership and Evaluation

EDLM 9100 Dynamics of Planned Change

EDLM 8020 Law for the Educator

DISCIPLINE AREA III: Pedagogy (Each course is 3 credits, for a total of 12 credits.)

EDUC 7004 Cooperative Learning Strategies and Structures in the Content Areas

EDUC 7014 Reading and Writing in the Content Areas

EDUC 7023 Education Foundations: Theory and Practice

IDIS Topics Curriculum and Technology

DISCIPLINE AREA IV: Fundamentals of Reading Instruction (Each course is 3 credits, for a total of 12 credits)

SPED 8300             Language Development, Differences and Disorders

SPED/READ 7016   Understanding the Structure of the English Language

SPED/READ 7017   The Psychology of Reading

SPED/READ 8017   Specialized Reading Approaches

Transfer Courses:
  • Two courses may be taken prior to matriculation, with the approval of the Program Director.
  • 6000 level professional development courses cannot be applied to the CAGS IDIS.
  • Courses cannot repeat work previously accomplished in other graduate degree study.