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Master of Curriculum and Instruction

This program is no longer accepting new students as of Fall 2024. Please check out our other education offerings as well as non-credit offerings.

*We are no longer accepting new students into the Curriculum and Instruction program, please check out our other education offerings as well as non-credit offerings.

With the rise of both digital and societal disruption, the education field has changed dramatically in recent years. Educators need to be innovative to break through the noise and reach students. Equip yourself with the multicultural, digital, and leadership skills to meet the evolving needs of today’s schools and organizations. Be ready to create an educational culture that drives high-impact teaching and learning experiences in increasingly diverse classrooms.

With a graduate degree from Wake Forest University, your courses will include a focus on culturally relevant teaching and equitable instruction, digital literacies and emerging educational technologies, and innovative leadership that will prepare you to lead diverse teams. You will learn by doing from some of the nation’s top online practitioner-scholar educators, providing you the opportunity to engage intellectually and creatively in the skills and competencies that can be used immediately in your professional context.

NC educators may be endorsed for Curriculum Instructional Specialist, Level M. Effective August 1, 2022. Click here for more information.

Career Opportunities

Educators with Curriculum and Instruction master’s degrees are finding many growth opportunities both in their school districts and in outside industries. Possible roles for our graduates include:

  • Curriculum and Instruction Specialist
  • Curriculum Design Manager
  • Instructional Coordinator
  • Learning Experience Designer
  • Public, Private, Parochial, Magnet and Charter School Educators
  • Textbook and Curriculum Publishers
  • Assistant Superintendent
  • Area Superintendent
  • Curriculum Director
  • Learning and Development Coordinator/Manager
  • Instructional Designer/Coordinator
  • Chief Learning Officer
  • Employee Trainer/Training Manager
  • Instructional Technology Specialist
  • Format: Online
  • Term: 30 total credits

Master of Curriculum and Instruction Core Courses

The Curriculum and Instruction program comprises of 9 core courses. You make take the courses at anytime your selection is available.

Curriculum and Instruction Fundamentals
Course ID: CUI 710
Examines the fundamentals of Curriculum and Instruction including theories, design principles, and evaluation models. The course will investigate the interaction of curriculum implementation and models of instruction in respect to student learning as well as how that curriculum is shaped, including curriculum literacy - the major input variables to curriculum decision-making, implementations, and curriculum evaluation.
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Instructional Leadership
Course ID: CUI 724
Study and implement strategies to be an effective instructional leader and analyze how these approaches yield positive teaching and learning outcomes. The course emphasizes the skills to build productive relationships and effective mentoring among educators, and consensus-building among a course design team.
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Assessment and Evaluation
Course ID: CUI 714
This course is designed to introduce students to the variety of assessment and evaluation techniques and their purpose, including how these techniques are used in instructional planning, decision-making, and curriculum development.
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Social Foundations of Education
Course ID: CUI 712
A critical examination of the political, social, and economic goals of schooling and their intersection with educational equality and student diversity through the lens of educational philosophy and positionality with a view to developing a culturally responsive multicultural pedagogical praxis that enhances student success.
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Differentiated Instruction
Course ID: CUI 722
This course will focus on the practice of differentiating instruction as a way for educators to meet diverse learning needs and preferences without having to individualize instruction for every student. In this course, students learn how to differentiate five instructional elements—content, product, process, affect, and learning environment—according to students’ interests, readiness, and learning profile.
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Instructional Design and Digital Learning Technologies
Course ID: CUI 720
This course will provide an overview of the digital tools, techniques, opportunities and challenges associated with learning technologies and leading teams. The course will also introduce learning technology applications, provide tools to evaluate learning technology solutions and related multimedia learning design models, address digital accessibility, and engage in best instructional technology practices.
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Curriculum Mapping for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Course ID: CUI 726
This course will focus on curriculum mapping, the practice of ensuring that teaching is structured in a meaningful and logical sequence to build knowledge and achieve desired curricular outcomes. This process includes charting and tracking academic program priorities and redundancies, and identifying educational gaps
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Using Research and Data to Lead School Improvement
Course ID: EDL 714
Focus on how data can be used to enhance equitable decision-making processes for comprehensive school improvement, including instruction, school culture, and community involvement. The course uses assessment and research data to identify school improvement needs and to design projects that respond to those needs.
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Capstone in Education
Course ID: EDL 799
Thread together what you have learned throughout the program in a culminating capstone experience. This course allows students to demonstrate knowledge and competencies of educational leadership.
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Master of Curriculum and Instruction Electives

Students may choose 1 elective course. You may take the course at any time your selection is available.

Principles of Effective School Leadership
Course ID: EDL 710
Begin your program with an introduction to foundational concepts and challenges of educational leadership. The course focuses on school-level leadership and accountability, roles and responsibilities, and the principles of educational leadership.
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Independent School Administration, Supervision, and Community
Course ID: EDL 723
Learn more about organizational theories, the politics of education, and building safe, supportive, and inclusive environments in schools and communities. The course allows students to reflect on various theories and how these concepts inform their practice as school leaders. Additionally, students will focus on distributive leadership, developing skills for team management, and collaborative analysis of community building.
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Project Management Essentials
Course ID: PMP 710
Gain a deeper understanding of the foundational concepts of project management, including an overview of the project lifecycle as defined in the Project Management Body of Knowledge. This course also dives into areas such as risk, scope, schedule, quality, monitoring, and communication.
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Leadership & Change Management
Course ID: LDR 722
Explore the knowledge, skills, and tools necessary to successfully undertake change. This course delves into the leadership principles, styles, frameworks, and skills required to guide, motivate, and direct teams. Learners will develop the ability to prepare, support, and assist individuals, teams, and organizations in organizational change.
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Meet the Experts Guiding Your Journey

Program Faculty

Joseph Jones
Joseph R. Jones, Ph.D.
Curriculum & Instruction Faculty
Wake Forest University
Amy Mercado
Amy Mercado, Ed.D.
Curriculum & Instruction Faculty
Wake Forest University
newton miller
Newton Miller, Ph.D.
Director of Education Studies, University of Arizona Global Campus, and Curriculum & Instruction and Educational Leadership Faculty
Wake Forest University
Yvette Freter
Yvette Freter, Ph.D.
Curriculum & Instruction Faculty
Wake Forest University
Daniel Shepherd
Dan Shepherd, Ed.D.
Associate Professor, Missouri Western State University, and Curriculum & Instruction Faculty
Wake Forest University
Kate Kieres
Kate Kieres, Ed.D.
Curriculum & Instruction and Educational Leadership Faculty
Wake Forest University
Adam Dovico, D.Ed.
Academic Director, Curriculum & Instruction and Educational Leadership
Wake Forest University

Advisory Board

To accelerate your career growth, reach your professional goals, and expand your network, we created the Curriculum and Instruction Programmatic Advisory Board (PAB) to bring knowledge from experts in the field into the classroom. These board members are committed to your academic excellence and keeping Wake Forest University School of Professional Studies graduates industry–competitive and globally impactful. 

Paula Wilkins
Dr. Paula B. Wilkins
Chief Academic Officer
Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools
2022 - Leah Carper
Leah Carper
Dr. Teronda McNeil, Executive Director, Academic Programs at Wake Forest SPS
Teronda McNeil, Ph.D., MBA
Executive Director, Academic Programs
Wake Forest School of Professional Studies
Andrew Smith
Andrew J. Smith, Ed.D.
Assistant State Superintendent
North Carolina Department of Public Instruction
A headshot of Lisa Lucas in a blue shirt
Lisa Lucas, DNP, MBA, MHCM, RN-BC Informatics
National Director of Healthcare Informatics
SAS
Sarah Bowie
Sarah Bowie, Ph.D.
Personalized Learning Coach
South Carolina Department of Education, Office of Personalized Learning

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