Ep. 70 - What is the MA in Career & Technical Education?

In Episode 70 of the CSUSB Advising Podcast, Matt Markin chats with Dr. Viktor Wang, MA Program Coordinator for Career and Technical Teacher Education Programs. Dr. Wang discusses the Masters Degree in Career & Technical Education, the application process, career options, and department resources! 

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Transcript

Welcome to Episode 70 of the CSUSB advising podcast. My name is Matt Markin and academic advisor here at Cal State San Bernardino. And on today's episode, we're learning more about the master's degree in career and technical education. We had a previous episode all about the bachelor's degree in CTE way back in episode 32, if you want to check that one out, and we have asked previous guests, Dr. Viktor Wang to join us again to talk about the MA and CTE. Welcome back.

It's a pleasure to be here, Matt.

Yeah, we're glad that we got to work this out, and that you're willing to talk about the master's degree. Always great having you on the podcast. So for those that might have missed the last episode that you were on, can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your background in higher ed.

I got my first college degree in 1989 and was asked to stay on to teach as a faculty for the same university for eight years. I came to the United States in 1997 as a visiting and presidential scholar and graduated from with two graduate degrees from my first graduate school in 1999. In 1999, I began to attend the University of Arkansas Fayetteville and graduated with two graduate degrees, including one doctorate in Vocational and Adult Education. In 2002, I began to work for CSULB, as a CTE coordinator, and associate professor. In 2011, I began to work for a Ph.D. program in adult education on the east coast. In 2020, I began to work for the University of Montana system, as a faculty and accreditation coordinator. In 2021, I came back to work in the CSU system, east or west CSUSB is the best. I have never been away from university teaching, research and service.

Very nice. Yes, thank you for that. Now, how would you describe the master's degree the MA and CTE? Can you talk to us about that?

Sure. The MA in career and technical education is designed to provide advanced and specialized education to personnel working in a variety of settings related to Career Technical, and Adult Education, such as secondary, post secondary, and other private and state environments. The program provides opportunities for teachers to gain expertise with a knowledge in pedagogy and andragogy required to teach their subject matter. The program can be used to meet the requirements for leadership positions in these facilities.

And what would be like the admission requirements or application process for students for this program.

Applicants must possess a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university. Prior to being admitted to the Master of Arts in career and technical education program. At the Watson College of Education. Applicants must be admitted to the university as unclassified graduate students. Application for admission to the university should be made at least three months prior to the date, the applicant would like to begin taking courses. Qualified applicants should apply for graduate admission to CSUSB and contact me, the CTE coordinator to develop a specific MA program plan. My phone number, my email addresses my email address just one have been listed on my university webpage. I send the graduate approved program plan to applicants. Applicants are required to upload to Cal State slash apply the following three items, one undergraduate transcripts, two purpose statement, three, two letters of recommendation, the grass school will review and approve applications. Once an application is approved. The grant school will send the application to the department for review and approval. And I am the person to review and approve applications at the department level.

And generally speaking, what like can you talk more about what the graduate student In this program are learning in some other Master's classes?

Yes, applicants are or candidates in the MA program are to earn 18 core college units and 15 elective college units and comprehensive exam is of an integrative nature and is designed to demonstrate the candidate knowledge of the field of reading and literacy education. It also fulfills the graduation writing requirement. So the quality of writing is also evaluated. The student may enroll in the examination no earlier than the last semester in which coursework is taken. The student must have advanced to candidacy and completed a graduation check with the Office of Records, Registration, and Evaluations before admission before permission to take the exam can be granted. Students who do not receive a passing score may petition the College of Education to retake the exam, or any part of it. Students who do not receive a passing score the second time must petition the dean of graduate studies to retake the exam cannot be repeated more than twice. approval to retake the exam may be at any time contingent upon completion of additional designated courses. By taking the required and elective courses plus the comprehensive exam. CTE students in the MA program, gain and develop competency in these areas, foundations of career and technical education or principles of career and technical education, counseling in CTE programs, curriculum development, teaching methodologies in designated subjects, educational technology, school administration, special education, supervision and coordination in CTE programs.

And what kind of career areas have you seen some of your students may be going into or helping them out once they earn their master's degree?

Once they earn their master's degree in CTE, our students enter the workforce immediately. They work in a variety of settings related to career and technical education, such as secondary, post secondary, private institutions, and workforce development training. The program should also meet the requirements for leadership positions in these facilities. And by the way, our MA students in the CTE program are 100 employed in the workforce 100% I made mistake.

And I will say, I am a graduate I have my MA and CTE from CSUSB. And I can attest to that. So I am part of that 100% in there. And would you say there any misconceptions students might have whether it's about CTE or the MA, the master's degree?

I have not heard of any misconceptions associated with our MA in CTE. But I have heard about some common myths about CTE programming in general. And those are those three misconceptions one career technical education is for low performing students or students who do not go on to a college or post secondary training, two CTE programs lead to careers with low wages. And three CTE programs are not relevant if a student doesn't know what career they want. So these misconceptions are normally associated with students perhaps at a community college level, but they're not associated with our MA program in CTE. The goal of CTE is to help students achieve success in and out of the classroom by empowering them to take charge of their future through educational opportunities. CTE is relevant and vital for modern day students, because it allows them to plan for the future and develop skills necessary to be successful in today's workforce, career and technical education is comprehensive, equitable field is a comprehensive equitable field that has implications far beyond secondary education and as a springboard for today's youth, as they transition to the next phase of their education, and or career, I have not never heard of any misconceptions about our MA in CTE. So after completing our MA in CTE students can go on to pursue terminal degrees in CTE in and in many other areas. The highest degree a student can obtain is a PhD in career and technical education. If they are interested in solving problems and improving practices, they may obtain an EDD in career and technical education.

And last question, are there any resources that your department might offer to graduate students in the CTE program?

We send out scholarship opportunities to our CTE students every semester, or periodically. The University Writing Center is located in Watson College of Education. A small number of our CTE students receive assistance from the writing center every semester. We do not have clubs in the department, but clubs outside the CSUSB, often involve our former and current students in the CTE program.

Wonderful. Well, Dr. Wang, thank you so much, again for returning back to the podcast and to talk about the MA and career technical education, a lot of useful information for our listeners. Thank you again for being on the podcast. 

Sure. Thank you anytime.

Transcribed by https://otter.ai