Curriculum and Instruction, Online MSEd - Career Outlook - Purdue University College of Education

Maximize Learning Potential in All Classrooms

A multi-racial female teacher stands in a school hallway

Are You Prepared to Meet New Standards?

Whether your specific role is to teach, evaluate, or create curriculum in education, your responsibilities are increasing as states and school districts place greater importance on achievement data. The Master of Science in Education (MSEd) in Curriculum and Instruction quickly delivers the knowledge and skills you need to educate students in the role you play.

Teachers

Create successful learning opportunities for all students in a diverse classroom and help their peers do the same.

Curriculum Development Professionals

Create new programs with strong research that shows academic improvement for all students.

Administrators

Strategically evaluate new curriculums to best improve student learning across their districts.

How the C&I Degree Benefits Teachers

Whether you need to better prepare for your changing classroom or have your eye on a leadership role to offer improved learning opportunities to a greater audience, the curriculum and instruction degree will support the job you’re in right now. And in most districts, a master’s degree can lead to greater salaries.

K-8 Teachers

Building math and reading skills from an early age is critical to long-term student learning. Using the skills a C&I degree provides, you can give children a strong start to educational success.

Median Pay: $55,490

Growth Rate: 7%

High School Teachers

Applying the methodologies from Purdue’s C&I degree allows you to create more sophisticated lesson plans, teach equally across genders, and introduce subject matter in a way that students understand more fully.

Median Pay: $58,030

Growth Rate: 8%

Teachers Lead, Gain Autonomy, Widen Impact

The idea of teachers as leaders is expanding, especially where curriculum is concerned. This is happening informally — with teachers recognized as valuable resources in particular areas, and formally — with specific titles and responsibilities.

Informally, teachers become resource providers — someone who naturally and easily shares the information and sources with colleagues and makes casual recommendations for implementation. They can also take on mentorships roles or serve as a school leader on a committee. They model continuous improvement and act as catalysts of change. Though informal, these positions give teachers visibility to executive leadership throughout their school and district and widen the impact of improved learning opportunities.
Formally, teachers can promote positive learning experiences for hundreds or thousands of students at once as they move into curriculum facilitator, developer, designer, or specialist roles.

Curriculum Development Jobs and Salaries

Within a development or evaluator role, you empower many students at once to reach their full learning potential. Given the emphasis on standardized achievement scores in education, this field is growing rapidly as professionals race to create and implement proven programs.