Master's in Career and Technical Education Frequently Asked Questions

The Ball State University online Master of Arts in Career and Technical Education consists of 30 total credits (10 courses). Many of our online students take two courses in the Fall, two courses in the Spring, four courses in the Summer, and the final two courses the following Fall semester. That plan allows students to complete the program in four semesters, aiming for a December graduation date. Most of our online students are also working professionals and agree that taking two courses a semester can fit into their schedules. Yes, you can apply as a non-degree seeking graduate student. With that said, it would be better to apply to pursue the Master of Arts in CTE degree. There is no downside and only upside to doing this. If you decide you like the courses, you will already be coded as pursuing the master’s degree. If you want to stop taking classes at any time, you can do that also.

The online courses are asynchronous, meaning you don’t need to log in to your online classes on any set day or time. In most cases, you will get your assignment(s) on Monday and you have until the end of the week to complete them. In the CTE courses, there are typically real-world type assignments along with meaningful discussion board participation.  

This depends entirely on your study habits. Some students spend as little as three hours a week on a 3-credit course. Others spend more time.  

No. A Ball State University degree is a Ball State University degree whether you completed it online or on campus. The degree will say Ball State University and that it is a Master of Arts in Career and Technical Education. 

No, you never need to come to campus for classes. The CTE program is designed to be completed 100% online.  

If you have a valid Indiana Workplace Specialist II license, that will count in lieu of a bachelor’s degree. This will allow you to be considered for admission to the Master of Arts in CTE degree. If you are from Illinois and you have an alternative teaching license based on work experience in the trade areas, you can upload a copy in lieu of a transcript during the application process. You will be considered for admission to the Master of Arts in CTE degree. 

Yes, you can apply as a non-degree seeking graduate student. With that said, it would be better to apply to pursue the Master of Arts in CTE degree. There is no downside and only upside to doing this. If you decide you like the courses, you will already be coded as pursuing the master’s degree. If you want to stop taking classes at any time, you can do that also. 

Fall courses run from August to December. Spring courses run from January to May. Summer 1 courses run from May to June for five weeks. Summer 2 courses run from June to July for five weeks.   

You can start in January at the beginning of the Spring semester, in May at the beginning of the Summer 1 semester, or in August at the start of the Fall semester.

Yes, but you can only transfer up to 9 credits of 600-level or higher CTE courses. You must have earned a B or higher in these courses, and you must have completed these courses within six years of your enrollment with Ball State. 

Yes. Ball State is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).

Most students in your courses are CTE teachers from a variety of occupational areas. This creates a rich learning environment. It can be a wonderful community of like-minded educational professionals.  

Yes, the tracks are simply an advising tool. You can select elective courses from multiple tracks after completing all your professional core courses and the required research course. 

There is no thesis required for this degree. 

Use the Graduate Tuition Cost Calculator to determine your tuition costs. This will include your tuition cost per credit, and online course and technology fees but will not include the cost of textbooks.

Yes. Visit the Financial Aid and Scholarship web page for more information about the financial aid process, how to apply for financial aid, and what other options may be available to you.

Yes, we have one CTE scholarship option available: the Dr. Henry A. and Ruth R. Loats Scholarship. There is no application for this scholarship. Qualified students will be reviewed and recipients will be chosen by the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships. You may also contact the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships to see if they know of any additional scholarships.

Use the Master’s in Career and Technical Education application web page to start the application process. The CTE application page also provides important information about application deadlines, application materials, and admission requirements that you should review first.

All application requirements can be found on the Master’s in CTE application page. In brief, you will need:

• A bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution with at least a 2.75 GPA.
• You may still be able to get admitted on probation if you have a GPA less than 2.75.
• You will need to e-mail me a narrative explaining why you are in a better position to be successful in graduate school compared to when you completed your undergraduate experience.
• If you have an Indiana Workplace Specialist II license that is valid, that will count in lieu of a bachelor’s degree. This will allow you to be considered for admission to the Master of Arts in CTE degree.
• If you are from Illinois and you have an alternative teaching license based on work experience in the trade areas, you can upload a copy in lieu of a transcript during the application process. You will be considered for admission to the Master of Arts in CTE degree.

Applications are $60 for the Career and Technical Education master’s degree. You can pay your nonrefundable application fee with Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or Discover. Or you can pay online with an electronic check from a U.S. bank.

You do not have to pay the $60 application fee if you are a:

• Ball State student currently enrolled in classes
• Ball State alumni
• Current Ball State employee (full-time, benefits-eligible)
• Veteran or active-duty military
• Prospective student who attended a Ball State graduate program information session

The Master’s in CTE does not lead to initial teacher licensure. However, many states have a variety of different alternative teaching license options. It's possible one of them may allow our master’s degree to count for teaching licensure purposes. You need to check with your state’s licensing authority to determine if our program will work for your licensing needs.  

Yes, you can pursue both at the same time. Doing so will add an additional 6 credits to your total credit load, making it 36 credits instead of 30. It takes most people about two years to complete both. 

If you do not have a bachelor’s degree, you will need to request a transcript review with The Ball State Office of Teacher Education Services and Clinical Practice (OTES/CP) office before applying to the Director of Career and Technical Education licensure program. OTES/CP will tell you in writing if you can qualify and what will be required of you to apply to the program.

The Director of CTE license generally takes about two years to complete because of the sequence of courses and two semesters of required internship, which can still be completed while working full time. If you pursue the MA in CTE and the Director of CTE license, it will take 36 credit hours. If you already have a master’s degree, it will generally only take 30 credit hours to earn the Director of CTE license.

Many community colleges want people to have a master’s degree. This degree could possibly help you get a teaching job at a community college. A lot of this will depend on what your undergraduate degree is in and what kind of real-world experience you have. Many community college programs in trade areas want faculty with an advanced degree along with real-world industry experience.

No, this track is for people who want to get an unlicensed administrative position. For example, some schools have dean of student positions that do not require a license. This depends on the state. A hiring manager or hiring committee may look favorably on the fact that you pursued some administrative coursework as part of the Master of Arts in CTE.