Master of Education / Visual Function in Learning Program
The Master of Education/Visual Function in Learning program (MEd/VFL), administered by the College of Education in conjunction with the College of Optometry, is especially designed for optometry students and optometrists who wish to extend their knowledge of vision problems as they relate to reading and the learning process of children. The 30-semester hour program provides expertise in understanding the cognitive, linguistic, and visual challenges of learning to read. The program is offered only at the Forest Grove campus.
Candidates must hold or be working toward the professional terminal degree in optometry. Candidates within the College of Optometry must have completed the fall semester of the first year of study, have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or greater, and be in good academic standing. Candidates may enroll in a maximum of 8 hours of education coursework before admission to the program.
MEd/VFL Program Objectives
- To develop a knowledge base concerning
- the role that visual factors play in learning disability diagnosis and remediation;
- fundamental theories of cognition, learning, and language development;
- the major diagnostic theories in reading and related prescriptive techniques;
- decision-making systems, service delivery models, and program management within education organizations;
- the varied constituencies that the public schools must satisfy.
- To develop skills in research, diagnosis, therapy and case management within a multi-disciplinary setting.
- To develop skills in research, diagnosis, therapy, and case management within a multidisciplinary setting.
Thesis
The capstone experience is a thesis, giving candidates an opportunity to synthesize professional education in the optometric clinical setting. All Master of Education/Visual Function in Learning candidates will be appointed a Thesis Committee who will guide the development of a research proposal.
Once the proposal is developed it is reviewed by the Coordinator of MEd/VFL and the Dean of Optometry, or their designees. The proposal must be approved seven months before the date of proposed graduation from the program. The Thesis Committee will then advise the candidate during the course of research and the preparation of the thesis. When the final, bound thesis is approved and signed by the Thesis Committee; the candidate must submit two copies of the thesis to the library two weeks before commencement.
The Thesis Committee will include the following members:
- Chair, appointed by the MEd/VFL Coordinator. The chair serves as the candidate's advisor and instructor of record for the thesis credits.
- Faculty member appointed by the M.Ed./VFL Coordinator.
- Faculty member nominated by the candidate and approved by the M.Ed./VFL Coordinator.
Curriculum
Candidates complete a minimum of 30 semester hours of graduate courses in individual planned programs, which must include 23 semester hours within the College of Education and 7 semester hours within the College of Optometry.
| Section | Area I: Education | Credit Hrs |
|---|---|---|
| Required Education Courses (10 semester credits) | ||
| EDUC-565 | Seminar: Educational and Optometric Connections | 1 |
| EDUC-631 | Reading Assessments and Techniques | 3 |
| EDUC-632 | Perspectives on Reading | 2 |
| EDUC-635 | Language and Literacy Development | 2 |
| RDNG-640 | MEd/VFL Field Practicum and Seminar | 1 |
| RDNG-641 | MEd/VFL Case Study Practicum and Seminar | 1 |
| Education Electives (7 semester credits) | ||
| EDUC-570 | School and Society | 2 |
| SPED-505 | Exceptionalities | 2 |
| EDUC-633 | Literacy and English-Language Learners | 2 |
| Developing Literacy in the Content Areas Reading and Writing Across the Curriculum |
2 2 |
|
| EDUC-508 or EDUC-544 |
Reading and Language Arts in ECE/Elem Reading and Language Arts in Elem/MS |
4 4 |
| EDUC-572 | Service-Learning Field Experience | 1 |
| Area II: Optometry | ||
| Required Optometry Courses (4 semester credits) | ||
| OPT-744 | Visual Problems That Relate to Learning Difficulties With Lab | 3 |
| OPT-765 | Seminar in Multidisciplinary Service | 1 |
| Optometry Electives (2 semester credits) | ||
| OPT-743 | Neurorehabilitative Optometry | 2 |
| OPT-956 | Independent Study | 2 |
| OPT-992 | Research and Data Analysis Methods II | 2 |
| Area III: Foundations of Research | ||
| OPT-560 | Evidence Based Optometry | 1 |
| EDUC-670 | Introduction to Professional Inquiry | 1 |
| EDUC-671 | The Scholarship of Teaching | 1 |
| Area IV: Education Research Project | ||
| EDUC-674 | Planning the Inquiry Project | 2 |
| EDUC-675 | Completing the Inquiry Project | 2-4 |
Total credits |
30 |
|
In addition to fulfilling the requirements stated above, the candidate is encouraged to take course offerings in other areas to strengthen and to provide further exploration into a particular area of interest. The MEd/VFL Coordinator must approve electives. A planned program of courses must be filed with the College of Education.
*Students in the MEd/VFL program are charged 50% of the College of Education per-credit tuition rate for their College of Education courses.
Admissions Information
Application Requirements
Graduate Online Application
Contact
Contact Person: Annie Nelson, MEd/VFL Program Coordinator
Email: nelson@pacificu.edu
Phone: 503-352-1455
Contact Person: Diana Watkins, Assistant Director of Graduate & Professional Admissions
Email: teach@pacificu.edu
Phone: 503-352-1435
Contact Person: Krisha Hall, Admissions Counselor and Data Manager
Email: krisha@pacificu.edu
Phone: 503-352-1436