Academics
SMU Simmons is ranked among the top 11 private graduate schools in the nation and in the top 3 public and private schools in Texas.
The Annette Caldwell Simmons School of Education and Human Development offers doctoral and master's degrees, graduate-level certifications, undergraduate programs and enrichment courses and includes research institutes and community service centers.
Degrees, Certificates, and Specializations
Admission information, application forms and curricula for these programs can be found on their respective websites.
Explore Our Programs
Program Filters
Program Type
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Doctoral Programs
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Master’s Degrees
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Undergraduate Programs
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Graduate Specializations & Certificates
Area of Interest
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Applied Physiology & Health Management
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Counseling
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Dispute Resolution
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Higher Education
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Learning Sciences (online)
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Liberal Studies
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PK-12 School Leadership
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Research
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Sport Management
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Sport Performance Leadership
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Teacher Education
Programs
Master of Education (M.Ed.)
Prospective Students
Practicing educators who wish to broaden their academic preparation and classroom skills. Students may take courses in any 1 or 2 of the following areas: bilingual education, ESL, urban education, mathematics, literacy, STEM, special education, and learning therapy.
Career and Personal Benefits
Mastery of the content and skills should enable the graduate to be more effective and efficient in his/her job. Additionally, the knowledge and skills acquired around different areas of interest may allow the educator to pursue new career opportunities.
Master of Education (M.Ed.) with Certification Preparation
Prospective Students
The individual who would like to teach and already has a bachelor's degree but who does not have the appropriate teaching certification credentials to teach. This program allows students to pursue a graduate degree and teaching credentials simultaneously.
Career and Personal Benefits
Graduates often find that they have better presentation and organization skills, but more important, they have a Master’s degree and a new career opportunity.
Master of Bilingual Education (M.B.E.)
Prospective Students
Ideal for pre-service and in-service Spanish/English bilingual educators who have a near-native or native command of Spanish and English. MBE courses integrate the language and culture of students in the Spanish-speaking world, particularly students of Hispanic heritage living in the United States.
Career and Personal Benefits
Successful graduates are prepared to work as expert bilingual teachers, bilingual coaches, or leaders of bilingual programs in their schools or districts.
M.S. in the Learning Sciences
Prospective Students
This program is designed to address the needs of learning professionals across a broad spectrum from business HR, learning and professional development to government, university, and non-profit learning organizations. This multidisciplinary program will prepare you to design, assess, and create systematic approaches to improve teaching and learning in formal and informal settings.
Career and Personal Benefits
Graduates of this program are equipped to lead and innovate in a diverse array of educational and corporate environments. With a comprehensive understanding of how people learn and the technological tools to enhance educational experiences, alumni are prepared to tackle challenges in instructional design, data analysis, and the creation of engaging learning materials.
M.Ed. in PK-12 Education Leadership
Prospective Students
This program is designed to prepare educators for a variety of leadership positions in pre-K through grade-12 public, charter, private secular, and religious schools.
Career and Personal Benefits
Through classroom instruction, individual study, collaborative projects, and the application of research-based principles in field settings, students learn about the instructional, ethical, organizational, and administrative aspects of school leadership.
Master of Arts in Dispute Resolution
Prospective Students
Because conflict is a natural and recurring part of all aspects of society, students from all walks of life benefit from a Master of Arts in the study of dispute resolution and conflict management. These skills can enhance current career paths or launch new careers.
Career and Personal Benefits
Rooted in the social and behavioral sciences, the curriculum provides in-depth study of conflict theory with options for concentration in alternative dispute resolution, organizational transformation and conflict management, executive coaching, and healthcare collaboration and conflict engagement as they apply to business, family, education, public policy, religion, law and healthcare. Field-based opportunities in a variety of settings further enhance the skills of dispute resolution and conflict management.
Master of Science in Counseling
Prospective Students
Most students in the M.S. in Counseling program earned their undergraduate degrees in psychology, sociology, social work, ministry work, or education.
Career and Personal Benefits
The developmental and social sciences comprise the foundation of the curriculum. Students can choose to focus their studies on one or more of the following specialties: Clinical Mental Health; Marriage, Couple, and Family; and School Counseling with additional opportunity for concentrated study in Addiction Counseling, Child and Adolescent Counseling, Trauma Counseling, and LGBT Affirmative Therapy.
Successful graduates are able to pursue credentialing as Licensed Professional Counselors (LPC), Marriage and Family Therapists (LMFT), or Certified School Counselors and work in community agencies, churches, hospitals, private practices, and schools. The opportunity to be licensed as Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor (LCDC) in the State of Texas is also available.
Master of Science in Sport Management
Prospective Students
SMU’s Master of Science in Sport Management degree is designed for students who have a passion for the business of sport and who aspire to hold senior-management positions in the billion-dollar sports industry.
Career and Personal Benefits
Cox School and Simmons School faculty members with real-world experience in professional leagues and teams, media and broadcasting, marketing and sponsorship, facilities and sports equipment, and apparel teach the essential business skills of sport management.
Master of Liberal Studies
Prospective Students
The pursuit of a human-centered, interdisciplinary, Master of Liberal Studies degree from SMU fosters growth for professional and community leaders. Students can pursue their lifelong intellectual passions and enhance their leadership contributions to their professions and the world.
Career and Personal Benefits
Designed to offer flexibility to students in planning their master’s level study, MLS coursework encourages creative and critical thinking by taking courses in humanities, organizational dynamics, social justice, arts, and culture. Students benefit from building vital skills and examining the human condition from a variety of perspectives in order to meet the problems of the 21st century.
M.Ed. in Higher Education
Prospective Students
This program serves students who want to understand and analyze how institutions of higher education are structured and administered. Graduates are prepared to assume a wide range of roles including positions in student affairs, academic affairs, university administration, education non-profits and more.
Career and Personal Benefits
Our master's degree in higher education provides students with a holistic understanding of how universities and colleges function. Students will examine theory and engage in practical experiences that will provide them with the skills necessary to lead within varied organizational structures and to serve diverse communities.
