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Online M.S. in Education: Trauma in Educational Communities

Build Expertise in Trauma Education Online at EOU

Online master’s program

Learn from seasoned faculty

Four start dates each year

No GRE requirement

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Complete the form to learn more about this program.

  • Duration As few as 12 months
  • Cost per Credit $574
  • Credit Hours 36

Program Benefits

  • Prepare to earn a teacher specialization
  • Receive one-on-one coaching from your faculty and advisors
  • Transfer up to 12 graduate credits
  • Take classes part- or full-time

Develop Specialized Skills for Creating Trauma-Invested Classrooms

Teachers who earn trauma-informed education master’s degrees gain skills for responding to how trauma impacts an individual’s learning experience. By choosing the Trauma in Educational Communities concentration for your Master of Science in Education degree, you can learn to implement trauma-invested strategies that put students first. Eastern Oregon University designed the courses for busy educators, providing the flexibility needed to thrive in class and your career.

About the Specialization in Trauma in Educational Communities

  • Through this concentration, EOU can recommend candidates for a specialization in Trauma in Educational Communities in Oregon.
  • To receive a recommendation for specialization in Trauma in Educational Communities, you must have an Oregon license (this is not an initial licensure program).
  • If you teach outside of Oregon, you can request for your home state to verify that you completed this program. After that, your home state can determine whether it will accept our program for your licensure.

Curriculum: Trauma in Educational Communities Concentration

Online courses

Finish in 12 – 36 months

36 quarter credit hours

At EOU, you’ll discover how learners’ backgrounds can affect their development, building skills for creating environments that empower their success. This concentration presents community education approaches for teaching trauma-invested classes that meet the needs of students affected by distressing experiences. Educators seeking a trauma specialist education pathway can choose this concentration to build competencies in designing asset-based curriculum, harnessing technology in trauma-invested classes and nurturing school-wide communities that foster growth for students who have experienced trauma. In order to be recommended for the specialization, students need to take a clinical practices course as one of their electives. 

Required Courses

This course provides an introduction to the types and impacts of trauma on educational communities. Topics covered include the neurobiology of trauma, epigenetics, Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES), resilience, systemic oppression and its influences on trauma prevalence, secondary trauma and self-care. The emphasis throughout the course is on integrating these topics into the student’s existing pedagogy, and is designed to both provide a foundation for students just beginning to learn about trauma as well as the opportunity to go deeper into the work for those more familiar with the basics. Student must have graduate standing to register for this course.
This course provides a foundation in building traumainvested school communities including critical examination of the various factors that influence these efforts. Students will explore the ways in which identity and positionality of individuals within the school community influence one another in positive or negative ways. In addition, students will survey a variety of current recommendations and efforts in school-wide implementation of trauma-invested strategies and provide recommendations for areas of growth. Prerequisite: ED 570, may be taken concurrently. Student must have graduate standing to register for this course.
Various forms of trauma impact PK-12 learners. ED 572 provides a foundation in creating classroom learning environments that reflect an investment in being responsive to the impact trauma can have on individuals’ learning experiences. Complementary to ED 573 AssetBased Curriculum, ED 572 focuses on the role of relationships, the physical environment, classroom management, and behavior from an asset-based lens. Prerequisite: ED 570, may be taken concurrently. Student must have graduate standing to register for this course.
Various forms of trauma impact PK-12 learners. ED 573 provides a foundation in creating asset-based curriculum that affirms, engages, and supports growth for diverse learners. Complementary to ED 572 Trauma-Invested Classroom Learning Environment, ED 573 focuses on the role of relationships, student identity and experiences to shape curriculum that fosters resilience, instills hope, and empowers. Prerequisite: ED 570, may be taken concurrently. Student must have graduate standing to register for this course.
This course provides the student the opportunity to seek out understandings associated with technology, learning through technology, and the impact on trauma and resilience. This course will provide an overviews of technological foundations and trends in educational communities, examination of positive and negative impacts of technology as it relates to trauma and personal wellbeing, and how to develop a plan to educate families on the most recent trends in this area. Prerequisite: ED 570, may be taken concurrently. Student must have graduate standing to register for this course.
View Program Curriculum

Ease the Barriers to Learning Caused by Trauma

According to the Oregon Education Association, a “trauma-informed educator can help support students who have experienced or are experiencing trauma and help them be successful, resilient learners.”1 Attaining your master’s in trauma-informed education online prepares you to implement thoughtful solutions in trauma-invested schools. About 1 in 4 students feel the effects of trauma before they turn 16 years old,2 highlighting the need for educators versed in trauma education strategies.

Elementary School Teacher $82,260 Avg. annual salary (Oregon)3

Middle School Teacher $81,360 Avg. annual salary (Oregon)3

Career Outlook

Customize Your Area of Study

Tailor your education by selecting one or more of the following concentrations, helping you achieve your personalized career goals.

Online Master of Science in Education (M.S. Ed.): Dyslexia

Learn to perform interventions and assessments focusing on literacy development to create empowering learning environments for children with dyslexia.

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Online Master of Science in Education (M.S. Ed.): ESOL

This online program prepares you to teach second language learners and enables licensed teachers in Oregon to seek an ESOL endorsement.

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Online Master of Science in Education (M.S. Ed.): Literacy

Build skills for nurturing literacy engagement in PK-12 schools. Oregon teachers can seek a Reading Intervention endorsement after graduation.

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Online Master of Science in Education (M.S. Ed.): Special Education

Build expertise in special education assessments and procedures. You can also prepare to earn a Special Education endorsement.

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Online Master of Science in Education (M.S. Ed.): Career & Technical Education

Help students discover their passions through specialized education in business, culinary arts, automotive, graphic design, engineering and more.

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Online Master of Science in Education (M.S. Ed.): Environmental Education

Learn how to create impactful outdoor learning experiences for outdoor schools, after-school programs, field days and scholastic gardens and farms.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Explore our frequently asked questions for in-depth answers. If you don’t find what you’re looking for, reach out to us.

In many states, yes. CTE certification pathways often allow industry professionals with documented work experience to enter teaching through alternative routes, recognizing that real-world expertise is essential to authentic CTE instruction. State requirements vary, with most requiring a combination of industry experience, content-area knowledge, and pedagogy coursework. A master’s in CTE strengthens this pathway and supports long-term career advancement in CTE leadership roles.

Requirements vary by state and setting. K-12 classroom teaching of environmental topics typically falls under a state teaching license. Informal education roles at nature centers, parks, and nonprofits often do not require formal teacher certification. Specialized credentials like Certified Environmental Educator (CEE) through state affiliates of NAAEE can strengthen career prospects in informal education settings.

The M.S. in Education practicum experiences vary by concentration. For example, the Literacy concentration, Reading Intervention endorsement requires a 90-hour practicum in a working classroom setting. These hands-on experiences allow you to apply your learning in real educational environments while working toward your degree. The practicum component provides valuable experience even for those who don’t have prior teaching experience. Learn more on the program courses page.

CTE is organized into 16 federally-recognized career clusters under the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act, including healthcare, manufacturing, information technology, agriculture and natural resources, business management, construction, hospitality and tourism, transportation, education and training, public safety, and STEM-related fields. EOU’s MSEd in CTE prepares educators to design and lead instruction across any of these industry clusters.

EOU’s online MSEd in CTE is designed for working professionals and can typically be completed in approximately two years of part-time study. Timeline depends on course load per term and any transferred credits. The fully online format allows current CTE teachers, industry professionals, and workforce development staff to earn the degree without leaving their current roles or relocating to Oregon.

Students attending Eastern Oregon University can pursue a variety of scholarships. To review the current options, visit the scholarships section.

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Sources

  1. Oregon Education Association. “Trauma Informed Education.” Retrieved October 22, 2024, from https://oregoned.org/professional-learning/core-programs/trauma-informed-education.
  2. The National Child Traumatic Stress Network. “School Personnel.” Retrieved October 22, 2024, from https://www.nctsn.org/audiences/school-personnel.
  3. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. “May 2023 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates (Oregon).” Retrieved October 22, 2024, from https://www.bls.gov/oes/2023/may/oes_or.htm.