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Master of Science 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 $537
  • 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.

Featured 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.
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 Complete 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 to your professional goals by choosing one of the following tracks.

Master of Science in Education: Curriculum Leadership

Grow as an educational leader capable of developing, implementing and evaluating curriculum that aligns with learning standards and assessment data.

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Master of Science in Education: Dyslexia

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

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Master of Science in Education: 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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Master of Science in Education: 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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Master of Science in Education: Special Education

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

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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.

No, prior work experience is not required to build expertise in trauma education online at EOU. Learn more about our admissions policy by visiting our admissions page.

Many educators pursue a master’s in trauma-informed education online to become classroom teachers with specialized knowledge in trauma education strategies.

There are five courses in the concentration component of this online program. Learn more about the coursework for this program by visiting the courses page.

You can work with your advisor to change your concentration after enrolling in the M.S. in Education: Trauma in Educational Communities program. However, each concentration includes distinct courses, so your program duration may be extended if you change concentrations after completing courses in trauma education online at EOU. To explore the courses for each concentration, visit the courses page.

Similar to trauma-informed education master’s degree programs, this concentration allows you to gain career-ready skills for creating trauma-invested learning environments. These specialized skills will allow you to stand out among other professionals in your field and better compete for the position you want. To explore the courses for this concentration, visit the courses page.

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

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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.