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Extension Education M.Ext.Ed.

2
Years or Less to Earn Your Masters
95%
CSU Online Grad Students have Plans Related to their Career
93%
Grad Students would choose CSU Online Again
$498M
In research expenditures in FY23
Degree Overview Open Accordion

Extension specialists are a vital link between the communities they serve and the resources offered by land-grant universities.

Serve as a vital link to your community.

Focus on "extending" university knowledge and resources to communities throughout the state. Learn about your local community needs and help develop education programs to address them.

Gain skills and knowledge to develop impactful programs and deliver educational resources in your role as a community educator. Work with a range of populations, including youth, adults, diverse communities, and various industries.

Coordinate and mobilize efforts to address challenging situations by conducting fieldwork, providing workshops and training, and creating online informational resources.

Learn to:

  • Analyze the principles that guide extension work.
  • Develop programs and community outreach initiatives.
  • Customize instructional methods for various audiences.
  • Develop evaluation strategies for programming.
  • Gather, analyze, and communicate community-based research to various populations.

Increase your understanding of your local community needs and help develop education programs to address them. Common initiatives focus on:

  • Nutrition
  • Food systems education
  • Family consumer sciences
  • Agriculture
  • Horticulture
  • Youth development
  • Volunteer development
  • Economics
  • Natural resource management
Explore Careers Open Accordion

Follow a variety of career paths, including extension work, professional sales, technical service, and a variety of informal education settings.

With an interdisciplinary curriculum tailored to suit your specific career goals, this program helps you gain skills to improve the quality of lives and livelihoods of individuals and communities — whether you work within the field of extension education or in other professions requiring community education and public contact.

Extension practitioners throughout the world often work for government agencies. In the United States, many extension specialists (sometimes called extension agents, county agents, or extension educators) work at land-grant universities in cooperative extension service programs.

If you work in a nonprofit, government, or extension organization, this degree can advance your education career in a variety of fields, including:

  • Agricultural extension
  • Community development
  • Environmental education
  • Human development
  • Natural resources
  • Extension education
  • Range science
  • Governmental agencies
  • 4-H/Youth development
  • Community-based education
  • Food systems and agricultural outreach
  • Forestry
  • Nutrition program management
  • Community preparedness/safety
  • Family consumer science
Hear from Our Students Open Accordion

Designed for working professionals, the online Master of Extension Education program does not require a thesis, and all coursework is offered online. Interact and network with others across the country who are in extension or similar agencies to collaborate and gain insights from peers.

Tyler Mason

Starting out in the extension education program, Tyler's primary mission was to improve his resume and pursue a better career. What he discovered was so much more. Find out how earning his master's degree helped Tyler begin the next big step in his journey.

CSU's Online Students

Hear from students and faculty to get a sense of what it's like to study online with CSU, and how a graduate degree can enhance your life.

Faculty Open Accordion
Kellie Enns

Kellie Enns, Program Director and associate professor in agricultural education has a bachelor's degree in animal science from Washington State University and received her Master of Agriculture degree and Ph.D. in Educational Leadership from Colorado State University. Kellie is passionate about teaching and learning, and program development, which can maximize student experiences. Her husband, Mark, also works at CSU, and they have two young children who are being raised as dedicated Ram Fans. The Enns raise Angus cattle and love living and working at Colorado State University. Kellie serves as the primary advisor to the undergraduate degree program and the master's in agriculture teacher development degree program.

Nathan Clark

Nathan Clark is an instructor in agricultural education at CSU. Nathan hails from Michigan and focuses his attention on production agriculture, and skills-based classes in agricultural. Nathan has his undergraduate degree in agriscience from Michigan State University, completed his agricultural education teacher licensure requirements as a post-bachelor student at the University of Arizona, and has a Master of Agriculture degree in the teacher development concentration from Colorado State University. His teaching focus is on experiential education.

Dessa Watson

Dessa Watson, instructor in extension education, has a bachelor's in agricultural extension education from Colorado State University and enjoyed the program work so much she continued on to receive a Master of Agricultural Extension Education from CSU. Dessa is a former 4-H/Youth Development Extension Agent for CSU in Rio Blanco County, which furthered her love of all things extension programming, 4-H, and all that Colorado State University has to offer. Dessa's husband, Brett, is a water commissioner for the state, and together they have two children whom they raise alongside a small herd of Corriente cows, horses, and an assortment of other farm critters.

Holli Campbell

Holli Campbell, instructor in extension education, grew up on a dairy farm in western Michigan, where she was very involved in both 4-H and Future Farmers of America. She received her bachelor's degree from Michigan State University in agricultural economics, and worked in an agricultural nonprofit following graduation. She also held positions with Marriott Hotels in sales and event management. She received her Master of Education from the University of Georgia, and was an agriculture education teacher and FFA advisor for two years before becoming the County Extension Director and 4-H Agent in Broomfield, Colorado.

Curriculum Open Accordion

Requirements

The Master of Extension Education is a 36-credit program that requires:

  • 18 credits of core coursework.
  • 9 credits of AGED, AGRI, EDAE, HDFS, JTC or SOWK at the 500 level or above.
  • 9 credits of disciplinary coursework at the 500 level or above. Disciplines must be approved by an academic advisor, and may include areas such as youth development, horticulture, agriculture, animal science, and others.
  • An extension education internship in a county or state extension office or other advisor-approved setting. An internship requires 45 hours of work per credit.

There is no thesis required for completion of this degree. You will work with your graduate advisor to choose your coursework. Additionally:

  • 24 credits must be earned at Colorado State University, 21 of which must be earned after formal admission.
  • 18 credits of graduate-level electives are chosen with your graduate advisor.
  • No independent study, research, supervised college teaching, or practicum credits may apply toward the degree.

Courses that are prerequisites or supplementary to the graduate program do not apply to the minimum credit hours required for this degree. In addition, approved courses from other institutions may be accepted; talk with your advisor before including these in your course plan. Additional coursework may be required depending on your background and preparation for graduate level work.

Curriculum

Required courses

Education course electives:

(A minimum of 9 credits at the 500 level or above in the following areas with approval of an advisor):

Disciplinary coursework:

(A minimum 9 credits at the 500 level or above selected with advisor)

How to Apply Open Accordion

Application Deadline

Before applying to the degree program, it is strongly recommended that you contact Dr. Kellie Enns well in advance of the application deadline to understand and fulfill all requirements.

Fall semester August 1
Spring semester December 15
Summer semester March 15

Start your application online and upload materials directly into the online system. You can save your progress and return any time.

Apply Now

1Review Admission Requirements

The extension education (M.Ext.Ed.) degree requires applicants to have the following:

  • Bachelor's degree from a regionally-accredited institution
  • Cumulative GPA of 3.0 on all undergraduate coursework

Note that meeting the minimum department standards does not ensure admission to the program. Admission to Colorado State University graduate programs is based on a number of factors, including prior academic and professional experience and the personal statement.

2 Prepare Application Materials

Prepare the materials below and upload when you apply online.

  • Two letters of recommendation
    Two professional recommendations are required. You will provide information about your recommenders in the online application. CSU will contact them with instructions and a link to a secure form they will submit on your behalf.
  • Resume or vita
    Your resume should contain the following:
    • Record of all education and training, including names of institutions, periods of attendance, and degree earned
    • Record of all professional employment including dates of service (including military)
    • List of any special skills or competencies (including certifications and licensures)
    • List of publications, exhibitions, prizes, awards, or other recognition
    • List of service activities (including community and charitable)
  • Statement of purpose
    The statement of purpose is typically 1-2 pages and briefly describes:
    • Your background
    • Your educational goals and leadership potential
    • Your research interests and experience
    • Why you are a good fit in the program
    • Motivation for pursuing graduate work in extension education

3 Complete Online Application

Complete the online graduate application and pay the nonrefundable application processing fee (payable online). As soon as you have completed the required information, please submit your application. Your application will not be reviewed until it is complete and all required materials have been received.

CSU's Graduate School offers several application fee waiver opportunities. Visit their website to determine if you are eligible for a waiver.

  • Select “Extension Education (M.Ext.Ed.) – Distance” when choosing the program of study.

4 Request Official Transcripts

Request one official transcript of all collegiate work completed from all institutions attended. Transcripts from Colorado State University are not required. Transcripts must be received directly from the originating institution to be considered official.

Please Note: Students may be unconditionally admitted and registered in their first semester of courses with an unofficial transcript. Official transcripts must be submitted, prior to or during your first semester, before you can register for your second semester of graduate work. Failure to meet this condition will result in your dismissal from the Graduate School.

Electronic (preferred):
Digital Transcripts must be submitted by the originating institution using a secure service such as parchment, eScrip-Safe, the National Student Clearinghouse, or e-Quals. Transcripts received via emails are considered unofficial.

Use institution code 4075 for Colorado State University or gradadmissions@colostate.edu if the secure service requires an email address.

Mail (if necessary)
Graduate Admissions
Colorado State University – Office of Admissions
1062 Campus Delivery
Fort Collins, CO 80523-1062

Check Your Application Status

View your application status at any time to ensure your application checklist is complete or to check on updates.

Once your complete application, including supporting materials, is received, the department admission committee will review your application and promptly notify you of their decision.

For International Applicants

Proof of English language proficiency is required for applicants from countries or United States territories where there are official languages other than (or in addition to) English. This includes the U.S. territories of American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and Puerto Rico.

Learn more about English language proficiency requirements.

Questions?

We love learning about your goals and answering any questions you have.

Morgan Parsley
Prospective Student Support Coach
Schedule Time to Talk

Program Details

Courses
Credits
36
Tuition
$624 per credit
Same in-state tuition for all.
Learn more about financial aid and scholarships Tuition/fees are just part of the cost to attend CSU. Learn more about the full Cost of Attendance
Degree Awarded
Master of Extension Education
Time Frame
Can be completed in 2 years or less
Admission Reqs.
  • 3.0 GPA on all undergraduate coursework
  • Math Entrance Exam scores recommended for applicants who have not taken the required prerequisites within the past 10 years

Application Dates

Fall semester
August 1
Spring semester
December 15
Summer semester
March 15

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