The Advanced Inquiry Program

A new Master's degree opportunity for educators

What is the AIP Master’s?

The Advanced Inquiry Program (AIP) offers a ground-breaking graduate degree focused on inquiry driven learning and social change. Co-delivered by the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden and Miami University’s Project Dragonfly, the AIP combines graduate courses at the Zoo with web-based learning communities that connect you to a broad network of educators and community leaders.

Degrees:

• Master of Art in Teaching (MAT) in Biological Sciences for licensed K-12 teachers
• Master of Arts (MA) in Zoology for informal educators

The AIP Master’s Difference

AIP Master’s candidates use inquiry not only as a tool for integrated learning, but as a powerful agent for student achievement, public engagement in science, and ecological stewardship. AIP students join a network of local and national leaders, working together to improve their professions, institutions, neighborhoods, and environments.

Who is Eligible?

Enrollment is open to applicants with a Bachelor’s degree, regardless of academic major. The AIP is designed for K-12 teachers and a broad range of environmental and education professionals, and can be completed part-time while working.

Requirements

21 credit hours at the Zoo + 14 credit hours taken with AIP Master’s students nationwide via web-based learning communities. All 35 hours have a web component. Students also complete a Master’s portfolio.

Sample Graduate Courses

• Foundations of Advanced Inquiry- Develop an intellectual understanding of the philosophy and process of inquiry.
• Habitats, Adaptation, and Evolution- Investigate key questions about why species look and act the way they do and the relationships between species and their habitats.
• Plants & People- Explore the power of inquiry to generate knowledge and illuminate the relationships between plants and people.
  • Primate Behavior & Conservation- Study primate behavior through direct observation and discuss conservation issues.

Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden

Each year, more than one million people visit the world-famous Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden’s award-winning exhibits, featuring more than 500 animal and 3,000 plant species. A leading informal and formal education facility, the Zoo provides a unique and ideal learning environment in which to gain an appreciation and understanding of science and nature. Education programs for all ages foster
a sense of wonder, share knowledge, and advocate active involvement with wildlife and wild places.
The Zoo’s Education Department cofounded Earth Expeditions, a professional development program
for educators, upon which the AIP is founded.

To Apply

Apply online by February 28, 2010 for enrollment in 2010.