General Information
The faculty of the College of Education is committed to fulfilling the following three major functions:
- to provide undergraduate and graduate professional preparation for teachers, administrators, school service personnel, and others who assume education-related positions in settings other than schools;
- to collaborate with school personnel, educational agencies, professional groups, and others interested in the evaluation and improvement of educational opportunities, programs, and services; and
- to promote and conduct experimental and other research studies designed to improve educational practice and to advance educational theory.
In addition to being accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, the College of Education is a member of the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education. It is the objective of this College to provide excellence in education while at the same time exhibiting a friendly attitude toward students. The teacher education programs are approved by the Mississippi State Department of Education, thereby enabling graduates to satisfy the certification requirements for the State of Mississippi.
Administrative Organization
The College of Education consists of six departments: Counseling and Educational Psychology; Curriculum, Instruction, and Special Education; Kinesiology; Music; Leadership and Foundations; and Instructional Systems and Workforce Development.
Counseling and Educational Psychology. The Department of Counseling and Educational Psychology prepares individuals at the undergraduate and graduate levels to function in a variety of professional settings that include K-12 schools, community counseling centers, human services agencies, business settings, rehabilitation agencies, community colleges, four-year colleges, and universities. The department offers the Bachelor’s degree, Master of Science degree, Educational Specialist Degree, and the Doctor of Philosophy degree. Special areas of interest in the department are psychometry, educational psychology, school psychology, community counseling, school counseling, vocational rehabilitation counseling, college counseling, and student affairs administration in higher education.
Curriculum, Instruction, and Special Education. This department is responsible for instruction in all professional courses of a general nature and in professional courses that deal specifically with teaching in special education, elementary education, and in the secondary fields of English language arts, social studies, mathematics, science, foreign languages, and speech. In addition to organizing and administering the curricula for educating teachers in the fields of elementary education, special education, and secondary education, the department is responsible for the direction and immediate supervision of teacher candidates in these fields.
Through the Department of Curriculum, Instruction, and Special Education, the Bachelor of Science, Master of Science, Master of Arts in Teaching, Educational Specialist, and Doctor of Philosophy degrees are offered. The department also offers areas of emphasis in elementary and secondary education for the Educational Specialist degree and in elementary and secondary education for the Doctor of Education and the Doctor of Philosophy degrees.
Kinesiology. This department offers the Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology with concentration areas in Health Fitness Studies, Clinical Exercise Physiology, Sport Studies, and Sport Pedagogy. Sport Pedagogy majors may also pursue an add-on teaching endorsement in Health Education by taking additional coursework. Master of Science in Kinesiology degree programs offer concentration areas in Exercise Science, Sport Administration, and Teaching/Coaching.
Music. This department offers the Bachelor’s degree in Music Education, with concentrations in Vocal, Instrumental Piano, and Guitar Music Education. The Maroon Band and the University chorus, both of which are university-wide organizations, are integral parts of this department. The department also offers a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music for non-teaching majors. (See the Arts & Sciences section for details on the B.A. in Music degree.)
Instructional Systems and Workforce Development. Mississippi State University is a designated institution for the preparation of vocational-technical education personnel. State and federal funds are made available, through cooperation with the State Office of Vocational and Technical Education, for the partial support of the program.
It is the responsibility of the Department of Instructional Systems and Workforce Development to provide teacher/coordinator/administrator preparation in vocational areas including adult, business, industrial technology and information technology services.
The Master of Science degree is offered in Technology. The department also offers an area of emphasis in Technology for the Educational Specialist, and Doctor of Philosophy degrees. The Master of Science in Instructional Technology degree is offered. This computer-based instructional technology program of study meets the educational needs of persons who have personal and professional interests in planning for and utilizing technology.
Leadership and Foundations. The Leadership and Foundations department provides programs in Educational Leadership and Community College Leadership. Programs are designed to prepare administrators, supervisors, teachers, and other educational personnel for positions of leadership in: (1) school district offices; (2) elementary, middle, or secondary schools; and (3) community college administrative positions. The department offers the Master of Science degree, the MAT in Community College Teaching, the Educational Specialist degree, and Doctor of Philosophy degrees.
Services
The Learning Center. The Learning Center (TLC) is an academic support unit for students, staff, and faculty at Mississippi State University whose primary purpose is to help students achieve and maintain successful academic standing. Through courses and tutoring in TLC, students are encouraged to acquire valuable study habits by assistance with proven strategies that help them develop into more effective and efficient learners. Some specific areas of service are reading comprehension and rate, vocabulary development, spelling, grammar, composition, mathematics, conversational English, time management, note taking, assessment of current study habits and learning styles, as well as assistance with preparation for professional examinations. In addition, The Learning Center offers seminar courses which assist incoming freshmen and transfer students in orientation to the university.
The Learning Center has a state-of-the-art teaching computer laboratory, housed in the College of Education, as well as a general computer lab available to students, faculty and staff. With prior scheduling, technical assistance and short courses are provided in The Learning Center in relation to all materials, equipment, and technology needs. The Learning Center makes available and assists in the preparation of instructional resource materials and provides selected multimedia equipment for classroom use. For further information, see The Learning Center in Part I of this bulletin.
The National Research and Training Center on Blindness and Low Vision. The National Research and Training Center on Blindness and Low Vision is the only national center that focuses on increasing the employability of persons who are blind or severely visually impaired.
Office of Clinical/Field-Based Instruction, Licensure, and Outreach. Partner School Districts in Mississippi are used to provide practicum and teaching clinical laboratory experiences for those enrolled in the teacher education program. Such experiences are supervised jointly by the faculties of the K-12 schools and the faculty of the College of Education.
Early Childhood Institute. The mission of the Early Childhood Institute is to develop and provide research-based practices and policy recommendations that promote high quality early childhood development and learning for all young children in Mississippi. The Institute is committed to working local and state agencies to build community and school partnerships that support these efforts.
Center for Educational Partnerships. This Center’s mission is to provide educational outreach services to the public schools of Mississippi. Services include, but are not limited to, curriculum development, technical consultation, and educational research. The Center provides assistance to public schools through the following units: Writing/Thinking Institute, Mississippi World Class Teaching Program, America Reads, The Program of Research and Evaluation for Public Schools (PREPS), the Educational Design Institute, and the Migrant Education Service Center.
The T.K. Martin Center for Technology and Disability. The T.K. Martin Center provides comprehensive, multi-disciplinary evaluations to remove limitations through the application of assistive technology, allowing individuals to participate in educational, vocational, and leisure activities to the fullest degree they choose.
Requirements for Teacher Education Students
A four-phase admission procedure is designed to assure a logical progression through the total professional teacher education process.
Enrollment in the College of Education (Phase I - pertains to Teacher Education majors in the College of Education only): Phase I identifies students who have enrolled in Teacher Education programs prior to official admission into Teacher Education. This early identification ensures the necessary counseling, screening, and advisement is provided for students aspiring to become teachers. To enroll in the College of Education, students must be admitted to Mississippi State University; hold an appointment with an assigned advisor in the College of Education and become familiar with the current College of Education Undergraduate Handbook, curriculum check sheet, and the current university catalog; select a major within a department that has a basic teacher preparation program; and complete Phase I (enrollment in the College of Education) Admission Form for Teacher Education Majors with their faculty advisors. The student must meet with the advisor to complete the phase form. The faculty advisor is responsible for submitting this form to the office of the Dean of Education, Room 309 Allen Hall.
Admission to Teacher Education (Phase II - including Teacher Education majors in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and the College of Arts and Sciences): To be admitted to teacher education and enroll in upper level professional education courses, students must complete Phase II by achieving a minimum of 44 semester credit hours (this includes the 36 hour general education requirements and excludes remedial and intermediate courses) with a 2.5 GPA and a 2.5 overall GPA. (A minimum of 44 semester credit hours general education core with a 2.75 GPA is required for Elementary and Secondary Education candidates.) Students must also complete 6 semester credit hours of English composition, and 3 semester credit hours of mathematics (algebra or higher) with a “C” or better in each course; and either present an ACT score of 21 (SAT equivalent of 860) with no sub-score below 18 or obtain the minimum passing scores on the Praxis I Tests (Reading: 172, Math: 173, Writing: 172).
The student must also submit two letters of recommendation from educators and verification of 40 hours work experience with children or youth. Each experience must be substantiated by a letter of verification from the organization where the student worked or volunteered. The student must also complete a criminal background check.
It is important that students keep the originals copies of their Praxis I test scores in a safe place since they will be required to show these original copies to their faculty advisor in order to be admitted into Teacher Education. Students should request that ETS send a copy of their scores to Mississippi State University (Code RA1480). Students attending the Meridian campus should have their scores sent to both Mississippi State University (Code RA1480) and the Meridian campus (Code RA3336). Students are encouraged to take the PRAXIS I exam by the end of the second semester of their freshman year.
Students should begin the application to teacher education during preregistration or orientation. Confidential recommendations must be sent to the Dean of the College of Education, P. O. Box 9710, Mississippi State, MS 39762. The Dean’s office will issue admission cards within five days after admission approval. All students must satisfy Phase II requirements before registering for upper level professional education courses. Students must also sign depositions and licensure advisories prior to admission to Teacher Education. Students who have not been admitted to Teacher Education cannot register for restricted professional education courses. The student must meet with the advisor to complete the Phase II form. The faculty advisor is responsible for submitting the Phase II form to the Dean’s office, 309 Allen Hall.
Admission to Teaching internship (Phase III - including Teacher Education majors in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and the College of Arts and Sciences): A student must complete Phase III by submitting an Application for Admission to Teaching Internship form, which can be found online at http://www.ocfbi.msstate.edu/teaching/index.php , to the Director of Clinical/Field-Based Instruction, Licensure, and Outreach one semester prior to teaching internship. To be eligible for teaching internship, the student must have been admitted to Teacher Education, must have taken and passed both the Principles of Learning and Teaching and the Content Area Praxis II exams, maintained an overall GPA of 2.5 or higher at the time of application, and have no grade below a C in major, concentration, and professional education courses. Final eligibility (2.5 GPA overall) is determined through screening at the end of the semester prior to the teaching internship. The student must also have completed all professional education and content major and concentration courses with a minimum grade of “C” prior to teaching internship. No coursework other than the 15 teaching internship/seminar hours can be taken during the teaching internship semester, without prior approval.
Students seeking a degree in Teacher Education and an educator license are expected to schedule teaching internship during the last semester of the senior year. Graduate students seeking admission to teacher education and teaching internship are expected to meet the same requirements as undergraduate students prior to their teaching internship experience. All student teacher placements and other communications with local schools are directed through the Office of Clinical/Field-Based Instruction and Licensure.
Exit Requirements (Phase IV): To be eligible for graduation, students in Teacher Education programs must have a “C” or better in all professional education courses, all courses in their majors and concentration areas, completed no more than half of their hours at a community college, satisfied residence requirements, and have a 2.0 overall GPA at Mississippi State University.
For more detailed information about teacher admission procedures, see the current College of Education Undergraduate Handbook. (www.educ.msstate.edu ) Application forms are available in the student’s academic department and in the office of the Dean of the College of Education (Allen 309).
Teacher Education Policies
“D” Policy. Students in Teacher Education must make grades of C or better in all professional education courses, in all courses in their academic major and concentration areas, in freshman composition, and algebra (or higher math). All other majors should check with their advisors for the policy for non-teaching majors.
Probation/Dismissal for Teacher Education Students. After the completion of 60 hours, Teacher Education students (enrolled or admitted) whose overall GPAs fall below 2.50 will be placed on academic probation. This policy refers to transfer students as well. Teacher Education students whose GPAs are below 2.50 after a year of probation will be dismissed from teacher education. If their GPAs later improve to 2.5, they may re-enroll or reapply for admission.
Teacher Licensure
In accordance with statutory provisions, the Mississippi Department of Education, Jackson, Mississippi, has adopted the rules and regulations on issuing and renewing teaching licenses which are set forth in Guidelines for Mississippi Educator Licensure, May 21, 2013. The licensure program is applicable to all teacher licenses. Satisfactory completion of any teaching curriculum offered by the College of Education will enable the graduate to apply for a teaching license in Mississippi, but this institution can neither waive any licensure requirements nor authorize substitutions for mandatory courses. Mississippi State University has submitted and received approval for its programs. Consequently, students who plan to transfer from other universities or another college to the College of Education should consult with the Director of Clinical/Field-Based Instruction, Licensure, and Outreach or an advisor in the College of Education to ascertain the general education, professional education, and specialized education courses which must be completed to obtain a teaching license in the field or fields of their choice. Since teacher licenses are issued by the Mississippi Department of Education only and not by the teacher education institutions, applications for licensure and original test scores must be filed with the Mississippi Department of Education by the applicant. Information concerning teacher licensure can be obtained from the Office of Clinical/Field-Based Instruction, Licensure, and Outreach.
As part of securing a Mississippi teacher’s license, students must pass the Principles of Learning and Teaching (PLT) test, the Specialty Area test and attain the required minimum scores. Students must request that ETS send a copy of their scores to Mississippi State University (Code RA1480). Students attending the Meridian campus should have their scores sent to both Mississippi State University (Code RA1480) and to the MSU Meridian campus (Code RA3336). It is very important that students keep the originals of all their test scores in a safe place since they will need the originals of these scores when they apply for a Mississippi educator’s license.
Student Code of Conduct Violations
Any violations of the Mississippi State University Student Code of Conduct as delineated in the student handbook, The Bulldog, and at http://www.msstate.edu/dept/students/doas.htm , including academic misconduct, may place completion of the student’s degree/licensure program in jeopardy.
Curricula
Organization. All curricula in the College of Education are organized on the lower- and upper-division basis. The lower division consists of the first two years and corresponds to the community college level. The upper division consists of the last two years, normally the junior and senior years.
Selection of Teaching Fields. Students who enroll in the teacher education program in the College of Education are expected to pursue a program of work which will enable them to qualify for a teaching license in the field of their choice.
Degree Program Modifications. Changes to the licensure requirements by the Mississippi Department of Education may mandate curricular modifications. Appropriate programmatic changes for graduation, licensure, and accreditation will be made as this process evolves. These teacher education program changes will become applicable as students are officially admitted to programs and/or as new graduation requirements are adopted. For updated degree program modifications, please check with your departmental office.
Sequence of Courses. Students should schedule their courses in consultation with their faculty advisor.
Directed Individual Study Courses. A directed individual study course is an experience designed to further the educational and/or career development of an individual that is equal to or greater than the equivalent hours for a regularly scheduled course. This experience should be used only in special circumstances as deemed appropriate by the faculty of record, student’s advisor, and department head. Unless otherwise designated by the student’s advisor and department head, the experience shall be limited to 3 credit hours of undergraduate work. Every student should make an agreement with the faculty of record to fulfill the course objectives and outcomes specified in the course syllabus. This policy applies to students entering MSU Fall 2001 and thereafter.
Transfer from Community College. Lower-division curricula (1000-2000 level) in the College of Education closely parallel the corresponding curricula offered in the community colleges of the state. Therefore, students majoring in a given area at a community college should be able to transfer to a like area in the College of Education and complete their last two years of college work without loss of time or credit.
Fields of Training. Baccalaureate programs are offered for the education of teachers in the following fields: elementary education, biology education, English education, foreign language education, mathematics education, physics education, chemistry education, social studies education, speech education, special education, music education, sport pedagogy, technology teacher education, and family/consumer sciences education.
Non-teaching bachelor’s programs are offered in the following areas: educational psychology; kinesiology with concentrations in health fitness studies, sport studies, or clinical exercise physiology; industrial technology, information technology services, and music.
Requirements for Graduation. The requirements for graduation with a Bachelor of Science degree in the College of Education are a minimum of 124 semester hours and 256 quality points (or higher for some curricula).
Graduate Programs in Education
Master’s Degrees. The following departments within the College of Education offer curricula leading to the degree of Master of Science in education: Counseling and Educational Psychology; Curriculum, Instruction, and Special Education; Kinesiology; Leadership and Foundations; Instructional Systems and Workforce Development. Students should check with specific departments for information on the concentrations offered by these departments. The Master of Arts in Teaching is offered for secondary and middle teachers by the Department of Curriculum, Instruction, and Special Education and for Community College Teachers by the Department of Leadership and Foundations.
Educational Specialist Degree. The Educational Specialist degree is a planned program of a minimum of 30 semester hours above the Master’s degree under the direction of a major advisor. It is designed to broaden leadership training by providing courses in other fields and disciplines supplementary to the basic core in the major field. It is offered with program emphases in Agricultural and Extension Education, Counselor Education, Elementary Education, School Administration, School Psychology, Secondary Education, Special Education, and Technology.
Doctoral Degrees. The Doctor of Philosophy degrees are offered with program emphases in School Administration, Counselor Education, School Counseling, Educational Psychology, Instructional Systems and Workforce Development, Elementary Education, Secondary Education, Curriculum and Instruction, Educational Leadership, and Community College Leadership. Minors may be taken in various related disciplines.
For more information on graduate programs in Education, see the Graduate Bulletin. A copy may be secured by writing to the Office of the Graduate School, PO. Box G, Mississippi State, Mississippi 39762.
College of Education Conceptual Framework
All programs in the College of Education at Mississippi State University use a conceptual framework involving four specific areas of study: General Studies, Professional/Pedagogical Studies, Content Specialty Studies, and Field and Clinical Experiences. Each of these areas of study builds upon the development of educators/professionals who are dedicated to the continual improvement of their own as well as their students’ educational experiences at all academic levels.
Programs incorporate the essential characteristics of an effective educator/professional stated in the conceptual framework: knowledge, collaboration, reflection, and practice. Graduate programs additionally emphasize research and performance-based outcomes. Candidates’ abilities to use technology and to work with diverse populations are important skills addressed in the Conceptual Framework and fostered in all undergraduate and graduate education programs in the College of Education.