2020-21 Academic Catalog

Curriculum, Instruction, and Special Education

This is an archived copy of the 2020-21 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://catalog.msstate.edu.

Department Head: Dr. Janice Nicholson
Graduate Coordinator: Dr. Rebecca Robichaux-Davis--Elementary Education; Dr. Missy Hopper--Secondary Education; Dr. Sandy Devlin--Special Education; Dr. Jeff Leffler--Meridian

310 Allen Hall
Box 9705
Mississippi State, MS 39762
Telephone: 662-325-3703
E-mail: contactCISE@colled.msstate.edu
Website: http://www.cise.msstate.edu

Admission Criteria

General Admission Criteria

The Department of Curriculum, Instruction, and Special Education (CISE) offers Master of Science degrees in Elementary Education, Secondary Education, and Special Education. The Department also offers the the Master of Arts in Teaching–Secondary (MATS) and the Master of Arts in Teaching-Special Education (MATX) degrees. The Educational Specialist degree is offered with a major in Education and concentrations in Elementary Education, Secondary Education, and Special Education. 

The Doctor of Philosophy is offered in Curriculum and Instruction with concentrations in Elementary Education, Secondary Education, and Special Education. Graduate programs in the Department of Curriculum, Instruction, and Special Education require applicants to hold or be eligible to obtain a Class A teaching certificate in the appropriate teaching field.     

A student applying for admission to a degree program in Curriculum, Instruction, and Special Education must submit a complete application packet to the Graduate School by the following deadlines:

Summer April 1
Fall July 1
Spring November 1

Applications not meeting the admission deadline will be held for completion and review for up to two semesters. After that time, the applicant must reapply.

A complete admission packet consists of: application to the graduate degree program; documentation of Class A teacher’s certificate or eligibility for licensure (exceptions noted above); three letters of recommendation; statement of purpose (must include number of years  and overview of teaching experience, if applicable); and official transcripts from each college or university attended. Official GRE scores are required for all programs except the MATS and MATX. Applicants to an MAT degree program are required to have passing scores on the Praxis Core and appropriate specialty-area test. Doctoral-program applicants must also include in their packet two scholarly writing samples, a statement of support from a current graduate faculty member in the program, and a curriculum vitae or résumé. Applicants must also document three years of teaching experience or other relevant experience. Applicants to doctoral programs must be interviewed before an admission decision is made. Minimum grade point averages required for admission to each degree are listed below.

  • Master’s degree: minimum GPA 2.75 on last half of baccalaureate degree
  • Educational Specialist degree: minimum GPA 3.20 on master’s degree
  • Doctoral degree: minimum GPA 3.40 on previous graduate degree(s)

All new students admitted into a graduate program in CISE must attend the CISE Graduate Student Orientation.

Contingent Admission

Contingent admission status is reserved for those students who are applying to a degree program during the semester they are graduating with another degree and the overall GPA is pending. Otherwise, the admission packet must be complete and all admission requirements met before admission will be considered.

Provisional Admission

The Department of Curriculum, Instruction, and Special Education follows the University’s Provisional Admission policy.

Residency Requirement

There is no general residency requirement for the master’s degree. Residency for the specialist degree is a minimum of 30 weeks. A degree cannot be completed in two summer sessions or equivalent, neither in one regular semester and one summer session. For doctoral students there is no specific on-campus residence requirement. However, students are required to complete one-half of required coursework and all dissertation credits from Mississippi State University.

Academic Performance for All Programs

The Department of Curriculum, Instruction, and Special Education defines satisfactory performance in graduate level coursework as a grade of S on thesis/dissertation hours and a GPA of at least 3.00 on all coursework attempted. CISE follows Graduate School policies relating to academic performance. In the event a student’s performance warrants dismissal from a graduate program, the CISE Graduate Coordinator will petition the Dean of the College of Education to dismiss the student from the graduate program. The student will be notified of the action by certified mail. If a student earns a grade below a B in a course on his or her plan of study, the course cannot be dropped from the plan of study.

Accelerated Program

Highly qualified undergraduates on STEM degree pathways are encouraged to consider applying to the STEM MAT-S Accelerated Program. The program is designed to transition individuals into a career as a professional educator. Students can to earn up to 15 hours of graduate level coursework during their final year of undergraduate studies; with graduate level courses applied to both undergraduate credit and graduate credit simultaneously. After the student completes their STEM undergraduate degree they take two summer courses earning temporary licensure, accept a teaching position, complete a paid internship with a university supervisor, graduate with a master’s degree in education and earn a 5 year renewable teaching license.