Matthew Capps, Dean (Ferguson Hall 201A)
Leann Curry
Chair, Curriculum and Learning Department
Graduate Coordinator, Curriculum and Instruction and Instructional Design and Technology
Michaelle Kitchen
Chair, Counseling, Kinesiology, and Special Education Department
Kym Acuna
Graduate Coordinator, Educational Leadership and Language and Literacy Studies
Julie Wood
Graduate Coordinator, Counseling, Kinesiology, and Special Education Department
| Graduate Faculty: |
Acuna, Andersen, Blacklock, Capps, M., Cartwright, Curry, Gupta, Harvey, Huang, King, Kitchen, Lindt, Manuel, McIntyre, Medellin, Miller, Reeves, Rutherford, Schultz, Shawver, Stewart, Wood |
| Emeriti Faculty: |
Burger, Capps, O., Coe, Darter, Dowd, Estrada, Furr, Gore, Land, Menard, Newton, Owen, Redmon, Simpson, Smith |
Any course or program modifications or additions from the previous catalog are contingent upon approval of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and/or the State Board for Educator Certification.
Degrees
The Gordon T. and Ellen West College of Education offers the Master of Education and the Master of Arts.
Majors
Graduate students seeking the Master of Education degree can major in curriculum and instruction (Initial Teacher Certificate), educational leadership (Principal), special education (may lead to certification as an Educational Diagnostician or Certified Academic Language Therapist), or sport administration. Graduate students seeking the Master of Arts degree can major in clinical mental health (with an option to select a concentration in school counseling) or human resource development (with an option to select a concentration in training and development).
Minors
Graduate minors are offered in bilingual education, early childhood education, instructional design and technology, language and literacy studies (Reading Specialist, Master Reading Teacher), master mathematics teacher, mathematics, special education, sport administration, superintendency, teacher leadership, school counseling, and training and development.
Graduate Initial Teacher Certification
Students wishing to obtain initial Texas Teacher Certification should contact the Certification Officer in the West College of Education to obtain a certification plan. Transcripts of all previous college work are necessary to develop this plan.
Professional Development
Students may enroll in graduate courses for professional development and career ladder credit as non-degree seeking graduate students. A maximum of 9 semester post-baccalaureate hours student may be applied to a master’s degree.
Admission Requirements
All students seeking admission to graduate programs in the West College of Education must meet 1) University requirements, 2) West College of Education requirements, 3) and specific program requirements. University requirements for admission to graduate study are in the University and Academic Information section (see Admissions & Academic Information ).
- Students who have earned a 3.0 GPA on an undergraduate degree from an accredited university may be automatically admitted to a West College of Education graduate program. Students who have earned less than a 3.0 GPA on an undergraduate degree from an accredited university should submit scores from the GRE ScoreItNow! Students who do not make a satisfactory score on the writing sample, may be required to take an approved writing intensive course and/or seek tutoring from the MSU Writing Center.
- Admission to a specific program also requires a satisfactory background of undergraduate course work and experience. Admission to all programs requires 18 to 24 hours of acceptable undergraduate course work. Leveling work may be required if a student needs additional undergraduate background. State certification in Educational Leadership, Educational Diagnostician, and School Counseling requires appropriate teacher certification. Students must submit copies of service record and certificate. Specific program requirements are listed with each program major and option.
- Students who enter as non-degree seeking or with professional development status and who are later admitted to the graduate program may request credit for a maximum of 9 semester credit hours of successfully completed coursework to be applied toward the graduate degree with the approval of the Graduate Coordinator and the Dean of the College.
Admission to Candidacy
Admission to candidacy for graduate programs in the West College of Education will be determined by the Graduate Advisory Committee and will require
- a qualifying examination, taken in the first 6 hours of course work, to determine proficiency in writing. If the student does not pass the writing sample, remediation will be prescribed.
- that students not passing the GRE Writing Analysis or the GRE ScoreItNow! test (though they may continue with their course work) must take ENGL 2113, Composition Skills and make a B or better, the following semester.
- successful completion of 15 hours of course work.
Grades for Graduate Study.
Only grades of A, B, and C are acceptable in graduate courses. No more than two grades of C may be applied to the Master’s degree. For a student with a third grade of C or lower, the Faculty Review Committee will recommend to the Dean whether or not the student should be dismissed from the graduate program.
Student Fitness and Performance
Program Standards.
Students enrolled in all programs in the West College of Education must maintain high scholastic standards (stipulated under “Grades for Graduate Study”) and develop skills necessary to work effectively with people with diverse needs. Students are expected to demonstrate emotional and mental fitness in their interactions with others, use skills and techniques that are generally accepted by other professionals, and conform to the ethics of relevant professional associations and the state of Texas. A student’s acceptance in any program does not guarantee student’s fitness to remain in that program. The faculty are responsible for assuring that only those students who continue to meet program standards are allowed to continue in any program.
Evaluating Student Fitness and Performance.
Members of the faculty, using their professional judgments, evaluate student fitness and performance continually. Students usually receive information and counseling related to their fitness and performance from faculty members, their advisors, and their supervisors. The criteria used by faculty to make such judgments include instructors’ observations of course performance, evaluations of students’ performances in practice situations, and the disciplines’ codes of ethics. Students who are not making satisfactory progress or who are not meeting program standards should consider withdrawing from the program.
Required Withdrawal from a Program.
A faculty member who believes that a student is not making satisfactory progress or meeting program or university standards, should discuss the situation with the student. If the faculty member believes the student’s performance cannot improve to acceptable standards, the faculty member should refer the student to the Faculty Review Committee. The Faculty Review Committee consists of three faculty members in the West College of Education appointed by the Dean.
The Committee will notify the student of the reasons contributing to unsatisfactory progress or failure to meet program standards. The student will have an opportunity to meet with the Committee to respond to and to present information and witnesses to the committee. The Committee will also meet with the faculty member who referred the student. After considering the matter, and within 10 working days of meeting with the student, the Committee will report to the student and the Dean, recommending continuance or removal from the program. The Committee may require conditions or restrictions on the student’s continuing in the program. Within 10 working days of receipt of the Committee’s recommendations, the student will notify the Dean of the acceptance or appeal of the recommendations.
If the student appeals, the Dean will consider the Committee’s recommendations, meet with the student, and determine whether the student will be allowed to remain in the program. The Dean need not meet with the student before making a decision, if the student has had reasonable opportunity to meet and has either failed or refused to meet. The student will be notified of the Dean’s decision in writing within ten working days of the Dean’s meeting with the student or within twenty working days from the date of the appeal.
Program Completion Requirements
All candidates for a master’s degree in the West College of Education must show evidence of mastery in their field of study, research in their area of interest, the ability to express their findings orally and in writing, and the ability to integrate theory with practice. Specific requirements for completion vary from program to program. It is the student’s responsibility to meet with the appropriate program coordinator and graduate advisor to ensure all requirements are met. For example, programs may require a research file paper or a comprehensive exam for program completion. Research file papers in the West College of Education should follow the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, latest edition, and be printed with letter quality print.
Departments, Programs and Courses