Hattiesburg
Degree Requirements
Elementary Education Major: Students majoring in elementary education earn a Bachelor of Science(B.S.) degree. Elementary education majors are required to complete coursework for K-6 licensure. Additional coursework may be taken to complete endorsements in reading K-12, mild and moderate disabilities K-12, English 7-12, social studies 7-12, mathematics 7-12, or science 7-12. This is subject to change by the Mississippi Department of Education’s licensure requirements.
K-6 candidate program of study: All elementary education majors are required to complete the teacher education liberal arts core(44 hours); additional university requirements (11-12 hours); an interdisciplinary concentration (21 hours); specialty/clinical courses (33 hours); and professional education courses (12 hours). In addition, two concentrations must be completed. A concentration (except for mathematics) consists of 18 semester hours of academic content courses, a total of which can include three semester hours of academic pedagogy courses in each of the concentration areas and EDR 474. The K-12 reading endorsement requires EDR 474.
Pre-K endorsement(Early Childhood): 21 hours of early childhood academic content courses ECE 311, ECE 315, ECE 411 or EDU 409, ECE 430, ECE 446, ECE 445, EDR 308. This is subject to approval of the Mississippi Department of Education’s license requirements.
7-12 endorsement: 21 hours of academic content courses, total of which can include three hours of pedagogy, except for mathematics. This is subject to change by the Mississippi Department of Education’s licensure requirements.
Special Education(Mild/Moderate Disabilities) Add-on Endorsements An elementary education or secondary education major can add certification in special education (mild/moderate disabilities) by completing the following additional courses: EDU 460, EDU 463, EDU 464, EDU 468, and EDU 469.
Math Education Endorsement for Elementary Education majors A math endorsement would require the completion of required Elementary Education Math concentration courses and the following: MAT 150, 151, 152, 270, 341, 345, and 436.
Interdisciplinary Concentration: Elementary education majors are required to complete an interdisciplinary concentration with a grade of C or above, consisting of the following courses: MAT 116, MAT 316, a social studies elective, one of the following courses: [ART 319, MUE 320, or PED 338], BUS 102 or EDU 325 or proficiency exam, EDR 308, and EDR 311.
Specialty/Clinical Courses: For teacher licensure, required professional courses are: EDU 345, EDU 346, EDR 407, EDU 440, EDU 413, EDR 344, EDU 372, EDR 441, EDU 478, and 6 or more hours of EDU 483.
Teacher Education Liberal Arts Core
Teacher candidates seeking teacher certification must fulfill 44-46 hours of particular liberal arts core courses for admission to teacher education.
Bachelor of science core: 44 hours of courses are required for admission to teacher certification: ENG 101-102, six hours of ENG literature, MAT 131 or higher, PSY 201, COM 101, HIS 101-102 or HIS 201-202, three hours of fine arts, eleven hours of science including two lab sciences, and three hours of a social studies elective(history, political science, geography, anthropology, economics, sociology).
Bachelor of Arts General core: 46 hours of courses are required for admission to teacher certification: ENG 101-102, six hours of literature, MAT 131 or higher, PSY 201, COM 101 or 230, HIS 101-102 or HIS 201-202, three hours of fine arts, four hours of a lab science, six hours of Foreign Language(intermediate level), three hours of a social studies elective (history, political science, geography, anthropology, economics, sociology) and three hours of history, philosophy or English elective.
Bachelor of Arts Core—Art: 46 hours of courses are required for admission to teacher certification: ENG 101-102, six hours of literature, three hours of English literature or PHI 201, six hours of Fine Arts, MAT 131 or higher, PSY 201, COM 101 or 230, HIS 101-102 or HIS 201-202, three hours of art, four hours of a lab science, and three hours of a social science(political science, geography, economics and/or sociology).
Additional General Requirements
Additional non-education courses required for teacher certification are:REL 101-102, PSY 202 or PSY 305 (elementary education majors) or PSY 203 or 305 (secondary education majors), PSY 204, two hours of physical education activity courses or HEA 300, and BUS 102 or EDU 325.
Required Professional Courses
For teacher licensure, required professional education courses are: EDU 300, 300.1, 372, 436, 450, EDU 478, and 6 or more hours of 483, 484, or 496.
NOTE: All students, including teacher assistants, are required to complete Residency I and Residency II (student teaching internship).
Residency II - Student Teaching Internship Requirements
A teacher candidate may take directed teaching (EDU 483, EDU 484, EDU 496) in one of the cooperating school districts during his/her senior year provided the following requirements have been met:
1. Be a senior (completed at least 90 semester hours).
2. Have been admitted to teacher education for one trimester.
3. Have earned an overall grade point average of 2.75 or better
4. Have earned grades of C or better in all professional education courses.
5. Have earned a grade of C or better in all courses in major teaching field.
6. Make an application for winter Residency I by September 10 or make an application for spring Residency I by November 15 preceding. Hold a valid Teacher Candidate 101 license from the Mississippi Department of Education.
7. Have approval of the chair of the curriculum and instruction department and director of Residency I (student teaching).
8. In addition to admission to teacher education requirements, the student must pass Residency I, have the approval of the director of student teaching, and have achieved the required scores on PRAXIS II (Principles of Learning and Teaching, Foundations of Reading, and Specialty Area) before entering into Residency II (student teaching). The student must have the scores on all of these tests reported to the Mississippi Department of Education.
9. Must have completed all specialty and professional courses with a minimum grade of C or better in each course. Special permission from the chairman of the department of curriculum and instruction must be secured to take courses after student teaching.
Licensure applications cannot be processed until all requirements are met.
Special Subject Areas
Teacher candidates who want to teach in the areas of art, music (vocal and instrumental), and physical education are licensed to teach grades K-12.
Those teacher candidates pursuing degree programs that meet K-12 licensure requirements must complete the university core(outlined elsewhere in this catalog for the B.A., B.S., B.F.A., and B.M. degrees), additional teacher education core courses, the specialty area courses listed within the respective departments, and professional courses including EDU 300, EDU 300.1, EDU 372, EDU 436, EDU 478, EDU 496, PSY 202, 203, or 305, and PSY 204. See Music for individual requirements.
Licensure Procedure
Teacher candidates are responsible for making the proper application to the Mississippi Department of Education, for requesting their licensure. Forms are available in the department of curriculum and instruction office. The student must also fill out a release-of-records form.
Completion of the teacher education program does not guarantee licensure. The student must meet all requirements specified by the Mississippi Department of Education and current law.
NOTE: All education programs and requirements are subject to change due to requirements set forth by the Mississippi Department of Education and state law. The current requirements for licensure, if different from this catalog—will supersede the catalog descriptions. New federal legislation requires each state to submit a definition for highly qualified teachers which adheres to federal guidelines.
