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Education

Timeline-Four Year Plan

Freshman Year

  • Once you have decided to pursue teaching as a profession, be sure to notify your advisor so the appropriate major code can be added to your computer record.  Having this code will ensure that you receive important information from the Department of Education.  The secondary major codes are:

                            Pre-elementary education            PELM

                            Pre-secondary education             PSEC

                            Pre-special education                  PSED

  • In addition to appointments with your advisor, schedule an appointment with the Certification Analyst (VH 2316, 785-4680) to review specific requirements for the area or areas you are interested in teaching.
  • Develop a long-term course plan for your undergraduate and graduate work.  Check with your advisor and the Certification Analyst to make sure that all needed requirements are met. 
  • Obtain information on the Exploratory Field Experience requirement from the Field Experience Office (VH 2313, 785-4397) or through visiting their webpage.  ****attach a link here to the Field Experience page

                            PLEASE NOTE: Schools require some or all of the following screenings prior to placement in clinical experiences and/or internships: state and/or federal criminal conviction records, motor vehicle driving records, TB test results, Division of Family Service records and information from references, schools, and employers.  For further information, contact the Field Experience Office in the Department of Education, VH 2310. 

  • Join an education organization such as Student Missouri State Teachers Association (SMSTA) or National Education Association Student Program (NEA-SP).  Several other education-related, student organizations are offered, including many that are major specific such as math, music, and special education, or specific interests, like early childhood education. 

Sophomore Year

  • Continue with Exploratory Field Observations.
  • Continue to review/modify your course plan with your academic advisor and the Certification Analyst.
  • Enroll in the first education class, ED 389 Foundations of Education.  The prerequisites include: a 2.75 cumulative GPA and 30 hours completed.

Junior Year

  • Continue to review/modify your course plan with you academic advisor and the Certification Analyst.  Be sure to take any courses required for your major certification area.
  • Take ED 393 Clinical Experiences in Teaching (Prerequisites include: Junior Status, 2.75 cumulative GPA, ED 389 (or concurrent enrollment in ED 389), 55 clock hours of Exploratory Field Experiences)
  • ED 393 requires a 45-60 hour field experience component and you need to leave a block of time free in your class schedule to complete the field component.
  • During ED 393 students should make arrangements to participate in the SRI Missouri Professional Teacher Perceiver Structured Interview.  Appointments will be scheduled by appropriate Department of Education faculty. 
  • Take the Graduate Record Exam-General Test (GRE).  Contact the Truman Assessment and Testing Office (VH 1130, 785-4140) for available dates and registration procedures.  It should be taken spring semester of junior year or over the summer so you will have appropriate scores to apply for admission to the MAE Program during the first semester of your senior year. You should plan ahead to allow time to prepare for the GRE.

Senior Year

  • Take ED 593 Psychological Foundations of Education. (Prerequisites: Senior status, 2.75 cumulative GPA, ED 389, and ED 393 or concurrent enrollment in ED 393.)
  • Complete the Application for Admission to Graduate Study and Application for Admission to the MAE Program and submit to the Graduate Office (MC 230, 785-4109).  Applications will be considered for approval in the fall if complete files are received by September 15 and in the spring if received by February 15.  Students planning a fall semester or full-year internship should apply in September in order to begin placement procedures in February.  The applications are available online from the Graduate Office website and can be submitted electronically.  In addition to the applications and GRE scores, three letters of recommendation are required.