Undergraduate Catalog 2010-2012

COLLEGE OF EDUCATION

Administrative Officers

Dean	Genevieve Brown, Ed.D. (936) 294-1101; (brown@shsu.edu)
Associate Dean for Graduate Programs	Beverly Irby, Ed.D. (936) 294-1134; (edu_bid@shsu.edu)
Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs and Assessment	Karen S. Smith, Ed.D. (936) 294-1103; (edu_kss@shsu.edu)
Department of Curriculum and Instruction	Daphne Johnson, Ph.D., Chair (936) 294-3875; (edu_dxe@shsu.edu)
Department of Educational Leadership and Counseling	Stacey Edmonson, Ed.D., Chair (936) 294-1134; (sedmonson@shsu.edu)
Department of Health and Kinesiology	Alice Fisher, Ph.D., Chair (936) 294-1165; (edu_axf@shsu.edu)
Department of Language, Literacy, and Special Populations	Sharon Lynch, Ed.D., Chair (936) 294-3890; (edu_sal@shsu.edu)
Department of Library Science	Mary Ann Bell, Ed.D., Chair (936) 294-1150; (mabell@shsu.edu)

Website: http://www.shsu.edu/~edu_www/

The College of Education is comprised of five academic units: Curriculum and Instruction; Educational Leadership and Counseling; Health and Kinesiology; Language, Literacy, and Special Populations; and Library Science. Teacher Certification is also under the administrative purview of the College of Education.

Mission

Through excellent instruction, research and public service, the College of Education provides students with opportunities to develop knowledge, skills, strategies, and experiences which allow them to serve in diverse roles and function productively in society.

Academic Programs

 

Majors	Degree(s)
Interdisciplinary Studies	B.A., B.S.
Health	B.S.
Kinesiology	B.A., B.S.

 

Note:       There is not an undergraduate major in Secondary Education. The primary teaching field will be listed as the major for students seeking certification in Grades 8-12.

Teacher Preparation Programs at Sam Houston State University

 

Levels of Certification:	EC-6	Early Childhood to 6th Grade
	4-8	Middle Grades(4th-8th)
	6-12	Grades 6th-12th
	8-12	Secondary (8th-12th)
	EC-12	All-level: Early Childhood-12th

 

 

College/Department Housing Major:	COAS	College of Arts and Sciences
	COBA	College of Business Administration
	COE	College of Education
	CHSS	College of Humanities and Social Sciences
	C&L	Department of Curriculum and Instruction
	LLSP	Department of Language, Literacy and Special Populations

 

 

 

Content Area	Level of Certification	Major College/Department
Agriculture	6-12	COAS: Agriculture
Art	EC-12	COAS: Art
Generalist	EC-6	COE: Curriculum and Instruction
Generalist-Bilingual	EC-6	COE: Curriculum and Instruction
Business Education	6-12	COBA: General Business
Computer Science	8-12	COAS: Computer Science
Chemistry	8-12	COAS: Chemistry
Dance	8-12	COAS: Theatre & Dance
English, Language Arts and Reading	4-8	COE: Curriculum and Instruction
Family & Consumer Sciences	6-12	CHSS: Family & Consumer Sciences
French	8-12	CHSS: Foreign Languages
German	8-12	CHSS: Foreign Languages
Health	EC-12	COE: Health and Kinesiology
Hospitality, Nutrition and Food Science	8-12	CHSS: Family & Consumer Sciences
Journalism	8-12	CHSS: Mass Communication
Languages (other than English)	EC-12	CHSS: Foreign Languages
Life Science	8-12	COAS: Biology
Mathematics Mathematics/Science	4-8 8-12 4-8	COE: C&I COAS: Math & Statistics COE: Curriculum and Instruction
Music	EC-12	COAS: Music
Physical Education	EC-12	COE: Health & Kinesiology
Physical Sciences	8-12 8-12	COAS: Physics CHSS: Political Science, History
Special Education Generalist	EC-6	COE: Curriculum and Instruction
Speech	8-12	CHSS: Mass Communication
Technology Applications	EC-12	COAS: Computer Science
Technology Education	6-12	COAS: Agriculture
Theatre or Theatre Arts	EC-12	COAS: Theatre & Dance
Trades and Industry	8-12	COAS: Agriculture

 

Highlights

• Preparing high quality teachers for high performing schools through collaborative partnerships with 40 area school districts.
• All elementary teaching candidates are prepared to meet the needs of English Language Learners in the classrooms of Texas.
• Accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education for more than 50 years.
• Exceptional candidate performance on the Texas Examination of Educator Standards.

Internships

Internships in public schools are permitted only for candidates who already have a baccalaureate degree. The Student Teaching experience provides intensive, extended activity in the field for undergraduate teaching candidates.
 

Scholarships

Several academic scholarships are available for undergraduate teaching candidates through the academic departments in the College of Education; other scholarships are also available through the University. Information about departmental scholarships and application forms may be obtained on the College of Education website at http://www.shsu.edu/~edu_www/scholarships.html/. Information on University scholarships may be obtained from the Office of Academic Scholarships website http://www.shsu.edu/~sfa_www/scholarship.html or telephone (936) 294-1672.

College Specific Requirements

Required Field Experiences
Undergraduate and post-baccalaureate candidates are required to participate in field experiences in the public schools. Requirements for these activities vary by course and are coordinated by the Director of Educator Preparation Services. The Office of Field Experience facilitates a review of the criminal history background of each candidate to assure the safety of the public school children who interact with SHSU teaching candidates. This review is required by state law.

Admission to the Educator Preparation Program Admission Standards

In the first education class, candidates seeking initial Teacher Certification apply online for admission to the program. A one-time application fee is charged upon application. In addition, candidates for admission must obtain an online account in the College of Education data management system.

Admission to the Educator Preparation program requires meeting each of the criteria listed below and will be pending until each requirement is satisfied. Teaching candidates will not be permitted to participate in the Reading Block, Methods Block, or Student Teaching without full admission and academic good standing in the Educator Preparation Program.  The requirements are:

 

Demonstration of successful college performance:

• 2.5 overall GPA (includes transfer hours and SHSU hours)
• 2.5 GPA in content area or teaching field
• “C” or above in all courses required for certification  

Demonstration of college level skills

 

In reading:	Scores at or above THEA/TASP >250 in Reading, or ACT > 21 in English, or SAT > 550 Verbal. Course grades of “B” or above in specified reading intensive courses may also be used.
In mathematics:	Scores at or above THEA/TASP > 230 in Math, or ACT > 19 in Math, or SAT > 500 in Math, or Accuplacer > 63 in Math, or Asset > 38 in Math, or Compass > 39, or Grade of B or better in Math 184 and 185 with > 240 THEA/TASP score (EC-4, 4-8), or Grade of B or better in Math 164, 170, 199 or other required foundation courses
In writing:	Scores at or above THEA/TASP > 240 in Writing, or B or higher in English 164 and English 165
In critical thinking:	Meet both the Reading AND Mathematics criteria listed above

 

3.     Clear Criminal History Background Check

Regular admission to the Educator Preparation program is required prior to placement in the Reading Block and/or Methods Block coursework.

The requirements are:
Academic good standing in the Educator Preparation Program, and
Satisfactory demonstration of oral communication skills
2.5 GPA in the teaching field or area of specialization, and
No grade below “C” in courses required for certification
               
Regular Admission and academic good standing in the program is also required for placement in Student Teaching.

Teacher Certification

The preparation of teachers for the public schools in Texas is the responsibility of the entire Sam Houston State University community and the public school districts who are our partners in Sam Houston’s Innovative Partnerships with Schools. Students seeking certification in grades EC-6 or 4-8 will follow the degree plan for Interdisciplinary Studies. Students who wish to teach a content subject in grades 8-12 will major in a teaching field area (i.e. Mathematics, English, History) with a minor in Secondary Education (SED). Some specialized areas of teaching require certification for a wider range of grades, usually 6-12 or EC-12. Academic advisors will provide certification and grade level assignment information upon request.
               
All teaching certificates are issued by the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) under the supervision of the Texas Education Agency, upon recommendation of the University, and are subject to change. This recommendation includes verified completion of an approved program in educator preparation and a statement affirming the academic, moral, and physical fitness of the individual for service as a teacher. Sam Houston State University regards this recommendation process as a serious responsibility and has high standards for admission to candidacy in the SHSU Educator Preparation program, checkpoints throughout the program, and exit requirements.
               
Initial certification requires completion of a state-approved undergraduate program (programs are described below).
       
Individuals who already hold a bachelor’s degree in a state approved certification area may apply for admission to the post-baccalaureate alternate route to certification which includes admission to candidacy on the SHSU Educator Preparation Program. Information on this program may be obtained through the College of Education Graduate Studies Office at (936) 294-1105.

State Certification Tests

Candidates must successfully complete state mandated certification tests in order to be recommended for certification by Sam Houston State University. Candidates take certification tests in the teaching field/s and in professional and pedagogical knowledge. Guidelines and procedures for taking state mandated certification tests are available on the official TExES/ExCET website at http://www.texes.ets.org/ or in the Educator Preparation Services office in the Teacher Education Center, Room 217.  It is the responsibility of the student to be familiar with these guidelines and procedures, to be aware of test registration deadlines, and to complete registration forms correctly.

Application for State Teaching Certification

After the undergraduate has successfully completed the program requirements for graduation and certification and passed the appropriate certification exams, application should be made online to the State Board of Educator Certification for the teaching certificate. The University makes a recommendation for certification after the online application process has been completed and the degree has been posted on the student’s transcript.

After the post-baccalaureate candidate has successfully completed the program requirements for certification and passed the appropriate certification exams, the candidate applies online to the State Board of Educator Certification for his/her certification using the same process.

For further information, contact the SHSU Certification Officer at (936) 294-1045.
                                                                                                                                     
Candidates with a baccalaureate degree who wish to seek teacher certification as a post-baccalaureate student should contact the COE Graduate Studies Office at (936) 294-1105 for a transcript analysis.

Interdisciplinary Studies leading to certification in
Early Childhood—6th Grade or 4th Grade—8th Grade

The primary purpose of the Interdisciplinary Studies program is to prepare candidates to become exemplary teachers in Early Childhood through 6th grade (EC-6) classrooms and 4th grade through 8th grade (4-8) classrooms. The Interdisciplinary Studies program consists of at least 125 semester credit hours, including student teaching. In addition to meeting Texas Standards for EC-6 or 4-8 Teachers, these degree plan programs also prepare candidates to secure a supplemental certificate in English as a Second Language teaching, preferred by many school districts in Texas. The ESL supplemental certificate does not require proficiency in a second language, but prepares certification candidates for effective teaching of English language learners. Candidates registered for nine hours during the student teaching semester are considered to be full-time students by SHSU.
Candidates majoring in Interdisciplinary Studies have the following choices of teaching certification:

For teaching in grades EC-6, the major is Interdisciplinary Studies with three choices for certification:

• Bilingual Education (EC-6 Bilingual Generalist),
• Generalist (EC-6 Generalist), or
• Special Education (EC-6 Generalist, plus EC-12 Special Education).

For teaching in grades 4-8, the major is Interdisciplinary Studies with three choices of a minor:

• English Language Arts and Reading/ Social Studies composite (4-8 ELAR/SS),
• Mathematics (4-8 Mathematics), or
• Mathematics/Science composite (4-8 Math/ Science).

While the Interdisciplinary Studies major is assigned to the Department of Curriculum and Instruction, interdisciplinary content courses in Reading, English as a Second Language, Special Education, Early Childhood and Bilingual Education are offered by the faculty in the Department of Language, Literacy and Special Populations.

The Texas Teaching Certificates awarded upon completion of all program requirements and successful performance on the related certification examinations are:

• EC-6    Bilingual Generalist
• EC-6    Generalist, and ESL supplement
• EC-6    Generalist, and ESL Supplement, and EC-12 Special Education
• 4-8       English Language Arts/Social Studies and ESL supplement
• 4-8       Mathematics and ESL supplement
• 4-8       Mathematics/Science and ESL supplement

All of the above programs have a 42-hour common core of Foundation Courses and a common set of Professional Education Courses that does not exceed 24 semester credit hours. Each major has a unique set of Interdisciplinary Studies courses which vary in the number of hours depending on choice of certification. The Interdisciplinary Studies major component has a minimum of 48 hours. Degree plans which include dual certification fields will require additional semester hours of course credits. Students choosing one of these majors/minors should contact the Education Advising Center located in Room 217 of the Teacher Education Center (936) 294-3384 as soon as possible to learn the exact courses required for the selected minor and for advising to assist in a smooth progress through the program.

All Interdisciplinary Studies majors are assessed at multiple benchmarks throughout their program and must be recommended at each checkpoint to progress through the program. Thus, they are:
1.     required to apply for admission to Educator Preparation (see Admission to the Educator Preparation Programs, Admission Standards),
2.     required to apply for placement in Literacy Block,
3.     required to apply for placement in Methods Block, and

4.             required to apply for Student Teaching.

***3 Digit to 4 Digit Crosswalk***