Secondary Education
The Department of Education has an overall objective of providing secondary schools with the best possible teachers by providing secondary education graduates who are capable of:
- Classroom leaders, professionally prepared to accept responsibility for student learning (MWSU Conceptual Framework);
- Highly knowledgeable in their cognitive areas (MoSPE/MWSU/INTASC Standards);
- Skilled in the techniques and methods of teaching across a diverse student population (MoSPE/MWSU/INTASC Standards);
- Practiced in the application of six domains of positive teacher dispositions (MWSU Disposition).
Secondary Missouri teacher certification is available for grades 9 to 12 in most academic fields. In art, music, physical education and foreign languages, certification is available for kindergarten to grade 12. Students must have a grade-point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale in their content area and in education coursework and an overall GPA of 2.75.
Each of the following requirements must be met:
- Admission to Teacher Education Program;
- Satisfactory completion of General Studies Requirements. See below;
- Satisfactory completion of requirements for the major in the subject to be taught (art, biology, chemistry, English, French, mathematics, music, physical education, social sciences, Spanish, speech & theatre). See department of the major for more information.
The Professional Sequence
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| EDU 150 | Psychological Development for Children & Adolescents for Educators | 3 |
| EDU 202 | Introduction to Education | 3 |
| EDU 203 | Participation in Teaching I | 1 |
| EDU 225 | Educational Psychology | 3 |
| EDU 303 | Experience in Teaching II | 2 |
| EDU 304 | Applied Methods and Management | 3 |
| EDU 311 | Secondary Reading Techniques | 3 |
| EDU 315 | Psychology and Education of the Exceptional Child | 3 |
| EDU 404 | Seminar in Secondary Education and Human Relations | 3 |
| EDU 409 | Secondary Student Teaching III | 9 |
| EDU 430 | Teaching Students with Reading Deficits 1 | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours | 36 | |
| 1 | Not required for Secondary K-12 programs. |
The Professional Semester
Secondary Student Teaching III (EDU 409 Secondary Student Teaching III) is to be taken during the senior year. Seminar in Secondary Education and Human Relations (EDU 404 Seminar in Secondary Education and Human Relations) is taken concurrently with Secondary Student Teaching III. This semester is designated as a professional education semester. A passing score on the Content Area Assessment is required before enrollment in EDU 404 Seminar in Secondary Education and Human Relations or EDU 409 Secondary Student Teaching III.
Course work during the professional education semester is usually limited to EDU 404 Seminar in Secondary Education and Human Relations and EDU 409 Secondary Student Teaching III. Petition for any additional coursework must be submitted to the Coordinator of Clinical Experiences in the semester prior to Secondary Student Teaching III. If granted, approval will be endorsed by the cooperating teacher to whom the student is assigned.
Students enrolled in Secondary Student Teaching III will assume the daily teaching schedule of the cooperating teacher.