Curriculum and Instruction

College of Education

Dr. Richard Blackbourn, Dean

Dr. Linda T. Coats, Graduate Coordinator and Interim Department Head

Box 9705

MSU , MS   39762

662-325-3703

mmj2@ra.msstate.edu 

Refer to the Department of Curriculum and Instruction Graduate Handbook for updates and additional graduate information: www.educ.msstate.edu/cni.

Admission Criteria for Each Degree:

General Admission Criteria—The Department of Curriculum and Instruction offers the Master of Science degree in Elementary Education and in Secondary Education.  It also offers the Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT-S) degree.  The Educational Specialist and the Doctor of Education degrees may be earned with a program emphasis in Elementary Education or Secondary Education.  The Doctor of Philosophy in Elementary Education, Secondary Education, and Curriculum and Instruction is also offered.  Students applying for admission to graduate programs in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction must hold or be eligible to hold a Class A teaching certificate.  For further information concerning degrees, the College of Education Graduate Program Handbook and the Department of Curriculum and Instruction Graduate Handbook (www.educ.msstate.edu/cni/cni.html) should be consulted.

A student applying for admission into the Elementary and Secondary programs in Curriculum and Instruction must submit the complete application packet to the Office of Graduate Studies no later than April 1 for summer, July 1 for fall, and November 1 for spring.  First-time applications not meeting the admission deadline will be held for two semesters for review.  After that time, the applicant must reapply.

A complete admission packet consists of:  application to graduate school; documentation of Class A certificate; official GRE scores; three letters of recommendation; statement of purpose (must include number of years of teaching experience); and a writing sample for students applying to a doctoral program (see C&I web page for writing sample guidelines).   Also required are official transcripts from each college or university attended.  The admission criteria form used by the Program Areas for admission decisions can be found in the Curriculum and Instruction Handbook.  Minimal grade point averages required for admission to each degree are as follows: 

Master’s degree:  minimum GPA 2.75 on last half of baccalaureate degree;

Educational Specialist degree:  minimum GPA 3.20 on master’s degree;

Doctoral degree:  minimum GPA 3.40 on previous graduate degree(s), two writing samples, three years teaching experience, curriculum vitae or résumé and successful completion of interview.

All new students admitted into a graduate program in C&I must attend an orientation.  Refer to the Curriculum and Instruction Graduate Handbook for the dates and details. 

Program of Study for Each Degree:

The Master of Science degree in Elementary Education (with emphasis on literacy) requires a minimum of 36 semester hours of course work beyond the bachelor’s degree including EDF 8353 and EDF 8363 and a comprehensive exam.  The Master of Science degree in Secondary Education requires a minimum of 36 semester hours of course work beyond the bachelor’s degree including EDF 8353 and EDF 8363 and a choice of a comprehensive exam or research project.  The Master of Arts degree in Teaching-Secondary (MAT-S) requires a minimum of 36 semester hours of course work beyond the bachelor’s degree including EDF 8613 and EDF 8363 and a comprehensive exam.  A student’s program of study for the Master’s degree must be filed in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction (Allen 310) by the end of the first semester after the initial meeting with the advisor.  At least 15 hours of course work on the program of study must be 8000-level courses.

The Master of Arts in Teaching-Secondary (MAT-S) is an alternate route secondary licensure program of study that consists of 36 semester hours of graduate-level course work.  It is designed for a candidate with a bachelor’s degree in a content discipline or with significant higher-level course work.  In addition to the criteria for admission to a Master of Science degree program, MAT-S candidates must pass the Praxis I and Praxis II-Specialty Area Test.  See the College of Education website for additional information related to the MAT-S degree. 

The Educational Specialist degree with emphasis in Elementary or Secondary Education  requires a minimum of 30 hours of course work above the Master’s degree including EPY 6214 and EDE/EDS/EDX 7003 and a comprehensive examination.  Specialist students must submit the program of study before the first 15 hours are completed. At least 15 hours of course work on the program of study must be 8000-level courses.

Elementary Education Specialist Program of Study:

EPY 6214      Educational & Psychological Statistics (or equivalent). and

EDE 8000     Thesis research. 6 hours

                        or

EDE 7000     Directed Individual Study. 3 hours

Elementary Education course work (see advisor) 9-24 hours Supporting area course work. 0-12 hours

Secondary Education Specialist Program of Study:

EPY 6214      Educational & Psychological Statistics (or equivalent). and

EDS 8000     Thesis research.  6 hours

                        or

EDS 7000     Directed Individual Study.  3 hours

Secondary Education course work (see advisor). 9-24 hours

Supporting area course work (from cognate area). 0-12 hours

The specialist program committee should be composed of at least three members.  Two of the members of the committee will represent the department or the area of program emphasis.  If a minor is being sought, there must be a minor professor.

NOTE:  For secondary education majors, the committee member from outside the department is usually from the Arts and Sciences cognate area.

The Doctor of Education Degree with an emphasis in Elementary or Secondary Education requires a minimum of 90 semester hours of course work beyond the bachelor’s degree including EPY 8223, EPY 8214, EPY 9213, EDF 9313, EDF 8363, and EDF 9373, written and oral preliminary examinations, and a dissertation.  Refer to the College of Education’s Doctoral Students’ Guide for detailed plan of study. 

The Doctor of Philosophy in Elementary Education, in Secondary Education, and/or in Curriculum and Instruction requires a minimum of 90 semester hours of course work beyond the bachelor’s degree including EPY 8214, EDF 8363, EDF 9373, EDF 9313, EPY 9213, EPY 8223, HED 8123 or HED 8133, and EPY 9263 or EDF 9443 or EDF 9453; demonstration of competence in the application of research and statistics; a written and oral preliminary examination; satisfactory completion of a research skill requirement; and a dissertation.

The student’s doctoral plan of study must be submitted to the Curriculum and Instruction Graduate Office (Allen 310) with all committee members’ signatures before the first 15 hours are completed.  At least two-thirds of the total hours of coursework on the plan of study, exclusive of dissertation hours, must be 8000 level courses. 

The doctoral program committee should be composed of at least four members (refer to the Department of Curriculum and Instruction Graduate Handbook for committee selection guidelines):

1.       Major professor/dissertation director—may be same person;

2.       Two committee members to represent Curriculum and Instruction; and

3.       Two members should be from a department other than Curriculum and Instruction.  This committee member may be from another department within the College of Education or from a department outside the College of Education, depending upon the selected area of program emphasis.  The selection of all committee members should be guided by the student’s area of interest and dissertation topic.  One member must be from the minor area. 

NOTE:  For secondary education majors, one of the committee members from outside the department is usually from the appropriate Arts and sciences cognate area.

The written comprehensive examination for the Master’s and Educational Specialist degrees are scheduled three times a year.  The dates are the first Wednesday of March, June, and October. Students can take comps when they are within six hours of completing their degree, have an GPA of 3.00 after admission to the program, and have completed the courses that will be covered on the comprehensive exam.  For complete details, assessment criteria, online registration, and guidelines, review the Curriculum and Instruction Graduate Handbook.  For eligibility requirements for the doctoral written exam, refer to the COE Doctoral Students’ Guide and the Curriculum and Instruction Graduate Handbook.

FOR SECONDARY MASTER’S ONLY:  A student may choose to complete a research project instead of taking the written comprehensive examination. The research project is not for course credit and must be completed in addition to the normal course load of 36 hours required for the Master of Science degree in Secondary Education. This option should be of special interest to students who have an interest in publishing and/or plan to pursue a Ph.D. or Ed.D degree.  See the Curriculum and Instruction Graduate Handbook for requirements.

There is no general residency requirement for the master’s degree.  Residency for the specialist degree is a minimum of 30 weeks.  A degree cannot be completed in two summer sessions or equivalent, nor in one regular semester and one summer session. 

Residency requirements for the doctoral degree require a student  to complete to complete one-half of required course work and all dissertation credits from Mississippi State University .  At some time in the doctoral career, the student is required to devote one full semester (nine hours) or two semesters half-time (six hours each) in residence at Mississippi State University for the graduate program.  Only three research hours may be used to meet this requirement. 

Contingent Admission—There are no contingent admissions EXCEPT for those students who are applying the same semester they are graduating with another degree, the overall GPA is pending.  Otherwise, the admission packet must be complete and all admission requirements met before admission will be considered.  All doctoral applicants must successfully complete the doctoral interview BEFORE an admission decision will be made. 

Provisional Admission—The Department of Curriculum and Instruction follows the University’s Provisional Admission policy (refer to the admission section of this publication for the policy and criteria).

Academic Performance—The Department of Curriculum and Instruction follows the College of Education definition of satisfactory performance in graduate level course work as a grade of S on thesis/dissertation hours and a GPA of at least 3.00 on all course work attempted after admission to the program.  Any of the following or combination of the following will result in termination of the student’s graduate program in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction:   three grades below a B, a GPA below 3.00 after admission to the program, two grades of D or F, failure of the master’s comprehensive examination twice, failure of the written doctoral preliminary examination twice, failure of the oral doctoral preliminary examination twice, or failure of the doctoral dissertation defense twice.  The student and/or advisor will be notified in writing when the first and second unsatisfactory grades are earned.  When the student earns another unsatisfactory grade, the Graduate Coordinator will petition to the Dean of the College of Education to dismiss the student from the graduate program. 

If a student makes a grade below a B in a course that is on his or her plan of study, the course cannot be dropped from the plan of study.  When the grade is a D or F, the student must retake the course, and only one course can be retaken for each degree.  A student cannot retake a course in which a grade of C or higher is earned.  If a student earns the third grade below a B the semester of graduation, he or she must take a similar course in the content area (selected by the advisor) and earn a grade of B or better in order to meet graduation requirements.

Completion Requirements—All graduate students submitting a thesis or dissertation must attend the thesis/dissertation workshops conducted by the library for the Department of Curriculum and Instruction within the year in which they are completing the dissertation before receiving the graduate coordinator’s signature.  All doctoral students must make a professional presentation and/or submit a journal article for publication in order to meet graduation requirements (Refer to the COE Doctoral Students’ Guide for additional options).

Elementary Education—Course prerequisites are noted in parentheses.

EDE 6990     Special Topics in Elementary Education. 1-9 hours

EDE 7000     Directed Individual Study. 1-6 hours

EDE 8000     Research/Thesis. 6 hours

EDE 8423     Elementary School Methods. 3 hours

EDE 8433     The Elementary School Curriculum. 3 hours

EDE 8443     Seminar in Elementary Education. 3 hours

EDE 8463     Readings and Research in Children’s Literature. 3 hours

EDE 8473     The Elementary Social Studies Curriculum. 3 hours

EDE 8483     Teaching Physical Science in the Elementary Schools. 3 hours

EDE 8493     Teaching Biological Science in the Elementary Schools. 3 hours

EDE 8623     Content Area Literacy.  3 hours

EDE 8633     Teaching Writing K-8.  3 hours

EDE 8893     Readings in Elementary Education (Doctoral or Specialist standing or consent of instructor). 3 hours

EDE 8990     Special Topics in Elementary Education. 1-9 hours

EDE 9000     Research/Dissertation. 20 hours

EDE 9413     Practicum in College Teaching. 3 hours

Early Childhood Education:

EDE 8313     Theory and Development of Early Childhood Education. 3 hours

EDE 8513     Curriculum and Program Developments in Early Childhood Education. 3 hours

EDE 8523     Practicum: Language Arts and Literacy Development in Early Childhood Education ( EDE 4133, RDG 3113, RDG 3213, or the

                        equivalent). 3 hours

EDE 8533     Behavioral Experiences in Early Childhood Education. 3 hours

EDE 8543     Mathematics Experiences in Early Childhood Education ( EDE 4123 or the equivalent). 3 hours

EDE 9413     Practicum in College Teaching [same as EDS 9413]. 3 hours

EDE 9420     Research Practicum in Early Childhood Education ( EDE 8513, EDE 8523, EDE 8533, EDE 8543). 1-6 hours

Reading:

RDG 6113     Middle Level Literacy Development and Instruction (RDG 4113). 3 hours

RDG 6990     Special Topics in Readings . 1-9 hours

RDG 8153     Psychology of Reading. 3 hours

RDG 8413     Reading in the Public Schools. 3 hours

RDG 8453     Research in Reading. 3 hours

RGD 8523     Reading Comprehension Process and Instruction.  3 hours

RDG 8573     Diagnosis of Reading Problems. 3 hours

RDG 8593     Issues and Innovations in Reading. 3 hours

RDG 8653     Teaching Reading in the Secondary Schools. 3 hours

RDG 8713     Teaching Struggling Readers and Writers. 3 hours

RDG 8990     Special Topics in Readings. 1-9 hours

Foundation and Core:

EDF 6990      Special Topics in Educational Foundation. 1-9 hours

EDF 8323      Comparative Education. 3 hours

EDF 8353      Principles of Curriculum Development. 3 hours

EDF 8363      Function and Methods of Research in Education. 3 hours

EDF 8383      Issues in Education. 3 hours

EDF 8393      History of Education in the United States. 3 hours

EDF 8990      Special Topics in Educational Foundation. 1-9 hours

EDF 9313      Philosophy of Education. 3 hours

EDF 9353      Interdisciplinary Seminar in Education. 3 hours

EDF 9373      Educational Research Design. 3 hours

EDF 9443      Single-Subject Research Designs for Education. 3 hours

EDF 9453      Qualitative Techniques in Educational Research (EPY 8214, EDF 8363, EDF 8373). 3 hours

Secondary Education:

EDS 6633     Teaching of Mathematics. 3 hours

EDS 6643     Teaching of Social Studies. 3 hours

EDS 6653     Teaching of Science. 3 hours

EDS 6673     Teaching of Language Arts. 3 hours

EDS 6990     Special Topics in Secondary Education. 1-9 hours

EDS 7000     Directed Individual Study. 1-3 hours

EDS 8000     Research/Thesis. 6 hours

EDS 8103     Advanced Methodologies in Middle and Secondary Education (TKT 1273 or equivalent). 3 hours

EDS 8613     Middle and Secondary School Curriculum. 3 hours

EDS 8633     Problems of Secondary Education. 3 hours

EDS 8643     Directed Reading in Secondary Education. 3 hours

EDS 8713     Curriculum Adjustments. 3 hours

EDS 8990     Special Topics in Secondary Education. 3 hours

EDS 9000     Research/Dissertation. 20 hours

EDS 9413     Practicum in College Teaching. 3 hours

M.A.T.-Secondary Education:

EPY 6313      Measure and Evaluation. 3 hours

EDS 6633/    Secondary Methods of Teaching. 6643/6653/  3 hours 6673

EDX 8173      Special Education in the Regular Classroom. 3 hours

EDS 8243     Advanced Planning/Managing Learning. 3 hours

EDF 8363      Function and Methods of Research in Education. 3 hours

EDS 8613     The Middle and Secondary School Curriculum. 3 hours

RDG 8653     Teaching Reading in the Secondary Schools. 3 hours

TKT 8773      Production of Technology-Aided Instruction. 3 hours

EDS 8883     Dimensions of Learning I/Internship.  3 hours

EDS 8893     Dimensions of Learning II/Internship.  3 hours

Content-area courses (6 hours) in the appropriate licensure area.