Education (MAE)

Affiliation: School of Health Sciences & Education

The Department of Education at Truman State University offers the Master of Arts in Education, a professional teaching degree. All prospective teachers enrolling in the professional program must complete a strong liberal arts and sciences baccalaureate degree.

The basic components of the professional teacher preparation program are 1) graduate pedagogical coursework, 2) advanced content in the teaching specialty, 3) the internship experience, and 4) research. Teaching specialties include English, elementary education, exercise science, foreign language (French and Spanish), mathematics, music, science (biology, chemistry, physics), STEM - mathematics/physics, history/social science, and special education. Students who wish to become teachers should consult their academic advisor and the Department of Education (660-785-4386) as early as possible for information. Many of the courses required for Missouri certification can be met by careful planning of the Liberal Studies Program or through electives.

PHILOSOPHY OF THE PROGRAM

The mission of the Master of Arts in Education Program at Truman State University is to prepare reflective practitioners grounded in the liberal arts and sciences. Our practitioners are skilled in bridging theory and practice. They are informed by a well-developed understanding of content, pedagogy, learners, and learning environments. We believe the human condition can be bettered by teaching and learning rooted in caring, innovation, reflection, and research-based practice.

The process of developing the professional program is marked by strong cooperation with the PK-12 community and based on established education research and essential knowledge of sound professional practice. The program exemplifies an integrated approach to liberal education, professional studies, and specialty studies. The MAE is accredited by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. In the fall 2016, the MAE at Truman received national recognition by the Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) which advances excellent educator preparation through evidence-based accreditation that assures quality and supports continuous improvement to strengthen P-12 student learning. When an institution is accredited, it has demonstrated that it meets standards set by organizations representing the academic community, professionals, and other stakeholders.

OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAM

The Master of Arts in Education program prepares students to become teachers who are proficient in a teaching or specialty field and in the knowledge, skills, and attitudes of liberal learning, and who demonstrate skills for effective professional practice. The program objectives are to:

1. prepare teachers who are distinguished by their comprehensive liberal learning, developed through the challenging liberal studies component and integration of the undergraduate degree program;
2. prepare teachers who have mastery of the subject specialization, developed through the baccalaureate degree and through graduate courses and experiences in their chosen teaching field;
3. prepare teachers who demonstrate professional skills of high quality, developed through solid professional education curriculum offerings and meaningful clinical and internship experiences;
4. prepare teachers who are stimulated to exchange and implement the results of research and new knowledge in the profession;
5. prepare teachers who function with competence and confidence in confronting issues of the profession in a pluralistic society characterized by continuous change;
6. prepare teachers who have leadership competence in making informed professional judgments;
7. prepare candidates who are able to enter doctoral or other professional education programs; and
8. prepare reflective teachers who are capable of continually and critically analyzing their own professional performance which allows them to grow in a professional manner; who are characterized by habits of life-long learning; and who engage in scholarly interaction and further learning experiences.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Students are admitted into the MAE on the basis of scholastically competitive criteria. Requirements for admission to graduate study are listed in the Graduate Studies section of the catalog. Note that there are core requirements AND specialty area requirements. Admission to the MAE program is a multi-step process: recommendation of the faculty and Department Chair in the specialty area, recommendation of the Department Chair in Education, and recommendation from the Dean of School of Health Sciences and Education.

Application deadlines for admission to the MAE are September 1, October 1, November 1, February 1, March 1, and April 1. Admission requirements, as well as other general and specific information, are listed on the Education (MAE) program’s webpage.

Core requirements for admission are:

1. a strong liberal arts and sciences baccalaureate degree with at least a 2.75 cumulative GPA (3.0 GPA preferred);
2. three letters of recommendation submitted;
3. application forms submitted online: http://www.truman.edu/majors-programs/graduate-studies/apply-for-graduate-studies/ click on Degree-Seeking Graduate Students.
4. personal statement submitted.

Specialty area requirements can be found on the education website: http://education.truman.edu/.

STUDENT OUTCOMES OF THE PROGRAM

The graduates of the program are expected to demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and personal qualities associated with outstanding performance in the profession of teaching. They exhibit the following characteristics:

1. Competency in the teaching, learning, and evaluation techniques/skills/technology demanded for effective professional practice and performance as a master teacher as assessed by:

1. the state-mandated assessments;
2. the academic record;
3. demonstrated competency in the classroom and school setting;
4. positive recommendations from appropriate professionals.

2. Proficiency in communication skills as demonstrated by:

1. the student’s undergraduate and graduate academic and assessment record;
2. the student’s academic and professional work (e.g., research, papers, digitally recorded sessions, interpersonal skills assessment, and performance in classroom setting).

3. Appropriate depth of knowledge in a specific discipline and mastery of teaching as demonstrated by:

1. the academic record and the graduate grade-point average of 3.00 or above;
2. exemplary performance in the teaching internship;
3. testimony by appropriate participating professionals regarding the integrity of the specialty knowledge and skills;
4. demonstrated growth in the learning and academic achievement of the students taught by the candidate for the professional degree.

4. The skills, breadth of knowledge, and attitudes characteristic of a liberally-educated person as assessed through the university-wide assessment model and the portfolio assessment programs.

5. The ability to conduct professional research and to utilize, with appropriate applications, such research and professional publications as demonstrated through:

1. the research component;
2. independent work and inquiry;
3. faculty and student interaction.

6. The ability to critically analyze student results and make decisions which positively impact future student performance, as demonstrated in the internship and research component.

7. Personal qualities of integrity, courtesy, compassion, and respect for all cultures as assessed through:

1. biographical information;
2. recommendations of participating professionals;
3. other personal skills assessments.

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

Graduation requirements for candidates of the Master of Arts in Education degree are as follows:

1.  3.0 graduate grade point average in professional education courses and selected content courses;
2. successful completion of the internship;
3. successful completion and approval of (1) case study, (2) thesis, (3) publishable paper, OR (4) action research.

TITLE II NOTICE

Title II of the Higher Education Act requires that every institution of higher education provide certification or licensure assessment of the state in which the institution is located. Additionally, Title II requires that a comparison of each program’s pass rate be made with the average pass rate in the state.

MISSOURI (DESE) AREAS OF CERTIFICATION

The MAE program provides Missouri certification in the following subject areas at the grade levels indicated.

Basic level: (Initial Certification)

Elementary 1-6
Secondary

Biology 9-12
Chemistry 9-12
English 9-12
Exercise Science (Phys Ed) PK-12
Foreign Lang.-French PK-12
Foreign Lang.-Spanish PK-12
Health PK-12 (additional certification area only)
Mathematics 9-12
Music-Instrumental PK-12
Music-Vocal PK-12
Physics 9-12
Social Sciences 9-12
STEM-Mathematics/Physics

Special Education

Mild/Moderate Cross-Categorical K-12

 

MMAE graduates are issued teaching certificates by the Missouri State Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Certification requirements differ by program and are listed in the approved DESE certification matrices. Students must earn a 3.00 GPA in professional education courses and specified content area courses and earn an overall combined undergraduate and graduate GPA of 2.75 to receive initial teacher certification from the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. No grade lower than a “C” in any professional education course will be accepted for certification. The University, and especially the Department of Education, helps students plan their programs to meet certification requirements.

FIELD EXPERIENCES

(required for all students pursuing the MAE)

The field experience component of the MAE program is designed to provide prospective teachers with an incremental set of field experiences. This set of sequential experiences allows the students to see themselves as potential teachers and to observe and participate in the teaching/learning process within the public school setting. Initial experiences are exploratory and descriptive in nature and become increasingly more grade and content specific as the student increases his or her knowledge of theory, pedagogy, and experience.

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, fingerprint record check; TB test results; Family Care Safety Registry Background Check records; liability insurance; and information from references, schools, and employers (for MAE application). Failure to clear any of these screenings may result in not obtaining a recommendation for a substitute teaching certificate, consequently preventing the completion of the internship and graduation from the MAE. For further information, contact the Director of Field Experiences.

DEGREE REQUIREMENTS: