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Statement of Purpose

The master of arts offered through the School of Education leads to Class A certification in the areas of early childhood and/or elementary education. An alternative certification program is available in early childhood education or elementary education. Alternative certifications apply only to persons who have completed baccalaureate degrees in non-education programs from accredited colleges or universities.

The goal of the programs is to prepare scholars whose professional roles will include the achievement of knowledge, the improvement of practices in their professions, and effective leadership. Studies in the area of curriculum and teaching, humanistic and behavioral studies, and evaluation of teaching and learning have been designed as a common curriculum core for each of the degree audits. Specific objectives of the program are to:

1. Introduce students to methods of scholarly research;
2. Contribute to increased competency in teaching;
3. Provide and promote the spirit as well as the methods of creative work in educational, social, and spiritual maturation;
4. Offer a liberal education with sufficient opportunities in specialized education to prepare students to serve with professional competence in various careers; and
5. Furnish a sound basis for further graduate study.

Criteria for Admission

A student seeking admission to graduate study should address all inquiries to the office of graduate programs. The completed application and supporting documents should be received at least three weeks prior to the date on which the student wishes to enter. Applicants for the Alternative Class A certification should see the appropriate program section of this catalog for specific requirements. Applicants may be admitted in one of the following categories.

Unconditional Admission

To qualify for unconditional admission, the student must:

1. Hold a bachelor degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher education;
2. File the application for admission to the office of graduate programs and furnish the various materials listed in the instructions;
3. Pay a non-refundable application fee;
4. Furnish two official transcripts from each institution attended, showing all credits previously earned;
5. Have an overall undergraduate GPA of 2.75 on a 4.00 scale from a regionally accredited institution of higher education;
6. Within the first semester of enrollment, submit a satisfactory official report of test scores obtained on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), acquiring a total of at least 290 GRE score on the verbal and quantitative sections and a score of at least 3 on the analytical writing section. A GRE score must be no older than five years;
7. Provide a copy of teaching certificate;
8. A student entering the master of arts program after earning a Class B teaching certificate have only ONE semester (maximum of 6 hours) to provide a copy of his or her Class B teaching certificate to stay enrolled;
9. Write an acceptable essay;
10. A student seeking Alternative Class A certification must successfully complete the Alabama Educator Certification Assessment Program (AECAP), the appropriate Praxis II Content Knowledge test, and the GRE within the first semester (maximum of 6 hours);
11. Provide proof (suitability letter) of fingerprint clearance (ABI and FBI) from the Alabama State Department of Education; and
12. Purchase a Graduate Teacher Education Handbook from the UM bookstore.

Conditional Admission

Conditional admission may be granted to:

1. An applicant who has scored lower than 290 on the GRE and a score of no less than 2 on the analytical writing section.
2. Have an overall undergraduate GPA of 2.75 on a 4.00 scale.

A student seeking a master’s degree in early childhood education and/or elementary education may be considered for unconditional admission after the completion of six semester hours of approved graduate work at the University of Mobile with a “B” or better in those courses, a recommendation from the graduate advisor, and fingerprint clearance.  A student seeking an alternative A certification in early childhood education or elementary eduation may be considered for unconditional admission after the completion of six semester hours of approved graduate work at the University of Mobile with a “B” or better in those courses, a recommendation from the graduate advisor, passing scores on the Alabama Educator Certification Assessment Program (AECAP) and the appropriate Praxis II Content Knowledge exam, and fingerprint clearance, all completed within first six graduate semester hours. A student must also purchase a Graduate Teacher Education Handbook from the UM bookstore.

A student who is granted conditional or unconditional admission is expected to make grades of “B” or higher and maintain an overall 3.25 GPA on a 4.0 scale on all graduate courses.  A student who falls below the requirement (3.25 GPA on a 4.0 scale) will be subject to academic suspension.

Appeals may be made to the vice president for academic affairs, the dean of the School of Education, and the area graduate faculty.

A maximum limit of TWO courses may be taken prior to unconditional admission into a program leading to Class A certification.

Transfer Credit

A maximum of six hours of graduate credit earned from another regionally accredited institution may be considered as part of the master degree program. Transfer credit must be approved by the dean of the School of Education, the certification officer, the office of graduate programs, and the vice president for academic affairs. Also, see statements made earlier in the general academic section of this catalog.

Readmission

A student returning after not being registered for one or more regular terms (fall or spring) must reenter in the graduate program currently in effect.

Eligibility Criteria for Master of Arts in Elementary Education and/or Early Childhood Education

Students planning to complete a teacher education program should be aware of various state laws and regulations governing teacher certification. Although the administration of the University of Mobile attempts to incorporate all such laws and regulations within the programs described in this catalog, there always exists the possibility that the State Board of Education will take action on teacher certification matters after the catalog has been published. Students are encouraged to discuss teacher certification with their advisors on a regular basis.

Alternative Certification Program for Master of Arts in Early Childhood Education or Elementary Education

The University of Mobile offers alternative certification graduate programs leading to Class A certification in early childhood education or elementary education. This program is available for students with baccalaureate degrees who are seeking certification in early childhood or elementary education. Baccalaureate degrees must be from regionally accredited institutions of higher education and students must have earned a 2.75 GPA or higher on a 4.0 scale in their overall undergraduate coursework.

Unconditional Admission

Students seeking alternative A certification in early childhood education or elementary education must:

1. Hold a bachelor degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher education;
2. File the application for admission to the office of graduate programs and furnish the various materials listed in the instructions;
3. Pay a non-refundable application fee;
4. Furnish two official transcripts from each institution attended, showing all credits previously earned;
5. Have an overall undergraduate GPA of 2.75 on a 4.00 scale;
6. Submit a satisfactory, official report of test scores obtained on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), acquiring a total of at least 290 on the verbal and quantitative sections and no less than 3 on the analytical writing section. The score must be no older than five years.  This must be submitted within the first semester of enrollment;
7. Submit satisfactory official report of test scores on the Alabama Educator Assessment Program (AECAP) and the appropriate Praxis II Content Knowledge exam.  Passing scores on these tests must be submitted within the first semester of enrollment;
8. Provide proof (suitability letter) of fingerprint clearance (ABI and FBI) from the Alabama State Department of Education; and
9. Purchase a Graduate Teacher Education Handbook from the UM bookstore.

Conditional Admission

Conditional admission may be granted to:

1. An applicant who has scored lower than 290 on the GRE verbal and quantitative sections and a score of no less than 2 on the analytical writing section.
2. Have an overall undergraduate GPA of 2.75 on a 4.00 scale.

A student seeking an alternative A certification in early childhood education or elementary eduation may be considered for unconditional admission after the completion of six semester hours of approved graduate work at the University of Mobile with a “B” or better in those courses, a recommendation from the graduate advisor, passing scores on the Alabama Educator Certification Assessment Program (AECAP) and the appropriate Praxis II Content Knowledge exam, and fingerprint clearance, all completed within first six graduate semester hours. A student must also purchase a Graduate Teacher Education Handbook from the UM bookstore.

Fingerprinting

Prior to admission to the Teacher Education Program, students’ fingerprints must be submitted for approval. The fingerprints will be checked by the Alabama Bureau of Investigation and by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. If one has ever been “arrested for, convicted of, or entered a plea of no contest to a felony or misdemeanor other than a minor traffic violation,” the record will be reviewed by the State Superintendent of the Department of Education prior to issuance of a teaching certificate.

Course Offerings

Please see the Course Descriptions  sections of this catalog for Graduate level course listings.

Programs

• Alternative Early Childhood Education, M.A.
• Alternative Elementary Education, M.A.
• Early Childhood Education, M.A.
• Elementary and Early Childhood Education, M.A.
• Elementary Education, M.A.

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