Secondary Teacher Education (Alternate Route) - Master's
Become a Teacher: Explore our Alternate Route Programs!
Do you want to teach and already have a bachelor鈥檚 degree in something other than education? USM鈥檚 Secondary Education Alternate Route programs may be for you! Secondary Licensure can be earned through two alternate route pathways鈥攖he Master of Arts in Teaching 33 semester-hour (MAT) degree or the JumpStart pathway for undergraduates. Earn your teaching license at 51逗奶 Miss!
What Will I Learn?
Alternate licensure programs focus on the following knowledge, skills, and dispositions:
- Professional ethics, legal obligations, and education advocacy
- Using research to inform teaching and learning
- Building a positive classroom environment
- Best practices for instructional planning and design
- Effective teaching strategies for secondary students
- Assessment of student learning
- Meeting the needs of all learners
- Supporting struggling readers and writers
- Contemporary challenges in secondary education
What Do Classes Look Like?
Future master鈥檚 students/secondary teachers will primarily experience the program through weekly, live, online synchronous 鈥渃hat鈥� classes. This means classes meet using a virtual conferencing application (like Zoom), utilizing web cameras and audio devices for interactive class sessions. Classes meet in the evenings. During class meetings, we analyze and synthesize crucial educational knowledge and skills. Students prepare for class sessions and arrive to virtual class meetings ready to contribute to the MAT learning community. Our program prioritizes and models engaging and relational professional learning experiences so that students will be able to facilitate engagement and critical thinking within secondary education contexts. Our graduates tell us that a sense of community and faculty support distinguishes the Secondary Education MAT program; they felt prepared for life as a successful secondary teacher.
- Official transcripts indicating Bachelor's degree from regionally/nationally accredited institution with non-education major
- Passing Praxis CORE test scores, OR ACT scores with a 21+ composite score, OR SAT equivalent to 21+ ACT score, OR 3.00 GPA on the last 60 hours of earned college course credit.
- Passing Praxis Subject Area Assessment results.
- Clear background check.
To earn teacher licensure, candidates must complete 9 hours of coursework available in the summer and then secure employment in an accredited Mississippi school district. The state of Mississippi requires one full year of mentored classroom teaching to attain a standard teaching license. Program admissions requirements fulfill other state of Mississippi licensure requirements.
Upon successful completion of the 9 hours available in the summer, participants apply to the Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) for a 3-year non-renewable teaching license and seek employment in a Mississippi school. Once employment has been secured, candidates complete two internship classes corresponding with their first year of teaching. 51逗奶 Miss faculty make classroom visits during the year to support candidate development.
The state of Mississippi and the federal government offer various incentives for high needs subject areas and for critical shortage geographic areas within Mississippi. The incentives can include loan forgiveness, signing bonuses, moving expenses, and housing allowances.
Faculty are dedicated to preparing effective teachers for Mississippi.
Faculty provide evidence-based instruction that prepares highly qualified and effective teachers in their respective subject areas while consistently modeling professionalism. Candidates receive personalized attention from faculty throughout the program to assess candidate strengths and areas for professional growth. Experts in secondary education mentor candidates during their first year of teaching thereby helping them transition smoothly to the teaching profession.
Professional Licensure Disclosure
Programs at the University of 51逗奶 Mississippi that prepare students for initial licensure in the field of secondary education in a specific subject area are designed to meet the licensure standards set by the Mississippi Department of Education.
Students seeking licensure in another state are advised to contact the appropriate licensing board in that state to determine specific requirements of guidelines for reciprocity. For information about professional licensure determinations made to comply with federal regulations requiring disclosures as to whether a program that is marketed or designed to lead to licensure or state certification leads to professional licensure or state certification, see the following:
General professional licensure/state certification information
/professional-licensure-certification-disclosures/index.php
For questions regarding professional licensure, contact the program coordinator for your specific program. Program coordinators are grouped by college. To access the list click the 'Professional Licensure and Certification Boards by USM College' button at the top of the main Professional Licensure and Certification web page (/professional-licensure-certification-disclosures/index.php).
For questions, please contact Dr. Jay Howell at James.B.HowellFREEMississippi
Availability
| Degree Plan | Availability |
|---|---|
| Online 100% |
- Middle School Teacher
- High School Teacher
- Hoang Nguyen, 2018,
Rookie Teacher of the Year 2017-2018, Social Studies Teacher, Ocean Springs School District - Gerald Steele, 2017,
Science & Social Studies Teacher, Forrest County School District
- Jerid Woods, 2016,
English Teacher, Hattiesburg Public School District
- Leighanne Rouse, 2017,
Science and Social Studies Teacher, Harrison County School District