CURIN Undergraduate

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The Department of Curriculum and Instruction offers an undergraduate major in Early Childhood/Late Childhood (K-6) leading to the Bachelor of Science in Education degree.
It also offers, in partnership with Family and Consumer Sciences and Special Services and Leadership Studies, an undergraduate major in Early Childhood Unified Birth through Third Grade leading to the Bachelor of Science in Education degree.

For all students preparing to teach at the elementary or secondary level, the department provides a sequence of courses in professional education. Included is an entire semester devoted to professional course work, related laboratory experiences, and off-campus student teaching.

Scholastic Achievement

For admission to teacher education, the teacher candidate for the Early Childhood/Late Childhood (K-6) major or the Early Childhood Unified Birth through Third Grade major must have a 2.7500 grade point average on the 33-36 semester hour general education core curriculum.

Pittsburg State University Professional Development School Partnerships (PSU/PDS)

The Pittsburg State University Professional Development School Partnerships is an optional program for Early Childhood/Late Childhood (K-6) majors which enables interns (senior level students) to participate in a semester long internship prior to the professional semester. In order to participate in the partnership a student is required to complete an application and to lack no more than three credit hours in addition to the 12 hours of required coursework for completion in a fall semester. Each mentor teacher must be recommended for participation in the partnership by their building principal.

During the internship semester, participants volunteer fifteen (15) to twenty (20) clock hours per week in a classroom working with their mentor teacher and complete required coursework on campus. They then have the opportunity to conclude their teacher education program with a sixteen-week student teaching experience in the same classroom during the spring semester.

The mission of the participating P-12 schools in PSU/PDS Partnership is to:

• continue to improve the quality of education for area P-12 students by utilizing research-based techniques and teaching strategies;

• provide pre-service teachers with an authentic experience which effectively utilizes unique elements of a diverse student population and experienced professional staff in area schools;

• stimulate and encourage the participating P-12 schools and PSU faculties to develop professionally through continuous collaboration and interaction so that the community of life long learners is better prepared to live and work in an ever changing society.

The Professional Semester

All students enrolled in the regular academic year who are preparing to teach (early childhood, elementary and secondary) are required to take the professional semester program.

The professional semester is an entire semester devoted to professional education and related professional laboratory experiences, including supervised teaching. The student must plan and expect to devote the full school day, Monday through Friday, to these experiences and additional time to extra-class activities of pupils. During the off-campus period, the student is expected to devote full time throughout each week in the cooperating school and community to the same extent as does the teacher on the job. Students are not permitted to take additional course work during the professional semester without prior approval.

Application for the professional semester must be made by March 15 for the fall semester and September 15 for the spring semester.

A student must have been admitted to teacher education prior to application for the professional semester.At least six hours of resident credit at Pittsburg State University must have been completed before admission to the professional semester.To be admitted to the professional semester, a cumulative grade point average of 2.8000 is required and a grade point average of 3.0000 in major is required for early/late childhood K-6 majors; 2.5000 cumulative grade point average and 2.7500 in major is required for secondary majors.

Eligibility for admission to the professional semester is determined by the criteria for admission to and retention in teacher education as well as specific requirements for the professional semester. (See Teacher Education section of this catalog.)

The full-time professional semester experience is provided in selected schools in the service area of the university and is under the direct supervision of a qualified member of the department staff.

Enrollment in the Early Childhood/Late Childhood (K-6) professional semester consists of:

If the student's minor requires supervised teaching, CURIN 480 Supervised Teaching in the Secondary School should be in the minor. Students in the secondary professional semester may be assigned to an off-campus middle high school or senior high school according to the specific level at which the student teaching experience is desired. Assignment to a six-year secondary school may also be requested.

For more specific information about the professional semester and procedures for enrolling in it, the student should consult the Assistant Director of Teacher Education, Room 110, Hughes Hall.