Degree Programs

Associate of Arts Degree Programs

Child Development Associate of Arts Degree

The Child Develop degree program is completed with a combination of on-campus, face-to-face and online courses. Child development courses taken during the two-year degree program require field experiences field experience (minimum of 10 hours) in a childcare environment or simulations. You must be able to complete these required field experience hours to complete the degree. Field experience courses are listed in the Field Experience section of this handbook. Please refer to the Tougaloo College Course Catalog for the total number of hours required for graduation for this degree program.

Education Associate of Arts Degree

The Elementary Education degree program is completed with a combination of on-campus, face-to-face and online courses. Elementary Education courses taken during this two-year degree program require field experiences field experience (minimum of 10 hours) in the K-6 classroom or simulations. You must be able to complete these required field experience hours to complete the degree. Field experience courses are listed in the Field Experience section of this handbook. Please refer to the Tougaloo College Course Catalog for the total number of hours required for graduation for this degree program.

Bachelor of Arts Degree Programs

Child Development Bachelor of Arts Degree

The Child Development degree program is completed with a combination of on-campus, face-to-face and online courses. Child development courses taken during the last three years of the degree program require extensive field experiences (minimum of 100 hours) in a childcare environment. The degree program culminates with the Child Development clinical internship (student teaching), which requires participation in a childcare environment all day, every day, for 12 weeks. You must be able to complete these required field experience hours to complete the degree. Practicum and clinical experience hours are listed in the Field Experience section of this handbook. Please refer to the Tougaloo College Course Catalog for the total number of hours required for graduation for this degree program.

Elementary Education Bachelor of Arts Degree

The Elementary Education degree program is completed with a combination of on-campus, face-to-face and online courses. Elementary Education courses taken during the last three years of the degree program require extensive field experience (120 hours) in the K-6 classroom. The degree program culminates with the elementary education clinical internship (student teaching), which requires participation in a K-6 classroom all day, every day, for 12 weeks. You must be able to complete these required field experience hours to complete the degree. Practicum and clinical experience hours are listed in the Field Experience section of this handbook. Please refer to the Tougaloo College Course Catalog for the total number of hours required for graduation for this degree program.

Health and Recreation Bachelor of Arts Degree

The Health and Recreation degree program is completed with a combination of on-campus, face-to-face and online courses. Health and Recreation courses during the last three years of the degree program require 20 hours of field experience. The degree program culminates with the Health and Recreation clinical internship which requires participation in a health and / or recreational setting. You must be able to complete these required field experience hours to complete the degree. This is a non- licensure program. Please refer to the Tougaloo College Course Catalog for the total number of hours required for graduation for this degree program.

Physical Education Bachelor of Arts Degree

The Physical Education degree program is completed with a combination of on-campus, face-to-face and online courses. Physical Education courses during the last three years of the degree program require extensive field experiences (40 hours) in the K-12 classroom. The degree program culminates with the Physical Education clinical internship (student teaching), which requires participation in a K-12 classroom all day, every day, for 12 weeks (60 days). You must be able to complete these required field experience hours to complete the degree. Practicum and clinical experience hours are listed in the Field Experience section of this handbook. Please refer to the Tougaloo College Course Catalog for the total number of hours required for graduation for this degree program.

Secondary Education Bachelor of Arts Degree

The Secondary Education degree program is completed with a combination of on-campus, face-to-face and online courses. Secondary Education courses during the last three years of the degree program require extensive field experiences (40 hours) in the in the 7-12 classroom. The degree program culminates with the Secondary Education clinical internship (student teaching), which requires participation in a 7-12 classroom all day, every day, for 12 weeks (60 days). You must be able to complete these required field experience hours to complete the degree. Practicum and clinical experience hours are listed in the Field Experience section of this handbook. Please refer to the Tougaloo College Course Catalog for the total number of hours required for graduation for this degree program.

Special Education Bachelor of Arts Degree

The Special Education degree program is completed with a combination of on-campus, face-to-face and online courses. Special Education courses during the last three years of the degree program require extensive field experiences, requiring (120 hours) in the in the K-12 classroom. The degree program culminates with the Special Education clinical internship (student teaching), which requires participation in a K-12 classroom all day, every day, for 12 weeks (60 days). You must be able to complete these required field experience hours to complete the degree. Practicum and clinical experience hours are listed in the Field Experience section of this handbook. Please refer to the Tougaloo College Course Catalog for the total number of hours required for graduation for this degree program.

Other Degree Programs

Visit the School of Education site at www.tougaloo.edu for additional information about the Master of Arts in Child Development and the Master of Arts in Teaching (Elementary or Secondary Education).
 

Graduate Degree Programs

Master of Arts in Child Development
The Master of Arts in Child Development is a 36-hour graduate program designed to provide students an in-depth background in child development and learning. The graduate child development program provides professional educators in the field of early childhood with a deeper, interdisciplinary understanding of the theories of intellectual, social, emotional, and biological development of young children as well as excellent preparation in research, theory, and practice in diverse, multicultural settings. The program prepares graduate students for a wide range of professional goals by offering an advanced study of developmental theory, research and application. Graduates of the program are expected to be lifelong learners and advocates for young children.

This program is targeted for students wishing to continue their studies at the graduate level in child development, for professionals currently in careers relating to children and families (e.g., early childhood education, elementary education, special education, or social service professionals), for those wishing to teach early childhood courses at a community college, and for those who plan to pursue doctoral-level studies in related fields such as child/human development, child and family studies, child/adolescent developmental psychology, and clinical/counseling psychology.

The School of Education is in Holmes Hall and houses the Education Resource Annex (ERA) and partners with the Friends of Children of Mississippi, Inc. to provide an infant and toddler laboratory for research and child assessment learning activities.

MACD Requirements (36 credit hours)
Students will complete a minimum of 36 credit hours of graduate-level courses in child development and learning covering the age span between infancy and age 8. In addition, students will complete coursework relating to parenting and families, social-emotional development, cognitive development, research methodology, and assessment. To complete their degree. students will take elective courses that meet their personal interests from other programs of study offered by the School of Education.

By the student's second semester, the research thesis or project should be proposed. All students must conduct an independent written research thesis or project under the supervision of a graduate faculty advisor and thesis/project committee. The topic of the study should relate to child development and the study should focus the student's specialization within a certain domain of child development and a certain age group.

Required Core Courses (24 credit hours)

  • ECD 501: Theory and Research in Child Development Studies (3)
  • ECD 503: Screening and Assessment in Inclusive Early Childhood Settings (3)
  • ECD 504: Research, Design and Evaluation in Education (3)
  • ECD 511: Early Childhood Pathways: Challenges to the Developmental Process (3)
  • ECD 512: Historical, Social and Cultural Contexts of Child Development (3)
  • ECD 525: The Child and the Family: Social, Cultural, and Health-Related Issues at Home and in School (3)
  • ECD 535: Leadership in Early Childhood Programs (3)
  • ECD 541: Teaching Methods in Early Childhood Settings (3)

Electives (6-9 credit hours)

Students must select a minimum of six (6) credit hours of elective coursework from 500-level courses in consultation with their graduate advisor that supports an individualized program to support their professional goals.

  • ECD 512: Historical, Social and Cultural Contexts of Child Development (3)
  • ECD 517: Young Children’s Literature: Developmental and Literacy Perspectives (3)
  • ECD 536: Survey of Methods, Materials, and Technology in Early Childhood Education (3)
  • ECD 545: Advanced Curriculum in Early Childhood Education (3)
  • ECD 596: Clinical Internship (Birth-8) (6-9)

Thesis or Capstone Project (6-9 credit hours) units)

A research thesis or project is required for the master’s degree in Child Development. Students should expect to complete all course work in their program and comply with College and division requirements. The thesis or project is undertaken upon approval by a child development faculty committee. Students must take the thesis/project development seminar (ECD 585) course prior to enrolling in thesis/project research (ECD 589). Students must remain enrolled in ECD 589 until their thesis or project is completed.

  • ECD 585 Thesis / Capstone Project Development Seminar (3)

or

  • ECD 589 Thesis / Capstone Project (1-9)

Students must maintain a grade point average of B (at least a 3.0 GPA) in all courses taken to satisfy degree completion. Grades of a B- (at least a 2.7 GPA) or better in required core courses and grades of "C+" (at least a 2.5 GPA) or better in elective courses. Successful completion of the course work listed above, including the culminating experience consisting of the completion and defense of a comprehensive project or thesis. The graduate writing requirement is met upon successful completion of the culminating experience. Students who fail to register for at least one course in the MACD program each semester will automatically be dropped. Students should maintain continuous enrollment via ECD 589 until the thesis or required project is completed. Graduate students in the Master of Arts program must complete their degree requirements within six years of admission to the program.

Throughout the academic school year, candidates attend graduate school as a cohort online Some meetings may be held on Saturdays to fulfill requirements. Graduate candidates will be informed of all Saturday meetings at the beginning of program enrollment.

 

Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) in Elementary or Secondary Education
The Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) degree program is designed to provide the necessary theoretical and practical foundations to prepare candidates for careers in modern teaching and learning practices as teachers. Students will be immersed both in educational theories and methods, and in practice and inquiry, with an intensive field-based clinical practice component in partnering schools. In addition to coursework, students must complete intensive field-based experiences and a year-long clinical practice internship, integrated with coursework activities within partnering school districts. Successful candidates will need to devote a considerable amount of time to meeting the extensive demands of this program.

Program candidates are advised not to accept or engage in any other job, as participants will be required to secure an approved position as a full-time teacher with an accredited school district in an elementary, middle, or high school. The programs will require candidates to complete 36 credit hours within a 12- to 18-month timeframe for full-time candidates, summer semester included, and two to three years for part-time candidates, and six (6) credit hours must be completed after one year of full-time teaching. Throughout the academic school year, candidates attend graduate school as a cohort online Some meetings may be held on Saturdays to fulfill requirements. Graduate candidates will be informed of all Saturday meetings at the beginning of program enrollment.

The MAT degree programs are designed for candidates with a non-education bachelor’s degree with either a major in a content/subject or discipline area (30 semester credit hours) or significant upper level coursework in a single discipline area. All M.A.T. candidates must take at least three of the pre-teaching core courses (EDU 500, EDU 502, EDU 505, and EDU 506), in which two must include EDU 502: Assessment and Evaluation and EDU 505:Classroom Management courses, and pass Praxis 1 and Praxis 2 to apply for a three-year provisional Class A license. After completion of one year of teaching and required coursework, candidates may apply for a Class A standard (5 year) license. Upon program completion (graduation), M.A.T. candidates may apply for a Class AA standard license.

Course Requirements

Students may earn a Master of Arts in Teaching in Elementary Education (Grades 4-6) by completing the following coursework:

EDU 500

Foundations of Modern Educational Practices (3)

EDU 502

Assessment and Evaluation in Teaching and Learning (3)

EDU 505

Theories of Classroom Management and Practice (3)

EDU 506

Exceptional Learners: Development and Cultural Characteristics (3)

EDU 513

Reading, Writing, and Language Arts in Elementary Schools (3)

EDU 516

Social Studies and Creative Arts in the Elementary Classroom (3)

EDU 554

Science and Mathematics Methods in Elementary Education (3)

EDU 557

Elementary Education Curriculum and Instruction Designs and Strategies (3)

EDU 559

Teaching with Technology (3)

EDU 596

Clinical Teaching Internship/Seminar (6)

The Master of Arts in Teaching Secondary Education (Grades 7-12) requires six (6) hours in your licensure content area (500-level or above courses) These courses may be taken from our regionally accredited partner, Jackson State University.

EDU 500

Foundations of Modern Educational Practices (3)

EDU 502

Assessment and Evaluation in Teaching and Learning (3)

EDU 505

Theories of Classroom Management and Practice (3)

EDU 506

Exceptional Learners: Development and Cultural Characteristics (3)

EDU 515

Reading Instruction and Assessment across the Content Area (3)

EDU 559

Teaching with Technology (3)

EDU 561

Teaching Methods and Practicum Analysis in the Secondary Classroom (3)

EDU 563

Unit Planning in Action (3-6)

EDU 564

Unit Planning in Action (3-6)

EDU 596

Clinical Teaching Internship/Seminar (6)

Transfer

Content Area Courses (6)