Graduate Secondary Education Students:

CI 5363 will NOT be offered during summer 2010.  If you need to complete CI 5363 prior to enrolling in student teaching during the Fall 2010 semester, then you must register for CI 5363 in the Spring 2010 semester.

Welcome

Welcome to the website of the graduate secondary education program.

The graduate program in secondary education provides a means for continued intellectual growth through advanced-level course work. It seeks to develop teacher-leaders who will make significant contributions in schools. The program is designed for all qualified students regardless of whether they currently hold a Texas teaching certificate.

Students pursue a master’s degree in secondary education to improve their practice and to grow professionally. Others use the knowledge, skills, and professional dispositions learned and developed in the program to serve as campus leaders in curriculum and instruction or even as a foundation to pursue a doctoral degree.

Texas State University-San Marcos offers both a master of education in secondary education and a master of arts in secondary education. The programs are designed for students to receive master’s degrees in an area of education that will enhance their current role in an educational setting. The master of education degree (M.Ed.) is for students who are seeking professional development to become more effective and more informed teachers. The master of arts (M.A.) in secondary education meets the needs of experienced teachers and is also a preparation for doctoral studies in education.

Mission
The mission of the graduate secondary education program is to prepare culturally responsive educators at an advanced level to meet the challenges of the 21st century by (a) enhancing instructional, leadership, inquiry, and collaborative expertise, (b) expanding knowledge, understanding, and application of current research, and (c) using technology to make advancements in the teaching-learning process.
 

Faculty
Graduate secondary education faculty are nationally recognized leaders and scholars in education. Through their peer-reviewed publications and presentations at national and international conferences, grant writing and awards, and service as officers and board members of professional associations, they bring to the program a wealth of academic and professional experience.

Student Learning Outcomes
In their dedication to excellence, the graduate secondary education faculty are committed to program effectiveness through continuous improvement. Each year the faculty identify or reaffirm expected outcomes, assess the extent to which the outcomes are achieved, and provide evidence of improvement based on analysis of the results in each of the following areas:

• Graduates will relate academic content knowledge in their field to theory and standards.
• Graduates will demonstrate knowledge of effective instructional assessments for use in the secondary classroom.
• Graduates will demonstrate knowledge of planning and implementing meaningful learning experiences for secondary students.
• Graduates will analyze current research in relation to classroom practice and pathways for future research.
• Graduates will demonstrate an in-depth understanding of the principles of classroom management.

Graduate Level Writing Expectations

All graduate secondary education students must demonstrate consistent use of graduate level writing. They must:

• Develop and support their ideas with sound, cogent, and reasoned examples;
• Begin papers with a clear and defined thesis followed by consistent, convincing, and relevant support;
• Demonstrate the ability to cite quality references to support ideas following the writing conventions of the American Psychological Association;
• Use proper language free of punctuation, grammar, and spelling errors.

Graduate level writing skills may not be explicitly taught; however, students have many opportunities to practice writing throughout the program. Students failing to demonstrate graduate level writing should expect reduced grades on assignments. Students may consult the following university resources (or other resources they may identify) if their writing falls below graduate level expectations:

•    SLAC Online Writing Lab,
•    The Grammar, Spelling, Punctuation Hotline, and
•    Texas State Writing Center.

Students are encouraged to utilize the assets of these service providers throughout their graduate studies. Students may also utilize the spelling, grammar, and style check functions within their computer software programs or request peers to provide constructive feedback on their papers to address deficiencies in their writing.  

Admission Policy
In addition to the general requirements for admission to the Texas State Graduate College, the secondary education program requires a minimum GPA of 2.75 on the last 60 hours of undergraduate course work leading to a bachelor’s degree.

Students who do not meet this requirement may be admitted with conditions. The conditions are developed by the graduate advisor in consultation with the graduate faculty.

Each applicant must submit the following to the Graduate College at Texas State:
•    An official Texas State Graduate College application form.
•    One official transcript from each college or university attended, including community colleges.

Visit www.gradcollege.txstate.edu for access to an online application and additional details. Applications are due June 15 for the fall semester and October 15 for the spring semester.

Financial Assistance
For more information about scholarships, financial aid, and application deadlines, visit the Graduate College website at www.gradcollege.txstate.edu and click on Financing your Graduate Education.