Bachelor of Arts in Education

The mission of the department of teacher education and certification is to provide high quality teachers to school districts in the south central region of Missouri and beyond. The vision of the department is our teachers inspire the next generation of students, particularly those in underrepresented groups, to pursue educational and STEAM career fields by connecting content knowledge to real world application, while creating a safe learning space for students. Most programs may be completed in four academic years, although you may wish to carry lighter course loads during the regular academic semesters.

Admission to the university does not automatically qualify a student to participate in the professional component of the teacher education program. That participation is granted upon demonstration of a high level of academic and professional competence. To be admitted to certification programs, you must maintain a 3.0 GPA in their content area and professional requirements, have an ACT of 22 or a 220 on all sections of the Missouri General Education Assessment or apply for an exemption, apply for a substitute certificate after 60 credit hours, and complete an interview with the department chair.

You must also have a cleared background check for any field experiences. The last semester of your certification program will be student teaching; all other coursework must be successfully completed to be eligible. You must pass the Missouri content exam before applying to student teaching. For other guidelines for student teaching, please refer to the department handbook.