Apr 18, 2024  
Undergraduate Catalog 2015-16 
    
Undergraduate Catalog 2015-16 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]


College of Education

College of Education and Human Development



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Deans Office 2301 Sangren Hall

Ming Li
Dean

Christopher Cheatham
Interim Associate Dean of Academic Services

Marcia Fetters
Interim Associate Dean and Director of Teacher Education

 

Mission
Embracing WMU’s goals to be learner centered, discovery driven, and globally engaged, the College of Education and Human Development is committed to:

  • Developing exceptional education and human development professionals who positively impact our global society
  • Advancing knowledge through teaching, scholarship, creative works, and service
  • Enhancing the university and its stakeholders through transformative field experiences and collaborations

Vision
Be the premier choice for a diverse community of education and human development learners by offering a portfolio of regionally, nationally and internationally recognized programs.

 

Academic Departments:

Counselor Education and Counseling Psychology
Educational Leadership, Research and Technology

Family and Consumer Sciences
Human Performance and Health Education
Special Education and Literacy Studies
Teaching, Learning, and Educational Studies

Centers and Offices:

Office of Admissions and Advising
Office of Field Placements
Office of Teacher and Administrator Certification
Center for Counseling and Psychological Services
Merze Tate Grant and Innovation Center
Dorothy J. McGinnis Reading Center and Clinic

Curricula for Teachers
The program for prospective teachers consists of three parts: (1) general education, designed to develop an intellectual foundation of appropriate depth and breadth in liberal arts and general studies; (2) advanced specialized study, in a major and minor field structured to develop a high level of academic competence and understanding; and (3) professional education study organized to prepare teacher candidates to work effectively in schools.

Prospective teachers choose to work for the Michigan Elementary Provisional Certificate (valid for teaching all subjects in grades kindergarten through fifth, all subjects in self-contained classrooms in grades kindergarten through eighth, and major/minor subjects in grades sixth through eighth) OR the Michigan Secondary Provisional Certificate (valid for major and minor subjects in grades six through twelve).

The following undergraduate curricula lead to certification and are offered in the College of Education and Human Development: Elementary Education, Secondary Education, Special Education, and Physical Education. Students seeking admission to these curricula must contact the Office of Admissions and Advising, 2421 Sangren Hall.

Students electing to major in Art, Career and Technical Education, Music, Physical Education, Health Education, and Special Education may be certified to teach in their specialized area in grades K-12 by completing the curriculum and certification requirements.

Students seeking admission to one of the following curricula must see the appropriate college or department advisor as well as the Office of Admissions and Advising:

  • Art (see School of Art advisor)
  • Music (see School of Music for audition)
  • Special Education (see Department of Special Education and Literacy Studies, Special Education advisor)
  • Speech Pathology and Audiology (see Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology advisor)

Teaching certificates are granted only to those students who satisfactorily complete an approved teacher education program with the required grade point average for their program, passing scores on MTTC Professional Readiness Exam (PRE) #96 and subject area test(s), and a bachelor’s degree. Students in Speech Pathology and Audiology must complete a master’s degree to be eligible to receive teacher certification.

Office of Admissions and Advising

Main Advising Office
2421 Sangren Hall
(269) 387-3474
www.wmich.edu/education/advising
coe-advising@wmich.edu

Staff:
Laura Ciccantell, Director
Carol Morris-Mier, Office Associate
Rachel Carlson, Front Desk Office Assistant
Derek Andree, Advisor
Andrea Bau, Advisor
Tracy Corstange, Advisor
Douglas Engebretsen, Advisor
Shannon Rauner, Advisor
Carol Reid, Advisor
Roxie Swank, Advisor

TRIO Future Educator Success Program Office

2302 Sangren Hall
(269) 387-3500
http://www.wmich.edu/trio-future-educators

Staff:
Marcy Peake, TRIO FESP Director
Katrina M. Goodall, Student Services Coordinator
M’Myia Hughes, Program Services Coordinator

The Office of Admissions and Advising provides information regarding teacher education curricula and processes applications for admissions to those curricula in the College of Education and Human Development. The office also provides academic advisement for students enrolled in both teaching and human development curricula within the College and advises post-baccalaureate students seeking initial teacher certification and second bachelors degrees.

All students seeking admission to teacher education curricula as entering freshmen, transfers, or as students changing curricula must contact the Office of Admissions and Advising. All students declaring a preference for a curriculum leading to a teaching certificate will be assigned a pre-education designator at the time of admission to the University.

Students wishing to enter the Elementary Education, Physical Education, Health Education or Career and Teacher Education program must meet the following minimum requirements at the time of application:  

  • Completion of at least 35 credit hours
  • Completion of all Western Michigan University Intellectual Skills Development courses if required (e.g. MATH 1090, LS 1040, ENGL 1000)
  • Completion of an approved college level writing course
  • Completion with a grade of “C” or better ED 2500: Human Development (for Elementary and K-12 programs) or HPHE 2400 (Physical Education)
  • Achievement of a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 or better
  • Achievement of passing scores on the Michigan Test for Teacher Certification (MTTC) - Professional Readiness Exam (#96)
  • Completion of a background check and submission of any necessary additional documentation
  • Once all of the above requirements have been met, a formal application requesting admission to the program must be submitted to the Office of Admissions and Advising, 2421 Sangren Hall.

Students wishing to enter the Secondary Education program must meet the following minimum requirements at the time of application:  

  • Completion of at least 60 credit hours
  • Completion of all Western Michigan University Intellectual Skills Development courses if required (e.g. MATH 1090, LS 1040, ENGL 1000)
  • Completion of an approved college level writing course
  • Completion with a grade of “CB” or better ED 2000: Introduction to American Education
  • Achievement of a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or better
  • Achievement of passing scores on the Michigan Test for Teacher Certification (MTTC) - Professional Readiness Exam (#96)
  • Completion of a background check and submission of any necessary additional documentation
  • Once all of the above requirements have been met, a formal application requesting admission to the program must be submitted to the Office of Admissions and Advising, 2421 Sangren Hall.

Students wishing to enter the Special Education program must meet the following minimum requirements at the time of application (February 1) for consideration - admission to the Special Education program is not guaranteed:

  • Completion of 56 hours (Spring semester hours may be counted)
  • Completion of all Western Michigan University Intellectual Skills Development courses if required (e.g., MATH 1090, LS 1040, ENGL 1000)
  • Completion of an approved college level writing course
  • Completion of ED 2500: Human Development: Applications in Education or an approved course, with a grade of “Cb” or better
  • Achievement of a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 or better
  • Achievement of passing scores on the Michigan Test for Teacher Certification (MTTC) - Professional Readiness Exam (#96)
  • Completion of a background check and submission of any necessary additional documentation
  • Documentation of thirty clock hours of experience with person(s) with a disability and a current T.B. test.
  • Completion of a formal application for admission to Special Education by February 1Admission applications will be processed once a year. 

Teacher Testing

Public Act 282 (1992) amends Section 1531 of Public Act 451 (1976), as amended by Public Act 267 (1986), mandates the implementation of a teacher certification testing program in Michigan effective July 1, 1992. Under the provisions of this act, all candidates for teacher certification in Michigan must pass a professional readiness exam (reading, writing, math) test. Candidates for a secondary certification must pass their subject exam to be certified. Passing the mandatory minor subject exam is optional.  Candidates for an elementary certification must pass the elementary certification examination. The Professional Readiness Exam must be passed prior to intern teaching.

This act also requires the passing of appropriate and available test(s) prior to the addition of new subjects or grade-levels endorsements

Information regarding required teacher testing may be obtained from the Office of Admissions and Advising, 2421 Sangren Hall or the college website.

Appeals
A student aggrieved by an action taken within the College of Education and Human Development has the right to appeal such action by filing an appeal form in the Dean’s Office within twenty-one (21) days of the aggrieved action. Appeals may be reviewed by the Academic and Professional Standards Committee.  Information about the appeal procedure is available in the Office of Admission and Advising. 

Office of Teacher and Administrator Certification

2421 Sangren Hall
(269) 387-3473
http://www.wmich.edu/teachercertification

Staff:
Cindy DeRyke, Certification Officer
Kristal Janson, Certification Associate
Nicole Lockwood-Womack, Certification Assistant

The Office of Teacher and Administrator Certification processes all recommendations for certification and advises teachers regarding Michigan certification laws, rules and policies, and requirements for additional grade and subject endorsements.

Certificates

Michigan Teaching Certificates, Validity Level
There are two basic levels of Michigan teaching certificates currently available:

  1. Elementary certificates issued after September 1, 1988 have the following validity: Kindergarten through fifth grade all subjects; kindergarten through eighth grade all subjects in a self-contained classroom; and sixth to, and including, eighth grade in the teachable major(s) and/or minor(s) for which a subject area test has been passed.
  2. Secondary certificates issued after September 1, 1988 have the following validity: Sixth through twelfth grade in teachable major(s) and minor(s).

Types of Michigan Certificates
There are four basic types of Michigan regular and occupational certificates currently available: the initial certificate, called the Provisional;  the Professional certificate, which may eventually be obtained when the holder of a Provisional certificate meets requirements as outlined in the “Professional Certificate” section below; the Interim Occupational  certificate; and the Occupational Education certificate.

Provisional Certificate
A Provisional certificate is issued by the Michigan Department of Education upon recommendation of a teacher preparation. A bachelor’s degree with an overall grade point average of 2.5 is required at Western Michigan University for a Provisional certificate. Effective September 1, 1991, the Michigan Board of Education issues a teaching certificate to a person only after that person passes both a professional readiness exam (PRE) and an appropriate subject area examination for each subject in which certification is granted. Effective July 1, 2004, candidates for initial teacher certification must also present evidence that they have successfully completed an approved course in first aid and adult and child cardiopulmonary resuscitation and hold valid certification from an approved agency.

Professional Certificate
The requirements for the Professional certificate are:

  1. Experience:  The candidate must have taught successfully for the equivalent of three years following the issuance of and within the grade level and subject area validity of the Provisional certificate.

    The success of the teaching experience is determined by the State Board of Education upon recommendation of the University and of the local school district(s) in which the candidate taught.  

    Experience can be accumulated through part-time (including substitute teaching under the following pro-rating formula: one half or more of a teaching day (2-1/2 or more clock hours) is the equivalent of one day, and 150 accumulated days is the equivalent of one year. There is no requirement that such experience be under contract, in consecutive years, be completed in Michigan, nor be completed before expiration of the Provisional certificate. All experience stays forever cumulative toward the Professional certificate.

  2. Professional learning credits:  a) Six credit hours at an approved teacher preparation institution or approved college or university with a ‘C’ grade or higher; b) 150 State Continuing Education Clock Hours (SCECHs), in approved professional development, appropriate to the grade-level and content endorsement(s) of the certificate; c) 150 Annual District Provided Professional Development (DPPDs), completed through professional development programs, appropriate to the grade-level and content endorsement(s) of the certificate; a combination of “a”, “b”, and/or “c”; a master’s degree earned at any time.
     
  3. Reading credits: All candidates for the Michigan Professional certificate must present a minimum of six semester hours of reading methodology credit for the elementary level certificate or three semester hours of reading methodology credit for the secondary level certificate. Such credit may have been completed at any stage of the candidate’s college level preparation; it has been an integral part of teacher preparation programs at Michigan colleges and universities since July 1, 1983.

    Effective July 1, 2009, any teachers who does not hold a Professional Certificate is required to complete a 3 credit hour course of study, with appropriate field experiences, in diagnosis and remediation of reading disabilities, and differentiated instruction to obtain the Professional Certificate. The approved course at WMU is LS 5160 – Professional Symposium in Reading.

Occupational Education Certificate
Individuals holding a Provisional certificate with education endorsement are required to complete the professional learning credits as listed above under the Professional Certificate requirements, including the diagnostic reading class LS 5160, in order to earn an Occupational Education certificate.

Certification Application Procedures
The Professional and the Occupational Education certificate and the Provisional Renewal will be recommended by the Michigan Department of Education. The candidate applies online using the MOESC system at the Michigan Department of Education regardless of what other college or university may have recommended the initial Provisional certificate.

Certification and Criminal Convictions
The Superintendent of Public Instruction may refuse to grant or renew, or may suspend for a fixed term, or revoke, or may impose reasonable conditions on, a teaching certificate or state board approval granted pursuant to these rules for the following reasons:

  1. Fraud or material misrepresentation, or concealment or omission of fact in the application for, or the use of, a teaching certificate or state board approval.
  2. Conviction of an offense listed in MCL 380.1535a or MCL 380.1539b.

The Superintendent of Public Instruction may refuse to grant or renew a teaching certificate or state board approval for failure or ineligibility of the applicant to meet the criteria for the applicable certification or state board approval.

Students are asked to provide information indicating whether they have been convicted as an adult of felonies or misdemeanors prior to (1) admission to teacher education programs, (2) field placement, and (3) recommendation for certification. It is the student’s responsibility to report convictions at any time between these application periods.

An applicant who has been convicted of an offense listed in MCL 380.1535a or MCL 380.1539b may be denied admission to teacher education or field placement or recommendation for certification. An applicant will be granted a hearing prior to a final decision. Such a hearing will be initiated by the College of Education and Human Development and referred to the CoEHD Academic and Professional Standards Committee for review and recommendation.

Completion of our program does not guarantee certification by the Michigan Department of Education. That decision rests with the Michigan Department of Education.

Validity Span of Michigan Certificates
All initial Michigan Provisional certificates, Provisional Renewal certificates, Professional Education certificates, Occupational Education certificates, and Interim Occupational certificates expire on June 30 of the appropriate year, determined by the month and year of issuance. The initial Michigan Provisional certificate and the Interim Occupational certificate are valid for 5-1/4 to 6-1/4 years, depending on the month of issuance. A Provisional Renewal is valid for 2-1/2 to 3 years depending on the month of issuance.

Office of Field Placements

2421 Sangren Hall
(269) 387-3466
http://www.wmich.edu/internteaching

Staff:
Lynn Lee, Director
Joanne Barretta
Marijo Elwell

 

The Office of Field Placements is responsible for the coordination and oversight of all field experiences, including intern teaching associated with teacher education curricula.

Intern Teaching
The following criteria must be met prior to undertaking intern teaching:

  • Completion of all required course work.
  • Completion of a background check and submission of any necessary additional documentation.
  • Proof of having met the GPA and course requirements as conveyed in the student’s course catalog year.
  • Recommendation from major and minor departments.
  • Completion of methods course(s) in major and/or minor.
  • Passing scores on the Professional Readiness Exam.
  • Proof of graduation audit.

Students must apply for their internship at least one year prior to the semester in which they plan to complete their intern teaching requirements. Students may not select their placements for intern teaching. Placements are made by the Office of Field Placements based on programmatic needs and are usually within a 30 mile radius from the main campus and/or in designated partnership schools. Students may not enroll in other course work during intern teaching.

Please note:  To be recommended for teacher certification, students must achieve at least a grade of “C” in ED 4100: Seminar in Education and “credit” in Intern Teaching, in addition to having met all other requirements for graduation.

Health and Liability Insurance
Students engaged in field experiences or intern teaching must give evidence of having health insurance at the time of course enrollment. Liability insurance coverage will be provided by the University through a fee assessed at the time of enrollment in courses requiring field experiences.

Dorothy J. McGinnis Reading Center and Clinic
Deanna Roland, Director
4511 Sangren Hall
(269) 387-3470

The primary purpose of the Dorothy J. McGinnis Reading Center and Clinic is to provide clinical experiences in literacy (reading and writing) assessment and instruction for undergraduate and graduate students enrolled at Western Michigan University who are preparing to work with children (Kindergarten through 12th grade) in literacy instruction. All activities and experiences designed by clinic instructors and students provide literacy assessment, diagnosis, and tutoring in one-on-one or small class clinical settings. Additional services of the Reading Center offer consultative literacy workshops and seminars for teachers and schools in southwestern Michigan. The Reading Center also houses a library, serving educators in the community with a large collection of children and young adult literature for use in all content areas. Furthermore, the clinic provides students in education an opportunity to observe and participate in the administration of educational and clinical assessments, and the procedures employed in interviewing children, parents as well as procedures in interviewing children, parents, and school personnel. Also, the center serves as a partner to various educational organizations and schools in the community.  See Department of Special Education and Literacy Studies course listings for reading courses offered.

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