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How The Program Works

The Secondary Teacher Preparation Program at MSU is a five year program with an emphasis on preparing knowledgeable, skillful and professional secondary teachers. We are the top ranked program among all United States colleges and universities because of our students become excellent teachers. The #1 Secondary Education ranking also reflects our outstanding reputation with superintendents, principals, teachers, and educators not only in Michigan, but around the globe. The reason for this reputation is simple: MSU's College of Education develops teacher leaders.

Supporting You in Your Goals

We know you have chosen teacher certification at MSU to become one of the nation’s best teachers.  We want to help you reach that goal, by becoming a well-started beginning teacher who is:

• Knowledgeable about your content and about research-based methods for effective teaching; skillful at designing instruction that helps children learn with understanding; and professional in their commitment to the academic learning of each and every child in their classroom.
• Knowledgeable about the critical role of education in a democracy, skillful at designing instruction that honors and appreciates diversity and ensures all children access to their constitutionally protected rights and opportunities, and professional in their commitment to helping each and every child achieve their potential.
• Knowledgeable about the social and interpersonal features of school learning, skillful at establishing learning communities in classrooms and schools, and professional in the strategies they use to guide children toward appropriate social norms in school and society at large.
• Knowledgeable about current theory and policy regarding teaching and education, skillful at integrating theory with classroom practice, and professional in their approach to achieving the vision of effective schooling laid out in national, state and local policies.
• Knowledgeable about the critical role of professional communities for the support and development of teachers, skillful at working with other educators to improve the experience of children in schools, and professional in their commitment to these activities as a regular part of the work of teaching.

 

Overview of Required Secondary Teacher Program Courses

Over the course of the five year teacher certification program you take a series of professional education courses while you complete the university undergraduate degree in your subject matter major.  Two of the courses (TE 150 and TE 250) are completed prior to being admitted to the teacher preparation program.  After TE 150, each of these courses includes both on-campus instruction and site-based field work.

Click here to view a summary of the professional education coursework.