Office of Educational Field Experiences

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The teacher candidacy field experiences are integral components of The University of Southern Mississippi teacher education programs. The primary goal of the field experiences is to provide opportunities for prospective teachers to develop and strengthen the skills and competencies needed to become effective teachers by combining theoretical and practical dimensions of teaching. The Office of Educational Field Experiences (EFE) is charged by the Professional Education Council of The University of Southern Mississippi with managing practica, residency and student teaching placements.

Student Teaching Information

Student teaching or residency serves as the culminating experience of undergraduate teacher licensure programs providing students with opportunities to apply best practices in diverse kindergarten-12th grade environments. University faculty collaborate with school-based faculty to facilitate mentor-mentee relationships that positively influence pre-service teacher professional development. Student teachers at Southern Miss have the opportunity to student teach locally, regionally or internationally. The teacher candidacy experience consists of two separate six-hour courses. Each six-hour course represents a student teaching placement in a K-12 school.

To be eligible for a student teaching placement, the student must meet the following requirements:

Satisfactory completion of all required coursework, except for student teaching courses. During student teaching, students may not enroll in any additional course work.
Earn a minimum grade of C in each required course of the Program Curriculum (DEG 01. Major Area of Study Requirements; DEG 02. Additional Requirements; DEG 03. Teacher Licensure Requirements; etc.).
Satisfy additional program-specific requirements, if any.
Complete a minimum of 30 clock hours of clinical experience (15 hours of observation and 15 hours of practicum). Specific programs may require additional observation and/or practicum hours.
Have a minimum grade point average of 2.500 on best attempts of total hours applied towards degree, which includes all General Education Curriculum and Program Curriculum courses as detailed on the student’s Degree Progress Report. Remedial courses, courses marked as repeated, and unused courses are not included in this calculation.
Submit a request for Student Teaching placement by March 1 for fall term student teaching or by October 1 for spring term student teaching.
Submit a completed graduation application prior to registering for student teaching courses.
Agree to spend a full semester (minimum of 12 weeks/60 working days) in an accredited K-12 school arranged by the Educational Field Experiences Office.

International Placement

Are you interested in completing half of your student teaching experience internationally? USM is a part of the Consortium for Overseas Student Teaching (COST), which provides opportunities for students to have quality student teaching experiences in overseas settings. Through COST, teacher candidates are placed in public and private institutions in various locations around the world where English is the language of instruction. The placement period ranges from six to seven weeks. Student teachers complete their first half of student teaching stateside, then go abroad for the second half.

All participants return to the United States having gained firsthand knowledge and experience with professional peers, students, and their families within another cultural setting; having an increased sense of confidence and improved self-efficacy; and having a greater sense of how to integrate an international perspective into their profession as a teacher.

Click here to learn more about COST