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Secondary Teacher Education - Master's

Preparing Effective Secondary Teachers for Today’s Classrooms

The Secondary Education MAT at Southern Miss is a 30-credit, fully online alternate route program designed for individuals with a bachelor’s degree who are ready to become a middle or high school teacher. While our program is online, we engage with our students live during virtual class meetings and in-person visits to schools where they complete their professional practice experiences. The program offers two professional practice pathways: a residency option or a traditional internship.

Program Highlights

30 Credit Hours

Complete in as little as one year

100% Online

Live, interactive weekly sessions

Evening Coursework

Designed for working professionals and families

14 Certification Areas

Multiple secondary subject options

Military-Friendly

Support for active duty & veterans

Financial Support Available

District & grant-funded opportunities

Program Structure

Total Credit Hours: 30 (10 courses)

  • Core Coursework: 8 courses
  • Professional Practice Experiences: 2 courses 

Professional practice requires one full academic year of full-time classroom experience, one course a semester for the fall and spring.

Two Professional Practice Pathways Options

You choose which professional pathway is best for you! 

Candidates are employed as the teacher of record in a Mississippi school district, earning a salary and benefits while completing program coursework.

Candidates participate in a mentor-supported, apprenticeship-style placement, gradually assuming instructional responsibility. Residency placements may include funding support through the Mississippi Center for Apprenticeships and Residency in Education (MCARE) and school district partnerships for grant-funded tuition, stipends and educational expenses.

Both pathways meet state licensure requirements and require full-time classroom experience for one academic school year (fall/spring).


Financial Support

Through the Mississippi Center for Apprenticeships and Residencies in Education (MCARE) at The University of Southern Mississippi, eligible residency candidates may receive tuition assistance and living stipends to help offset program costs.

Additional state and federal incentives are available for teachers serving in high-need subject areas and critical shortage regions across Mississippi. These incentives may include loan forgiveness, signing bonuses, relocation assistance, and housing support.


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Additional Details

Admissions Requirements

In addition to the Admission Requirements and Procedures, the minimum standards for regular admission are as follows:

Applicants must meet the following criteria:

  • Bachelor’s degree from a regionally or nationally accredited institution in a field other than education.
  • Have a minimum grade point average of 2.75 (4.00 scale) on the last 60 hours of undergraduate coursework.
  • Official score report indicating a minimum ACT composite score of 21 or passing scores on all three subject-area tests of the Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators (CORE) or 3.0 GPA on last 60 hours attempted.*
  • Official score report indicating a passing score on the Praxis Subject Assessment Examination in one of the 14 approved subject areas below.
    • Art (grades K-12), Biology (grades 7-12), Business Education (grades 7-12), Chemistry (grades 7-12), English (grades 7-12), French (grades K-12), Health (grades 7-12), Home Economics (grades 7-12), Library Media (grades K-12), Mathematics (grades 7-12), Physical Education (grades K-12), Physics (grades 7-12), Social Studies (grades 7-12), and Spanish (grades K-12)
  • Resumé
  • Statement of Purpose
  • Three Letters of Recommendation

Program Requirements

Program Course Requirements

Core Coursework

  • CIR 754 – Adolescent Literacy in the Content Areas
  • CIS 570 – Curriculum in the Secondary School
  • CIS 603 – Management and Organization of Diverse Classrooms
  • CIS 700 – Seminar in Secondary Education
  • CIS 708 – Secondary Education Methods
  • REF 601 – Educational Research: Interpretations and Applications
  • REF 632 – Assessing Student Outcomes
  • SPE 500 – The Psychology and Education and Exceptional Children

Professional Practice Experience (Internship / Residency)

  • CIS 694 Internship I (Fall semester)
  • CIS 794 Internship II (Spring semester) 

Licensure

To earn Mississippi teacher licensure through the alternate route:

  • Candidates complete 9 credit hours of summer initial licensure coursework (CIS 603, REF 632, SPE 500)
  • Apply for a three-year alternate route teaching license
  • Secure employment or residency placement in an accredited Mississippi school district
  • Complete one full year of internship / residency under the mentorship of Southern Miss faculty

Professional Licensure Disclosure

Programs at the University of Southern Mississippi that prepare students for initial licensure in the field of secondary education in a specific subject area are designed to meet the licensure standards set by the Mississippi Department of Education. 

Students seeking licensure in another state are advised to contact the appropriate licensing board in that state to determine specific requirements of guidelines for reciprocity. For information about professional licensure determinations made to comply with federal regulations requiring disclosures as to whether a program that is marketed or designed to lead to licensure or state certification leads to professional licensure or state certification, see the following:

General Professional Licensure/State Certification Information

https://www.usm.edu/professional-licensure-certification-disclosures/index.php

For questions regarding professional licensure, contact the program coordinator for your specific program. Program coordinators are grouped by college. To access the list click the 'Professional Licensure and Certification Boards by USM College' button at the top of the main Professional Licensure and Certification web page (https://www.usm.edu/professional-licensure-certification-disclosures/index.php).

For questions, please contact Dr. Jay Howell at James.B.HowellFREEMississippi.

Catalog Link

Degree Plan Availability
Secondary Teacher Education (Alternate Route) MAT Online 100%