Fort Valley State University

The Master of Science degree in Middle Grades Education Program is designed to assist students in acquiring a broad range of knowledge and skills and a repertoire of specialized teaching skills for students in grades 4 through 8. The specialized content courses provide instruction in communicative arts, mathematics, science, social sciences, and reading. Field-based instruction is incorporated in over 40 percent of the coursework leading to the degree. A specialized content practicum allows the students to continue to apply content knowledge in a suitable setting. The Master of Science in Middle Grades Education is a thirty-six (36) Semester Hour program.

Graduates of the Middle Grades Education program are eligible for certification at the T-5 level and for positions in teaching upper elementary and middle school settings.

NOTE: Certification requirements in addition to the courses listed on this brochure include a course in the teaching of reading and a course in teaching students with exceptionalities. Candidates are also required to demonstrate computer literacy by a) passing the GACE exam in this area or b)passing a CSCI 1153.

Core Courses

Professional core (6 Hours Required)
Social, Cultural, Historical Foundation
EDUC 5503 Fundamentals of Research Design 3hrs
EDUC 5783 Applied Inferential Statistics and Research Design 3hrs

Specific Requirements (16Hours Required)

FVSU 0500 Orientation to Graduate Studies 1hr
EDUC 5423 Seminar in social Issues and Comparative Education 3hrs
EPSY 5513 Pre-Adolescent Psychology 3hrs
EDMG 5613 Curriculum Needs of the Transescent Learner 3hrs
EDMG 5623 Methods & Problem of Teaching in Middle Grades 3hrs
*EDUC 5793 Applied Research Practicum 3hrs

Major Requirements Content (15 Hours Required)

Nine (9) Semester hours in primary concentration
Six (6) Semester hours in secondary concentration
LANGAUGE ARTS
ENGL 5003 Communicative Arts 3hrs
ENGL 5023 Teaching Literature in the Middle Grades 3hrs
ENGL 5423 American Literature II 3 hrs
MATH
MATH 5301 Numbers & Operations 3hrs
MATH 5302 Algebra & Functions 3hrs
MATH 5303 Geometry & Measurements 3hrs
MATH 5304 Concepts of Calculus 3hrs
MATH 5404 Statistics 3hrs
SCIENCE
BIOL 5103 Issues in Environ. Science 3hrs
BIOL 5243 Human Anatomy 3hrs
GEOL 5203 Environmental Geology 3hrs
SOCIAL SCIENCE
HIST 5500 Topics in World History 3hrs
HIST 5515 Colloq. In U.S. History-Recent 3hrs
HIST 5516 Colloq. In U.S. History-Africa Amer. 3hrs
HIST 5517 Colloq. In U.S. History- Old South 3hrs
HIST 5518 Colloq. In U.S. History-Civil War 3hrs

Applied Research Project/Thesis

EDUC 5793 Applied Research Practicum 3hrs

Some substitutions allowed with approval from Content Area Chairperson and Middle Grades Coordinator.

Graduation Requirements

Each Graduate must have an academic grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.00(B Avg).
In addition, all candidates for graduation must take and pass the Final Written Comprehensive Examination or submit and defend a thesis in the area of study. A capstone course of Applied Action Research is also required.

Scholarships

A limited number of graduate assistantships is offered to qualifying students by the College of Graduate Studies & Extended Education. There is other University level financial assistance available to qualifying students

Location

A majority of the courses in the master’s program are taught at the Warner Robins Campus, just 5 minutes from I-75 on Osigian Boulveard.

Program Coordinator

Dr. Eleanor K. Sikes
Phone: (478) 825-6365
FAX: (478) 825-6162
Email: sikese@fvsu.edu