College of Education

Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies

Research & Evaluation Methods

 Program Evaluation

Higher Education

Educational Leadership and Policy

 Educational Leadership/Administration

 Educational Policy, Planning and Analysis

Foundations of Education

 Sociocultural and International Development Education Studies (SIDES)

 Social, Historical and Philosophical Foundations of Education

Certificate in College Teaching

Certificate in Educational Policy

Certificate in Institutional Research

Certificate in Program Evaluation

Department of Educational Psychology and Learning Systems

Educational Psychology

 Learning & Cognition

 Sports Psychology

Instructional Systems

 Instructional Systems

 Open and Distance Learning

 Performance Improvement and Human Resource Development

Measurement & Statistics

Counseling & Human Systems

 Career Counseling

 Mental Health Counseling

 School Psychology

Counseling Psychology & Human Systems

 Combined Program in Counseling Psychology & School Psychology

Certificate in Human Performance Technology

Certificate in Online Instructional Development

School of Teacher Education

Special Education

 Special Education

 Exceptional Student Education (Teacher Preparation Program)

Visual Disabilities

Rehabilitation Counseling

Early Childhood Education

Elementary Education

Reading Education/Language Arts

English Education

Mathematics Education

Science Education

Social Science Education

Certificate in Early Childhood Special Education

Infant/Toddler Developmental Specialist Certificate (Offered through the Florida Department of Health with the College of Human Sciences)

Department of Sport Management, Recreation Management and Physical Education

Physical Education

 Physical Education

 Sports Administration

Recreation and Leisure Services Administration

The College of Education offers graduate degree programs in numerous fields of study. The programs prepare students for positions in a variety of professional settings and enterprises: elementary and secondary schools, junior colleges, and universities; vocational centers; counseling service organizations; career development centers; personnel services; adult education; leisure services; athletic training; testing; evaluation and measurement; institutional research; policy studies; organizational design and development; needs assessment for systems planning; and instructional design, development, and evaluation. Each field of study allows the student to develop an individualized program of study around a core curriculum in a chosen degree program.

Most master's level and specialist degree programs require students to take a required core of courses, complete course work in an area of specialization, and complete a comprehensive examination and/or thesis. Most full-time students require one or two years to complete a master's degree program. The doctoral degree programs are designed to provide educational experiences that enable students to acquire a thorough understanding of theoretical and methodological foundations of the discipline and related areas of specialization. Upon the completion of core requirements, students take preliminary examinations to certify their mastery of the knowledge base undergirding the practice of the discipline. Students seeking the doctoral degree must demonstrate their capacity to do original, independent, and integrative scholarly research by completing a dissertation.

The College of Education houses two college-wide centers and five departmental research and service centers that provide facilities and support for research undertaken by faculty members and students. College-wide centers include the Center for Policy Studies in Education and the Center for the Study of Teaching and Learning. Departmental research and service centers are the Center for Educational Research and Evaluation Services, Center for the Study of Technology in Counseling and Career Development, the Hardee Center for Women in Higher Education, The Florida State University School, and the Institute for the Study of Higher Education. In addition to these, a University-wide center, the Learning Systems Institute, represents an interdisciplinary group of researchers in educational and experimental psychology, communications, policy studies, and management and is the nation's leading producer of instructional systems design technology for use in a variety of educational settings throughout the world. All of these research arms frequently hire graduate students from the College of Education to assist with state, federal, and international grants and to provide invaluable resources and opportunities for applied educational research.

Students considered for admission to the college must present either a 3.0 grade point average (GPA) for their junior/senior years as an undergraduate or a score of 1000 on the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE). All applicants to the college must submit a GRE score as part of the admission process. Individual departments may have additional requirements for admission. Students should consult appropriate department chapter of this Graduate Bulletin for details. The College of Education is committed to increasing the proportion of teacher candidates who have historically been underrepresented among Florida's public school teachers, and applicants representing such groups will be considered for exceptions to the general and departmental admissions criteria. Applicants that cannot produce a score of 1000 in the combined verbal and quantitative aptitude portions of the GRE must score a minimum of 400 on each section individually, per College of Education policy. Any applicant with GRE scores below 400 on either aptitude portion of the exam (and below 1000 combined) will be treated as an exception to College of Education Graduate Admissions Guidelines, and as such, will require final approval of the Academic Dean for full admission to a graduate degree program.

The College of Education offers the Master of Arts, Master of Science, Specialist in Education, Doctor of Education, and Doctor of Philosophy degrees.

Graduate program curricula in the College of Education are governed by University-wide graduate studies regulations. These serve as minimum requirements, but College of Education and/or department requirements may exceed them. The supervisory committee is responsible for evaluating the recency and validity of all prior course work. Graduate students in Education should become familiar with University, college, and department requirements soon after admission.

The progress of students through degree programs is the personal responsibility of the individual student with appropriate guidance from the major professor and supervisory committee. The Office of Academic Services, 236 Stone Building, monitors students' degree progress and checks each student's record for graduation clearance. It is the responsibility of the student to become fully aware of the regulations set forth in this Graduate Bulletin in addition to the policies and procedures of the College of Education as administered by the Office of Academic Services.

Master's Degree Program

1.  1. Admission as a regular graduate student in a degree program is required.
2.  2. The major professor and supervisory committee should be selected and approved during the first semester of enrollment. The committee must consist of a minimum of three members. All members must hold Graduate Faculty Status. Two members, including the major professor, must be from the major in which the student will receive a degree.
3.  3. The program of study should be prepared, submitted, and approved during the first semester of enrollment. The program of study must also include all courses required for the degree, i.e., master's comprehensive exams and/or thesis defense and thesis hours, if applicable.
   1.  a. A minimum of thirty-two (32) semester hours of graduate credit must be completed with a 3.0 GPA in course-type programs. Twenty-one (21) semester hours of credit in the course-type program must be taken on a letter-grade basis (A, B, C). The department may require students in course-type programs to complete more than thirty-two (32) semester hours.
   2.  b. A minimum of thirty (30) semester hours of graduate credit must be completed with a 3.0 GPA in thesis-type programs. Eighteen (18) semester hours of credit in the thesis-type program must be on a letter-grade basis.
   3.  c. Work taken more than seven years prior to graduation may not be used toward the degree.
   4.  d. Only six (6) hours of transfer credit is applicable toward the degree. No student may be awarded more than twelve (12) hours combined special student and/or prior-institution transfer credit. This rule means that a student wishing to post six (6) hours of graduate transfer credit, which has not been posted under a previous degree at that institution, can be awarded no more than six (6) hours of special student credit, to reach the aggregate maximum of twelve (12) credit hours.
   5.  e. The maximum number of 4000-level hours that may be included in the program of study is six (6) hours.
   6.  f. Students in thesis-type programs must be registered for a minimum of two (2) hours of thesis credit in the semester that their degree will be awarded unless granted a waiver by the Graduate School (Westcott) or enrolled in additional credits required by the student's program.
4.  4. Successful completion of a written comprehensive examination for course-type programs, an oral defense for thesis-type programs, or a capstone portfolio defense for some course-type programs is a graduation requirement for Education majors. Note that specific exit requirements for any individual program are set by the student's department; it is the student's responsibility to familiarize himself/herself with the capstone requirements of that major. Clearance to schedule these examinations must be obtained from the student's major professor and committee, who in turn notify the Office of Academic Services (236 Stone Building) of the examination results, in writing, no later than the 12th week of the semester. Students must have a 3.0 GPA in all graduate work to be eligible to register through the University Registrar and the department. Students also must have an approved program of study & supervisory committee form on file in the office of Academic Services before clearance will be given. Students lacking these materials will not be cleared for final term degree posting. 

Specialist Degree Program

The Specialist in Education degree is essentially an advanced master's degree. It is traditionally reserved for students with a prior graduate degree in a specific field of education. Requirements vary widely by department or program specialization.

1.  1. Admission as a regular graduate student in a degree program is required.
2.  2. The major professor and supervisory committee should be selected and approved during the first semester of enrollment. The committee must consist of a minimum of three members. All members must hold Graduate Faculty status. Two members, including the major professor, must be from the major in which the student will receive a degree.
3.  3. The program of study should be prepared, submitted, and approved during the first semester of enrollment. The program of study must also include all courses required for the degree, i.e., specialist comprehensive exam, thesis hours, and thesis defense, if applicable.
   1.  a.  A minimum of thirty (30) semester hours of graduate credit must be completed with a 3.0 GPA. Twenty-one (21) semester hours of credit in the course-type program must be taken on a letter-grade basis (A, B, C). Eighteen (18) semester hours of credit in the thesis-type program must be on a letter-grade basis. The department may require students to complete more than thirty (30) semester hours.
   2.  b. At least half of all the course work for degree must be taken from the College of Education.
   3.  c. Requirements related to extension of transfer credit, residency, recency of work, supervised research and supervised teaching, thesis requirements, and satisfactory/unsatisfactory (S/U) course option are applied to the Specialist in Education degree in the same manner as they are to the master's degree.
   4.  d. Students in thesis-type programs must be registered for a minimum of two (2) semester hours of thesis credit in the semester that their degree will be awarded unless granted a waiver by the Graduate School (Westcott) or enrolled in additional credits required by the student's program.
4.  4. Successful completion of a written comprehensive examination for course-type programs, an oral defense for thesis-type programs, or a capstone portfolio defense for some course-type programs is a graduation requirement for Education majors. Note that specific exit requirements for any individual program are set by the student's department; it is the student's responsibility to familiarize himself/herself with the capstone requirements of that major. Clearance to schedule these examinations must be obtained from the student's major professor and committee, who in turn notify the Office of Academic Services (236 Stone Building) of the examination results, in writing, no later than the 12th week of the semester. Students must have a 3.0 GPA in all graduate work to be eligible to register through the University Registrar and the department. Students also must have an approved program of study & supervisory committee form on file in the office of Academic Services before clearance will be given. Students lacking these materials will not be cleared for final term degree posting.

Doctoral Degree Programs

1.  1. Admission as a regular graduate student in a degree program is required.
2.  2. The major professor and supervisory committee should be selected and approved during the first semester of enrollment. The committee must consist of a minimum of four members. All four members must hold Graduate Faculty Status. Two members, including the major professor, must be from the program major in which the student will receive a degree. One member represents the graduate faculty at large and holds Graduate Faculty Status as an external quality control.
3.  3. Students admitted to a doctoral program (Doctor of Education or Doctor of Philosophy degree) must, before the end of the second semester, take a departmentally administered diagnostic/qualifying examination. The diagnostic/qualifying exam is designed to assess the student's suitability for pursuit of the Doctor of Education or Doctor of Philosophy degree and to facilitate counseling in the development of the student's program of study.
4.  4. The program of study should be prepared, submitted, and approved after passing the diagnostic/qualifying exam. The program of study must include all courses required for the degree, i.e., doctoral preliminary exams, dissertation hours, and dissertation defense. The program must include courses designed to meet the research tool requirements, which include basic inferential statistics and research design skills for pursuing independent inquiry. Students seeking the Doctor of Philosophy degree must disclose fulfillment of the University residency requirement on the program of study: twenty-four [24] semester hours in three consecutive semesters or 12 months. Students seeking the Doctor of Education degree have the option of completing the University residency requirement by registering for thirty (30) semester hours during a 16-month period. Twelve (12) semester hours of the residency requirements in either the Doctor of Philosophy or Doctor of Education degree must be exclusive of supervised research, supervised teaching, and/or dissertation hours.
5.  5. A written preliminary examination with oral defense of results is required. Clearance to schedule these examinations must be obtained from the student's major professor and committee, who in turn notify the Office of Academic Services (236 Stone Building) of the examination results, in writing, no later than the 12th week of the semester. Students must have a 3.0 GPA in all graduate work to be eligible to register through the University Registrar and the department. Students also must have an approved program of study & supervisory committee form on file in the office of Academic Services before clearance will be given. Students lacking these materials will not be cleared for final term degree posting. In order to be considered 'complete' for final term degree clearance, a doctoral student must have the following documents on file with the Office of Academic Services:
   1.  a.  An accurate program of study form complete with signatures of committee members and the department chair.
   2.  b.  Departmental qualifying/diagnostic examination results.
   3.  c.  Doctoral preliminary examination results and a copy of the Admission to Candidacy Form. Note that successful completion of the doctoral preliminary exam admits students to doctoral candidacy. No student may defend his or her dissertation earlier than six months from the date assigned a passing grade on the preliminary examination. The results of the preliminary examination must be submitted to the Office of Academic Services upon completion, not later than the 12th week of the semester. Students wishing to have DIS credits converted to dissertation hours retroactively upon passing the preliminary exam must have taken and passed the test prior to the end of the 8th week of the semester or DIS credits cannot be converted. Under no circumstance will a retroactive conversion of more than 9 credits be approved.
   4.  d.  A committee-approved dissertation prospectus topic; 2 original, signed prospectus signature pages with cover page; prospectus defense results form (not all programs require prospectus defense; consult your major professor); and, an electronic copy (on compact disc) of at least the first three dissertation chapters.
   5.  e.  Dissertation defense results signed by all committee members and department chair.
   6.  f.  A copy of the Final Term Degree Clearance form signed by the major professor and chair, stamped "PAID" by the University Cashier, and approved by the Academic Dean.
6.  6. A prospectus of the dissertation must be submitted to the department chair after passing the preliminary examination. It must be approved by the Academic Dean at least four months prior to the defense of the dissertation.
7.  7. Students must register for a minimum of two (2) hours of dissertation credit in each semester that work is in progress on the dissertation. Not less than twenty-four (24) hours of dissertation credit must be included in the degree program. Dissertation credits may not be taken until the student is formally admitted to candidacy.
8.  8. Students must register for a minimum of two (2) semester hours of dissertation credit in the semester their degree will be awarded.

Director: Neil Franks

The Office of Academic Services provides a wide array of professional and administrative services to students and faculty in the college and throughout the University. Under the direction of the Associate Dean, Academic Services has been tasked with (1) processing applications for admission and readmission to the College of Education; (2) maintaining the Dean's academic records for all students pursuing degrees in Education; (3) monitoring students' progress toward degree; (4) screening and approving students for admission to Teacher Education; (5) conducting required graduation clearances and approving students for teacher certification; and, (6) providing consultative and administrative services for the students and faculty of the College.

Inventory of State-Approved Programs

The Florida State University teacher education programs have been designed to address the importance of democratic values and institutions, the contributions of various ethnic groups to society and to stress character development, which encourages appreciation of diversity in a pluralistic society. Students planning to complete a teacher education program at The Florida State University must meet all the conditions listed below to be eligible for degree conferral.

The following College of Education graduate programs have been approved by the Florida Department of Education (DOE) as Advanced Initial Certification Teacher Preparation Programs:

• Exceptional Student Education/ESOL, DOE Certification Area 430, K–12/Endorsement
• Elementary Education/ESOL, DOE Certification Area 444, K–6/Endorsement
• Early Childhood Education, DOE Certification Area 371, Age 3–Grade 3
• Reading Education/Language Arts, DOE Certification Area 212, K–12
• Visual Disabilities, DOE Certification Area 333, K–12
• Physical Education, DOE Certification Area 424, K–12
• Science Education (Bio/Chem/Earth/Phys), DOE Certification Areas 288/289/302/291, Grades 6–12
• Science Education (Middle Grades), DOE Certification Area 307, Grades 5–9
• Social Science Education, DOE Certification Area 377, Grades 5–9/6–12

The following out-of-unit graduate programs (by College) have been approved by the DOE as Advanced Initial Certification Teacher Preparation Programs:

• Art Education (Visual Arts, Theatre & Dance), DOE Certification Area 114, K–12
• Music Education (Music), DOE Certification Area 202, K–12
• Science Teaching (Bio/Chem/Phys) (Arts & Sciences), DOE Certification Areas 490/492/491, Grades 6–12

The following Florida State University graduate programs (by College) have been approved by the DOE as Other School Personnel Preparation Programs, leading to initial certification at the cited degree level:

• Master's in Communication Sciences and Disorders (Communication), DOE Certification Area 332, K–12
• Master's in Educational Media Specialist (Information), DOE Certification Area 324, PK–12
• Master's in Educational Leadership Administration (Education), DOE Certification Area 285, K–12 Leadership
• Specialist In School Psychology (Education), DOE Certification Area 330, PK–12

Criteria for Admission and Application to an Educator Preparation Program

1.  1. Achievement a score of 1000 on the combined aptitude portions of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), or, have passed all four sections of the Florida Teacher Certification Exam, General Knowledge Test;
2.  2. Have earned a baccalaureate degree from a regionally-accredited institution;
3.  3. Complete an application for Admission to an Educator Preparation Program (Graduate) in the Office of Academic Services, 236 Stone Building. Note: This application is distinct from admission to the College or a specific program;.
4.  4. Approval of the respective department in accordance with departmental criteria; and,
5.  5. Approval of the Office of Academic Services.

The educator preparation admissions standard for state-approved programs is subject to revision based on changes in Section 1004.04, Florida Statutes, Public Accountability and State Approval for Educator Preparation Programs, and State Board of Education Rule 6A-5.066, Approval of Educator Preparation Programs.

Subject Area Specialization/Professional Education/Clinical Experience Curricula

1.  1. At least thirty (30) semester hours completed in the subject specialization area as determined by the student's program;
2.  2. Professional education coursework to include (a) the acquisition of reading literacy for the appropriate certification level; (b) integrated classroom management, school safety, professional ethics and educational law; (c) human development and learning; and, (d) assessment to include understanding the content measured by state achievement tests, reading and interpreting data, and using data to improve student achievement;
3.  3. A series of clinical experiences in diverse settings throughout the program that culminates with a full-time student teaching experience of at least 10 weeks duration in an approved setting.

Note: Students should consult with a program adviser for specific course requirements.

Continuation and Graduation Requirements of a Teacher Education Program

Students must meet the following requirements to continue and graduate from a teacher education program:

1.  1. Maintain an overall GPA of 3.0 or above in all course work (some programs may require a higher GPA);
2.  2. Complete standards and specific course work requirements set by the program;
3.  3. Meet all University graduation requirements, including requirements mentioned above under 'Planning Guide to Teacher Education Programs';
4.  4. Achieve a passing score on each of the General Knowledge Test, the Professional Skills Test, and Subject Area Test on the Florida Teacher Certification Exam (FTCE) prior to completion of program requirements;
5.  5. Successfully complete the student teaching experience;
6.  6. Receive verification from the appropriate academic program of successful demonstration of the Educator Accomplished Practices at the pre-professional level, which includes the knowledge, skills and dispositions necessary to help all students learn; and
7.  7. Obtain final approval of the appropriate academic program and the Office of Academic Services.

Recommendation for a Teaching Certificate

Upon completion of an approved teacher education program and conferral of the degree from The Florida State University, students are eligible to receive a recommendation for a standard teaching certificate.

Placement Supervisor: Patrick Malone

The Office of Intern Support is responsible for the assignment of students to student teaching experiences. The office works with teacher education programs in the University and the public schools of Florida in the organization of student teaching centers and the selection of professional educators for intern supervision. Faculty members work with these supervising teachers and student teachers in planning and carrying out the final-term internship. The Office of Intern Support, 236 Stone Building (combined with the Office of Academic Services), is responsible for the final identification and screening of all students who make application for student teaching.

Students are assigned for the student teaching experience in those counties listed below as space, contract obligations, and the availability of a suitable supervising teacher dictate. Academic programs may, at their discretion, establish a minimum group size of two or greater and restrict placement to particular counties among those identified. Exceptions to this policy will be made only through successful appeal on the part of a student to the University Student Teaching Appeals Committee. Student teachers representing initial certification programs in Communication, Information, Visual Arts, Music, Arts & Sciences, and Human Sciences will also be concentrated in those counties listed but may be placed in additional locations should program certification requirements so dictate.

Placement Locations

Area I—Gadsden, Jefferson, Leon, Madison, Taylor, and Wakulla counties;

Area II—Bay, Calhoun, Gulf, Jackson, Liberty, Okaloosa, Walton, and Washington counties;

Area III—Brevard, Orange, Seminole, and Volusia counties;

Area IV—Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, and Sarasota counties; and

Area V—Broward, Dade, and Palm Beach counties.

Other areas as determined by the University Director of Teacher Education.

Academic programs are expected to inform their students of departmental placement policies well in advance of the semester of student teaching so that students may have the opportunity to plan appropriately. Also note that final term placement is conditional on fulfillment of all relevant program requirements, including passage of all required sections of the Florida Teacher Certification Exam (FTCE). Candidates should plan to sit for the Subject Area and Professional Educator portions of the FTCE no later than 30 days prior to making application for student teaching to allow time for receipt of score reports from the test administrator.

Applications for Student Teaching must be submitted to the Office of Intern Support (236 Stone) on the following timetable:

Applicants are specifically not guaranteed assignment to their home county nor to the immediate and general vicinity of the campus. Submission of an application by a candidate constitutes an agreement to accept assignment in the school and county where it is determined that the candidate's academic program objectives for student teaching can best be achieved.

A candidate is expected to meet professional standards as expressed in the pertinent school laws of the state of Florida. Candidates are also informed that, consistent with applicable law, information pertaining to all matters of public record, such as arrest and/or convictions in a court of law, may be routinely furnished to public schools as well as prospective employers.

Criteria for Admission to Student Teaching

The following criteria must be fulfilled prior to placement for student teaching:

1.  1. Admission to Teacher Education outlined above under 'Criteria for Admission and Application to Teacher Education Program;'
2.  2. Completion of at least one semester in residence at The Florida State University;
3.  3. Successful completion of Subject Area specialization and Professional Education coursework outlined under 'Subject Area Specialization/Professional Education/Clinical Experience Curricula;'
4.  4. Completion of departmental requirements in computer literacy;
5.  5. An overall GPA of 3.0 in all graduate program coursework (a higher GPA may be required by some academic programs for particular core courses); and,
6.  6. Successful completion of pre-internship clinical experience requirements as set by the program or the University.