When school districts search for new teachers, they often look to Central Methodist University because of the reputation it holds for graduating excellent educators. After all, it’s something Central has done since it was founded more than 160 years ago.
That inclination will soon increase as CMU has now enabled Missouri students in elementary education and early childhood education to finish most of their education degree programs online. When successfully completed, the students will graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Education from Central.
Missouri students who meet all of the normal requirements to enter the program are eligible to finish their coursework online, regardless of where in Missouri they live, noted CMU Provost Dr. Rita Gulstad.
“The program is exactly the same as the normal process at the campus in Fayette,” said Gulstad. “However, the delivery system is different.”
To enter the program, a student must have graduated from one of CMU’s partner colleges in Missouri with an Associate of Arts in Teaching, which is offered at all of Central’s partner colleges in the state. That degree typically takes a student two years to complete.
The delivery system of the online education program consists of multiple formats. It includes traditional asynchronous online classes, which can be taken at each student’s time discretion. It also includes synchronous instruction, known as electronic collaborative classrooms that occur at specific times and operate through interactive desktop video conferencing. In those classes, all students meet together.
The final method of delivery is live via a one-on-one interaction between a supervising teacher and a student in a methods class and practicum; and those two people plus the collaborative teacher during the final student teaching experience. Central’s instructor makes every effort for students to take their methods class and the practicum and student teaching experiences in a location close to their home towns.
Finishing the Bachelor of Science in Education with this specific program will take students an additional two or two-and-a-half years. Their degrees will enable them to teach early childhood or elementary education anywhere in the state of Missouri.
After successfully attaining their BSE degrees, Central students can begin their teaching careers or opt to go directly into CMU Master of Education degrees. The requirements for that degree include 50% online course work and 50% in classes at one of CMU’s partner colleges that offers the MSE degree.