Jun 26, 2024  
2024-2025 Graduate Catalog 
    
2024-2025 Graduate Catalog

College of Education- Master’s level


Dr. Julie Fernandez, Dean of the College of Education
Dr. Kari Siko Walters, Assistant Dean of the College of Education
Dr. Krista Allison, Chair of the EdD Program
Mrs. Susan Gresh, Executive Assistant to the Dean

Graduate Faculty: Dr. Krista Allison, Dr. Amanda Butler, Dr. Robert Doan, Dr. Julie Fernandez, Dr. Robin K. Franklin, Dr. Kelley Green, Dr. Tonya Houston, Dr. Jacquelynn Pleis, Dr. Kari Siko Walters, Dr. Kathy Sobolewski, Dr. Jennifer Zakrzewski.

The Offices of the Dean of the College of Education and Coordinators of the Graduate programs are located in H. C. Wingo Hall Building 104 in Suite 201.

Vision and Mission for the College of Education

The vision of the College of Education is to prepare and sustain the development of candidates who are called to serve as competent, caring educators and leaders committed to academic excellence. Candidates who are called to the education profession accept the ethical responsibility to practice and model integrity and Christian values in creating safe and effective learning environments for all students. Competent educators learn continuously and systematically to demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to create and manage supportive learning environments that increase student learning. Caring educators who are taught to see the connections between their daily work and Christian faith serve sensitively and effectively in their roles as educators. They intentionally view their lives as a form of Christian service and strive to provide the best environments to meet the diverse needs of all students and the broader educational community. Educators committed to student success advocate for children— learning, leading, and serving in ways that support the entire educational community in its pursuit of quality education and increased learning for all.

The mission of the College of Education is to prepare, inspire, and empower exemplary practitioners who integrate the Christian faith in diverse environments. We strive to be a College of Education where faculty, staff, and students are engaged in significant collaborative work and ongoing involvement and service in the public schools to improve education. We seek to inspire educators to value learning as well as the learner as they serve as teachers and leaders in culturally diverse learning environments.    We encourage candidates to see the connections between their daily work and Christian faith so that they will not only have the content knowledge, skills, and dispositions that they need to be successful in a career but also they will be able to view their whole lives as a form of ministry.   Professional education courses, clinical settings, content specialty courses, and other extracurricular candidate experiences reinforce the COE mission. Our mission is fulfilled through our graduate programs:  Master of Education in Elementary Administration and Supervision, Master of Education in Secondary Administration and Supervision, Master of Education in Elementary & Secondary Administration and Supervision, Master of Education in Physical Education and Sports Coaching, and the Doctorate in Education.

Master of Education (M.Ed.)

Levels of Instruction

  1. Master of Education courses are numbered at the 600 level.
  2. Some graduate/undergraduate courses are numbered at the 500 level. Graduate students must perform at a substantially higher level to receive graduate credits. This higher performance will normally involve advanced rigor in application and research activities representative of advanced standards and approved and supervised by the faculty member concerned. Special examination procedures will be employed for graduate students enrolled in such courses.
  3. A candidate may not receive graduate credit for a 500-level course if he/she has taken the course as an undergraduate.
  4. At least half of the courses counted toward the degree must be earned at the 600 level or higher.
  5. Undergraduate (300 and 400) level courses may be required of students with a deficiency of background. Such courses cannot be counted toward the master’s degree.

Additional Online Course Fees

No additional charges, such as lab, proctoring, or technology fees, are associated with graduate education online courses.

Admission Requirements Applicable to all Master of Education (M.ED.) Programs

Each applicant for admission, except the non-degree student, must file with Graduate Admissions a complete dossier consisting of the following:

  1. Submit completed online application to the Graduate Office
  2. Submit supporting documents: Baccalaureate degree from an institution approved by a regional accrediting agency and a valid SC Teaching Certificate (except for M.Ed. in Physical Education & Sports Coaching).
  3. Provide two graduate recommendation forms from current or former supervisors.
  4. Provide proof of a GPA of at least 2.75 for the last two years of undergraduate study and/or a 3.0 GPA of graduate study (if applicable)
  5. Submit official transcripts from ALL institutions where undergraduate and/or graduate courses have been taken. (Official transcripts are those mailed from the school or college directly to the Graduate Office)
  6. Submit a writing sample with provided topic located on the M.Ed. website.
  7. Complete a disposition belief survey located on the M.Ed. website. (only admission degree candidates)

Provisional Admission of Graduate Candidates

Admission as a provisional graduate candidate may be granted when the candidate has not met the regular admission requirements before the term the candidate desires to begin classes.  Provisional graduate candidates can take no more than nine (9) credit hours. A candidate must gain regular admission into a master’s program before being permitted to continue taking graduate courses.  Financial Aid is not available to provisional candidates.

Non-degree Admission of Graduate Candidates

Admission as a non-degree graduate candidate may be granted when the candidate has a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution and meets one of the following: 

  1. The candidate does not desire to work toward a graduate degree, or
  2. The candidate is enrolled in another university and desires to obtain credit to be transferred to the graduate school in which he or she is seeking a degree.

Program for Alternative Certification (PACE) candidates are allowed to take up to nine (9) credit hours.  Financial Aid is not available to non-degree candidates.

  • Regulations Governing Nondegree Graduate Candidates: A non-degree candidate must present a transcript showing a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution or present a valid teacher’s certificate. Even though a nondegree graduate candidate has been admitted to the University, he or she has not been admitted to any department or to any degree program. No more than twelve (12) credit hours earned while classified as a non-degree graduate candidate at Charleston Southern University will be accepted toward a master’s degree. A candidate must gain formal admission into a master’s program before being permitted to continue taking graduate courses. Financial Aid is not available to non-degree students. 

Transfer Credits

Graduate credits earned can be applied to the master’s program only if all the following criteria are met:

1. The credits were earned at an accredited college or university
2. Completed in the past ten years
3. Passed with a grade of “B” or better
4. No coursework evaluated by “pass/fail” grades will be accepted. No professional development courses will be accepted.
5. Approved by the Coordinator of the M.Ed. program and are applicable to the student’s degree program

A maximum of 6 hours will be accepted for transfer credit from CSU or other accredited institutions for those seeking a Master of Education in Sports Coaching. A maximum of 9 hours will be accepted for transfer credit from CSU or other accredited institutions for those seeking a Master of Education in Administration and Supervision. These credits may include master’s, specialist, or doctoral level coursework.  

Courses at Other Institutions

A candidate desiring to take a graduate course at another regionally accredited institution must secure permission to do so in advance from the Coordinator of the M.Ed. Program. 

Candidate Progress

Each candidate admitted to the program is assigned an advisor, meets with the Coordinator of the M.Ed. program, and attends an orientation session. Before registration, the candidate must obtain his or her advisor’s course approvals. Beginning with the first course of a candidate’s program, each candidate must purchase a personal account and participate in Charleston Southern University College of Education’s data management system (LiveText) through course assignments and responsibilities.

Satisfactory Progress

The candidate must maintain an overall 3.0 GPA on courses.

GPA Expectation

A candidate must maintain a GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. If the GPA falls below 3.00, it must be raised to the required GPA in the next semester, or the candidate will be ineligible to continue in the program. The GPA is calculated only on work at Charleston Southern University. A candidate cannot earn more than one grade below a “B” in their program of study.  If a candidate earns more than one grade below a “B” at the master’s level, the candidate’s record will be reviewed by the Coordinator of the Master’s Program. The candidate may be required to withdraw from the program.

Any candidate who is ineligible to continue in or withdraw from a program may reapply in an area outside of education. A candidate, who is dropped from or withdraws from a program but wishes to continue taking classes, must state in writing that he or she understands that the work will not be applied toward a degree.

Failing Grades

If an M.Ed. candidate earns a grade of “F” in a graduate course, the course must be retaken at Charleston Southern University and passed with a grade of “B” or better before any additional coursework may be attempted to continue at CSU.

After earning one “F,” regardless of the GPA, the candidate is notified that he or she is on academic probation and that a subsequent grade of “C” or “F” will result in expulsion from the program.

Grade appeals may be initiated by the candidate in writing to the College of Education.

Attendance

  1. The candidate is responsible for all course work including electronic submissions and requirements;
  2. The candidate is obligated to attend classes regularly and punctually, consistent with the Graduate College of Education policy that states: if a student misses 2 classes (in a traditional semester) and 1 course (summer or 7-week course), they would need to meet directly with the Coordinator to discuss the attendance plan moving forward.
  3. The candidate is expected to carry out all assignments promptly.

Validation of Credits

All credits earned at Charleston Southern University or accepted by transfer will remain valid if the master’s degree is completed within six (6) calendar years from the time of the candidate’s first course applied toward the degree.

Graduation Requirements for all M.Ed. programs

The candidate must have satisfactorily completed all College of Education and university requirements, including an overall 3.00 GPA and a “B” or better in the capstone course. All candidates must apply for graduation in the Office of the Registrar by the deadline dates published in the Academic Calendar.  

Programs of Study