College of Education and Human Development

Dr. Donna Ploessl, Dean
Wills Hall 
(205) 665-6360
dploessl@montevallo.edu
www.montevallo.edu/college-of-education/

Departments

• Health and Human Sciences    
• Teaching, Leadership, & Technology    

Mission

The mission of the College of Education and Human Development is to prepare highly skilled, knowledgeable, and continually developing undergraduate and graduate candidates who make informed decisions, use current evidence and research-based practices, and promote healthy and equitable communities through careers in counseling, exercise and nutrition science, family and consumer science, leadership, teaching, and technology.

Vision

The College of Education and Human Development at the University of Montevallo will seek continuous improvement opportunities to build on our solid reputation of educating outstanding students in Counseling, Exercise & Nutrition Science, Family & Consumer Sciences, Teaching, Leadership, and Technology. The College will continue to offer meaningful immersion of a liberal arts education in every strand of the programs. The College will be known as caring, collaborative, and conscientious leaders in the world of education and human development.

Values

At the University of Montevallo, the College of Education and Human Development values the following:

• Academic excellence and commitment to providing meaningful and practical learning experiences with educated, experienced, and committed faculty and staff.
• The commitment to attain and maintain national accreditation to further honor various licensures and certifications in a multitude of professions.
• Engaged professional development, service, and access to research opportunities in rigorous and rich environments.
• Fostering reflective ideas and opportunities related to diversity, equity, inclusivity, and social justice.
• Collaboration and community partnerships to promote multiple perspectives while working toward common goals. 

Goals

Four broad goals guide the College of Education and Human Development in positively impacting student performance, enhancing the quality of programs, and improving the efficiency of operations. The goals are to model and promote the use of emerging technology resources, to acknowledge and address the diversity of students, faculty, staff, curriculum, and field or clinical placements, to collaborate with public schools and other community agencies to positively impact P-12 student learning and client development, and to encourage the use and development of best practices in specific fields of study.

Accreditation

The College is a member of the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education and is accredited by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE)/Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). All programs that lead to teacher certification are approved by the Alabama State Board of Education. The Family and Consumer Sciences program is accredited by the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (AAFCS) and the dietetics program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND). All three Counseling program tracks are accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).

General Education

All students seeking an undergraduate degree at UM must complete a core General Education curriculum that includes courses in English, history, mathematics, the natural sciences, social sciences, fine arts, oral and written communication, and personal development.

The minimum requirements can be found in the General Education Credit Hour Requirements section of the Undergraduate Academic Policies section in this Bulletin.

Degree Programs

The College of Education and Human Development offers Bachelor of Science and/or Bachelor of Arts degree programs in the following areas/grade levels:

• Early Childhood Education (P-3)
• Education of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (P-12)
• Elementary Education (K-6)
• Elementary Education with Collaborative (Special Education) (K-6)
• Family & Consumer Sciences
  • FCS Education (6-12)
  • General
  • Hospitality and Tourism
  • Human Development and Family Studies
  • Retail Merchandising
• Exercise and Nutrition Science
  • Allied Health
  • Health Promotion
  • Nutrition and Wellness/Dietetics
  • Strength and Conditioning

Teacher Education Program (TEP) Requirements

I. Admission

Students must be formally admitted to the TEP. Applications are available through the Office of Teacher Education Services. Criteria for admission include:

• Successful completion of at least 50 credit hours with a minimum grade of C in each course, including at least 40 hours (24 hours for MUS) with a minimum grade of C in each course in General Education.
• Minimum overall GPA of 2.75 as well as 2.75 in all applicable teaching-field courses, and 2.75 in all professional education courses.
• Minimum grade of C in communications and English composition courses. (Also, monitored for retention in the TEP).
• Minimum grade of C in Introduction to Teaching (ED 401 , 402 , or MUS 101 ). This course may be repeated once and only at Montevallo.
• Passing score on team interview. Speaking skills and knowledge and abilities based on previous coursework will be among the attributes assessed in the interview. Students have a maximum of three attempts to pass the interview. Guidelines for interviews are located in the Teacher Education Program Handbook and can be obtained from the Office of Teacher Education Services.
• Passing score on the basic skills (math, reading, and writing) exams.
• Documentation of clear criminal background check conducted through the Alabama State Department of Education.

The Teacher Education Program Handbook, published annually by the Office of Teacher Education Services, describes more specifically the current TEP admission requirements.

II. Retention

Advising is essential for successful completion of the TEP. Variation from the planned program of study created with an advisor could result in failure to be recommended for certification. Regular consultation with an advisor is needed so that students can be apprised of program revisions that result from mandated changes in State certification requirements. Study in the TEP is limited to four years. Requests for extensions of this time limit must be approved by the Dean of the College and could necessitate completion of additional coursework or other requirements.

A minimum overall grade point average (GPA) of 2.75 as well as 2.75 in all applicable teaching-field courses, and 2.75 in all professional education courses must be maintained while studying in the TEP. All professional education and teaching-field courses must be completed with a minimum grade of C and may be repeated once and only at Montevallo.

The College, in cooperation with area school systems, has developed a comprehensive program of pre-internship field and clinical experiences in a variety of school settings. These experiences require extensive involvement in schools outside of class. Transportation is the responsibility of the student.

Successful completion of all field and clinical experience requirements, program key assessments, and professional dispositions assessments is necessary for retention in the TEP. The Teacher Education Program Handbook, published annually by the Office of Teacher Education Services, describes more specifically the current TEP retention requirements.

III. Internship

The successful completion of a full semester, full-time internship is required for State certification. Applications are available through the Office of Teacher Education Services. Criteria for the internship include:

• A minimum overall GPA of 2.75 as well as 2.75 in all applicable teaching-field courses, and 2.75 in all professional education courses must be maintained while studying in the TEP.
• All professional education and teaching-field courses must be completed with a minimum grade of C, and may be repeated once and only at Montevallo.
• Successful completion of all pre-internship field and clinical experience requirements, program key assessments, and professional dispositions assessments.
• Passing score on required Praxis II examinations.
• Participation in the Internship seminars.

The Teacher Education Program Handbook, published annually by the Office of Teacher Education Services, describes more specifically the current TEP internship requirements.

All internships will be completed in one semester. The University’s incomplete policy will be strictly adhered to in cases where internships are not completed. The Internship Handbook, published annually by the Office of Teacher Education Services, describes more specifically the current TEP internship policies.

IV. Certification

Upon completion of the TEP, a bachelor’s degree in an approved program, a minimum GPA of 2.75 in all areas (overall, teaching field, and professional education), a minimum grade of C in each course, and a passing score on the comprehensive exam and/or portfolio are required.

Eligible candidates may be recommended for Class B certification in the State of Alabama. Candidates must complete an application for Alabama Teacher Certification. Instructions for completing the certification form are available through the Office of Teacher Education Services.  The appropriate fees (money order or cashier’s check made payable to the Alabama State Department of Education) must be submitted with the application for certification. The application for certification, fee payment, and the candidate’s transcript are forwarded to the State Department of Education. The University cannot recommend any candidate for certification that has not satisfied all Alabama and UM requirements for admission to and completion of an approved program. Students have five years after their program completion date to apply for certification.

For certification in two teaching fields at one level, it is necessary to complete the requirements of each teaching field, the appropriate professional studies courses, and a full semester, full-time internship in each teaching field.

Student Responsibilities

While the University provides an academic advisor to assist students with meeting academic requirements and planning their curriculum and courses, it is ultimately the students’ primary responsibility to know the requirements for their degree, acquire current information about their academic status, and choose their curriculum and individual courses accordingly. By registering for classes, students certify that they have independently determined that the courses chosen are appropriate to meet their academic goals.

The requirements for licenses, certifications, or similar credentials (e.g. teaching certificates, etc.) issued by the government or other organizations and agencies change frequently, and students are responsible for monitoring those requirements for any changes, planning their course work accordingly, and making proper application for the credential. While the University endeavors to provide courses that qualify students to receive credentials and to keep students informed of any changes in requirements for credentials, it is ultimately the student’s responsibility to monitor the requirements to ensure that their academic program meets the applicable criteria. The University has no control over the criteria for credentials issued by outside organizations and cannot guarantee that a student will receive a credential based upon coursework completed at the University.