Complete courses and field experiences in Early Childhood, Reading, Bilingual, ESL, Special Education and Elementary or Middle Level Education.

Complete Literacy and Content Methods blocks, pass TExES content and pedagogy certification exams, complete student teaching and graduate.

Each cohort will engage in four semesters of field experience aligned to standards and coursework. Field experiences will be progressive, beginning with one day a week in the field, then two, then three, and finally five days a week.

All teacher candidates will be placed in cohorts. Throughout the semester, each cohort will be placed in urban, suburban and rural small and large school settings. All candidates will have opportunities in the field in Title I schools and will work with diverse student populations.

A collaborative effort has been made to match highly qualified mentor teachers with teacher candidates in this program. University faculty site coordinators meet with district administration and campus principals during the matching process. In addition, the university offers coaching professional development to all mentor teachers four times during the year. Collaborating with district partners on matching mentor teachers with clinical teachers is a primary goal of this program.

Each year, the SHSU College of Education hosts Bring 'em Back Kats, a day of professional development and celebration of the successes of our SHSU Bearkat teachers. Faculty from the College facilitate an engaging day that brings recent alumni  together to hear their successes and provide support where there are opportunities for professional growth. This day is an example of the ongoing relationships and the dedication to lifelong learning by both Bearkat faculty as well as graduates.

Candidates are provided 600-720 hours of field experience, including clinical teaching, that is aligned to coursework, state and national standards and best practices in pedagogy. Data, from multiple sources, is used to make program and course improvements. Students have multiple ways to communicate while in the program. First, they evaluate the professor and program for every course taught in education. Also, open forums are provided usually once or twice a year for students to ask questions and provide feedback. Their capstone portfolio includes a reflection of the quality of their preparation.