Department of Educational, Multicultural, and Exceptional Studies
Interim Department Chair
(601) 979-1164
Faculty of Department
D. Myrie, T. Otieno, D. Williams. A. Yeboah-Ohwofasa,
Introduction/Mission
The mission of the Department of Educational, Multicultural, and Exceptional Studies is to provide academic and professional training that leads to licensure in Special Education, Social Studies Education, and alternate route Teacher Education. The department develops candidates who are committed to becoming responsive educational leaders, researchers, and advocates, who embody the content knowledge expertise, pedagogical skills, and professional dispositions to educate diverse populations of students. The Educational, Multicultural, and Exceptional Studies Department includes academic programs that offer undergraduate degrees in Social Science Education (licensure), Social Science with a concentration in Ethnic Studies (non-licensure), Special Education (licensure), and Special Education with a concentration in Disability Studies (non-licensure).
Objectives
The objectives for undergraduate programs in the Department of Educational, Multicultural, and Exceptional Studies are:
- To support teacher candidates as they become responsive educational leaders, researchers, and advocates;
- To provide updated curricula that embodies the content knowledge expertise and pedagogical skills needed for the 21st century classroom educator;
- To foster an intellectual environment that is conducive to developing dispositions that are necessary to educate a diverse population of students.
Accreditation
The academic programs within the EMES Department are accredited by the following agencies:
- Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP)
- Council for Exceptional Children (CEC)
- National Council for Social Studies (NCSS)
The teacher preparation programs within the EMES Department are approved by the Mississippi Department of Education.
Admission Criteria and Other Requirements/Offerings
All Social Science Education and Special Education majors enrolled in teacher preparation programs (educator licensure/certification programs) must:
- Complete a two-semester clinical experience for student teaching. This clinical experience will not increase the number of required completion hours (121-124 hours (about 5 days) for graduation.
- Have a grade point average of 2.75 or higher to be admitted to the Center for Teacher Quality--the academic program through which the educator licensure is obtained. For additional information please see the JSU Center for Teacher Quality.
- Complete all Teacher Certification Tests (Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators, Principles of Learning and Teaching, Praxis II-Content Knowledge) to enroll for selected restricted courses. (Refer to the Approved Curriculum Map)
- Not enroll in EDCI 401 Unit Planning, Assessment, and Classroom Management and EDCI 402 CLINICAL INTERNSHIP IN STD TCH during the same semester.
- Submit to a criminal background check prior to receiving a clinical internship placement for student teaching. The fee associated with this screening is the responsibility of the teacher candidate.
- Special Education majors have the following additional requirement: Pass a Departmental Undergraduate Comprehensive Examination (Contact Faculty Mentor).
Course Descriptions
A study of organizational structures, programmatic procedures, policies, resources, and guidelines essential to the delivery of educational services for exceptional children.
Emphasis will be placed on current techniques, educational strategies and tools that will aid the teacher in understanding and handling behavior problems in the classroom.
A study of definitions, classifications, characteristics, educational programs and problems of exceptional children.
This course is an investigation of strategies for developing vocational/career education and employment opportunities for students with disabilities.
This course is a study of definitions, classifications, characteristics, evaluations, diagnosis, and treatments of medical conditions of children or youth with exceptionalities.
This course is a continuation of the practical learning experiences engaged in during the EDCI 302 course, but in a more intensified and concrete manner. These experiences occur in an off-campus school and community situations for twelve weeks where opportunity is given to the student teacher to test theories of teaching and learning, to initiate and test idea with children. With guidance and supervision, the student teacher is also given the opportunity to develop the ability, initiative and responsibility for planning, guiding and evaluating the total program of the children with whom he/she is working.
This course provides hands-on demonstration of technology and software that facilitates new ways of teaching and learning for individuals with disabilities.
This course is an overview of the three traditional handicapped groups: learning disabled, mildly (educable) mentally retarded, and mildly behaviorally disordered.
Investigation of instruments and procedures in assessing exceptional children; their interpretation, usefulness, and limitation in diagnosing problems and planning educational programs.
Deals with the medical and behavioral classifications, characteristics, interaction of biological, emotional and social factors, educational philosophy, objectives and programs for the mentally retarded.
Survey of the historical development of learning disabilities, problems of definition and classification, screening and diagnosis, and instructional systems.
Characteristics, causes and problems of emotional disturbance in children and youth; diagnosis, and placement and in-depth study of educational programs.
Emphasizes fundamental skills of sign language used by deaf individuals in communicative process.
Emphasizes the interpretation of English language into sign language and presents colloquialisms that are prevalent in informal conversational situations among deaf people.
Current problems, trends, and issues in the field of the mildly/moderately handicapped.
This course examines the cultural traits of blacks, conflicts of blacks and whites, and the status of blacks in America. (F, S, Sum)
The course examines the basic domestic, educational and religious institutions, relying heavily on the interdisciplinary approach. (F, S, Sum)
This course examines the basic economic institutions, relying heavily on the interdisciplinary approach. (F)
This course is concerned primarily with selected historical facts and philosophical ideas, which have influenced the development of modern education. (F, S, Sum)
This course examines cultural traits of Native Americans and Hispanic Americans, their conflicts with white people, and their status in the United States of America. (F, S, Sum)
This course examines the cultural traits of Jewish and Asian Americans, their conflicts with white people, and their status in the United States of America. (S)
This course examines laws and court decisions affecting the rights, responsibilities, conditions and expectations of public school teachers and the students and districts which they serve. (F, S)
The course is designed to involve Jackson State University in an examination and study of relevant futurist issues. The content for this course will be explored using an interdisciplinary approach. (F, S, Sum)
This course focuses on the evaluation and development of ethnic studies curriculum materials. (S)
Exposure to the methods of developing objectives, carrying out strategies and evaluating social studies teaching, learning and interactions are focuses of this course. (F, S)
In this course, students are placed with educational institutions where they practice what they have learned and get on-the-job experience. (S)
Contemporary issues and problems are analyzed by means of student research papers and project reports. Standardized examinations and job application techniques are also explored. (F)