Application Deadlines
Deadline dates for applications and receipt of all required application materials are:
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| July 1 | Fall Admission |
| November 1 | Spring Admission |
| April 1 | Summer Admission |
Any exceptions to these deadlines must be granted by the graduate program chair.
Application Materials Required for the MSE in Library Media P-12
Applicants for a master’s degree education program must submit all of the following documentation to Graduate Admissions to be considered for admission:
Graduate Admissions
Jacksonville State University
700 Pelham Road North
Jacksonville, Alabama, 36265-1602
- Completed JSU Graduate Application for Admission.
- Non-refundable $35.00 application processing fee.
- Official transcripts from all colleges/universities with degrees posted. To be considered for admission, applicants must hold a degree from an institutionally accredited institution or its foreign equivalent. (Students who have previously attended JSU do not need to request a transcript from the university.)
- Valid Bachelor’s-level professional educator certificate in any area of education. All certificate(s) must be valid throughout the program and at graduation.
- Background check1. Any candidate applying for admission to a state approved teacher education program shall be required to be fingerprinted for a criminal history background check through the Alabama State Department of Education to the Alabama Bureau of Investigation (ABI) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Instructions for completing the background process can be found here.
- Applicants must have completed two full years of full-time acceptable P-12 professional educational work experience prior to unconditional admission to the program and will document their educational experience on the state-approved Supplemental EXP Form. Applicants should contact their superintendent’s office/central office for completion of this form.
- Professional resume.
- Statement of Goals: Summary (typed, one page, double-spaced) of the applicant’s reasons for pursuing the program.
- Letter of Expectations: Summary (typed, one-page, double-spaced) of what the applicant expects is required for this master’s program.
-
Copy of applicant’s most recent performance appraisal.
- Three Graduate Reference Forms completed by individuals who can provide qualitative assessment of the applicant’s potential for success in graduate coursework. Reference forms will be submitted electronically. Instructions for submission will be sent through email to the applicant upon submission of the online graduate application.
- International student applicants must see the International Student Applicants section of this catalog for other application and enrollment requirements.
- Applicants whose packages are complete will be contacted to schedule an appointment for a writing sample and an interview with faculty members of the program.
- Through the professional resume, statement of goals, letter of expectations, performance appraisal, graduate reference forms, writing sample, and/or interview portfolio, applicants must present evidence of ability to improve student achievement.
| 1 | If the candidate holds a valid Alabama professional educator certificate and has already completed a background check through that process, another background check will not be required. |
Admission Requirements for the MSE in Library Media P-12
Applicants are admitted on a selective basis upon review of the completed application package.
Minimum Requirements for the MSE in Library Media P-12
An overall 3.25 GPA is required on all coursework attempted for the master’s degree. Transfer credit cannot be used to raise the GPA to the required 3.25.
Successful completion of the appropriate Praxis Subject Assessment(s) is required prior to Internship.
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Prerequisite Courses | 0-4 | |
| Introduction to Graduate Education and Technology 1 | ||
| Survey Course in Special Education 2 | ||
| Foundational Courses | ||
| EFD 500 | Research in Education | 3 |
| EFD 552 | Diversity Issues in Education | 3 |
| EFD 560 | Psychological Principles of Learning 3 | 3 |
| Library Media Courses | ||
| EIM 504 | Learning Through Interactive Technologies | 3 |
| EIM 505 | Digital Literacy in the Classroom | 3 |
| EIM 551 | Technology in School Environments | 3 |
| LM 512 | Children's and Young Adult Literature | 3 |
| LM 513 | Management of Media Centers | 3 |
| LM 530 | Librarian as Instructional Partner | 3 |
| LM 531 | Trends, Issues, Innovation and Leadership in Libraries and Schools | 3 |
| LM 532 | Collection Management, Cataloging, and Reference | 3 |
| LM 515 | Internship in Media Services | 3 |
| Total Hours | 36-40 | |
36-40 Graduate Semester Hours Required for this Degree
| 1 | Discipline specific section required first semester of enrollment. |
| 2 | Students who have not previously satisfied the special education requirement at the undergraduate, graduate level must take SPE 500 Survey Course in Special Education (3). |
| 3 | Prospective media specialists who already have experience as a classroom teacher can choose to substitute an appropriate elective (as per advisement by LM staff) for EFD 560 Psychological Principles of Learning (3) if desired. Electives could include classes such as EIM 503 Technology-Enhanced Teaching and Learning (3), EED 509 Advanced Twenty-First Century Teaching and Learning (3), ESE 505 Education Methods, Assessment, and Technology in Secondary Schools (3) or SPE 520 Technology for SPE (3). |
Graduation and Comprehensive Exam
A comprehensive exam is required for this degree; please see the graduate advisor for full details. All students must apply for graduation by the given deadline of the semester in which they plan to graduate. Please see the Graduation and Comprehensive Exam section of this catalog for more information.
Completion of this program leads to eligibility for Master’s-level professional educator certification in Library Media P-12.
Please Note: Teacher education programs are approved by the Alabama State Board of Education and are, therefore, subject to periodic revision resulting from changes in State certification requirements. Subsequently, modifications in students’ programs may become necessary. Students in all graduate level teacher education programs must schedule their coursework each semester with approval of their faculty advisors.
Alabama Class A Professional Educator Certification Requirements
Issuance of Alabama professional educator certificates is the legal responsibility of the Alabama State Department of Education. Universities cannot issue a professional certificate. To be eligible to apply for certification, a student must complete an appropriate program of study at a college or university which has been approved by the State Board of Education to offer a program leading to the desired certificate. When a student completes the program of study, the institution recommends to the State Department of Education that the appropriate certificate be issued.
- Alabama State Department of Education regulations are subject to change; therefore, it is recommended that students apply for certification upon graduation. During their last semester of coursework, students should contact Teacher Education Services, 207 Ramona Wood Hall, for information about this process. The university cannot recommend any student for certification who has not satisfied all state and university requirements for admission to and completion of an approved program. Please see the Alabama Certification Instructions on the Teacher Education Services website.
- Students certified in states other than Alabama who wish to apply for master’s level certification in Alabama upon completion of the master’s degree must apply for Alabama certification on the undergraduate level prior to applying for the master’s level certification. Students must be eligible for undergraduate certification in the teaching field(s) in which master’s level certification is sought. Earning a master’s degree at JSU does not automatically entitle a student to an Alabama certificate without first holding the appropriate undergraduate certificate.
- Recommendation for certification must be made within 60 months of program completion. Recommendation after 60 months requires completion of a current program.