College of Education
Master’s Degree in
Post Secondary Education
(MSPSE)
Student Orientation
Program Guide
2012-2013
MSPSE Program Overview
• The Master of Science in Post Secondary Education is
designed to prepare new entrants to the field of post
secondary education as professional practitioners in a
selected area of study.
• Objectives of the Post Secondary Program:
– To demonstrate an understanding of the body of knowledge,
research bases, instructional techniques, and competencies
related to the area of concentration.
– To identify and develop alternative solutions to problems
through evaluation, synthesis and application of knowledge,
theories and concepts in the area of concentration.
– To demonstrate knowledge of various models of education, and
social and cultural influences on post secondary education,
– To demonstrate an understanding of learning styles and their
relationship to student achievement.
This Program is Designed For…
• Professionals who work closely with adult populations in
instructional, advising, or service capacities.
• Professionals who design training and development for
education, corporate, or military organizations.
• Professionals who manage educational technology and
inventory at educational organizations.
• Professionals who seek careers at technical colleges, twoyear colleges, or four-year colleges/universities in office
management, program development, student affairs, or
business/administrative services.
• Instructors wanting to teach at the two-year college level in
areas such as biology, criminal justice, English, general
science, mathematics, political science, social science, or
psychology.
Keep in Mind
• The MSPSE is not a teacher licensure
program. You would need to contact your
state education certification agency to see
how this degree fits with alternative routes
to certification.
• Some concentrations do provide 18 graduate
hours in a subject area but this does not
guarantee eligibility to teach in a two-year
college. You would need to adhere to the
position requirements of each institution.
How is the MSPSE Structured?
• OPTION I (Alabama campuses only)
– Required Core Courses (12 sh)
• PSE 6660 Trends and Issues in Adult Education
• PSE 6670 Psychological Foundations of the Adult
Learner
• PSE 6680 Curriculum Development for Adult Education
• PSE 6691 Research Methodology
– Selected Area of Concentration (18 sh)
– Thesis/Field Project/Capstone (6 sh)
• OPTION II
– Required Core Courses (12 sh)
• PSE 6660 Trends and Issues in Adult Education
• PSE 6670 Psychological Foundations of the Adult
Learner
• PSE 6680 Curriculum Development for Adult Education
• PSE 6691 Research Methodology
– Selected Area of Concentration (18 sh)
– Comprehensive Exam
How is the MSPSE Structured?
• Concentrations (see graduate catalog for availability per location)
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Adult Education*
Criminal Justice
English
Foundations of Education*
General Science
Higher Education Administration
History
Instructional Technology*
Mathematics
Political Science
Psychology
Public Administration
Social Science
Teaching English to Students of Other Languages (TESOL)
*Concentrations that are available via eTROY
How is the MSPSE Structured?
•
Terms are 9-weeks in length. Graduate students can take a
maximum of two courses every nine weeks.
•
There are three different formats for graduate courses in the MSPSE
program.
– Weekend Seminar: Students meet approximately one weekend per month
(Friday, Saturday, and Sunday) at the home location for each course.
Assignments and supplemental work may be conducted online throughout
the term.
– Weeknight: Students meet 1-2 nights per week at the home location.
– eTROY: Students use a web-based course management system called
Blackboard to communicate with the instructor, collaborate with classmates,
review resources, and submit assignments. There is no face-to-face
instruction in this format.
•
You may take all classes in one format or the other, or any
combination of the two, depending on your particular
concentration and the availability of on-site and eTROY courses
each term.
What Are the Expectations of
the Program?
• Successful graduate students generally write well,
are highly organized, and can analyze and
synthesize large amounts of information.
• Any student taking an online course should have
experience as an independent learner, have a
reliable working computer, and be internally
motivated.
Who Are My Advisors?
• You are assigned an academic advisor and a faculty
advisor after the enrollment process has been
completed and you have been cleared to register.
• The academic advisor is a TROY student services
employee who helps with general questions:
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First-term set up
Registration holds
Drops/withdrawals
Processing of paperwork
• Academic advisors are assigned by last name and can
be reviewed at
https://etroy.troy.edu/Personnel/GCStudentServicesAd
visors.aspx).
Who Are My Advisors?
• The faculty advisor teaches full-time in the
Master’s Program and has direct knowledge of
course content and the professional field.
• Contact your faculty advisor every term for issues
regarding your progress, concerns, and academic
options:
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Pre-requisites
Course selection and load each term
Course order and pacing
Comprehensive exam preparation
Academic options at TROY or after graduation
Conditions of Admission
• Unconditional Admission
– Overall GPA of 2.5 OR 3.0 in last 30 semester (45
quarter) hours of undergraduate work
– Minimum score of 383 on MAT or 372 (verbal) on
GRE
• Conditional Admission
– May be granted if unconditional admission
requirements are not met.
– Student must maintain a 3.0 average in the first nine
hours (3 courses) to be admitted unconditionally.
• Temporary Admission
– Granted for one semester pending receipt of official
transcripts and scores.
– Registration will be blocked after one semester.
Can I Transfer Courses to TROY?
• Up to 6 sh (2 courses) of graduate classes
may be approved for transfer into our
program.
• Your transcript can be evaluated for this
request after you have successfully passed
9 hours of coursework with TROY.
VA Certification
•
VA students should contact their local VA Certifying Official to
obtain a transient authorization for each eTROY course and submit
the transient authorization to Jason Messick (jmessick@troy.edu) or
Travis McCullough (tmccullough7274@troy.edu) to initiate the
school’s certification of enrollment.
•
This should be done in the middle of each term for the following
term.
•
To ensure a place in the desired classes, student should register as
early as possible, since there are limitations in eClassroom capacity
and eClass size.
•
Request for transfer credit must be made in writing by the student
through his/her faculty advisor. It is the student’s responsibility to
initiate this request. Note conditions of transfer credit in the
Graduate Catalog.
VA Certification
• Current tuition is listed in the University’s semester
schedule.
• Active duty service members must enroll through
the education portal of their service (i.e.,
goarmyed, WAVE, etc.) in order to TA benefits.
• Questions regarding their eligibility for tuition
assistance benefits should be directed to their
servicing Education Centers.
Americans with Disabilities Act
• Troy University supports Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act
of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990,
which insure that postsecondary education students with
disabilities have equal access to all academic programs,
physical access to all academic programs, physical access to
all buildings, facilities, and events, and are not discriminated
against on the basis of disability.
• Eligible students, with appropriate documentation, will be
provided equal opportunity to demonstrate their academic
skills and potential through the provision of academic
adaptations and reasonable accommodations.
• Further information including appropriate contact
information, can be located through TROY’s Office of Human
Resources at
http://www.troy.edu/humanresources/index.html.
How Do I Get Started?
• Once you have received a “Welcome to TROY”
correspondence from your academic advisor,
contact your faculty advisor via the contact
information listed on your correspondence.
• You and your faculty advisor will discuss your
program plan and course of study, the pacing
and order of courses, and a degree plan.
• You will then need to register for classes through
Web Express and order books from the online
book store.
• You will access Blackboard
(http://troy.blackboard.com) to view your
course.
Degree Candidacy
• You are responsible for meeting with
your faculty advisor to complete and
submit your degree plan.
• Eligibility:
– Unconditional admission status
– At least 9 sh of coursework completed.
– 3.0 GPA
• Applications for Admission to Candidacy
are located in the Graduate Catalog near
the appropriate degree program.
In What Order Should I Take
Courses?
• One of the purposes of faculty advisement is to
recommend courses and a pattern of sequence to
students.
– It is recommended that PSE 6660, PSE 6670, and PSE
6691 be completed within the first 2-3 terms of the
program.
– PSE 6680 should be the last core course taken, since it is
an application of knowledge from a good portion of the
MSPSE program.
– PSE 6691 should definitely be passed before registering
for the comprehensive exam.
In What Order Should I Take
Courses?
Recommended Pacing
Adult Education
1st Term
PSE 6670
PSE 6660
2nd Term
PSE 6691
ADE 6600
3rd Term
ADE 6674
ADE 6653
4th Term
ADE 5560
PSE 6680
5th Term
ADE 6606
ADE 6630
Recommended Pacing
Foundations of Education
1st Term
PSE 6670
PSE 6660
2nd Term
PSE 6691
PSE 6642
3rd Term
PSE 6653
PSE 6658
4th Term
PSE 6680
PSE 6651
5th Term
PSE 6612
PSE 6615
In What Order Should I Take
Courses?
Recommended Pacing
Instructional Technology
1st Term
PSE 6670
EDU 6606
2nd Term
PSE 6691
PSE 6660
3rd Term
EDU 6613
EDU 6616
4th Term
EDU 6607/6614
PSE 6680
5th Term
EDU 6617
EDU 6618
Requirements for Graduation
• Have a cumulative 3.0 GPA.
• File an Intent to Graduate form with
the Graduate Records office one
term/semester prior to graduating.
• Register for and pass the MSPSE
Comprehensive Exam.
Comprehensive Exam
• The MSPSE comprehensive examination offers each
candidate for the master’s degree an opportunity to
demonstrate his/her ability to synthesize and apply
knowledge acquired during the course of study.
• The MSPSE Comprehensive Exam covers all 10 courses in the
program and students are responsible for mastering course
objectives to prepare.
• Students respond to four essay questions (1 research, 1 core,
2 concentration). Examination questions are designed to
determine whether or not a candidate:
– Has mastered program content
– Can present information and ideas in a complex, creative, and orderly
manner
– Can use theory and research to support assumptions and conclusions
Comprehensive Exam
• To prepare for this exam, students should retain all study
materials, syllabi, notebooks, and textbooks from the courses
they have taken.
• Students register one term prior to graduation with their
home location when they submit the Intent to Graduate.
• eTROY students must submit a “Course Exam Proctor Form”
to arrange for a testing site.
• Students should request the most recent Comprehensive
Examination Policies, Procedures, and Study Guide from their
faculty advisors.
General Information
• How do I order textbooks?
– MBS Direct can be accessed via
http://bookstore.mbdsdirect.net/troy.htm or by
phone at 1-800-325-3252.
– You will be able to access the books for your term
by choosing Option 1 or 2 and then by choosing
your specific home location.
– The electronic book voucher program is for students
with approved financial aid, VA Chapter 31 benefits,
and other tuition assistance programs.
• The student’s VA Form 1905, DD 1556 or other TA Form
must authorize book charges and list the amount
authorized.
• A 10% handling fee is charged for using the book
voucher system.
General Information
• Where is the library?
– Global Campus students utilize TROY’s
extensive digital library, which gives
students access to online databases and
interlibrary loan: http://library.troy.edu.
– Learn how to use the library by going to
http://uclibrary.troy.edu/tutorial.
MSPSE Faculty
Faculty
Location
Dr. Riad Aisami
Augusta, GA
Dr. Kimberly Burgess
Albany, GA
Dr. Marci Goldstein
Tampa, FL
Dr. Don Hardy
Atlanta, GA
Dr. Dianne Lawton
Brunswick, GA
Dr. Peter Paige
Augusta, GA
Dr. April Parker
Columbus, GA
Dr. Joseph Reynolds
Montgomery, AL
Dr. Dionne Rosser-Mims
Covington, GA
Dr. Jonathan Taylor
Montgomery, AL