BS in Agricultural Education with Emphasis in Teacher Certification

Degree Program Description

Agricultural Education students combine their passion for agriculture and their talents working with people to lead and teach the next generation of agriculturalists. Our graduates lead people and agricultural organizations in wide variety of roles. Students completing a degree in Agricultural Education, Teacher Certification are well prepared to teach agriculture, advise an FFA chapter, and supervise SAEP student projects. Our faculty work in partnership with state and national leaders in Agricultural Education/FFA to create authentic, hands-on learning experiences, where students work alongside industry professionals to tackle authentic projects and problems. In addition to agricultural education course requirements, students complete course work in agribusiness management, agricultural sales and marketing, plant sciences, animal sciences, agricultural systems management, natural resources and food science. 

Major Program Requirements

Students earning a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Education are required to complete all University general educationUniversity graduation, and degree requirements, including selected foundational courses, which may fulfill some University general education requirements.

Teacher Certification Emphasis

The Teacher Certification emphasis prepares students to meet state teacher licensure requirements to teach agriculture in Missouri public schools at the secondary and adult levels. In addition to courses in Agricultural Education and the College of Education, the curriculum includes 45 hours of coursework in agriculture, food and natural resources. The capstone experience involves a semester-long teaching internship in a selected secondary agriculture program.

Emphasis core requirements31
AG_ED_LD 1000Orientation to Agricultural Education and Leadership1
AG_ED_LD 2270Leadership Development in Youth Organizations3
AG_ED_LD 2271Early Field Experience1
AG_ED_LD 4001Topics in Agricultural Education and Leadership3
AG_ED_LD 4310Intracurricular Program Management in Agricultural Education3
AG_ED_LD 4320Methods of Teaching I3
AG_ED_LD 4321Field Experience I1
AG_ED_LD 4330Methods of Teaching II3
AG_ED_LD 4331Field Experience II1
AG_ED_LD 4087Internship Seminar in Agricultural Education and Leadership3
AG_ED_LD 4995Student Teaching Internship in Agriculture9
College of Education12
ESC_PS 2010Inquiry Into Learning I3
LTC 2040Inquiring into Schools, Community and Society I3
SPC_ED 4020Teaching the Exceptional Learner3
LTC 4560Reading and Writing in the Content Areas3
Agribusiness Management6
ABM 3223Relationship Selling: Creating Value for Customers3
Agribusiness Management Elective3
Animal Sciences6-8
AN_SCI 1165Biology of Animal Production I with Laboratory3-4
or AN_SCI 1164 Biology of Animal Production I
AN_SCI 1175Biology of Animal Production II with Lab3-4
or AN_SCI 1174 Biology of Animal Production II
Plant Sciences3
PLNT_SCI 2110Who Runs the World? Plants.3
or SOIL 2100 Introduction to Soils
or PLNT_SCI 3270 Forage Crops
or PLNT_SCI 3275 Grain Crops
Agricultural Systems Management6
AG_S_TCH 1020Introduction to Agricultural Systems Technology3
AG_ED_LD 3320Metal Fabrication and Laboratory Management3
Horticulture7
PLNT_SCI 2075Environmental Horticulture3
PLNT_SCI 3230WPlant Propagation - Writing Intensive3
or PLNT_SCI 3260 Greenhouse Management
or PLNT_SCI 4365 Greenhouse Crops Production
Electives18
CAFNR electives6-8
General Electives9

Teacher Education Courses

Students proceed through three phases as they complete the baccalaureate program. Each phase includes training in technology as well as clinical experience. University general education and content requirements are completed each semester in addition to the required program area courses. A student admitted to a professional program (Phase II) must maintain the standards met at the time of admission. 

The Director of Teacher Certification will monitor student GPAs each semester. Students must maintain the following minimum GPA (UM and overall) to maintain in good standing. 

Phases    Minimum                Minimum             Minimum ag 
                cumulative             professional       Content   
               
GPA                        (education)         GPA
                (UM and overall)    GPA                    

Phase I     2.000                      2.000                   2.000

Phase II    2.750                      3.000                   3.000

Phase III   2.750                      3.000                   3.000

Students in Phase II or III must maintain the minimum GPA for their phase to be considered in good standing. If a student in Phase II or III is determined to not be in good standing, the Director of Teacher Certification will change the student to Phase I status and will notify the student in writing. Students may apply to be readmitted to Phase II upon meeting all the minimum GPAs required of that level. 

Phase I

Students are automatically enrolled into Phase I upon entering the degree program. This phase provides students with an immersion into the discipline and culture of teaching and learning before focusing on a teaching specialty. Phase I coursework includes the following courses: ESC_PS 2010, LTC 2040AG_ED_LD 2270, AG_ED_LD 2271,and AG_ED_LD 4310.

Phase II

This phase occurs over a three-semester sequence and focuses increasingly on a chosen teaching emphasis and on interdisciplinary teaching. Experiences in this phase focus on instructional strategies, human development, classroom and behavior management and educational measurement. This phase provides students with experience in the methods of teaching in a specific subject area as well as emerging problems and practices within the field of education.

  • Application to Phase II is required. Students become eligible for consideration for admittance to Phase II after meeting the following criteria:
  • Current enrollment in the Agricultural Education program
  • Minimum 2.750 UM GPA of record and overall GPA (on a 4.000 scale)
  • Content GPA of 3.000 (on a 4.000 scale)
  • Professional (education) GPA of 3.000 (on a 4.000 scale)
  • Passing score on the Missouri General Education Assessment (or acceptable ACT as identified by DESE)
  • ENGLSH 1000 with a “C” range grade or higher
  • MATH 1100 with a “C” range grade or higher
  • Demonstration of competence of Phase I learning markers as demonstrated by satisfactory completion of Phase I courses (ESC_PS 2010,  LTC 2040, AG_ED_LD 2270, AG_ED_LD 2271, AG_ED_LD 4310, and with a grade of  “S” (satisfactory), or "C-" (2.00) or higher in each course
  • Demonstrated competence of Phase I mid-preparation benchmarks (as documented by Phase I instructors)
  • Possession of characteristics associated with effective performance in a professional role at the level(s) and in the major(s) selected
  • Completion of application for progression

Decisions regarding Phase II admission are made by the Director of Teacher Certification. Meeting minimum requirements for admission to Phase II does not guarantee admission to Phase II. Students may be allowed to take Phase II courses if conditionally admitted into Phase II by faculty. Faculty will consider conditional Phase II admits on a case-by-case basis and can re-approve conditional status so long as students submit an approved plan for meeting Phase II requirements to the College of Education each semester. However, conditionally admitted students will not be fully admitted until they meet all listed requirements. Students are not eligible for Phase III admittance until fully admitted into Phase II.  

Phase III

Phase III occurs during the last year, including student placement in a public school district for the entire semester, for approximately 16 weeks (12 credit hours).

Application for Phase III is required. To qualify for the teaching internship, applicants must meet the following requirements:

  • Admission to Phase III in the program area
  • Successful completion of all Phase II requirements
  • Demonstration of competence of Phase II learning markers as demonstrated by satisfactory completion of Phase II courses (AG_ED_LD 4320AG_ED_LD 4321  AG_ED_LD 4330, AG_ED_LD 4331, SPC_ED 4020, AG_ED_LD 4001, LTC 4560) with a grade of  “S” (satisfactory), or "C-" (2.00) or higher in each course.
  • A minimum of 90 completed credit hours
  • Completion of at least the preceding semester in residence
  • A minimum 2.750 UM GPA of record and an overall GPA of 2.750 (on a 4.000 scale)
  • Content GPA of 3.000 (on a 4.000 scale)
  • Professional (education) GPA of 3.000 (on a 4.000 scale)
  • Completion of specific prerequisite professional education and subject area course requirements for the level at which the teaching internship is to be accomplished

Teaching internship placements are available in several districts across the State of Missouri. Applications are accepted approximately a year preceding internship. More information concerning student teaching internships may be obtained from John Tummons, Director of Teacher Certification,123 Gentry Hall. 

Teacher Certification

Licensures

Completion of the bachelor’s degree and any additional requirements for certification must be completed before the graduate is eligible for an Initial Professional Certificate from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education in the State of Missouri.

  • Recommendation for initial certification after graduation requires:
  • Passing score on the Content Area Exam (and official scores submitted to the University of Missouri)
  • Passing score on the Missouri Pre-Service Teacher Assessment
  • Official transcripts with the degree posted submitted to Office of Assessment in 2 Hill Hall. 
  • Submission of an IPC application from the DESE web application website to MU
  • The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education also requires that students seeking additional certification in other teaching subjects take the Content Area Exam in those additional subjects in order to be considered a Highly Qualified Teacher

A student recommended for teacher certification must meet the following criteria:

  • Cumulative UM GPA of record of 2.750
  • Overall GPA of 2.750 for all college course work completed
  • Cumulative GPA of 3.000 in all content area course work
  • 2.000 in each professional education course with overall 3.000 GPA on all professional education course work
  • Satisfactory score on the Missouri Pre-Service Teacher Assessment
  • Satisfactory score on the Content Area Exam required by the State of Missouri
  • Satisfactory completion of minimum required professional and technical agriculture coursework
  • An official copy of the student’s transcript with baccalaureate degree posted submitted to the Office of Assessment in 2 Hill Hall. 
  • Complete online application for an Initial Professional Certificate through the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) web application

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Semester Plan

Please visit with an advisor actual plans may vary based on course choices where options are available.

First Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
AG_ED_LD 10001AN_SCI 11754
AG_ED_LD 22503BIO_SC 10103
ABM 1041^3BIO_SC 10202
AN_SCI 11654PLNT_SCI 20753
ENGLSH 1000*3MATH 1100*3
 14 15
Second Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
AG_ED_LD 22703ABM 32233
AG_ED_LD 22711AGSC_COM 22203
AG_S_TCH 1020^3HIST 11003
PLNT_SCI 21103LTC 20403
ESC_PS 20103Physical/Mathematical elective or CHEM 11003
 13 15
Third Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
AGSC_COM 3210W3AG_ED_LD 43203
AG_ED_LD 43103AG_ED_LD 4321^1
ABM 32603AFNR 21913
PLNT_SCI 32604BIOCHM 21103
SPC_ED 4020^3CAFNR minor course3
 LTC 45603
 16 16
Fourth Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
AG_ED_LD 33203AG_ED_LD 40873
AG_ED_LD 4330^3AG_ED_LD 4995^9
AG_ED_LD 43311AG_ED_LD 40013
AN_SCI 32753 
CAFNR Minor course6 
 16 15
Total Credits: 120
*

Denotes University General Education Requirements

^

Denotes Degree Program Requirements

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Degree Audit

The degree audit is an automated report reflecting a student’s academic progress toward the completion of a degree. 

MU students can request a degree audit by logging in to myDegreePlanner. Students may also access myDegreePlanner via myZou, in the Student Center, click on the Academic Progress Tile, then select Request Degree Audit. The audit automatically pulls in the student’s MU course work, transfer courses and courses in progress. This is available to current students, admitted students, and those who last attended less than three terms ago.

Past MU students can request a degree audit by contacting the Academic Advising Unit of the division in which they were last enrolled at MU. For contact information, go to https://advising.missouri.edu/contact/.

Prospective students, can access a preliminary MU degree audit via https://www.transferology.com. Information on the college credits already earned will have to be manually entered before it can be evaluated against current degree requirements.

For additional details on degree audits, go to https://registrar.missouri.edu/degrees-audits/degree-audits/.

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Major and Career Exploration

The University of Missouri has many resources to assist you in exploring majors and career possibilities. For guidance, visit the Majors and Careers website or view specific resources below.

  • If you are considering a change of major or are exploring multiple majors, schedule an appointment with an advisor in the Discovery Center by calling (573)884-9700 or through MU Connect Discovery Center service in you success network.

  • If you have decided on a major, visit an academic advisor in the School or College that you are interested in to discuss the process of declaring the major

  • If you would like to learn more about your career interests, abilities, values and talents, visit the MU Career Center. No Appointment is necessary to explore career options with one of our staff members.

For additional major and career exploration resources, visit Major & Career Exploration in the catalog.

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