Graduate Degree Programs
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TRACY S. HOOVER, Head of the Department
323 Agricultural Administration Building
814-865-1688
Ph.D., M.S., M.Ed.
Graduate programs emphasize agricultural or extension education (including preparation for employment in college or university programs), youth and family programming, state-level administration, local-level administration, private industry and international education. A minor may be taken in an area of the student's choice or in general studies. Programs may include courses needed for certification in other fields of education.
All applicants must submit a letter of application, two or three typewritten pages in length, describing their professional experience, education, career goals, and reasons for pursuing the degree. Applicants must ensure that three departmental recommendation and evaluation forms from individuals knowledgeable about the applicant are forwarded to the department. Only the most qualified applicants will be admitted to the graduate program. The graduate program may provisionally admit selected applicants pending resolution of the requirements listed here or applicants with special skills and experiences. Requirements listed here are in addition to the general Graduate School requirements stated in the GENERAL INFORMATION section of the Graduate Bulletin.
Prerequisite for admission to a master's program is a demonstrated professional interest in agricultural and extension education and/or applied youth and family education. Applicants whose junior-senior grade-point average (GPA) is under 3.00 on a 4.00 scale for their baccalaureate degree are required to submit Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) scores.
Master of science: This program is intended for those who are interested in defining, developing, or evaluating educational programs, both formal or nonformal, through public and private agencies and organizations serving youth, families or the agriculture community.
Master of education: Prerequisite for admission to this program is a minimum of 18 credits in professional education courses (including educational psychology and teaching and/or professional internship) or certification as a teacher of agriculture, or equivalent professional experience, including extension.
An applicant should have a minimum average of 3.40 on a 4.00 scale on all previous graduate work or a minimum combined score of 1000 on the verbal and quantitative sections of the GRE. Two years of appropriate professional experience is required either prior to admission or before the degree is awarded. An interview with the graduate faculty is recommended of all applicants prior to admission into a doctoral program. Applicants to the doctoral program must submit evidence of ability to write a scholarly paper or thesis and demonstrate a teaching-level competence of English.
A program of study agreement between adviser and student, including planned course work (approved by the student's committee) and time frame, should be completed before beginning the second semester of study. Successful performance on a four-hour written essay exam, plus a one-hour oral exam, is required of all M.S. and M.Ed. candidates near the completion of their course work for the degree. The master's candidate is required to successfully complete an oral defense of a paper or thesis.
Two years of appropriate professional experience is required either prior to admission or before the doctoral degree is completed.
Selection and appointment of a thesis adviser and doctoral committee follows admission to candidacy. The candidate consults the department head or graduate officer in selecting an adviser. The candidate, in cooperation with an adviser, selects the doctoral committee. The chair of the committee is not necessarily the thesis adviser, but the thesis adviser is a member of the committee.
Graduate assistantships and other forms of student aid are described in the STUDENT AID section of the Graduate Bulletin.
Graduate courses carry numbers from 500 to 599 and 800 to 899. Advanced undergraduate courses numbered between 400 and 499 may be used to meet some graduate degree requirements when taken by graduate students. Courses below the 400 level may not. A graduate student may register for or audit these courses in order to make up deficiencies or to fill in gaps in previous education but not to meet requirements for an advanced degree.
AGRICULTURAL AND EXTENSION EDUCATION (AEE) course list
Last Revised by the Department: Spring Semester 2007
Blue Sheet Item #: 35-04-246
Review Date: 1/16/07
Last updated by Publications: 10/25/06