Suno Early Childhood Education

Last Updated on January 18, 2023

Programs

The Teacher Education Department is comprised of two programs: Educational Studies and Teacher Certification. 

The Educational Studies program provides three concentrations in the education field.  Early Childhood (PreK-3), Elementary Education (1-5), and Secondary Education. 

The Early Childhood Education Program prepares professionals who primarily work in the public systems’ Kindergarten through 3rd grade (PreK-3). This program has two components; the first is an undergraduate route for candidates to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in Education and the second route is for candidates who already have a bachelor’s degree in a field other than education and wish to become certified to teach in PreK-3 classrooms through the Non-Masters Certification-Only Alternative Education (Post-Baccalaureate) Program.

The Elementary Education Program prepares candidates to teach in Grades 1-5 classrooms, and Secondary Education prepares candidates to teach grades 6-12 in a content area of the candidates’ choice. Candidates may select the baccalaureate route or, if qualified, enroll in the Non-Masters Certification-Only Alternative Education (Post-Baccalaureate) Program and become certified as elementary grades 1-5 teachers. The Certification-Only Program also offers courses leading to certification of teachers for secondary grades 6-12 classrooms in selected fields (i.e. Math, Science, Social Studies).

These programs are approved by the Louisiana Board of Regents and the Louisiana Department of Education to offer teacher preparation and certification. The teacher education programs are accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). The most recent accreditation reaffirmation visit by NCATE was in Fall 2008 and the next visit will be conducted Sunday, October 25 through Tuesday, October 27, 2015.

Mission Statement: The Child Development and Family Studies Department is Committed to Developing Families to Sustain communities.

This mission is derived from the Louisiana Board of Regents’ CIP Code 190707, which describes CDFS as a “program that focuses on the development and implementation of public, private, and voluntary support services for individuals, families, and localities and that prepares individuals to function in a variety of occupations promoting family life, and family/community development. [The program] includes instruction in family systems, human development, social services, community social and economic development, social policy, voluntary sector activities, and outreach and community education.” The U.S. Department of Labor foresees an increase in employment opportunities for human service workers.

Why Students Choose Us

We prepare effective, caring, and highly qualified teachers for any K-12 classroom. The nuts and bolts of the certification-only program are teaching and learning. To that end, our program welcomes former educators as well as educators in the making. We understand that intensive does not mean better and that fast-tracking does not equate to quality. Therefore, we strive to recruit the most qualified individuals to teach students; taking into consideration a review of past academic and professional performance.

In the College of Education and Human Development, our faculty members are experienced former K-12 teachers who espouse the conceptual framework of preparing instructional leaders, continuous assessors, astute technologists, advocates for diversity and collaboration, and reflective practitioners. Students choose us because we offer a high-quality teacher preparation program, affordable tuition, and flexible class times that meet the need of the working adult.

Program Description

The College of Education and Human Development offers a certification-only alternative teacher certification program for degreed students who wish to prepare for positions as early childhood, elementary, or secondary school teachers.  Students who have earned undergraduate degrees in areas other than education may pursue teacher certification as non-degree students through the College of Education and Human Development by completing education courses required for certification plus necessary specialty course requirements. 

Certification Areas

Secondary Education Content Areas

Admission Requirements

Admissions decisions are based on a review of past academic and professional performance. The minimum qualifications to be admitted into Southern University’s Certification-Only Program include the following: 

  • Bachelor’s degree with an undergraduate GPA of 2.5 or better on a 4.0 scale. 
  • Passing scores on Praxis I (PPST scores are accepted if taken before implementation of Praxis I Core). 
  • An ACT composite score of 22 or an SAT combined verbal and math score of 1030 may be substituted for Praxis I requirements. However, if any part of Praxis I has been taken, whether or not a passing score was achieved, the ACT/SAT option is forfeited.  Individuals who have earned a Master’s Degree with a GPA of 3.0 or better from a regionally accredited college or university are exempt from Praxis I. 
  • Passing scores on the appropriate Praxis II content area exam.                    

Before submitting required documents to the Director of the Certification-Only Program, students must first apply for admission to Southern University at New Orleans and pay all application fees. After applying to the University, students must complete an application for the Certification-Only Program. Your application packet must include: 

  • A completed Certification-Only application
  • Official transcripts from all colleges/universities attended, whether a degree was earned or not. Former SUNO students must also submit official transcripts.
  • Score reports for Praxis I and Praxis II content areas.

If you do not meet the admission requirements to enroll in SUNO’s Certification-Only Program, candidates will be admitted on a provisional basis.  Please contact the Certification Coordinator for more details.

Programs

This unit is committed to the responsibility of preparing instructional leaders, continuous assessors, astute technologists, advocates for diversity and collaboration, and reflective professionals.

Goals

The Alternative Certification-Only Unit prepares teachers to be able to:

  1. Combine a base of professional knowledge, including an understanding of how cognitive, linguistic, social, emotional, and physical development occurs, with the recognition that learners are individuals who bring differing personal and family backgrounds, skills, abilities, perspectives, talents, and interests.
  2. Understands the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of the discipline(s) he or she teaches and creates learning experiences that make the discipline accessible and meaningful for learners to assure mastery of the content.
  3. Plan instruction that supports every student in meeting rigorous learning goals by drawing upon knowledge of content areas, curriculum, cross-disciplinary skills, and pedagogy, as well as knowledge of learners and the community context.
  4. Use a variety of instructional strategies to encourage learners to develop a deep understanding of content areas and their connections, and to build skills to apply knowledge in meaningful ways.
  5. Engage in ongoing professional learning and uses evidence to continually evaluate his/her practice and seek appropriate leadership roles and opportunities to take responsibility for student learning, to collaborate with learners, families, colleagues, other school professionals, and community members to ensure learner growth, and to advance the profession.

Graduation

The Alternative Certification-Only Program is a teacher credentialing program. Candidates enter the programs as degreed students, so they are counted as completers and not graduates.

2014-2016, approximately 205 completers (Title II Data)

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