Advanced Study

Applications for Advanced Study are due to the Vacca Office of Student Services in Room 304 White Hall on assigned dates.

To be admitted into Advanced Study in Middle Childhood Education, you must submit your application to the Vacca Office of Student Services in Room 304 White Hall by dates specified by the Vacca Office during each Fall or Spring Semester. Please check with your academic advisor, Amanda Whitacre, in the Vacca Office or call her at 330-672-2862 for specific due dates for Advanced Study applications.

Other criteria for admission to MCED must also be met - for example, you must have completed half of the total hours needed for each concentration (including currently enrolled courses). See the Checklist for Admission to Advanced Study (PDF), or visit the Vacca Office of Student Services web page. MCED is a selective program. Our admissions process takes a holistic approach using test results, grade point average, and an interview.

The Middle Childhood Teachers We Need

The Middle Childhood Education program at Kent State University seeks to admit candidates to advanced study with the following qualities, knowledge, and experiences:

1. Knowledge of, commitment to, and experience working with young adolescents. Candidate will be knowledgeable about adolescent development and be able to connect with them in ways that enhance their development. Enthusiasm about and respect of diversity in young adolescent learners will be expected. Candidate believes that all adolescents can learn, and accepts responsibility to help them do so. Candidate will possess a willingness to be a role model and mentor for young adolescents, and has experience in working with young adolescents in school and/or non-school settings.
2. Knowledge of subject matter. Candidate will possess a developing knowledge about key concepts in his or her academic disciplines.
3. Professionalism. Candidate will be able to explain decision to pursue teaching as a career, and believes that teaching and knowledge of subject matter requires continual learning, even beyond the licensure program. Candidate displays appreciation for collaboration and experience in working with others to accomplish group goals.
4. Communication. Candidate will read, write, speak and listen in ways that enhance articulate and respectful communication.
5. Problem solving ability. Candidate will be able to navigate complex organizations like schools and universities while maintaining his or her personal/professional goals. Candidate will be able to analyze a problem from multiple perspectives and develop solutions that promote the democratic principles of justice and equity.
6. Personal qualities and experience. Candidate will exhibit flexibility in dealing with change, and will be self-reflective about his or her personal background, goals, and the consequences of his or her actions. Persistence in working through challenging situations will be expected. Candidate will possess a service orientation toward the larger society. Candidate may possess a cultural or language background that may help the applicant to work effectively with all early adolescents. Diverse life experiences may enhance an applicant's work as a teacher.

The Interview

The interview is an important part of the admissions process and counts for 50% of the "points" used to determine who will be admitted into the program. (The remaining 50% is based on overall GPA and GPA in each of the two areas of concentration.) The interview provides an opportunity to give evidence of the qualities, knowledge, dispositions, and experiences that you possess as they relate to the above statement about "The Middle Childhood Teachers We Need." So in preparing for the interview, you may want to think about your strengths and areas in which you want to develop. The interview with Middle Childhood Education faculty will take about 20 minutes. Please dress professionally. Although a series of specific questions have been developed to assess specific qualities, knowledge, dispositions, and skills as described above, faculty may elect to deviate based on the answers provided by the applicant and resulting discussion among faculty. Thus the questions may not be the same for each applicant. Any student receiving the lowest score in any interview category will not qualify for admission. Any student who is denied admission may apply in the subsequent semester.

The following is a list of things we would like you to bring to the interview.

1. Provide two letters of reference from a teacher, coach, community member, or parent of a young adolescent who has observed you work with early adolescents in a school, community center, camp or church group, giving evidence of your knowledge of adolescent development, ability to connect with them, and appreciation for diversity. We will look for evidence of the personal qualities listed above. A letter from someone other than a personal friend or family member is needed. If your mentor during Field Experience I wrote a note about your performance on your evaluation form and you feel that this note provides the evidence needed to meet this requirement, you may submit that mentor evaluation. Be sure that the letters include a signature, along with the printed version of the name, as well as contact information—if it is not written on letterhead.
2. Provide a copy of your resume. Be sure to highlight your experiences with adolescents, ages 10-14.
3. We will have a copy of your transcripts during the interview, but be prepared to discuss the challenging work you are doing in your concentration courses and your developing knowledge of key concepts in your disciplines. If needed, also be able to talk about how your work is improving.
4. During the interview we will ask you questions about particular life experiences related to the qualities we are looking for. We will want to know how you handled these situations. We will also provide typical cases of dilemmas in the classroom and ask you to problem solve. We will be assessing your problem solving and communication skills.

Special Notes

• Stark or Geauga campus applicants should refer to their Office of Student Services for specific information about the application/notification process there. Students may apply to only one campus: Stark, Geauga or Kent. Entrance criteria are the same at all campuses.
• Acceptance is valid for admission into Block II ONLY for the specified Fall Semester. If a student does not begin the program as admitted, he or she may need to reapply.