Cannon-Clary College of Education Graduate

Programs of Study

Description of Programs

Graduate Programs in Education at Harding University can lead to a variety of different degrees. Each individual program is designed to meet the needs of the student with a view toward:

• Enriching and deepening the student’s professional knowledge.
• Enhancing the student’s field or fields of concentration.
• Creating a fuller understanding of the role of educators in American school systems and their function in society.
• Increasing the student’s understanding of the aims, purposes, operation and administration of American schools.
• Improving instructional skills and abilities through advanced work in professional courses.
• Acquiring an understanding of and skills in research methods, the evaluation of data, and the adaptation of data to professional needs.
• Expanding the student’s areas of certification.
• Providing a solid academic background for those students who plan to attain other advanced degrees.
• Providing an atmosphere in which Christian standards are held in high esteem.

The following degree programs are offered:

• Educational Doctorate (Ed.D.) in P-20 Educational Leadership.
• Educational Specialist (Ed.S.) degree in Educational Leadership.
• Master of Arts: Excellence in Teaching.
• Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) for the K-12 classroom teacher, middle level licensure teacher, or for secondary licensure teacher.
• Master of Education (M.Ed.) in multiple areas of specialization.
• Master of Science (MS) in Educational Technology
• Master of Science in Education (MSE) in multiple areas of specialization
• Clinical Programs Offered:
• Educational Specialist (Ed.S.) degree in Professional Counseling: Clinical and School
• Master of Science (MS) degree in Professional Counseling: Clinical and School.

Our classes are offered on the main Searcy campus and in several satellite locations, as well as at our professional centers in North Little Rock and Rogers, Arkansas, as well as in Memphis, Tennessee.

Enrollment, advising and degree program information are available at our professional centers, in addition to the Searcy campus. For further information concerning endorsements, licensure, and degrees, contact the chair of Graduate Studies in Education, Box 12261, Searcy, AR 72149-2261; or e-mail gradstudiesedu@harding.edu.

Faculty

Dean: Raymond “Donny” Lee, Ed.D.
Associate Dean: Clara Carroll, Ed.D.

Professors:

Jenene Alexander, Ed.D., NCSP, LPC
     Director of Graduate Professional Counseling: Clinical and School
Michael Brooks, Ed.D.
Clara Carroll, Ed.D.
     Associate Dean
Lewis “Tony” Finley, Ed.D.
Raymond “Donny” Lee, Ed.D.
     Dean of the College

Associate Professors:

Usenime Akpanudo, Ed.D.
David Bangs, Ed.D.
      Chair of Graduate Studies in Education
Bruce Bryant, Ed.D.
     Director of Educational Leadership and Master of Arts: Excellence in Teaching
Carol Douglass, Ed.D.
     Director of Special Education
Wendy Ellis, Ed.D.
     Director of Reading
Chaney Floyd, Ed.D.
Susan Grogran, Ph.D.
     Director of Adult and Extended Education
Ileene Huffard, Ed.D.
    Director of the Mid-South Professional Center, Memphis
Diana Julian, Ed.D.
Todd Patten, Ed.D., LPC, NCC
    Director of the Center for Student Success
Steve Warren, Ed.D.
     Director of Secondary Education
Karl Wendt, Ph.D.
Michael B. Wood, Ed.D.

Assistant Professors:

Amy Adair, M.Ed.
     Director of Professional Field Experiences
Adam Baker, M.Ed.
     Director of Middle Childhood Education
Patrick A. Bashaw, M.Ed.
Lauren Boone, M.A.
Lisa Bryant, M.S.E.
Lynette Busceme, Ed.D.
Marc Fager, Ph.D.
Allen Henderson, M.Ed.
     Assistant Director of Center for Math and Science Education
Cheryl L. Smith, Ed.D.
     Chair of Teacher Education and Director of Elementary Education
David Skelton, Ed.S.
     Director of Professional Center, Rogers
Ken Stamatis, M.Ed.
Patti Jo White, Ed.D.
     Director of Professional Center, North Little Rock

Assisting from Other Departments:

Joe Brumfield, Ed.D.
Allen Frazier, Ph.D.
Kathy Howard, Ed.D., LPC
Forrest Smith, Ph.D.
Cheri Pierson Yecke, Ph.D.
      Assistant Provost for Research and Graduate Programs

Mission of the Cannon-Clary College of Education

The mission of the Cannon-Clary College of Education is to equip and sustain reflective, lifelong learners who are competent, confident, compassionate and courageous professionals who, in turn, will inspire and enable those they serve.

Accreditation

The Cannon-Clary College of Education is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).

Governance

Administration of the Graduate Program in Education is the responsibility of the Chair of Graduate Studies in Education, who is also the chair of the Graduate Education Council. The Graduate Education Council is a policy making body for the College of Education, and its members are appointed by the president of the university upon recommendation from the dean and the graduate chair. The council is composed of the following standing members: Dean of the College of Education, the Assistant Provost for Research and Graduate Programs, and the Registrar. There are also six rotating members, three from the College of Education and three from outside the College of Education, and two student members.

Academic Standing Requirements

Admission Status: Students may be admitted in one of these categories:

Degree-Seeking Student

Degree-seeking students in the Graduate Studies in Education program are admitted either unconditionally or provisionally. These students are required to pay the $40 application fee and supply all admission materials.

Nondegree-Seeking Student (NSD)

Students seeking additional teacher licensure or those who have already taken six hours of graduate work at Harding but are not in a degree seeking program  are classified as NSD students. These students must apply for admission to the Graduate Program as NSD students and are required to pay the $40 application fee and supply all admission materials.

Special Student

Students seeking graduate work for professional advancement or personal enrichment are classified as Special. These students will be allowed to take 6 hours of graduate course work for credit. These students are not required to pay the application fee but are required to submit a special student application.

Entrance by Letter: Any student currently enrolled in a graduate program in another regionally accredited institution who wishes to take not more than six graduate hours at Harding University, and who wishes to transfer such credit to the other institution, may register and receive such credit at Harding University by submitting a letter from his or her parent institution. This letter should state the standing of the student and that the work will be accepted in exchange. In this case, no transcripts need to be submitted to Harding University’s graduate program. The chair of graduate studies is authorized to enroll such a student.

Undergraduate Student

Undergraduate students in the University may register for graduate courses during their final semester’s work, provided they lack not more than 9 semester hours of credit for graduation, make formal application for admission to graduate study, and meet the other regular requirements.

Graduate Student Seeking a Second Master’s Degree

Graduate students seeking a second master’s degree from the College of Education will use  EDFD 649 - Spirituality and the Educator , to fulfill their Bible requirement.

Academic Regulations

Class Attendance: Admission to the University implies that the student will observe the regulations of the school in regard to class attendance. Regular attendance and participation in classroom activities are necessary for the attainment of a student’s educational objective. The University reserves the right to dismiss a student whenever, in its judgment, the general welfare of the institution seems to require such action.

Student ID: Every student is required to have a student ID. In order to use the library and other facilities on campus, an ID is required.

Dropping Classes: To drop a class, a student must submit a properly signed, official drop form to the Office of Graduate Studies in Education. Any class dropped without the official approval of the University will be marked “F.” Please contact the Graduate Office in the College of Education for more information.

No completed class may be dropped.

Late Enrollment: For courses following the normal University schedule, enrollment is not permitted after Monday of the third week of the fall and spring semesters, or after the first week of either summer term except for limited programs. Exceptions to this regulation must be approved by the instructor and the provost. The amount of course work to be carried is reduced according to time of entrance. Enrollment in a graduate course will not be permitted if doing so will mean the student will have already violated the specific attendance policy of that course.

E-mail: Communication of important information will be disseminated via Harding e-mail accounts. It is the student’s responsibility to check his or her Harding e-mail account regularly or to forward e-mails sent to that account to another e-mail address.

Examinations: A sufficient number of examinations, including a final, are given during a semester to provide a satisfactory basis for grades. Students are expected to take all regularly scheduled examinations. Students who miss an examination because of extraneous circumstances will need to contact the instructor to receive permission and rescheduling of the examination. A final examination may be taken out of regular schedule only in emergency situations approved by the instructor and the chair of graduate studies.

Comprehensive Examinations: Comprehensive examinations will be given on dates listed on the University calendar. An application for such examinations should be submitted by the student prior to the deadline date. Any person showing deficiency may be required to be reexamined or do additional work. Comprehensive examination requirements are listed in the requirements for each specific program.

Reports and Grades: Reports of semester and mid-semester grades are available to the student online.

Scholarship or achievement of the student in each course is expressed as follows:

A - Excellent
B - Satisfactory
C - Passing
D - Failure
F - Failure
W - Withdrawn
I - Incomplete

An “I” may be given only when the student has been unable to complete a course for reasons which, in the judgment of the instructor, have been unavoidable. Incompletes must be removed by the middle of the following semester. If an incomplete is not fulfilled within the specified time, it automatically becomes “F.”

Grades: In order to determine the student’s scholarship level, the following points are assigned for each hour of the indicated grade: A, 4; B, 3; C, 2; D, 1; and F, 0.

Definition of Semester Hour: A “semester hour” of credit requires 15 hours of lecture, recitation, discussion or equivalent, exclusive of the time devoted to final examinations.

Grade Point Average for Degrees and Identified Programs of Study: An average scholarship level of 3.00 is required in all course work. No grade below “C” is acceptable for graduate credit (but will be used to calculate GPA), and only 6 semester hours of “C” credit may be counted. These must be balanced by 6 semester hours of “A” credit. Courses in which a grade of “C” or lower has been received may be repeated. No course may be repeated more than once.

Course Credit: Courses that are not part of a degree program at Harding University will be given graduate credit, but will not count toward a master’s degree, unless given prior approval by the chair of graduate studies in education. Students may register in approved 500-level courses for graduate credit. They must reflect, however, a quality of work appropriate to graduate standing, and are assigned additional readings, projects or term papers beyond that which is normally expected of undergraduates. All master’s degrees require a minimum of 18 hours to be taken at the 600 level. Students who register for an independent study course must show evidence through previously completed work that they are academically able to do the required work as independent study. Only two independent study courses may be part of a master’s degree. Degrees in art are the only exceptions to this policy.

Ability to Communicate: Because the ability to communicate is such an integral part of teaching, each candidate for the master’s degree must demonstrate above average competency in written and spoken English.

Counseling and Registration: All students must contact the chair of graduate studies or the director of their specific program of study before their initial registration to plan an individual graduate program upon which subsequent registrations will be based. In addition to the general requirements for admission, all students should:

1. Submit all requested changes in their program of study for approval by the chair of graduate studies or the director of their specific program of study;
2. Consult frequently with the chair of graduate studies or the director of their specific program of study concerning the work progress, as it is the student’s responsibility to see that all requirements are met; and
3. Know that registration in the Graduate Program automatically carries with it an obligation on the part of the student to meet all the requirements of the degree as defined by the Graduate Council and regulations of the University.

Special Adjustments: Any change in or deviation from policy must be approved by the Graduate Council. Dependent upon a student’s educational background, some graduate programs may require leveling courses to be taken prior to beginning graduate work.

Appeals: A student may appeal any decision of the Graduate Council or the chair of graduate studies. The student should follow this process:

1. Write a letter to the chair stating his/her request.
2. Appear before the Graduate Council to make an appeal.