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Career and Technical Education
A decision to teach or lead Career and Technical Education, whether in secondary or postsecondary learning environments, is rewarding. These programs provide students employable skills they can take to the workforce tomorrow. At the University of Central Missouri, we prepare you for the critical work at hand with a wide variety of options. UCM Career and Technical Education (CTE) offers you many undergraduate and graduate programs — degrees and certificates — to meet any career goal.
UCM offers programs to fulfill any CTE career goal
- Secondary or CTE education: Whether you begin your studies at UCM as a new student, transfer with an associate degree or transition from another content area or from industry work, you can meet state requirements to become a CTE teacher.
- CTE administration: In our graduate programs, you'll learn the ins and outs of managing a CTE program. UCM is Missouri’s only institution to offer this type of training.
- College teaching and administration: We offer several graduate certificates to meet your unique goals specific to your work in colleges. Lead a community college, promote inclusivity, become an advisor or qualify for another leadership position such as faculty.
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State’s most comprehensive CTE program
CAEP accredited for teacher preparation
Online and hybrid graduate programs
Missouri’s only CTE admin training
Hands-on and real-world learning
Access to student and professional orgs
Find your Career and Technical Education future at UCM
Grow under the support of faculty who have worked as CTE educators and administrators as they guide you in these aspects of Career and Technical Education at UCM:
- Field experiences: Whether preparing for a career in secondary education, seeking to enhance your skills or wanting to be administrator or industry trainer, you’ll have ample opportunities to get the real-world experience you need. From classroom observation and student teaching to internships, rest assured you can meet Missouri’s requirements and personal goals for your professional growth.
- Applied learning: Ensure your understanding of educational theory when you put it into practice as part of your coursework. As a rising teacher, you’ll access the latest technology and tools in our active learning classrooms or facilities specific to your content area — from our clothing fabrication lab to our commercial kitchen to our greenhouse and 260-acre farm.
- Networking: As an on-campus or online student, you’ll have plenty of chances to build your network during your time at UCM. We offer close to 200 student organizations, including those specific to education or a content area such as agriculture or business. Our faculty are active in professional organizations such as the Missouri Association for Career & Technical Education (MoACTE), among several others, and encourage our students to also get involved.
What can you do with a degree in one of UCM’s Career and Technical Education programs?
The need for educators in career and technical education has never been greater. With your degree or certificate from the University of Central Missouri — which offers the state’s most extensive Career and Technical Education program — you’ll stand out above the rest. Nearly 100% of our graduates find employment following completion of one of our programs. Many students find jobs while still attending UCM. Like them, you’ll be prepared to pursue:
- Secondary teacher certification
- Alternate or dual-credit teaching certification
- CTE administrator certification
- Higher education careers as an academic advisor, faculty member or another college leadership position
You’ll also be prepared to pursue advanced studies to maximize your potential.
Undergraduate Majors and Minors
While the BSE in Secondary Education resides in the Department of Educational Foundations and Literacy, the technical content and lead faculty of the four Career and Technical Education options reside in the Department of Career, Technical and Special Education:
Graduate Programs
Education Specialist
Certificates
CTE Learn Undergraduate and Graduate Credit Opportunities
Find out more about how you can work toward college credit for completing CTE Learn requirements via the CTE Learn online learning network for the Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE). With over 150 self-paced courses for CTE professionals, you can enroll in any course at any time to meet your individual learning needs.
Opportunities for Advancement and Education
Meet Your General Education Requirements
The CTE program at UCM is also home to several general education courses:
CTE 1210 - Managing Information Using Computer Applications GE (2)
Application of current and emerging software to gather, evaluate, communicate, and manage information for academic and professional success while adhering to academic guidelines for research and data management.
This course fulfills Foundational Skills Competency #5 in the Managing Information area of the UCM General Education Program.
CTE 2000 - Technology and Society GE (3)
Explores the nature of technology, technological systems found in all cultures, the control of technology, and implications for change.
UThis course fulfills Foundational Skills Competency #5 in the Managing Information area of the UCM General Education Program.
CTE 3060 - Technical Writing GE (3)
Technical writing basics, techniques, and applications. Uses a practical focus so students internalize the skills necessary to produce clear and effective documents and reports. Prerequisite(s): ENGL 1020; or ENGL 1080 with a grade of C or higher.
This course fulfills Foundational Skills Competency #1 in the Writing II area of the UCM General Education Program.
CTE 3116 - Creative Thinking for a Better World GE (3)
Understanding and applying formal creative thinking techniques as a responsibly-engaged member of society in order to affect positive change for a better world.
This course fulfills Knowledge Competency #9 and Foundational Skills Competency #4 in the Engagement area of the UCM General Education Program.
PLTW Graduate Credit Opportunities
PLTW Core Training Institute (Graduate Credit Only)
UCM offers Graduate credit for educators completing PLTW Core Training Institute (CTI) requirements. All PLTW CTI courses are at the limited cost rate for tuition!
What is PLTW?
The Engineering and Technology Teacher Education Program in the College of Education is nationally certified to provide pre-service training for technology education majors in the internationally acclaimed secondary engineering education program, PLTW. The University of Central Missouri and Purdue University were the first institutions to meet the rigorous requirements for this certification. Upon graduation, students meeting the program requirements will be certificated to teach PLTW courses anywhere in the United States, Virgin Islands, and American Samoa. Graduates will still need to be licensed in the state they will teach.
PLTW, a not-for-profit educational organization, provides a rigorous curriculum designed to prepare a diverse group of students to be successful in science, engineering and engineering technology. High school students successfully completing PLTW courses and passing the national college exams have the potential for earning undergraduate university credits through our office of Online and Learning Engagement.
What is Required for Graduate Credit?
- A completed application for graduate student special credit enrollment. See application instructions below.
- A graduate level paper to be written and submitted to obtain graduate university credit (yes, that means one paper per course). A rubric for that paper is included below. The due date for the paper is no later than close of business on the last day of the summer semester (first Thursday in August) or the Friday befor finals week for the fall and spring semesters to allow time for review before grade submission deadlines.
Please do not send payment to the School. Payment for tuition at UCM is online via your MyCentral student portal. All bills will be sent to your official student email address. For more information on payment plans and questions about student financial accounts, please contact Student Financial Services.
How Do I Apply for PLTW Graduate Credit?
As of Summer 2019, we have created an online application process for our Summer PLTW CTI course application. Please visit our Graduate Student Application page.
If you are new to UCM and wish to take PLTW CTI courses as non-degree seeking (you can always apply your earned CTI course credit to a degree later), select "Non-Degree Seeking" and then select the "Special Credit Application" to proceed. The application may limit you to selecting only one PLTW CTI per application, so please contact us for personal assistance if you wish to enroll in more than one PLTW CTI course.
For assistance with application/enrollment in UCM courses to earn graduate credit for your PLTW CTI sessions, including if you wish to pursue multiple UCM courses if you've completed multiple PLTW CTI sessions this semester (or if you are already a UCM student pursuing a graduate degree), please contact Katie Honomichl in our office of Online and Learning Engagement at honomichl@ucmo.edu prior to completing the application.
For specific questions on how your PLTW CTI courses can apply to a UCM graduate degree, please contact Dr. Michael Pantleo at mpantleo@ucmo.edu or call (660) 543-8627.
"Project Lead The Way" and "PLTW" © 2019 Project Lead The Way, Inc.
Non-Degree Seeking Certification Students
Non-CTE Fields
UCM offers many pathways to certification. For more information on Alternative Pathways to Certification for fields outside of Career and Technical Education, please contact our Office of Clinical Services and Certification.
Traditional Pathway to CTE Temporary Authorization Certificate (TAC)
UCM offers all of the courses needed to fulfill the Temporary Authorization Certificate (TAC) requirements set by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) for Missouri Educator Certification in CTE career fields. The TAC is a one-year, renewable certificate for educators who have already been hired by a school district. Our courses meet the certification requirements and can be taken at either the Graduate or Undergraduate level. They can also be later applied toward a Bachelor’s, Certificate, or Master’s degree at the University of Central Missouri.
CTTE Cohort Program Pathway
The Career & Technical Teacher Educator (CTTE) program was developed in coordination with Career Center Directors to create alternative certification courses which are integrated, rigorous, and relevant for new Career & Technical teachers. These courses build on the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) research based Teaching to Lead program. Each course is taught in an 8-week hybrid format (face-to-face and online) with varying course credit hours. Each blends objectives from foundations of education, teaching methods, curriculum development, assessment, and education of the exceptional child. The new model integrates the objectives as teachers do in the classroom. Participants choosing to be involved should note that this is a comprehensive program, not individual courses, so candidates will be committing to the full two years in the program. New sections begin each fall, with time and meeting locations determined by participant location. These courses can be used to continue on toward a Bachelor’s, Certificate, or Master’s degree at the University of Central Missouri.
Multiple Program Accreditations
UCM is the longest continuously CAEP accredited public institution in Missouri
The Business Education program is endorsed by the National Business Education Association
The Engineering and Technology Teacher Education program is the only university in Missouri recognized by the International Technology and Engineering Educators Association
The Family Consumer Sciences program is nationally accredited by the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences
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