Pittsburg State University Education Degrees & Programs
Pittsburg State University appears in our ranking of the Top 20 Best MATs in Elementary Education Online.
Programs in education from Pittsburg State University are administered by the College of Education. The university houses its undergraduate and graduate programs in education within its Office of Teacher Education. The university offers a wealth of areas for specialization and study that range from teaching English to middle school and high school students to becoming a library media specialist.
For undergraduate programs, areas of focus include art, chemistry, early childhood, elementary education, French, and family & consumer sciences. Students may also specialize in history/government, mathematics, music, physical education, physics, Spanish, speech/theatre, or technology & engineering education. Undergraduate degrees are usually focused on a particular area of childhood development like birth through age three or grades six through 12.
Students in undergraduate teaching programs will spend many hours inside classrooms working with children and receiving mentorship from working teachers. For example, students in the first semester of their sophomore year who study elementary education will spend more than 1,000 hours inside classrooms during the year as practice teachers.
All programs also have core requirements related to the student’s concentration or specialization. For example, earning a Bachelor of Science in Education with a Major in Mathematics means taking Calculus, Mathematics for Education, and Introduction to Mathematical Thought. Students will also take Matrix Algebra, Geometry for Education, and Manipulatives for Teaching Mathematics.
Graduate students in education programs at Pittsburg State University also have many areas for specialization. Programs include a Master of Science in Building Leadership, or a Certificate in Building Leadership, as well as programs in district leadership, English as a second language, or library media specialist. Students can also earn degrees in school counseling, school psychology, and special education.
Some graduate programs allow students to choose whether they want to graduate with a thesis, solve a research problem for their capstone experience, or complete recommended coursework as their program emphasis. In addition, some graduate degrees are available via online study. Online degrees include those in educational leadership, educational technology, school health, special education, elementary education, and secondary education. Students may elect to earn their teaching certification online, too.
About Pittsburg State University
Pittsburg State University is a public school and has operated since 1903 when it was established and placed under the guidance of the Kansas Board of Regents. Although the name might seem to indicate otherwise, the school is located in Pittsburg, Kansas, rather than the state of Pennsylvania. The university was once known as the Auxiliary Manual Training Normal School and became a four-year institution about ten years after it was established.
The university’s official colors are gold and crimson, and its sports teams are nicknamed the Gorillas. Students play in NCAA Division II games with Gus the Gorilla as their mascot. The school has been known as Pittsburg State University since 1977. Today, its rural campus covers 223 acres and is home to a state-of-the-art technology building called the Kansas Technology Center.
Pittsburg State University Accreditation Details
The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools has accredited Pittsburg State University at the institutional level. Regional accreditation of this type helps students choose universities that adhere to peer-reviewed standards for degree delivery and operations. The university is also accredited by other organizations and has been granted various accolades.
The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business has accredited the Gladys A. Kelce College of Business. Accolades received by the university include a ranking in the top 15 of the nation’s best business schools by “Entrepreneur Magazine.” The business school was also ranked highly as a “family-friendly” school by “The Princeton Review,” and the overall university has been dubbed a military-friendly school by various publications.
Pittsburg State University Application Requirements
Students who apply to Pittsburg State University may qualify for automatic admission if they meet certain admission requirements. Those criteria include completing the university’s recommended pre-college curriculum, as well as achieving a score on the ACT of at least 21 or a score on the SAT of 1060. Students who earn a rank in the top third of their graduating high school class can also qualify for automatic admission.
The university’s pre-college curriculum includes four units of English, four units of math, three units of natural science, three units of social science, and three electives from areas like journalism, foreign languages, personal finance, or computer information systems. When applying, students should arrange for a visit to the campus and have their transcripts and additional documentation delivered by February 1 to gain scholarship eligibility.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Kansas residents who enroll as undergraduates at Pittsburg State University will pay a flat rate for tuition of $3,669 per semester, as well as an estimated $3,998 per semester for a place in the residence hall, and $500 for books and supplies. The total estimated cost for the year is $16,334. Meanwhile, out-of-state students will pay $9,341 per semester for tuition, $500 for books and supplies, and $3,998 for a spot in a campus residence hall. In all, non-resident students should be prepared to pay $27,678 per year to attend Pittsburg State University.
Graduate students who are Kansas residents and who attend the university will pay $4,161 per semester for tuition, $500 for books and supplies, and $3,998 for residence hall charges for a total of $17,318. Out-of-state enrollees will pay $9,577 for tuition and will see an estimated academic year total of $28,150 to attend the university when books, supplies, and room & board are included.
The Office of Student Financial Assistance handles financial aid at Pittsburg State University. Students must submit their FAFSA form to participate in the federal financial aid program, as well as receive institutional aid, grants, and scholarships. The university offers several scholarships for incoming freshmen, transfer students, and current students, and the university may require additional forms from the student during the application process.
Merit scholarships are often awarded based on the student’s high school GPA, standardized test scores, or class rank. Some scholarships are based on whether the student is related to any alumni of the school or whether the student has chosen to major in a particular area of study. Pittsburg State University also offers general scholarships that require an extra application.
