Accredited Teacher Preparation at Southwestern
Southwestern College appears in our ranking of the Top 20 Best Online Bachelor’s in Early Childhood Education Degree Programs.
In Mossman Hall, the Education Division chaired by Dr. J.K. Campbell grants the 120-credit BA in Elementary Education at an 11:1 student-faculty ratio for Southwestern College undergrads to get Kansas K-6 licensure with a 90 percent PPST exam pass rate. For Grades 6-12, Moundbuilders select the Secondary Education Licensure Track to other 120-credit majors, such as Chemistry, American History, Music, or English. Directed by Dr. Nili Luo, the BA in Early Childhood Education follows a 120-credit, CAEP-accredited curriculum with 100+ practica hours before Birth-8 student teaching placements like Whittier Elementary, Little Builders Preschool, and the SC Learning Center. Online via Blackboard, the Master of Teaching requires 36 credits of six-week courses, including Content Area Literacy and Classroom Management, for initial 6-12 Kansas certification. The MEd in Curriculum & Instruction led by Dr. Sheryl Erickson abides NBPTS standards in 36-credit Generalist, ESOL, Early Childhood, Special Education, and School Improvement Planning emphases online. Next, the 72-credit EdD in Educational Leadership admits licensed teacher cohorts each July for online classes with one-week Winfield sessions and KSDE Building/District endorsements.
About Southwestern College
Southwestern College originated on October 9, 1884, when the Southwest Kansas Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church had its faith-based school concept incorporated in Topeka. In Fall 1886, President John Earp welcomed its inaugural class of three at a four-story Winfield building architected by W.A. Ritchie. In 1909, the Southwestern College name was formally adopted. Fully accredited in 1917, Southwestern acquired the Winfield College of Music in 1926. During the 1950s, Southwestern rebuilt the central Richardson Hall to shape today’s 85-acre rural Cowley County campus along the Walnut River. By 1994, it added the College of Professional Studies for flexible adult education. Seven years later, Southwestern College began online programs now ranked 123rd nationally by the U.S. News & World Report. In July 2012, the Doctor of Education in Leadership was launched. Endowed for $26.5 million, SC educates 1,900 Moundbuilders from 18 countries online and on-site across 20 buildings with 30 clubs like EdBuilders. On Niche, Southwestern boasts America’s 316th best dorms and 370th most conservative values. College Factual also placed SC 248th for highest paid teaching graduates.
Southwestern College Accreditation Details
On May 5, 2017, the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association (HLC-NCA) Institutional Actions Council notified Southwestern College that the Level V accreditation was reaffirmed with an Interim Report due in 2019 under its 19th president, Dr. Bradley J. Andrews. Located 725 miles northeast via Interstate 55 in Chicago, this giant 19-state Great Plains Region accreditor is authorized by the U.S. Secretary of Education to evaluate SC’s one associate, 42 bachelor’s, 10 master’s, one doctoral, and nine certificate offerings. Southwestern College is listed among approval schools on the United Methodist General Board of Higher Education & Ministry (GBHEM) website. Particularly, the Education Division received seven-year approval from the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) in May 2016. Its Little Builders Preschool is accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) too.
Southwestern College Application Requirements
Starting at Southwestern College is classified “minimally difficult” on Peterson’s since 496 of the 512 Fall 2017 applicants were triumphant for high 96.9 percent acceptance. First-year Moundbuilders seeking the Education Division should finish a college-prep high school curriculum with four units of English. The Kansas Board of Regents considers 145 GED subject scores as diploma equivalent. On average, freshmen present a 3.23 GPA, 947 SAT, and 21 ACT mark. However, a formal BA in Education major declaration requires 30+ credits for sophomore standing. Prerequisite courses, such as Introduction to Education and College Writing, must be graded at least “C.” Non-native English speakers need a minimum of 6.5 IELTS or 70 TOEFL iBT score. Master’s cohorts need accredited four-year baccalaureates with GPAs above 3.0. Passing Praxis II marks in sought-after content areas is essential. The MEd in Curriculum & Instruction and EdD both require current PK-12 licensure recognized by Kansas. Doctoral candidates typically also need minimum 3.5 GPAs plus GRE Quantitative and Verbal scores over 150.
Southwestern College has rolling undergrad admission through July 1st for Fall and December 1st for Spring starts. The MEd in Curriculum & Instruction considers entrants until November 30th, April 30th, and July 30th yearly. Hybrid EdD in Educational Leadership cohorts have until April 30th only. Accordingly, complete the $25 ($50 if graduate) New Student Application securely online. Have registrars send sealed transcripts via Docufide or to 100 College Street in Winfield, KS 67156. Standardized test scores require SAT code 6670 or ACT code 1464. Other documents include the three confidential recommendation letters, 800-word typed statement of purpose, current résumé, academic writing sample, valid teacher certification, and employer commitment form. Please pose further questions to (800) 846-1543 ext. 6236 or scadmit@sckans.edu.
Tuition and Financial Aid
For 2018-19, Southwestern College has billed Education Division undergrads $15,000 per term or $30,000 annually. Traditional part-time study incurs $1,250 per credit. Summer school tuition is $506 per credit. Bachelor’s majors pay the $75 activity fee, $300 athletic fee, $50 LiveText fee, $30 technology fee, and $150 practice teaching fee. Living at the Winfield campus’ dorms like Wallingford Hall adds $1,810 to $6,370 by semester. Traditional Dining Hall plans are $1,900 to $2,070 extra. SC budgets $1,000 for textbooks and $5,551 for miscellaneous. Annual undergrad attendance equals about $42,821 on-site and $36,347 at home. Campus MEd students spend $606 per credit or $21,816 total. Online MAT/MEd courses are cheaper at $535 per credit or $19,260 overall. The Doctor of Education costs $639 per credit for $23,004 to $46,008.
According to the NCES College Navigator, the Office of Financial Aid at The Strohl House gets 100 percent of incoming SC Moundbuilders median assistance of $18,476 each or $3.31 million combined. Institutional funds include the Pillars Academic Scholarship, Moundbuilder Spirit Scholarship, Jinx Scholarship, Founders Scholarship, Activity Scholarship, Dean’s Scholarship, Provost Scholarship, Transfer Scholarship, Roy Smith Church Matching Scholarship, Need-Based Grant, Endowed Scholarship, and Bishop International Student Scholarship. The Alan Bradford Veteran Award gifts $5,000 per year for active-duty or discharged military members. Phi Theta Kappa members receive $2,000 automatically for their transfer. Master of Education cohorts could reduce tuition by 50 percent via the Graduate Fellowship. The United Methodist Church offers funds like the Dempster Graduate Fellowship, Chaplain Samuel Grover Powell Scholarship, and Laurel Glass Scholarship. Online students taking 6+ credits with GPAs above 2.0 qualify for the College of Professional Studies’ New Learner Scholarship. Filing FAFSA forms coded 001940 opens federal aid, such as the Pell Grant and Stafford Loan. Kansans also pursue the Comprehensive Grant, Ethnic Minority Scholarship, and Military Scholarship.
Find more about Southwestern College at the Education Division website.
