Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) - Clinical Policy

Clinical Placement, Supervision and Evaluation
Graduate Professional Education Program Candidates
Fairmont State University

The following information explains the process for the selection of field and clinical placements for candidates in graduate Teacher Education certification programs at Fairmont State University. Please review the document for information that pertains to your particular personal, professional, and program situation. If you have questions about field and clinical placements beyond the information provided here, please feel free to call 304-367-4886 or email us at barbara.owens@fairmontstate.edu for more information.  

NOTE: All certification candidates, regardless of certification being sought, must complete all field and clinical requirements in appropriate classroom settings given the certification program in which they are enrolled.  

Candidates who change teaching positions, or move into a first-time position must still meet these requirements to complete the additional certification. Candidates who move into a position or change positions (and no longer require the certification being sought) may choose to transfer to the M.ED. Professional Studies option to complete their masters degree. Of special note:

• Any 5-Adult or PK -Adult programs of study must include clinical placements - including student teaching -- in the appropriate grade, content and specialization placements as required by WV Board of Education policy.
• Multi-categorical Special Education certification requires field/clinical experiences - including student teaching in a Multi-categorical Special Education classroom. 
• 5-Adult Certifications require 2 student-teaching placements: Middle School and High School. Exceptions include:
   
  • Candidates previously certified K-6 and who completed a field or clinical experience at the middle school grade level (5th through 8th grade) are not required to student teach for the new certification in these grades;

  • Candidates previously certified 5-Adult will need only one of middle school or high school student teaching for the new certification;
  • Candidates previously certified 9-Adult must student teach in a middle school for the new certification.

• K-Adult Certifications require 2 of 3 student teaching placements:  Elementary School and Middle School or High School.
  • Only candidates already certified Elementary K-6 are eligible to add a new certification in K-Adult.
  • Candidates who are previously certified K-6 may student teach for the new certification in either a middle school or high school placement.
• Length of the Student-Teaching experience:
  • Student-teaching is a 16 week experience.

Fairmont State University is committed to the concept of "Professional Development Schools" (PDS) as a foundation for excellence in teacher education, professional development, and outreach to our local communities. PDSs are a network of 40 schools that partner with FSU in the following six counties, including: Harrison; Preston; Marion; Taylor; and Monongalia.

Note to Candidates who work full or part time outside education, or as substitute teachers

• You must complete all field and clinical components in a way that fully meets all academic and certification requirements.
  • This may require you to request leave time from your current employment or vacate your current employment to complete program requirements.
• You must student teach for the full expectations (number of weeks; full days, supervised by a teacher certified in the area being sought).
• Substitute teaching does not fulfill requirements for academic or certification expectations.
• Work experience in education prior to admission to the program of study cannot be used to fulfill program requirements.

Process for Indentifying Your Field/Clinical Placement Process  

Step 1: Please identify the category below that you think best fits your personal, professional, and program situation. 

Step 2: Go to that link (it will take you to a section later in this document) to review information about your field/clinical expectations in your program of study. 

Category 1: Program Candidates in the Fairmont area

Full-time teachers on permit or out-of-field authorization in a PDS site, full-time teachers on permit or out-of-field authorization in the five PDS counties, but not in a PDS program, students who do not currently teach, and live in the six PDS county area

Category 2: Program Candidates outside the Fairmont Area (outside the five-county area defined above)

Full-time teachers on permit or out-of-field authorization

Program students who do not currently teach and are located within 45 minutes of a PDS site

Program students who do not currently teach, and who live outside the five-county area more than 45 minutes from a PDS site

Description of Field/Clinical Categories

Category 1: Program Candidates in the Fairmont area

     Full-time teachers on permit or out-of-field authorization in a PDS site

• If you work in an FSU-PDS site, and are a full-time teacher on permit or out-of-field authorization in the field of certification being sought, and teaching in the appropriate grade level, you may complete the field and clinical experiences in the classroom in which you are teaching.
• If you work in an FSU- PDS, the PDS Site Coordinator and FSU PDS Liaison will coordinate support and supervision -- including placements, supervision and support, and documentation of practice -- with the FSU-PDS office.

Full-time teachers on permit or out-of-field authorization in the five PDS counties, but not in a PDS

• If you are requesting that your current position be used at any point for any field or clinical placement, you must submit a request for field/clinical placement form no later than the end of the first week of class in the semester in which the field/clinical requirement is being completed. This form may be accessed through the course in which you would be enrolled in that semester.
• Both the school and the supervising teacher must be approved in advance of the clinical experience by Fairmont State University.
• For any pre-student teaching field/clinical experiences, you must be supervised by a teacher in the same certification field being sought.
• For student-teaching, you must be supervised by a teacher in the same certification field being sought, and by the school principal.
• FSU will coordinate clinical placements activities with the school and district offices.

Program students who do not currently teach

• If you live in the five-county area noted above, and are not a full-time teacher, all field experiences and clinical components must be completed in a PDS site.
• The PDS Site Coordinator and FSU PDS Liaison will coordinate support and supervision -- including placements, supervision and support, and documentation of practice -- with the FSU-PDS office

Category 2: Program Candidates outside the Fairmont Area (outside the five-county area Defined Above

Full-time teachers on permit or out-of-field authorization

• If you are a full-time teacher on permit or out-of-field authorization in the field of certification being sought, and teaching in the appropriate grade level, you may complete the field and clinical experiences in the classroom in which you are teaching.
• If you are requesting that your current position be used at any point for any field or clinical placement, you must submit a request for field/clinical placement form no later than the end of the first week of class in the semester in which the field/clinical requirement is being completed. This form may be accessed through the course in which you would be enrolled in that semester.
• Both the school and the supervising teacher must be approved in advance of the clinical experience by Fairmont State University.
• For any pre-student teaching field/clinical experiences, must be supervised by a teacher in the same certification field being sought.
• For student-teaching, you must be supervised by a teacher in the same certification field being sought, and by the school principal.
• FSU will coordinate clinical placements activities with the school and district offices.

Program students who do not currently teach and are located within 45 minutes of a PDS site

• If you live outside the six-county area noted above, and are not a full-time teacher, but live within 45 minutes of an available PDS site, you will be placed in a PDS for all field/clinical placements.
• The PDS Site Coordinator and FSU PDS Liaison will coordinate support and supervision -- including placements, supervision and support, and documentation of practice -- with the FSU-PDS office.

Program students who do not currently teach, and who live outside the six-county area more than 45 minutes from a PDS site

Note: Local Boards of Education may require that field/clinical placements be approved by the Board each semester. You may not begin the placement until this approval has been secured by Fairmont State University. This process may delay approval of your placement and shorten the timeline for completion of the field/clinical component.

• If you live outside the five-county area, are not within 45 minutes of a PDS site, and do not currently teach, you must locate a school and school district willing to provide you a placement.
  • Fairmont State University reserves the right to make the placement for you where an option exists in a PDS site.
• You must submit a request for field/clinical placement form no later than the end of the first week of class in the semester in which the field/clinical requirement is being completed. This form may be accessed through the course in which you would be enrolled in that semester.
• Both the school and the supervising teacher must be approved in advance of the clinical experience by Fairmont State University.
• For any pre-student teaching field/clinical experiences, must be supervised by a teacher in the same certification field being sought.
• For student-teaching, you must be supervised by a teacher in the same certification field being sought, and by the school principal.
• FSU will coordinate clinical placements activities with the school and district offices.
  • Both the school and the supervising teacher must be approved in advance of the clinical experience by Fairmont State University.
  • For any pre-student teaching field/clinical experiences, you must be supervised by a teacher in the same certification field being sought.
  • For student-teaching, you must be supervised by a teacher in the same certification field being sought, and by the school principal.
  • FSU will coordinate clinical placements activities with the school and district offices.

Practicing, Certified Teachers in Clinically Intensive Masters Options

• Teachers participating in a clinically intensive masters option, who are already certified and are not seeking additional certification, will be able to complete all clinical components in their classroom.

Fairmont State University
Professional Development School Partnership

PDSs by County