General Program Information

Admission Requirements for MS Program

Library Media Specialist Focus

Educational Technology Focus

Educational Technology Endorsements and Certificates

Courses & Descriptions

Scholarships & Grad. Assistantships

Student Advising Information

This is a step by step guide for important things you need to do during your program. Please read this section carefully and follow the steps on the pathway to graduation in the LME program.

STEP 1: The first 12-15 hours

Contact Your Advisor : When you receive your letter of admission from Graduate Studies, the name and email address of your advisor is listed. You will need to develop your academic plan with your advisor and file your “Form C”. It is important that you have your Form C signed and filed within your first semester. After 12 hours of course work, if you don’t have your Form C on file, you will not be able to register for classes. Additionally, you run the risk of not being able to enroll in classes you need for the following semester because your registration will be delayed.

Completing your Form C : A "Form C" is your Academic Program and is a contract between you and your advisor regarding the courses you will take in the program. You will need to print out and sign three copies of your Form C and mail them to your advisor. Your advisor will sign this form and send it to Teacher Certification. Teacher Certification then sends the form to the graduate school. You will also receive a signed copy of this document.                                               

Enroll in the Correct Courses : You need to make sure that you take the courses listed on your “Form C.” If you want to take a different course from what you have listed, you need to discuss this with your advisor. Most of the courses in the LME program are required, so there is little room for taking elective classes. The LME faculty suggest you take the following sequence of courses:

• Take LME 501 early in your program.
• LMS focus students should take LME 502 early in the program
• Take the research tool (LME 519,  EDFN 500, or EXED 534) within the first 12 hours
• Take LME 512 in the first 15 to 18 hours of your program in order to develop the plan for your professional portfolio.          

Communicate with your advisor regarding any change in your program – Any coursework you take must be approved by your advisor and requires a “course change form” for the course to be included on your program.

Consider taking technology courses in the following sequence – There are no required sequences in the LME program, but because technology skills are cumulative, the faculty strongly suggest you take LME 535 before LME 537.

Complete your Form D - After you take the research tool (EDFN 500 or LME 519) you can have your “Form D” signed and sent to the graduate school. If you did not receive a Form D from Graduate Studies, you can call them to have one sent to you by mail.

Complete your Application for Graduation - After the Form D is complete you will receive an “Application for Graduation” card from the graduate school. You need to complete this form and return it to Graduate Studies when you are certain about your graduation date.

Register for the Practicum (LME 590) - The practicum experience, LME 590, is taken in your last semester. This class requires 120 field hours and a professional portfolio. Most students also take the PRAXIS and comprehensive exams during this semester. For these reasons, the faculty strongly recommend that you do not take any other classes in this semester.

Sign up for the Comprehensive Exam – In your last semester, you should contact your advisor and request to take the comprehensive exam. The exams are offered in October, March, and June. You must select dates to  have the exam sent to you via email. You will have seven days to complete and return the exam. Your “Form E” is completed after you have passed your comprehensive exam. You will not see this form, as it is completed and signed by your advisor and LME faculty. This form is sent to Graduate Studies by your advisor.

Register for the Praxis – The PRAXIS exam is required for certification as a library media specialist and should be taken near the end of your program. The PRAXIS exam for library media specialists is administered by the Educational Testing Services. Additional information is online at http://www.ets.org.

Take the Graduate Survey – In LME 590, students are asked to complete an online survey regarding their experience in the LME program. Completing this survey is voluntary but provides important information for the program.

Complete the Paperwork for State Certification – If you are working toward LME certification or the Computer Instructional Technology endorsement, you must contact the WKU Teacher Certification Office near the end of your program regarding the process of certification and paperwork required for certification by the Education Professional Standards Board.

Graduation Checklist for Successful Completion of all Degree Requirements

• FORM C—This form should be filed during the first 12 hours of course work.  If the Graduate Studies office does not have this form on file by the completion of 12 hours, a registration hold will be placed on the student’s record.  This hold will not be lifted until the Form C, with all appropriate signatures, is on file in Graduate Studies. Faxes and copies of the Form C are not acceptable.
• FORM D—This form should be filed between 15 and 21 hours of completed course work.  (The Graduate Studies office prefers that at least 21 hours be completed for programs with more than 36 required hours for the degree.)  If the Form D is not on file in Graduate Studies after the student has completed 21 hours, a registration hold is placed on the student’s record for the following registration term.  (For instance, if you will complete the 21^st hour this fall, and you don’t file your Form D by summer open registration during the spring semester, you will receive a hold for summer registration.)
• COURSE CHANGE FORM—This form is used to change electives, etc. on your approved degree program.  Its purpose is to substitute, add, or delete courses from your program and must be signed by your advisor before being sent to Graduate Studies.  If you are substituting a transfer course from another institution, an official transcript from that university must be sent to Graduate Studies.
• TRANSFER CREDITS—Transfer credits must meet the criteria as specified in the current Graduate Catalog.  When sending transcripts, send them directly to Western Kentucky University, Graduate Studies WAB 207, ATTN: Graduate Specialist, 1906 College Heights Blvd., Bowling Green, KY 42101 
• COMPREHENSIVE EXAM/FORM E—The comprehensive examination must be satisfactorily completed.  The major advisor must be contacted regarding the scheduling of the written/oral examination.  Written comprehensive exam applications can be obtained from your department of study.  The Form E is a report to Graduate Studies verifying successful completion of the comprehensive exam and must be submitted by the program advisor. 
• APPLICATION FOR GRADUATION FEE—This application must be completed and submitted to the Office of the Registrar, 1906 College Heights Blvd., Bowling Green, KY  42101, with the $45 fee at least one semester prior to the date on which the degree is to be conferred.  If you wish your name to appear in the commencement program, you must submit the Application for Graduation/$45 fee by the deadline printed in the schedule bulletin.
• INCOMPLETE COURSE WORK—If any course work remains incomplete at the time expected degree completion, a student will not be permitted to graduate until the grade changes are available from the Registrar’s Office.  Students are responsible for keeping up with incomplete grades and contacting individual professors for directions in completing the course requirements.  The Graduate Studies office is not responsible for notifying students of incomplete grades, nor changing these grades.
• TEACHER CERTIFICATION—The Teacher Certification Office should be contacted for all questions regarding certification at 270-745-4300.  Teacher Certification Applications (TC-1 Forms) must be submitted at least three weeks prior to the completion of requirements to prevent delay in processing.  Applications may be obtained from the Teacher Certification Office, Tate Page Hall, Room 407.  The Graduate Studies office is not responsible for providing transcripts or other documentation for processing certification applications.
• Prior to the end of the final semester, all necessary academic records must be on file in the Graduate Studies office (e.g., official transcripts for transfer work, Form C, course changes, Form D, Form E, etc.).  If any of these items is missing from the student’s file, graduation will be delayed.
• If you have questions concerning the completion of your degree, please contact the Graduate Specialist, in the Graduate Studies Office, Wetherby Administration Building 207, at 270-745-2446.