Family and Consumer Sciences

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Department of Family and Consumer Sciences
Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo MI 49008-5322 USA
(269) 387-3704

Occupational Education Studies Program

This program is offered in-person or online.

The Bachelor of Science in occupational education studies is a designed specifically for those individuals who wish to become a certified teacher in a CTE subject as approved by the Michigan state Board of Education.

Students may now apply for potential credit for their prior learning and experiences for this concentration. This PLA opportunity would allow prior related work experience to count for up to 30 credits of OES major coursework.

"There was not a single class that was not applicable to what I am doing today."

- Lauren, alumna

100%

100% of WFED graduates were employed or continuing education within 3 months of graduation.

99%

Michigan school principles ranked 99% of new teachers prepared at WMU as "effective" or "highly effective".

Real-world

Students in this program complete a pre-internship and an internship in the field before graduating.

Variety

Largest selection of career and technical educational course offerings in the state of Michigan.

Additional information

Accreditation: The occupational studies major is an approved state Board of Education and North Central Accreditation for Teacher Education teacher education program.

Certification: This degree program leads to a state of Michigan provisional certificate with a vocational endorsement.

The program appeals to individuals desiring to teach technical programs in area technical centers, comprehensive high schools and trade academies.

Work experience requirement

A vocational endorsement requires 4,000 hours of recent and relevant work experience in your teachable major. 

Technical content requirement

  • A teachable major can be satisfied by completing an approved program of work from your local community college or passing scores from the MOCAC examination in your technical area.

  • A teachable minor is completed at WMU that can be selected from WMU teachable minors for secondary education.

Professional education requirements (21 credit hours)

  • ED 3050: Secondary Content Literacy (reading) (three credit hours)

  • WFED 3050: Career and Employability Skills (three credit hours)

  • WFED 3480: Student Assessment and Management (includes 60 hours pre-internship) (three credit hours)

  • WFED 5100: Special Populations in Workplace Education and Development (three credit hours)

  • WFED 5120: Principles of Workplace Education and Development (three credit hours)

  • WFED 5130: Teaching Methods for Workplace Education and Development (three credit hours)

  • WFED 5420: Curriculum Development in Workplace Education and Development (three credit hours)

Directed internship (12 credit hours)

  • WFED 4100: Seminar in Education (two credit hours)

  • WFED 4750: Directed Field Experience (intern teaching) (ten credit hours)

WMU essential studies requirements

  • Western Michigan University has strong connections with its community college partners, visit the the 2 Plus 2 community college program page to learn more.

  • These programs are approved by the Michigan State Board of Education.

Students may now apply for potential credit for their prior learning and experiences for this concentration. This PLA opportunity would allow prior related work experience to count for up to 30 credits of OES major coursework.

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