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School of Education | Student Services Center | Clinical Experiences
Preparing future educators through sustained clinical practice, professional mentorship, university supervision, and meaningful PK–12 classroom experiences.
Teacher residency is the culminating clinical experience of educator preparation at Southern University and A&M College. Candidates apply knowledge developed through coursework in authentic school settings while receiving ongoing guidance from experienced mentor teachers, university supervisors, and School of Education faculty and staff.
Southern University supports initial teacher certification through undergraduate and post-baccalaureate preparation pathways, including the Master of Arts in Teaching and Certification Only pathway.
Southern University prepares future educators through undergraduate and post-baccalaureate initial certification pathways. Coursework, clinical preparation, certification requirements, and residency experiences are aligned to each candidate's approved program.
The traditional undergraduate pathway combines degree coursework, field experiences, and a year-long teacher residency leading toward initial teacher certification.
The Master of Arts in Teaching program is a graduate initial certification pathway for candidates who have already earned a bachelor's degree and are preparing to enter the teaching profession.
The Certification Only pathway provides an approved post-baccalaureate route to initial certification in Elementary Education Grades 1–5 for candidates who already hold a bachelor's degree and do not seek completion of a master's degree.
Undergraduate candidates complete a year-long clinical residency through Residency I and Residency II, progressively assuming greater responsibility for planning, instruction, assessment, and classroom leadership.
Residency I emphasizes transition into sustained clinical practice. Residents learn the classroom context, collaborate with the mentor teacher, participate in instructional planning and delivery, and progressively increase their teaching responsibilities.
Residency II builds upon the first semester as residents assume increased responsibility for instruction, assessment, classroom management, and professional decision-making while continuing to receive mentor and university support.
Master of Arts in Teaching and Certification Only candidates complete a year-long residency aligned with the requirements of their approved initial certification pathway.
A candidate who is not serving as teacher of record may complete the year-long residency in an approved clinical placement under the guidance of a credentialed mentor teacher.
Eligible post-baccalaureate candidates may complete the year-long residency while employed as teacher of record under the applicable Louisiana credential.
The credential held during educator preparation depends upon the candidate's preparation pathway, admission status, clinical placement, employment status, and Louisiana certification eligibility.
Mentored Residency
The Resident Teacher Certificate supports eligible candidates completing an approved year-long residency in a mentored clinical placement.
Provisional Admission
The Pre Practitioner License supports eligible candidates who are provisionally admitted to an approved alternate certification pathway while completing requirements for full program admission.
Post Baccalaureate Certification
The Practitioner License applies to eligible candidates enrolled in an approved alternate certification pathway after satisfying applicable requirements for full program admission.
Residency is a professional clinical experience. Candidates are expected to demonstrate consistent attendance, professional conduct, instructional growth, responsiveness to feedback, and active participation in their school community.
Participate consistently in classroom instruction, planning, assessment, collaboration, and other appropriate professional responsibilities.
Maintain timely and accurate attendance records and follow university and clinical site expectations for attendance, communication, and professional conduct.
Work collaboratively with the mentor teacher through planning, co-teaching, instructional feedback, reflection, and progressive development of teaching responsibility.
Engage regularly with the university supervisor through observations, feedback, coaching, communication, and support throughout the residency experience.
Complete required weekly documentation demonstrating clinical participation, instructional planning, mentor feedback, attendance, reflection, and professional growth.
Participate in required observation and feedback cycles and use evidence from observations to strengthen instructional practice and professional decision-making.
Candidates should begin preparing for residency well in advance of the applicable entry deadline. Academic, assessment, certification, clinical placement, and application requirements must be completed according to the candidate's preparation pathway.
Southern University offers two entry cycles for the year-long teacher residency: Fall–Spring and Spring–Fall. Candidates must satisfy all requirements applicable to their preparation pathway by the published deadline for the residency cycle they intend to enter.
| Residency Entry Cycle | Undergraduate Deadline | MAT & Certification Only Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Fall–Spring Residency | April 15 | June 15 |
| Spring–Fall Residency | November 15 | November 15 |
Undergraduate candidates must satisfy all requirements for entry into residency and submit the Teacher Residency Application by the applicable deadline.
Candidates seeking a Fall–Spring residency must complete all requirements and apply by April 15. Candidates seeking a Spring–Fall residency must complete all requirements and apply by November 15.
MAT and Certification Only candidates must satisfy all requirements for entry into residency-specific coursework, including applicable Praxis content and certification requirements, by the published deadline.
Candidates seeking a Fall–Spring residency must satisfy applicable requirements by June 15. Candidates seeking a Spring–Fall residency must satisfy applicable requirements by November 15.
Residency-specific coursework is not offered during the summer. Candidates may complete other approved coursework within their post-baccalaureate preparation pathway during the summer when available and appropriate to their program sequence.
Student Services Center | School of Education
W.W. Stewart Hall, Room 247
The Office of Teacher Residency and Certification supports candidates throughout residency preparation, clinical placement, certification processing, residency progression, mentor and university supervisor coordination, and completion of program requirements.
Lela Murdock
Residency Coordinator
Phone: 225-771-3793
Email:
lela.murdock@sus.edu