Mississippi Teacher Colleges and Degrees Online Guide

This guide to teaching schools in Mississippi is designed to assist anyone who is looking to become a certified teacher in the state. In order to obtain a teaching degree in Mississippi, aspiring teachers must complete a qualified teacher preparation program in the state. Therefore, it is essential to find the right school that can properly prepare you for a career as an educator. On this page, we have a list of accredited teacher preparation programs as well as student reviews to assist you in finding a school that meets your individual needs and career goals.

School Facts:

• There are 25 colleges and universities with teacher degree programs in Mississippi.¹
• 12 colleges and universities offer a master’s or advanced degree in education.¹
• Highest graduation rate*: Millsaps College, 72%.¹
• Highest transfer-out rate*: Jackson State University, 32%.¹
• Highest net price per year*: Belhaven University, $19,770.¹
• Lowest net price per year*: Rust College, $8,166.¹
• Annual undergraduate tuition range for teaching degree programs in Mississippi*: $5,703 -$30,974.²
• Six schools ranked in US News Regional Universities (South) in 2013 (top 100): Mississippi College (30), Mississippi College for Women (44), Willem Carey University (63), Belhaven University (74), Delta State University (80), Alcorn State University (88).
• Four schools ranked in Forbes Top Colleges List (top 500): Millsaps College (122), University of Mississippi-Main Campus (270), Mississippi College (383), Mississippi State University (397).
• 11 teacher programs are accredited by the NCATE, TEAC, or CAEP (see below).*

*For 4-year colleges and universities with teacher degree programs.

Profiles of Well-Known Schools

Jackson State University: The Department of Elementary and Early Childhood Education is under the ospreys of the five Departments in the College of Education and Human Development at Jackson State University, a well-respected and accredited university in Jackson, Mississippi. Both undergraduate and graduate degree programs are offered within the education department with bachelor, master and doctoral degrees issued. Bachelor of Science degrees are among the most common degree earned in the Education Department at Jackson State, while Master of Arts in Teaching ranks high on the charts as a close second. Doctorate Degree in Early Childhood Education is available for students who wish to educate as high as they can go as an expert in the field of teaching and learning. The graduate degree programs are designed to provide the education needed for professionals to soar within the field and become experts among their colleagues and staff.

Top-Rated Teacher Preparation Programs

The National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) evaluated 1,100 college teacher preparation programs throughout the country (Teacher Prep Review 2013 Report). According to the NCTQ rating system, no programs in Mississippi made the “honor roll” of 3 stars or higher. Read more about the NCTQ Teacher Prep Review 2013 Report.

The following teacher preparation programs in Mississippi received the highest ratings by the National Council on Teacher Quality:

Mississippi University for Women (Undergraduate Elementary)
University of Mississippi (Undergraduate Secondary)
University of Southern Mississippi (Undergraduate Secondary)
Blue Mountain College (Undergraduate Elementary)
Mississippi College (Undergraduate Elementary)

The following reviewed schools were cited as problematic (no stars):

Delta State University – Undergraduate Secondary
Delta State University – Undergraduate Special Education

Teacher Preparation Programs Accredited by the NCATE, TEAC, or CAEP

• Alcorn State University
• Delta State University
• Jackson State University
• Millsaps College
• Mississippi College
• Mississippi State University
• Mississippi University for Women
• Mississippi Valley State University
• The University of Mississippi
• The University of Southern Mississippi
• William Carey University

Read more about the CAEP, NCATE, and TEAC accrediting bodies.

School Programs for Becoming a Teacher in Mississippi

Request free information from the following schools to learn more about your options for choosing a teacher degree program. We recommend you: Request information from one or more of these schools

Schools with Teaching Degree Programs in Mississippi

Alcorn State University
1000 ASU Dr Ste 359
Alcorn State, MS 39096-7500
(601) 877-6100
www.alcorn.edu

Blue Mountain College
201 W Main St
Blue Mountain, MS 38610-9509
(662) 685-4771
www.bmc.edu

Coahoma Community College
3240 Friars Point Rd
Clarksdale, MS 38614
(662) 627-2571
www.coahomacc.edu

Copiah-Lincoln Community College
1001 Co-Lin Lane
Wesson, MS 39191
(601) 643-8306
www.colin.edu

Delta State University
Hwy 8 West
Cleveland, MS 38733
(662) 846-3000
www.deltastate.edu

East Mississippi Community College
1512 Kemper Street
Scooba, MS 39358-0158
(662) 476-5000

Hinds Community College
501 East Main Street
Raymond, MS 39154
(601) 857-5261

Itawamba Community College
602 W Hill St
Fulton, MS 38843-1099
(601) 862-8000
www.iccms.edu

Jackson State University
1440 J R Lynch St
Jackson, MS 39217
(601) 979-2121
oim.jsums.edu

Mississippi College
200 South Capitol Street
Clinton, MS 39058
(601) 925-3000
www.mc.edu

Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College
51 Main Street
Perkinston, MS 39573
(601) 928-5211

Mississippi State University
Mississippi State, MS 39762
(662) 325-2323
www.msstate.edu

Mississippi University for Women
1100 College Street
Columbus, MS 39701
(662) 329-4750

Mississippi Valley State University
14000 Highway 82 West
Itta Bena, MS 38941-1400
(662) 254-9041

Northeast Mississippi Community College
Cunningham Blvd
Booneville, MS 38829
(662) 728-7751

Northwest Mississippi Community College
4975 Hwy 51 N
Senatobia, MS 38668-1714
(662) 562-3200
www.northwestms.edu

Rust College
150 Rust Ave
Holly Springs, MS 38635
(601) 252-8000
www.rustcollege.edu

University of Mississippi Main Campus
Oxford Mississippi
University, MS 38677-1848
(662) 915-7211
www.olemiss.edu

Student Review: “The University of Mississippi offers an excellent, fast track way to become a teacher with its Teach Mississippi Institute program. Under this program, a person already holding a bachelor’s degree can become certified to be a classroom teacher within 12 weeks. The program is online and can be completed even by students who are out of state. The program was very helpful in giving me the knowledge needed to prepare for me to teach in a classroom. What I liked about the program was that it was flexible and I could pretty much complete the coursework at my own pace. I did not have to quit my full time job while completing the program. The only complaint I have with the program was that it did not offer enough resources to help study for the Praxis subject area tests. However, I did pass them through studying with outside material. Overall, the University of Mississippi’s teacher certification program is a very fast, cost-effective way to become a teacher.” -Student at University of Mississippi

University of Southern Mississippi
118 College Drive # 0001
Hattiesburg, MS 39406-0001
(601) 266-1000
www.usm.edu

William Carey University
498 Tuscan Ave
Hattiesburg, MS 39401-5499
(601) 318-5051
www.wmcarey.edu

Student Review: “My experience at William Carey University has been wonderful! I am currently working on my master’s degree in gifted education. This program is 10 courses that can be finished in 5 terms. The school uses trimesters rather than semesters so I’m able to finish faster. The teachers have been fantastic. They are always open for communication and are truly there to help me when I need it. All of my classes are either online or meet on Saturdays. I love the format of the online classes and truly have learned in them. The Saturday classes aren’t as bad as they might sound because we only meet once a month and usually have interactive lessons, not just lectures. After just three terms I already feel much more prepared to be a teacher than I did with just my bachelor’s degree.” Christina B., student at William Carey University

References:
1. National Center for Education Statistics College Navigator: https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/
2. Niche College Search: https://www.niche.com/colleges/search/best-colleges-for-education/