Some students seek opportunities to qualify for several career opportunities to qualify for certification by preparing for both school and public library positions. People in professionsl positions in schools earn salaries equivalent to those of teachers. Students also have a faculty advisor in their major field of study. Among the scholarships available through the Teachers College and the Department of Secondary, Higher, and Foundations of Education are several Teachers College Alumni Scholarships, The Marina E. Axeen Scholarship Awards for Library and Information Services Programs, the Charles M. Kimbrough Scholarship, the E. Graham Pogue Scholarship, and the Heartland Stage Scholarship. These courses allow students to integrate theory and practice and to develop specific teaching skills before student teaching.
Student teachers assume most of the responsibility for planning and teaching classes.
They are supervised by the regular classroom teacher and a member of the Ball State University faculty. Student teachers are often placed in or near their home towns if they so request. Upon the completion of the university and teacher education curriculum and requirements, students earn either bachelor of arts or bachelor of science degree. Music, physical education, visual arts, and school media services students receive all-grade license, which covers kindergarten through grade twelve. A limited number of graduate assistantships are available to graduate students studying in the department.