ADMISSION TO TEACHER CERTIFICATION PROGRAM

Admission to the University and admission to the Teacher Certification Program are two separate entities. The requirements for admission to teacher education at Southwestern University are as follows:

1. A grade point average of 2.5 or above on a minimum of 60 semester hours of work completed.
2. A grade of at least "C-" in an English composition course.
3. Satisfactory scores on the Texas Higher Education Assessment (THEA) tests or approved exemption.
4. Proof of professional insurance for student teachers through membership in a statewide teacher organization.
5. Completion of an interactive, sustained intercultural experience, including no fewer than 20 hours (in some cases two experiences may be used to accumulate the required hours). The experience must be over an extended time period (typically one semester). Some students may need to choose a summer experience, due to scheduling constraints. If a summer experience is chosen, it must be at least 3 weeks in duration. Most students will participate in this intercultural experience prior to their junior year. Regardless of whether the experience is completed locally, out of state or in another country, the experience should represent a significant "stretch" for the applicant. Students must submit a proposal prior to engaging in the experience. Proposals must be submitted and approved by the Education Department by the following dates: For a Summer experience - noon on the Friday before spring break; for a fall experience - noon on the Friday before spring break; for a spring experience - noon on the Monday following the Thanksgiving holiday. Typical course requirements such as field placements and observations do not fulfill this requirement. Special programs that include educational components such as the Jamaica and Innovative Schools programs may fulfill this requirement, if the student's proposal meets the requirements. Students are required to keep a journal that documents and reflects on the selected experience. Post-experience reflection papers must be submitted to and approved by the department faculty in order to finalize this admission requirement. Final reflection papers are due by December 1 for fall experiences, May 1 for spring experiences and September 1 for summer experiences. Specific guidelines may be obtained in the Education Department, Mood-Bridwell Hall, room 235.

If an applicant is denied admission to the Teacher Certification Program, he or she may appeal. This appeal process is initiated by contacting the Chair of the Education Department.

Courses which may be taken while seeking admission to the Teacher Certification Program are EDU 40-311, 40-313, 40-483, 40-553, 40-593, 43-403, 43-473, 44-643, 44-653, 45-733. No other professional Education courses may be taken until after admission to the Teacher Certification Program. *Prerequisites for 45-733 are completion of at least 45 semester hours with a 2.5 grade point average. The prerequisite for 40-593 is a minimum of six hours in Education.

STATE COMPETENCY TESTING REQUIREMENTS

In order to be admitted to the Teacher Certification Program, students must pass or be exempted from all parts of the Texas Higher Education Assessment (THEA). The THEA is offered six times each year. Registration booklets are available in the Education Department or online. In order to be recommended for the initial TExES teacher certification or additional teaching fields, all persons shall be required to achieve a satisfactory level of performance on one or more examinations contained in the Texas Examinations of Educator Standards (TExES). Students may register for the TExES during their student teaching semester by obtaining approval from the Teacher Certification Officer in the Education Department. Approval will be given to students attending Southwestern University who have (1) taken a TExES practice exam in their field-based semester, (2) demonstrated satisfactory performance on each component of the Disposition Toward Teaching evaluation, which may include satisfactory completion of a professional growth plan, (3) completed all degree requirements other than student teaching and its co-requisites, and (4) are performing satisfactorily in their student teaching placement. Southwestern University's Certification Officer may deny any student permission to test if it is determined that the student is performing unsatisfactorily in his or her student teaching placement.

No student will be allowed to take more than two teacher certification exams on one test date. Students seeking teacher certification in grades PreK-4 must take two state exams: Pedagogy and Professional Responsibilities (EC-4) and Generalist (EC-Grade 4).

Students seeking teacher certification in grades 4-8 must take two state exams: Pedagogy and Professional Responsibilities (4-8) and the chosen content area (language arts, social studies, math, science or math/science).

Students seeking teacher certification in grades 8-12 must take two state exams: Pedagogy and Professional Responsibilities (8-12) and the major content area (see Academic Specialization below for secondary certification).

Students seeking teacher certification in special education must take two state exams: Generic Special Education (EC-12) and PPR (EC-12). This certification is not a stand alone certification and must be completed in addition to either elementary or secondary certification. All students seeking Generic Special Education certification must have at least one content area of 24 hours to be considered a "qualified teacher" by federal mandates. The following areas meet this requirement: EC-4 Generalist, 4-8 Language Arts, 4-8 Math, 4-8 Math/Science, 4-8 Science, 4-8 Social Studies, and 8-12 certification in English, math, life science, physical science, history or social studies.

Students seeking certification in Spanish or French for grades 8-12 must take three exams: Pedagogy and Professional Responsibilities (8-12), Spanish (8-12) or French (8-12), and Texas Oral Proficiency Test (TOPT).

The TExES is offered four times each year. Both the THEA and the TExES are prescribed by the Texas Education Agency.

STUDENT TEACHING

Student teaching normally will be taken during the last semester. Student teaching requires full days in public schools for a minimum of 12 weeks in accordance with the calendar of the school district. When the calendar of the school district does not coincide with Southwestern's calendar and dormitories are closed, student teachers will be required to find housing accommodations off campus and will be assisted in doing so, if necessary. Preliminary application for student teaching will be completed in the spring semester of the junior year. Final applications for student teaching are required by October 15. Final admission to student teaching requires an overall grade point average of 2.5 and (1) completion of the appropriate TExES practice exams, (2) demonstrated satisfactory performance on each component of the Disposition Toward Teaching evaluation, which may include satisfactory completion of a professional growth plan, (3) completion of all degree requirements other than student teaching and its co-requisites prior to the student teaching semester. Students denied admission to student teaching may appeal by contacting the Chair of the Education Department.

GRADE STANDARDS

Required education and advanced courses in a teaching field must record a grade of "C+" or better. A grade of C or below will be reviewed by the department and may require repeating the course and performing at the level of C+ or better or an approved alternative.

CERTIFICATION PROGRAMS

All students interested in pursuing Texas teacher certification may obtain detailed descriptions of each certification program from the Education Department. Interested students are strongly encouraged to contact a member of the Education Department, even if they are assigned to another adviser. Doing so will allow them to receive current information on the new certification programs and guidance in selecting other courses which are aligned with state certification requirements.