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Undergraduate Level Teacher Licensure Programs
ADMISSIONS CRITERIA & PROCEDURES
As a University of Utah undergraduate student who is interested in becoming a teaching major in early childhood, elementary education, or secondary education, you may be accepted for early admission to the new teacher education program as soon as you have completed the admissions application requirements and been approved by the Admissions Committee of the Department of Teaching and Learning. The Department of Teaching and Learning Undergraduate Teacher Education Admissions Committee meets monthly.
Once you are accepted as an early admission student, you will be eligible to begin the new professional education core courses starting in Fall 2008. The earlier in your undergraduate program that you are admitted as a teaching major at the UofU, the more flexibility you will have in completing your Bachelor of Science degree and licensure program within four years. Secondary education science, humanities, social science, and art majors may require additional semesters in order to complete their major and licensure requirements. (For some content areas, the additional time is likely a year - 80 content hours in biology, and 4 UofU art hours in addition to all other requirements). Additionally, as soon as you are admitted to a teacher education program, you may immediately qualify for state and federal financial assistance (loans, grants, scholarships ) available only to teaching majors.
– Scholarship and Financial Aid Information -
How do I apply for the new teacher education program at the University of Utah?
As an undergraduate student who has been admitted to the University of Utah, you may seek admission as a teaching major in one of the programs below at any time during your university bachelor's degree program:
Early Childhood Education (pre-k through 3rd grade)
Elementary Education (grades1 through 8)
Math or Science Secondary Education (grades 7 through 12)
Secondary Education in the Content Disciplines grades 7 through 12, (including the Fine Arts, Health, Social Science in grades 7)
Note: Students interested in applying for the teacher education programs in special education, should go to www.ed.utah.edu/sped (click on prospective students) or contact Patty Davis, Academic Advisor in the Department of Special Education at 581-8221.
To apply to a teacher education program in early childhood, elementary education, or secondary education, please complete the admissions application form on the Department of Teaching and Learning website or call the department at 801 581-7158 to access this form. If you have any question or require further information regarding the undergraduate teacher education application form, we strongly recommend that you contact one of our Academic Advisors:
Bobbi Davis, Elementary Education
Advisor
(Bobbi.Davis@utah.ed) 801-581-6064
or
Jenny Stout, Early Childhood Advisor
(Jenny.Stout@fcs.utah.edu) 801-581-4431
or
Sharon Adams, Secondary Education Advisor
(Sharon.Adams@utah.edu) 801-585-9436
What are the criteria for acceptance to an undergraduate teacher education program in early childhood, elementary education, or secondary education?
As a University of Utah undergraduate student who would like to seek a Bachelor of Science Degree with a teaching license, you must:
- Successfully complete the Praxis I test: Pre-Professional Skills Test with a score of 173 or higher (for more information on preparing for the Praxis I Test, see one of our academic advisors listed above) and
- Submit three letters of recommendation from a high school instructor/counselor and/or university instructor who is familiar with your academic potential as a university student and your commitment to becoming a teacher. Preferably, one of the three letters should be from someone who has observed you working with youth.
Once admitted as a teaching major in early childhood, elementary education, or secondary education, what are the criteria that I must meet to be retained in the UofU's teacher education program?
As an undergraduate student admitted to the UofU as a teaching major in early childhood, elementary education, or secondary education, you must maintain a cumulative grade point average of 2.50 during your first two years (up to 68 credit hours) of study at the UofU or have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 during your second year of study (34 credit hours). You must also receive a grade of C or above in any single course required in the professional education core. A student who receives a grade of C- or below in a course that is required for a teaching license will have the opportunity to repeat the course one time.
In order for you to maintain active status as an admitted teacher education candidate to the UofU, you must also complete 68 credit hours of lower division coursework within 6 academic year semesters (not including summers). If you are unable to meet this timeline, you may reapply to the program and your acceptance back into the program would be contingent upon meeting the admissions criteria stated above and availability of space in one of our teacher education programs.
Following your completion of 68 credit hours as an admitted UofU teaching major, you must (1) maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 in all courses required for a teaching license and (2) receive a grade of C or above in any single course required for licensure. A student who does not meet the above cumulative GPA requirement will be given notification during the semester in which this criterion is not met and will have one additional semester to meet the GPA standard. A student who receives a grade of C- or below in a course that is required for a teaching license will have the opportunity to repeat the course one time.
What if I am admitted to a teaching major in early childhood, elementary education, or secondary education and have already completed my freshman and/or sophomore years (up to 68 credit hours) and have not taken the lower division courses in the new UofU teacher professional education core?
Students who are admitted to a teaching major after completion of their freshman and sophomore years (up to 68 credit hours) and have not taken the lower division courses in the new Professional Education Core may work toward completion of their Bachelor of Science degree in the areas of early childhood or elementary education, or complete a secondary education content major without licensure. For the students in early childhood and elementary education, the Bachelor's degree major requirements would include year two (lower division courses) and year three (upper division courses) of the Professional Education Core. Once your Bachelor of Science degree is awarded, you will have the option of completing the requirements for your licensure in a one year (two semester) "fifth-year" post-bachelor's program without any additional admissions requirements, or you may seek admission to the graduate program and complete your final year of coursework and field experiences and then continue on for a Master of Education Degree.