B.S.Ed. Programs of Study

The School of Education offers a Bachelor of Science in Education degree.

The majors offered are:

  • Early Level (PreK-4) Education  (124 minimum credits)
  • Middle Level (4-8) Education: All subjects (4-6) with English/Language Arts Concentration (7-8 (128 minimum credits)
  • Middle Level (4-8) Ed0ucation: All subjects (4-6) with Mathematics Concentration (7-8) (134 minimum credits)
  • Middle Level (4-8) Education: All subjects (4-6) with Science Concentration (7-8) (131 minimum credits)
  • Middle Level (4-8) Education: All subjects (4-6) with English/Language Arts and Mathematics Dual Concentration (7-8) (131 minimum credits)
  • Secondary (7-12) Education English (129 minimum credits)
  • Secondary (7-12) Education Math (124 minimum credits)
  • Secondary (7-12) Education Physics (126 minimum credits)
  • Secondary (7-12) Education Social Studies (127 minimum credits)
  • Dual Certification in General and Special Education (select any of the programs above) 
    (124 - 147 credits - varies by concentration, please see program page)

Requirements for the B.S. in Education

120-147 credits, varies by program, dependent on course of study.  Please see each program page for more detail. 

5-Year Early Start Programs

The School of Education offers early start options for students who have demonstrated a strong academic background (GPA > 3.0) to begin graduate work during their undergraduate time at Â鶹ֱ²¥. During the junior or senior year, students have the opportunity to take up to 5 courses in a Master's level program at the undergraduate tuition rate. Current programs with early start options include:

  • Education Administration, K-12
  • Child Psychology
  • School Supervision
  • Reading and Literacy Specialist
  • Special Education

Undergraduate Students not in the School of Education in good academic standing (GPA >3.0) interested in pursuing or exploring an education degree and/or teaching certification can begin to take courses as juniors or seniors in the Graduate Education Programs including:

  • Grades PreK-4
  • Secondary (Grades 7-12) Mathematics, English, Social Studies, Science

Field Experiences

A significant feature of the Leading Teacher Program is early participation in field experiences. Field experiences are integrated into coursework throughout the Leading Teacher Program. Field experiences are a critical component in preparing professional educators for leadership and distinction in teaching, scholarship and service in the world’s communities. Field experiences occur in off-campus settings. It is in these field experiences that teacher candidates demonstrate the integration of theory and practice. Teacher candidates are encouraged to participate in a variety of settings, with students of different ages, and with culturally diverse and exceptional populations.

Student Teaching

The undergraduate experience in the Leading Teacher Program culminates in student teaching, which is the most significant professional experience that represents a bridge between professional preparation and professional practice. Teacher candidates apply principles and techniques of teaching and learning in a PreK-12 classroom with a mentor teacher for a full semester in their senior year. Teacher candidates must complete an application and satisfy the specific requirements for student teaching as outlined in the Student Teaching Handbook of the Leading Teacher Program.

Teacher Certification

The School of Education has been approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Education to offer coursework leading to the Pennsylvania Instructional I Certificate. This certificate is valid for six years beginning the first year individuals are actually employed as a teacher in the State of Pennsylvania. In order for a student to be eligible for certification, the following requirements must be met:

  1. Completion of course and GPA requirements outlined by the Pennsylvania Department of Education's (PDE) sliding scale (PDE's website details this information, it is found on the Certification Testing Requirements page).
  2. Successful completion of student teaching.
  3. Completion of all requirements for the Bachelor of Science in Education degree.
  4. Completion of the application for certification.
  5. Recommendation of the Certification Officer of the School of Education.
  6. Successful completion of professional examinations as required by the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

Note: Professional test scores are valid for a period of 10 years; however, the Pennsylvania Department of Education may choose to revise the passing scores. Teacher candidates must meet the criterion score in effect on the date of application for certification.

The requirements for certification are established by the Pennsylvania Department of Education. Teacher candidates must meet the requirements established by the state at the time of application for certification.

Leading Teacher Program Policies

Each of the following policies along with accompanying processes can be found in their entirety in the LTP Handbook. All policies are designed to support PDE policies for teacher education programs and initial teacher certification. 

State regulations supersede University policies for establishing minimum program requirements. It is possible that the requirements for graduation, the degree, and/or certification may change during the student's tenure at the University. The state policies adopted by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, the Secretary of Education and/or the state legislature at the time of graduation are the requirements that must be met.

Repeating a Course

C Repeat Policy:
If an education student earns a grade below a B-, they may retake the course with the approval of the program director and/or the advisor.

Content Area Electives

Content Area Elective Policy

All secondary and K12 majors must maintain a 3.0 QPA in the academic content area. Therefore, secondary and K12 candidates may take content area electives within the core content area to ensure content competence.

Transfer into the School of Education

Transfer from within the University

The student who wishes to transfer to the School of Education from another school in the University must notify their Academic Advisor who in turn will notify the School of Education. Students must submit the School of Education's Internal Transfer Application.

Transfer from Another Institution

The student who wishes to transfer from another university must schedule an appointment with an Academic Advisor.

Transfer into the School of Education Policy
  1. All applicants will have earned an overall 3.0 from their previous institution or School, or have passed the Pennsylvania Basic Skills Testing, or be exempt from Basic Skills Testing via their SAT or ACT test scores.
  2. All applications for transfer into the School of Education are due by the established deadline.
  3. Applications will be reviewed by the academic advisors in the School of Education for review of QPA, transferable credits, and test scores.

The Committee on Student Standing

The School of Education Committee on Student Standing reviews petitions submitted by School of Education students, both undergraduate and graduate, requesting exceptions to existing policies, procedures, and academic decisions within the School of Education and Â鶹ֱ²¥. Academic Advisors and Program Directors work with candidates when it is deemed appropriate to submit a petition to the Student Standing Committee. All petitions must be submitted electronically through DORI.

Clearances

Clearance Policy

In accordance with the Pennsylvania Department of Education and all School Districts who host candidates for Field Experience and Student Teaching, the School of Education requires that all candidates - Undergraduate and Graduate - submit any clearances, required by PDE (Act 33/Child Abuse, Act 34/Criminal History, Act 114/FBI, and TB Testing), to the Office of Student and Academic Services annually during their academic career at Â鶹ֱ²¥. The ACT 126 clearance must be completed and submitted within the first semester of study; this clearance does not need to be renewed while continually enrolled in the UG Leading Teacher Program. ACT 126 is valid for five years. Clearances are required for the safety of school children, and also for the adults who interact with them. Different school districts may have differing renewal policies; however, the School of Education policy must cover all possibilities.

Candidates CANNOT attend a field experience in any school, agency, or educational organization, if they do not have valid clearances for the duration of the semester in which the field experience or student teaching occurs. The only exception is if the student is an employee of the school in which the field experience will occur. In this situation, a district representative must complete the appropriate form acknowledging the student has clearances that align with the district's requirements.

Candidates who do not have their current clearances on file at the start of the semester may face one or more of the following consequences:
• Student will not be placed for field experience in that semester and hence fail the field experience.
• Student will lose Student Teaching Placement if not in possession of current clearances.

Accommodations and Adaptions 

English as a Second Language and Special Education

All programs in the School of Education include three (3) credits of English as a Second Language and at least 6 credits of Special Education. LTEL 201 Meeting the Needs of English Language Learners and LTSP 202 Foundations of Inclusive Educational Practice are common courses across all undergraduate initial certification programs. In the Grades PreK-4 program, an additional six (6) credits of Special Education is taken in Semesters 5, 6, and 7. In the Grades 4-8 and Secondary/K-12 programs, one additional 3-credit course in Special Education, LTSP 401 Implementing Inclusive Education, is taken by candidates typically in Semester 7. Competencies focusing on adaptations and accommodations are integrated throughout coursework in the Middle Level and Secondary/K12 programs.