Department of Teaching, Learning, and Professional Development

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Admission to the Teacher Education Program

After completion of appropriate courses, passing Praxis Core Exam or SAT with score of 1180 candidates are required to formally apply for admission to the Teacher Education Program.  All candidates must schedule a formal interview with the Director of Field Experience. Interviews are held each semester. Before admission is granted, a candidate’s application for admission to Teacher Education must be formally approved by the Director and signed by the panel conducting the interview. The Panel’s decision is final. Candidates may be referred for additional course work, counseled into other non-teaching areas, or denied admittance to the program

Criteria for admission to the Teacher Education Program

1. A grade point average of 2.5 in total course work.
2. Completion of a minimum of 32 semester hours.
3. Demonstrate proficiency in speech and writing.
4. Completion of EDUC 101, Introduction to Education, and EDUC 201, Human Growth and Development with a grade of “C” or better.
5. Must pass PRAXIS CORE (as required by the State of Maryland) or SAT (COMBINED READING AND WRITING score of 1180 or a Math/Reading score of 1180) or ACT score of 24.
6. A typewritten, three-page autobiography, submitted at least a week before the interview, focusing on the following:
   1. Work experience
   2. Special interests
   3. Direct experience with children
   4. Out-of-state travel experience
   5. Philosophy of education
7. Submission of evaluation forms from two faculty members.
8. Successful formal interview with a Panel of Educators.

PRAXIS Core and PRAXIS (New Content Assessments)

The PRAXIS CORE is a requirement for all candidates who declare education as a major. Scores from the PRAXIS CORE will be compared to the criterion set by the Maryland State Department of Education. Students not scoring at the acceptable criterion will be required to seek additional assistance. These students, under the direction of an advisor, will sign a contract to attend appropriate learning laboratories on campus and submit a work folio containing total hours and assignments completed.

Candidates must successfully complete the PRAXIS CORE exams, as well as the content-based PRAXIS Subject Assessment exams, as required for graduation. They must achieve the required passing score set by the Maryland State Department of Education in order to be certified by the State of Maryland. All students must take the designated PRAXIS Subject Assessment: Principles of Learning and Teaching for their Program. EC/SPED takes a Content test in Early Childhood as well as a Special Education Core Knowledge and Application test and a Reading test. Elementary Education majors will take the Praxis Subject Assessment: Elementary Content exam. Secondary Education majors will take the PRAXIS Subject Assessment exam in their specific major. Secondary English majors will take the PRAXIS Subject Assessment: English Language Arts Content Analysis. Secondary History majors are required to complete the PRAXIS Subject Assessment: World and US History Content Knowledge. Secondary Math majors are required to complete the PRAXIS Subject Assessment: Math Content Knowledge. Secondary Biology students take the PRAXIS Subject Assessment in Biology-Content Knowledge, Secondary Chemistry  are required  to take the PRAXIS Subject Assessment: Chemistry Content Knowledge and Secondary Physics  are required  to take the PRAXIS Subject Assessment: Physics Content Knowledge. Passing scores on the PRAXIS CORE are prerequisites for several courses in the professional sequence, including methods courses and student teaching. Passing scores on all PRAXIS CORE related to the declared major are required for graduation.

Practicum III is part of the Phase I Internship and requires two full days in a professional develop school.

Tests Required for All Licensure Areas

All beginning teachers must present qualifying scores on the Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators (Core) tests or meet the PPST®, the SAT®, ACT® test or GRE® General Test requirements.

In place of the Core tests, Maryland will accept the following options from candidates:

 The PPST taken prior to September 2014: combined math, reading and writing score of 527
 The SAT taken after January 1, 2019: Evidence-Based Reading & Writing and Math score of 1180.
 The SAT taken after April 1995 through December 31. 2018: combined math and verbal (critical reading) score of 1100
 The SAT taken prior to April 1995: math and verbal (critical reading) score of 1000
 The ACT composite score of 24 (ACT composite score is the average of the tests)
 The GRE General Test: composite of the combined verbal and quantitative score of 297. Candidates who took the GRE test prior to September 2011 will use the old composite score of 1000.

PRAXIS CORE EXAMS

Students have the option of taking EDUC 220, Test Criterion for Certification, and participating in the Student Teacher Education Preparation Program (STEPP) Laboratory. Both experiences are designed to maximize students’ success on the PRAXIS CORE, however, students who take the PRAXIS CORE test and fail to pass the test must take EDUC 220 as a required course.

REQUIRED PRAXIS II SCORES BY PROGRAM

EARLY CHILDHOOD/SPECIAL EDUCATION

ELEMENTARY EDUCATION (1-6)

SECONDARY EDUCATION (7-12)

INTERNSHIP PHASE II STUDENT TEACHING*

To become eligible to student teach, a candidate must meet all of the Admission to Teacher Education Criteria and the following eight requirements at the time of application (one semester prior to student teaching):

1. Be Admitted to Teacher Education.
2. Complete of a minimum of 100 semester hours.
3. Have cumulative grade point average of 2.5 in the major and in all courses completed.
4. Maintain a grade of “C” or better in all professional sequence courses offered in the Department.
5. Complete the required education courses, method courses, Year Long Internship Phase I and II, PRAXIS Core and the required PRAXIS II Exams.
6. Pass scores on the PRAXIS Core. Praxis II
   1. Reading. (passing score 156)
   2. Writing. (passing score 162)
   3. Mathematics (passing score 150)
      OR
      Minimum SAT score of 1100 or ACT score of 24

7. Pass scores on the 

   PRAXIS II.
   (Specialty areas)
   a. Specialty Area (SA) is a graduation requirement. ECED/SPED majors must take one Early Childhood education test,  one Special Education content knowledge, one Principles of Learning and Teaching along with Teaching Reading area tests. (See chart above)
   b. ELED-REVIEW THE PRAXIS II requirements in the chart above.
   c. SCED-REVIEW THE PRAXIS II requirements for the content area in the chart above.

8. Recommend and be approval for student teaching by the secondary department (secondary education majors only).

*Student teaching applications must be submitted to counties the semester before placement when applicable. All requirements must be fulfilled before initiation of the admission process.

Year Long Internship Phase II

The final grade in the Year Long Internship Phase II must be a “C” or better. Phase II of the Year Long Internship experience is a non-paid, full-time public school experience in a Professional Development School (PDS). It fulfilled the county/city schools with which the University has a Professional Development School Agreement.

Sport Management

Program Requirements

The undergraduate course of study will require four academic years to complete. The total numbers of hours for completion of the degree will be 120 semester hours. Students who transfer into the Sport Management program from other institutions or from majors within the University should expect to complete at least 54 - 60 hours of work within the Department, depending on the track, in addition to any unfulfilled University requirements. 

Detailed Requirements (120 semester hours)
Students are required to earn 120 semester hours in three knowledge areas, general education (46 semester hours), Sport Management (47 semester hours) and a Concentration (27 semester hours). Students choose their concentration in consultation with their advisor. 

SPM 451-INTERNSHIP:                                                                                                                                                                     The internship takes place in the student’s final semester of his/her senior year. The student must interview before being placed into the internship.  During this time the program coordinator, advisor and student will decide the options of where the internship will take place. A total of 55 hours, five days a week or by arrangement with the site.  The internship can be paid or unpaid. Each student must have a 2.8 GPA before interviewing his/her internship. 

Second Bachelor’s Degree: Teacher Certification

Candidates who hold a baccalaureate degree and wish to become certified teachers must enroll as second-degree students. Each student also must schedule an interview with the Assessment Coordinator in the Department of Teaching, Learning, and Professional Development and obtain (prior to the interview) an evaluation of his/her transcript by the Maryland State Department of Education (200 West Baltimore Street, Baltimore, MD 21201; Attention: Division of Certification and Accreditation).

The Retention Coordinator of the College, with the Department Chairperson must advise all second-degree candidates. Second-degree candidates must meet the PRAXIS testing requirement and fulfill all of the course requirements of their selected major. In their first semester at the University, second-degree must be admitted to the teacher education program.

Independent Study

Independent Study cannot be used to satisfy any of the General Education requirements. A student must receive permission from the Department Chair and the Dean before being allowed to take Independent Study in the Program of Study.

Field Experiences

The  field experience  components  include  EDUC  101,  Introduction  to  Education;  EDUC  201,  Human Growth and Development, and EDUC 406, Field Experience in Special Education.  These courses cannot be taken within the same semester.  In addition, at least one free day to complete the field experience must be integrated into the students’ course of study.  Transportation for students who live on campus is available only on Tuesday.  Arrangements must be made with the Director of Field Experiences.  It is mandatory that all students be fingerprinted, complete a criminal disclosure form and Criminal Protective form.  (The fee for fingerprints range from $55-$60 and the cost is assessed to the student).  All documents must be completed before the student can enter into a placement in a school or activity around children.

Practicum III is part of the Phase I Internship and requires two full days in a professional development schools 

Certificate of Eligibility to Teach

A Certificate of Eligibility for State Certification is given to candidates who successfully complete all requirements of a Maryland state-approved teacher education program. The Certificate of Eligibility may be obtained by the applicant’s employer or by the applicant directly from the Teacher Certification Division of the Maryland State Department of Education in Baltimore, Maryland.

Programs

• Early Childhood/Special Education, BS
• Elementary Education, BS
• Secondary Education, BS
• Sports Management, BS

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