Graduate Certification Requirements

General Certification Requirements

Individuals seeking to teach in the elementary, middle school, and high schools of the State must meet specific certification requirements. Individuals seeking an elementary certification must prove content proficiency by passing the core subjects benchmark examination prior to admission to the teacher education certification program. If the applicant does not pass the benchmark test, additional work or courses will be prescribed to improve content competency and mastery. A secondary teaching field is 24 semester hours in an approved teaching specialization with twelve hours at or above the junior level (3000). A teaching field may be established by making a satisfactory score on the Pre-Admission Certification Test (PACT) prior to formal admission into the teacher education program. Certification requirements include formal admission to a teacher education program, the satisfactory completion of structured field experiences, satisfactory performance on required subject area and professional practices competency approved State examinations, compliance with an investigation to determine absence of a criminal history, and completion of a certification application accompanied by the required fee. Information related to these requirements follows:

Admission to Teacher Education Program

Additional requirements for admission to and retention in the Teacher Education program include the following:

* Admission to the graduate school.

* Filing a completed application for admission to the Teacher Education Program and a copy of the certificate or degree plan in the School of Education office.

* A minimum overall GPA of 2.7 for the last sixty hours (60) hours of graded academic work attempted.

* A minimum overall GPA of 2.7 in the subject area (teaching field) with no grade below a C or a passing score on a state approved and administered content area exam.

* English (9 semester hours) and mathematics (3 semester hours of college algebra or higher or equivalent level mathematics course) with a grade of C or better in each course.

* Completion of at least 24 semester credit hours in the subject-specific content area for certification being sought of which 12 must be upper level work or a passing score on the state content certification exam, or a passing score on the PACT (Pre-Admission Content Test) exam. Twelve hours may be met through the following:

Δ Elementary core subjects and all level generic special education: completion of 12 hours from 3 of the following 4 content areas: English, math, history, science

Δ Secondary education: 12 hours in content area teaching field.
* Students seeking post baccalaureate secondary certification who do not plan on pursuing a master's degree MUST have at least 24 semester hours in the subject specific content area for the certification being sought including 12 semester hours in upper-level courses or satisfactory scores on the PACT Test.

* Evidence of freedom from any incapacitating physical or emotional defects (It is University policy that no otherwise qualified disabled person be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subject to discrimination under any education program or activity in the University).

* Evidence of oral communication proficiency.

* Conduct in harmony with that established by University standards from the University Student Handbook and the Educator's Code of Ethics.

* Recommendation by the Teacher Education Advisory Committee.

* Demonstrate proficiency in reading and writing on state approved test of academic skills. Any conduct not in harmony with that encouraged by University standards and/or a student's failure to maintain all above stated criteria may constitute grounds for dismissal from the teacher education program. State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) is responsible for disciplining educator applicants for certification for conduct indicating unsuitability to teach as well as unethical conduct. WBU and SBEC will enforce the Educators Code of Ethics. This code may be reviewed The Teacher Education Advisory Committee assumes the role of determining whether the behavior is detrimental to performance as a teacher and delineating pertinent details of the alleged misconduct or the incident. The Teacher Education Advisory Committee shall review the documentation and other pertinent information regarding the alleged misconduct or violation of university policy or Code of Ethics and determine appropriate action pertaining to retention, conditional retention, or dismissal from the teacher education program.

Advancement to Clinical Teaching/Internship

All initial teacher certification programs require an apprenticeship component through either clinical teaching or internship. Individuals holding a baccalaureate degree may be eligible for an internship in lieu of clinical teaching. Advancement to clinical teaching requires the student to have demonstrated proficiency on the state content test in his/her teaching field. Advancement to Clinical Teaching/Internship is restricted to those students who meet the prerequisite criteria, have been admitted to the Teacher Education Program, and, after additional review by the Teacher Education Advisory Committee, have been approved for clinical teaching or internship.

Clinical Teaching

The clinical teaching experience is considered the beginning of a student's professional career, and the student's energies should be directed in making the most of the professional assignment. During this period of time, the students' first responsibilities are to the classroom of students they teach in the clinical teaching assignment. As clinical teaching is an all-day, 14 week assignment, it is strongly recommended that students limit outside activities during this time. Outside activities include employment, sports, sororities, fraternities, and cheerleading. Outside responsibilities should not interfere with the apprentice teaching responsibilities. Therefore, outside employment or taking coursework in addition to clinical teaching block are not recommended actions. If students believe employment is a necessity, it should be restricted to weekends if at all possible. A conference with the student's University Clinical Teaching Supervisor, the Field Experience Coordinator, the education advisor at an external campus, or the Dean of the School of Education will determine the best options for the student who must maintain employment. In the event that additional coursework is required to finish a degree, anything beyond one additional course plus the clinical teaching block will require review by the Teacher Education Advisory Committee to determine if the student should consider clinical teaching during another semester.

Enrollment for clinical teaching semester will occur at the campus from which you were admitted to teacher education. Placement recommendation for clinical teaching is a function of the local campus teacher education advisory committee, and any assignment greater than twenty-five miles from your home campus may have an additional student fee attached. Clinical teaching must be completed under the supervision of a Wayland Baptist University Supervisor at a Wayland Baptist University campus unless a written cooperative agreement with another university has been approved by the Dean of the School of Education and the agreement is on file in the School of Education office.

Clinical teachers are guests in the schools in which they teach and serve. Clinical teachers must meet all regulations established by the principal, school administration, and school district. The clinical teaching assignment is made with much care and attention to many factors. Adjustments in assignments are not made after the clinical teaching experience begins except for unusual circumstances.

Occasionally, some incompatibility may arise, thus interfering with the success of the clinical teaching experience. If this should occur, you are to notify your University Supervisor at once. Requirements for advancement to clinical teaching are to be submitted no later than 2 terms prior to clinical teaching, and only in extreme circumstances will students be concurrently admitted to teacher education and clinical teaching. Clinical teaching requirements include:

1. Filing a completed application for admission to clinical teaching. Applications for admission are available from the School of Education or the Education advisor on each campus. (If denied admission to clinical teaching, the student may reapply when the deficiency is corrected, and the student is required to submit documentation of deficiency removal and initiate a new application for clinical teaching.)

2. Updated certification (degree) plan on file in the School of Education office

3. Minimum overall GPA of 2.7 for last 60 hours of academic work attempted

4. 3.0 minimum GPA on professional education courses with no grade below C

5. Completion at WBU of a minimum of nine semester hours of required professional education courses at the student's level of certification.

6. 2.7 GPA in student's teaching field(s) with no grade below C (completion of all prerequisites for clinical teaching) or a passing score on a state approved and administered content area exam.

7. Students must have passed state approved content test prior to enrolling for the clinical teaching experience.

8. Completion of a criminal background check.

9. Passing the state's content examination.

10. Recommendation by the Teacher Education Advisory Committee (TEAC).

Internship

An internship program is available to some students in lieu of the clinical teaching experience. The specifications and requirements outlined above for clinical teachers also hold true for post baccalaureate interns. Additional requirements for those seeking admittance to the internship program include:

1. Filing a completed application for admission to the Intern Program. Applications for admission are available from the School of Education or the Education advisor on each campus. (If denied admission, the student must reapply in order to be considered for admission.)

2. Completion of all requirements and admission to Teacher Education (as outlined above).

3. Completion of all requirements for admission to clinical teaching (as outlined above).

4. At least 24 hours including 12 hours of upper division courses in internship subject area or a passing score on a state approved and administered content area exam.

5. Student must have passed the state approved content test prior to being recommended for an internship and probationary certification.

6. Employment as the teacher of record by an accredited public school district or a recognized private school.

*Students seeking a probationary certificate must pass a state test in the internship subject area prior to receiving the certificate.

Teacher Certification

Prior to Recommendation for Certificate

Clinical Teachers/Interns must complete the following requirements:

1. maintain all GPA requirements

2. complete a satisfactory clinical teaching/internship experience

3. satisfactory performance on content area and professional state competency examinations

4. comply with an investigation to determine absence of criminal history and submission of fingerprints as required by law

5. complete an application for certification along with all required fees.

Recommendation for Teacher Certification/Licensure:

Certification or licensure is a function of the State, not a function of the university. Therefore, certification is NOT automatic with the completion of an approved program of study. Upon completion of the required program of study and passing the appropriate state licensure tests, a student may apply for certification through the state certification entity (Texas certification entity is the State Board for Educator Certification (). Students should make application for the appropriate certification(s) or endorsement(s) during the last semester in which they complete all requirements for a certificate or endorsement.

The application and required fee is to be sent to the state certification entity which has the authority for the issuance of certificates/licenses. Any questions regarding certification should be addressed to Certification Officer, at (806) 291-1056. Every applicant must be investigated for a record of a felony or misdemeanor conviction. As well, the student must submit fingerprints as a part of the background investigation. In the event a criminal record exists, certification may be denied.

Failure to complete Licensure After One Year

Students who have completed the teacher education program and have not passed the state licensure test one year following the completion of the program may be required to do additional work or review to obtain permission to take the state licensure test.

Capstone Experience

All students seeking the M.Ed. with teacher certification must complete a capstone experience. The capstone experience includes a written component and/or an oral examination.

1. Completion of EDUC 5318 - Becoming a Teacher. The written portion consists of passing the practice certification exam with a score of 80 or better. The oral component consists of a presentation of the certification standards to an audience which includes faculty who will evaluate the oral presentation as the completion of capstone requirements for the M.Ed. The professor supervising the research may invite other faculty to assist in evaluating the oral presentation.

2. Passing the required state certification examinations constitutes the written examination requirements.

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