TEACHER EDUCATION
Department: Teacher Education Student Services
Building 85, Room 113
(850) 474-2945
College: Professional Studies

Undergraduate Teacher Education Programs
 All degree programs for teacher certification require the completion of courses in general education, general professional preparation, and a teaching specialization. All bachelor's degree programs in education are subject to degree requirements listed in the appropriate program section of this Catalog.

Secondary majors in biology, chemistry, English, history, physics, or social science will complete their baccalaureate degree in the discipline. The student will complete certification requirements through a masters degree. Students in art, mathematics, music, and physical education may complete a baccalaureate degree in their major with an education specialization or pursue certification through a master's degree.

Responsibility for the teacher education programs at The University of West Florida rests with the Dean of the College of Professional Studies, who is the head of the professional education unit.

Undergraduate Programs of Study

Art Education
Career and Technical Studies
Elementary Education
Mathematics Education
Middle School Education
Music Education
Physical Education
Prekindergarden/Primary Education
Special Education
     Emotionally Handicapped
     Mental Handicaps
     Learning Disabled

Admission to Teacher Education
 Admission to Teacher Education is provisional. Provisional admission allows the unit to carefully monitor student progress through teacher education programs. Careful monitoring will ensure that academic and/or social skills deficits of preservice teachers can be identified in a timely manner so that appropriate interventions can be implemented. All students must take and pass the Florida Teacher Certification Examination (both Professional and Subject Area Examination) and be recommended by their major department before they will be placed for student teaching. Full admission to teacher education will be achieved by passing the tests and being certified in good standing in the college.

All students must complete the provisional admission to teacher education process as listed below by the end of the first semester enrolled in a teacher education program. Those students who do not complete the provisional admission process by the end of the first semester may be denied further registration and an enrollment hold will be placed on any future enrollment in education courses. The hold may be removed by the student completing the admission process. Students must also maintain these standards to ensure the continuation of provisional admission and continued registration. Students who fail to meet these standards may be removed from teacher education.

The following requirements must be completed for admission to teacher education:

  1. All teacher education programs at UWF are Florida Department of Education (DOE) approved; therefore, prospective teacher education candidates must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 in all previously attempted college work.
  2. All students are required to submit acceptable scores on the SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test) or the ACT (American College Test). A score of 950 is required on the re-centered SAT, a score of 19 on the old ACT (prior to 10/89), or a score of 20 on the enhanced ACT. The ACT/SAT cut-off scores have been determined by the Florida Department of Education (Rule 6A-5.06-01(1)(a)(1)). Students having taken those tests should request that their test scores be sent to the Office of Admissions. Students who have not taken these tests should apply to take the tests at the University Testing Office.
  3. All students are required to submit at least two letters or recommendation from former or current college faculty members who have taught the student a course attesting to the student's potential to become a successful teacher. If the student is in an undergraduate secondary specialization, one of the letters must be from a content teacher in that specialization. Letters should include the student's name and social security number and should be sent to the Office of Teacher Education Student Services.
  4. At the time of application to teacher education, all students are required to submit a 500 word handwritten autobiographical sketch to the Office of Teacher Education Student Services. Include name and social security number.
  5. At the time of application to teacher education, all students are required to submit a 250 word handwritten rationale for becoming a teacher to the Office of Teacher Education Student Services. Include name and social security number.
  6. For consideration for admission to teacher education all students must fully complete an Application for Admission to Teacher Education.
  7. Upon completion of the above application package for Teacher Education, all applications will be reviewed by a standing committee of faculty and then must be approved by the Dean of the College of Education.

The deadline for completion of the admission process is the end of the first semester of enrollment in a teacher education program or no more than 18 sh of teacher education credits. Those students not meeting this deadline will be restricted in the courses they can take and an enrollment "hold" may be placed on any further enrollment in teacher education courses. The "hold" may be removed by completing the admission process.

State Board of Education rules allow for 10 percent of the applicants to be admitted to teacher education on the basis of a waiver of the ACT/SAT score requirements. This alternative
assists in recruiting under-represented groups into teacher education. Students wishing consideration for this waiver must submit a request for waiver to the Admissions and Retention Committee.

Students may not receive formal admission to teacher education or be allowed to enter public or private schools under the auspices of the University while a legal charge of violating any federal or state law or municipal ordinance is pending, or while a sentence resulting from a guilty judgment is being satisfied. Students may be allowed to take teacher education courses under the above circumstances with the written approval of the Dean of the College of Education. When charges have been dropped or judgments satisfied, the progress of students through the program should not be affected except in cases involving child molestation or capital crimes. Individuals convicted in the latter two instances are denied teacher certification by Florida state law.

All approvals for admission to teacher candidacy are provisional and subject to reevaluation as students progress through the program. Students denied admission or removed from the program may appeal the decision to the Admission and Retention Committee.

Prospective teachers are expected to adhere to the Florida Code of Ethics and Principles of Professional Conduct required of public educators. Any student may be denied continued enrollment in any professional education program, if, in the judgement of the Admissions and Retention Committee and the Dean of the College of Professional Studies (head of the Professional Education Unit), the student's knowledge, character or mental or emotional stability could impair the student's ability to function in an educational environment.

General Education
 All undergraduate degree students must satisfy the general education requirements of the university. Students normally complete this part of the program in the lower division. Certain general education deficiencies may be completed in the junior and senior years.

General Professional Preparation
 All students (excluding secondary) at UWF preparing for teacher certification must complete the following general professional preparation course work. Specific course descriptions are found in the Catalog and are listed alphabetically.

Required Lower Division Prerequisites
EDF 1005 Introduction to Education 3
EDG 2701 Teaching Diverse Populations 3
EME 2040 Introduction to Educational Technology 3

Teaching Specialization
 Students preparing to teach will choose a teaching specialization from the majors listed under Teacher Certification Programs. Specialization courses are offered in the major department. See the section of this Catalog related to the appropriate specialization for specific course requirements.

Admission to Student Teaching
 The student teaching program, administered through the Office of Teacher Education Student Services consists of one semester of student teaching or two semesters of internship supervised by an experienced teacher in a school. The student teaching/internship experience is scheduled during the student's senior year or graduate program.

Application for student teaching must be made to the Office of Teacher Education Student Services by February 15 for fall semester and by July 5 for spring semester.

Requirements for admission to student teaching/internship include:

  1. full admission to teacher education;
  2. a minimum GPA of 2.5 in all course work. A grade below "C-" cannot be used to satisfy a program requirement. Some programs may have higher standards (see individual program descriptions);
  3. a minimum GPA of 2.5 in academic major;
  4. recommendation of an academic advisor and chairperson of the major department;
  5. recommendation of the vice president for student affairs (records check);
  6. classification as a senior at the University and completion of a minimum of 15 sh upper-division credit in the specialization (some departments may require additional upper-division credit);
  7. a minimum of one semester in residence at the University prior to student teaching during which time a minimum of one course in the general professional preparation sequence must be completed;
  8. completion of specialization courses offered in the major department (see the section of this Catalog related to the appropriate specialization for specific course requirements);
  9. approval of the Director of Teacher Education Student Services. During the time a student is engaged in student teaching, no outside employment or additional academic work except senior seminar, professional development seminar, and Practicum IV are permitted.
  10. pass both the professional and subject area tests of the Florida Teacher Certification Examination or the equivalent tests of the Praxis.
Enrollment Services
July 2000