Admission to Teacher Education

All students who wish to receive initial licensure to teach are required to apply for admission to the teacher education program. The application is made through the TEAP Center to the department in which the students plan to major, which then forwards the approved application to the Teacher Education  Council (TEC) for final approval. The following procedures have been developed to ensure selection and retention of qualified students in the program:

1. Effective fall 2002, students are expected to be fully admittedto the teacher education by the end of the sophomore year. In order to fulfill this major program requirement, all students must pass, or satisfy the requirements for exemption from, the Praxis I: Reading, Writing, and Mathematics examination. Exemption requirements and forms are available through the TEAP Center. Students who are required to take the Praxis I examination must seek approval from their academic advisor before sitting for the exam.
2. Since Praxis I is a major program requirement, the student may not complete other admission requirements such as writing the essay and completing the interview until he or she has registered for the exam. Once the student presents evidence of having registered for the Praxis I examination, the TEAP Center may refer the student to the Office of Student Teaching to schedule the interview and essay.
3. Students are expected to make formal application for admission to the teacher education program during the second semester of their sophomore year, which should coincide with their enrollment in EDU 2104 (Introduction to Education). Transfer and licensure-only students must enroll in EDU 2104 the first semester of their matriculation at WSSU and must complete requirements for admission to the program during the first semester of enrollment at WSSU.
4. During enrollment in EDU 2104, the student is expected to register to take the Praxis I examination.
5. After showing proof of having registered for the Praxis I examination, the student may complete the other requirements for admission: written essay and interview. Required passing scores are identified by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. Suitable scores on the SAT will satisfy Praxis I on specific parts of the examination. Licensure-only candidates who have a minimum overall GPA of 2.50 and at least a grade of C in basic academic courses (English and Mathematics) are exempt from taking Praxis I.
6. After completion of the General Education curriculum, the student may file the Declaration of Academic Major form, with the academic advisor. Licensure-only candidates who have a degree from an accredited institution are exempt from the General Education curriculum requirement.
7. Students must have a minimum cumulative academic average of 2.50 to be admitted to a teacher education program. Licensure-only candidates who do not have a minimum 2.50 GPA are prohibited from enrolling in a teacher education program of study.
8. Students must be free of any communication deficiencies that, in the judgment of the Teacher Education Council, may interfere with successful teaching.
9. Students must present the approved program health from completed and signed by a private physician.
10. Students must have earned a grade of C or better in SPH 2341 (Fundamentals of Speech), in the second academic concentration, and in all English courses. Licensure-only candidates who have a degree from an accredited institution are exempt from the speech requirement.
11. Students must have acceptable ratings on personal and professional characteristics as determined by the character reference form and from interviews in the specific department.
12. Upon completion of the above requirements, the TEAP Center advisor submits the student’s file, with all appropriate documents, to the Teacher Education Council.
13. Students who have not been officially admitted to a teacher education program may not enroll in upper-division courses (typically those at the 4000-level).
14. Physical Education, Elementary Education, and Special Education candidates must complete the general core and the Second Academic Concentration (SAC) during the first two years of enrollment or by the time 58-60 credit hours have been completed.
15. Admission to teacher education is a prerequisite for the following courses: