Teacher Education and Licensure
School of Education

The Teachers Academy
319 Curry Building
(336) 334-3414
http://www.uncg.edu

Application for Teacher Licensure | Admission to Student Teaching | Admission to Teacher Education | General and Professional Education Requirements | Second Major Requirement | Teacher Licensure in Social Studies | UNCG Teacher Education Programs

Ceola Ross Baber, Acting Associate Dean for Teacher Education and Interim Director, Teachers Academy

Teacher licensure in North Carolina and qualification for licensure in most of the other states may be earned at five UNCG professional schools and various departments within the College of Arts and Sciences. Students may select licensure programs in a variety of subject areas.

The School of Education offers programs in Elementary and Middle Grades Education, and jointly directs, with departments in the College of Arts and Sciences, programs for teacher licensure in liberal arts fields at the secondary level.

The School of Business and Economics, the School of Health and Human Performance, the School of Human Environmental Sciences, and the School of Music offer teacher education curricula in their respective fields. The Departments of Art, Social Work, and Broadcasting/Cinema and Theatre offer teacher education curricula in their respective subject areas.

Graduates of approved teacher education curricula are eligible for initial licensure on the basis of UNCG's recommendation to the State Department of Public Instruction. As requirements may vary among departments, students should check with their major advisor for specific information regarding their program.

All students who wish to be recommended for licensure in any of the subject areas must be admitted to a specific Teacher Education Program. Application for admission should be made in The Teachers Academy (located in 319 Curry Building, 334-3414) after completing at least 51 semester hours (junior status) of work and prior to completing 50% of the professional coursework, excluding student teaching. Application is usually made at the end of the sophomore year.

The following requirements must be met:

1. Grade point average of at least 2.5 (some departments require a GPA higher than a 2.5 to be admitted to teacher education). To determine if students meet this standard, the grade point average (GPA) is calculated using all relevant undergraduate coursework. For students transferring to UNCG, this includes the transferable hours as determined by the UNCG Admissions Office. For second degree and initial licensure only students, this means that their cumulative undergraduate GPA must be equal to the GPA required for admission into the desired teacher education program.
2. Completion of at least 12 semester hours at UNCG.
3. Recommendation of the school or department where major is to be taken.
4. Achievement of minimum score requirements as set by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction on the Pre-Professional Skills Test.

For additional requirements specific to a program, students should check with their major school or department. Students should contact the Teachers Academy (located in Curry Building, 334-3414) for:

• Clarification of admission requirements.
• Appeal of the application of a rule or regulation.

During the junior year, students already admitted to the Teacher Education Program must apply for admission to Student Teaching.

Student Teaching admission includes:

1. Grade point average of at least 2.5 (some departments require a GPA higher than a 2.5 for student teaching).
2. Approval of the school or department in which the student is majoring.
3. Completion of additional requirements specific to the major department or school teacher education program.

Application forms are available from the Teachers Academy beginning first day of classes, Spring semester. Forms must be submitted by February 15 of the year before the student teaching is to be done.

Student teaching assignments are usually made in schools within commuting distance of UNCG, although at times student teaching programs are planned with other school systems at substantial distances from UNCG. Teacher education students are not subject to special fees but are individually responsible for expenses incurred during student teaching including transportation.

Student teaching in some subject areas is offered only in either the Fall or the Spring semester. Any student who plans to student teach should check with the Teachers Academy to be certain of the semester when student teaching will be offered in a particular subject area.

Requirements for teacher licensure are specified in the respective program descriptions. In addition to the courses specified for the particular degree or major, the following requirements must be met:

For Elementary and Middle Grades Licensure

1. AULER requirements as identified within each major.
2. PSY 121 General Psychology
3. ELC 381 The Institution of Education
4. Additional licensure requirements as specified
5. Appropriate method course(s) and student teaching

For Special Subject-Area Licensure

1. AULER requirements as identified within each major.
2. HEA 201 Personal Health (counts as [SB] AULER requirement)
3. PSY 121 General Psychology
4. ELC 381 The Institution of Education
5. CUI 450 Psychological Foundations of Education
6. CUI 470 Reading Education
7. Additional program specific requirements such as CUI 202 or HDF 302 for French and Spanish Licensure Programs.
8. Appropriate method course(s) and student teaching

For Secondary Subject-Area Licensure (Grades 9-12)

1. AULER requirements as identified within each major.
2. HEA 201 Personal Health (counts as [SB] AULER requirement)
3. PSY 121 General Psychology
4. ELC 381 The Institution of Education
5. CUI 390 Issues in Secondary Education
6. CUI 450 Psychological Foundations of Education
7. CUI 470 Reading Education
8. Appropriate method course(s) and student teaching

Please note that changes are pending on some CUI course numbers.

All students majoring in Elementary, Middle Grades, Health, Physical Education and Deaf Education are required to complete another approved major or a concentration consisting of a minimum of 24 semester hours in a basic academic discipline. Depending on the academic discipline selected, a maximum of 6 hours may be counted toward the all-university liberal arts requirement and the second major or concentration. This requirement became effective for all students who entered the University in fall 1989 as freshmen. This requirement also applies to students seeking a second degree in one of the affected majors. Students should check with the major school/department for this requirement or additional requirements specific to individual programs.

Students majoring in anthropology, economics, geography, history, political science, psychology, or sociology can seek teacher licensure in comprehensive social studies. Students seeking social studies licensure must take a total of 36-42 hours in the social sciences beyond their major requirements from the departments of anthropology, economics, geography, history, political science, and sociology. Courses must be selected from the following approved list. This list is also available from the Office of Student Information and Advising (Curry 323), the student's major advisor, or the social studies advisor in the School of Education. Substitution of any requirements needed for licensure may be made by the social studies advisor in the School of Education.

Courses Satisfying Competencies for Initial A Licensure in Secondary Social Studies

Anthropology: select one from: ATY 212, 258; select one from: ATY 325, 330, 333, 335, 337

Economics: ECO 201, 202

Geography: select one from: GEO 105, 114, 202; select one from: GEO 102, 104, 344, or other regional course

History: HIS 211 and 212; WCV 101 or 102; and one selected from: HIS 204, 215 or 216, 239 or 240

Political Science: PSC 100, and one selected from PSC 260 or 290

Sociology: SOC 101, 301

This licensure program relies heavily on early and adequate advising. It is the student's responsibility to meet as soon as possible with both his/her major advisor and the social studies advisor in the School of Education. See other sections in this chapter for additional teacher licensure requirements.

An application for licensure should be filed with the Teachers Academy during the last semester of the senior year. Students should be aware that the licensure process will take up to six weeks or longer after graduation to be completed.

UNCG recommends for a teacher's licensure those students who have completed the appropriate teacher education curriculum, attained acceptable teaching competencies, and whose work has been approved by the appropriate department.

To be licensed in North Carolina, students must meet the specific state requirements for licensure, including an adequate score on relevant PRAXIS series exams.

Programs in teacher education are offered at UNCG in the three broad areas listed below. Their description is found under the school and/or department listed on the right.