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Do I need to apply to both WWU and Secondary (Woodring
College of Education)?
All undergraduate and post
baccalaureate students must apply and be accepted by both Western
Washington University and the Woodring College of Education. Western undergraduate students apply to Woodring
sometime after completion of at least 75 credits – preferably after
completion of all GURs and some of the academic major.
Post baccalaureate students must apply for both Western and
Woodring in the same quarter. Community
college transfer students are advised to begin work on their academic
majors the first quarter at Western; they should consult with the website
or the academic
major endorsement advisor in their
major department about when would be the best time to apply to Woodring.
Those applying for the Master in Teaching program (MIT) apply to Western via
the Graduate School.
How long will it take to complete the program?
If you are completing
certification as part of your undergraduate degree, you should be able to finish
in approximately 5-5 ½ years. This
can vary depending on the size of your academic major. Post baccalaureate students can expect to take three
quarters of full-time education coursework plus a semester of student
teaching. This timeframe
could be extended if additional coursework is needed to meet department or
State endorsement requirements.
Students in the Master in Teaching program (MIT) can expect to take 3-4
quarters of full-time coursework, a full semester of student teaching, and
a 4-credit research course following successful completion of the
internship. This timeframe could be extended if additional coursework is
needed to meet department or State endorsement requirements.
What tests are required for admission to Woodring
College of Education?
All students applying for certification programs (undergraduate,
post baccalaureate and master) must take and pass the three sections
of the Washington Educator Skills Test - Basic (WEST-B).
Masters in Teaching applicants living outside of Washington State at the time of application
may substitute the Praxis I or C-BEST from Oregon or California. For
information on test dates and locations, registration and fees, check
the WEST-B website at www.west.nesinc.com
Master's students must also take either the Graduate Record Exam or
the Miller Analogy Test. Specific score requirements are
provided in the MIT portion of this website.
Are tests required for certification program
completion?
All students seeking
Washington State Residency Certification are required to take and pass
a content (major) competency test called the WEST-E/Praxis II. Candidates must
pass this test for any subject area in which they wish to be
endorsed. Students wishing more information on the test in their academic area can
review the website.
Please visit Woodring's WEST-E Praxis Resource Site
to view and download resources for planning, preparing and registering for
the WEST-E Praxis:
www.wce.wwu.edu/Resources/Endorsements/WEST-EPraxis.shtml
WEST-E Praxis tests are administrated statewide by
Educational Testing Service (ETS), six times each year. The cost is
borne by the student. Details on test requirements, costs,
preparation, registration, locations, and dates are available on the ETS
Praxis website for Washington State.
Can
the program be completed via distance learning? As a night program?
Undergraduate/Post
Baccalaureate: No.
This is a daytime on campus program.
Master in Teaching
(MIT): The Bellingham
cohort is an on-campus, day program; there is an extension program in
Seattle which is an evening program (http://www.wce.wwu.edu/Depts/Sec/EESP/).
Are Secondary Education
Program courses offered during summer quarters?
The majority of Secondary
Education courses are not offered on a regular basis in summers.
Schedules are usually finalized in February and students are encouraged
to contact the department for definite information.
Courses in the Secondary Education program which are offered by other departments (i.e.,
Instructional Technology, Special Education), may be offered.
Students are encouraged to contact those departments, again in the
February preceding each summer quarter.
What grade levels can I
teach with this certificate?
The Secondary Education program
prepares you to teach middle school or high school.
If you are interested in teaching at the upper elementary grades, you are encouraged to contact the Elementary Education Department.
Those choosing a major endorsement in the following specialized areas
will be prepared to teach all levels (P-12):
Health and Fitness, Music, Special Education, Theatre, World Languages,
and Visual Arts .
Who
will be my advisor?
You will be
assigned a Secondary Education advisor
who will assist
you with overall course planning and any issues related to the
Secondary Education sequence. In addition, each academic department
which offers a Secondary endorsable major specifies a faculty advisor
to assist students with major endorsement issues. This person will
be your "academic major endorsement advisor". You are advised to speak
with
the academic major endorsement advisor
in your academic department prior to admission. This advisor can help you determine the best time
to apply to Woodring. If you are a post baccalaureate or Master in Teaching
applicant, they can tell you what courses you may need in addition to
your degree in order to meet department and State endorsement
requirements.
What
is the difference between a Major and an Endorsement?
While students may complete
an academic major, additional courses may be required in order to be “endorsed” to teach that subject.
For instance, content methods courses are required in all majors in
order to meet endorsement requirements.
If you are a post baccalaureate or MIT student, you may also need
to take additional courses to meet State or academic department
endorsement requirements. Prospective
students are advised to consult the academic major endorsement
advisor in
their academic department.
Do I need to be fingerprinted if I
completed this process for another reason?
Yes, unless you have
had the complete process done (both State and FBI), and results have been posted to OSPI (Office of Superintendent of Public
Instruction). Example: If you’ve gone through the entire State and Federal process for
the military or other non-educational agency, the results will not be
submitted to OSPI and will not meet the requirements.
FNOTE:
Fingerprint clearance is good for only two years.
Can I do my student teaching internship outside of the Whatcom County area?
Yes. Students may request internships outside of the normal
“service areas” for
Western. Requests must be
submitted to the Office of Field Experiences
and approved by the Secondary Education Department.
Requests will usually be approved as long as:
-
appropriate supervision can be obtained;
-
the faculty have no concerns about areas of weakness - if so,
students are generally required to do their internships in the
local
area and are supervised by secondary education faculty.
Some
opportunities for overseas student teaching are available.
Must I complete all coursework prior to student teaching?
You must complete all education sequence courses.
Occasionally
students may do the internship without completing all endorsement
coursework; however, both your academic major endorsement advisor and
your secondary education advisor must approve exceptions. Students
cannot
be certified without all requirements having been completed.
Must I complete a full semester internship?
Yes. Secondary students are required to complete a 24 credit hour,
18-week
semester student teaching internship. While Western is on the quarter system
the majority of public schools use the semester system. Your
internship will coincide with the beginning and end of the school’s
semester. Your schedule, including holidays and quarter breaks, will be those
of the public
school, not Western.
The exception is for students who teach abroad - 16 weeks.
Who approves
or signs off on my “major”?
Your major endorsement must be approved by your academic major
endorsement advisor. Post baccalaureate and Master students – even though you have a degree, you must still meet department and
State requirements for the endorsement and must get written
approval. Forms are available at Woodring's Certification Office (Miller
Hall 216). There is no secondary education evaluation required prior to
student teaching. The Office
of Field Experience does one check of your education coursework prior to
the internship; Woodring's Certification Office does another when reviewing your
certification application.
How
soon after completion of my internship will I get my Certificate?
Temporary teaching permits will normally be received within 1-2 weeks
from the time the Certification Office receives clearance from the Office
of Field Experiences that the final student teaching evaluation is
completed. The permanent certificate is usually processed within 2-3
months, mailed from OSPI to the Certification Office, then forwarded to
you. The "diploma" address is the only address used
so be sure to keep it updated.
This
timeline presumes you submitted the application to the Certification
Office on time and provided all necessary documentation. If the
application or documentation are turned in late, delays will result.
FNOTE:
Fingerprint clearance must be valid through the time
you are recommended for your permanent certificate.
In order to sign a contract,
you must have the certificate number from either your temporary or
permanent certificate. This
is required in order to be awarded a teaching contract.
Is Washington State certification valid in other states?
How can I find out what states have reciprocity with Washington?
Some states do have reciprocity with Washington; however, there may be stipulations for a given state. If
you have a particular state in mind, you should contact Dana Edward,
Woodring Teacher Education Certification Officer for contact information. The following web site provided links to all states, as well as contacts for
most of them: www.uky.edu/Education/TEP/usacert.html
Master
in
Teaching
Candidates:
I plan
to apply to
the Master
in Teaching
program, but
still have a
number of
courses to
take to
complete
endorsement
requirements.
Am I
eligible to
apply?
Any
applicant
with a
completed
bachelors
degree from
an
accredited
university
is eligible
to apply to
the MIT
program.
However,
applicants
should have
completed a
minimum 80% of
their endorsement
coursework
prior to
applying.
Consideration
in the
admission
process will
be given
those who
have met
this credit
recommendation.
I plan
to apply to
the Master
in Teaching
program, and
will be
receiving
financial
aid.
Will this financial
aid be
available
for my
entire
program?
Federal
regulations
allow financial
assistance
to cover a
maximum of
125% of
program
credit
requirements.
The
Secondary
MIT program
is 74
credits,
therefore
Federal
financial
aid will
cover 125%
of 74, or an
additional
18.5
credits.
Those who
have
considerable
endorsement
coursework
left to take
are
encouraged
to complete
the majority
of that work
(80%)
prior to
applying to
admission to
the MIT, as
noted in the
previous
FAQ.
Those who
wish to take
coursework
for an
additional
endorsement
need to be
aware that
by doing so,
their
Federal
financial
aid
eligibility
may expire
before they
complete the
program.
Alternate
loans may be
available.
For
clarification
on financial
aid
eligibility,
please
contact the
Financial
Aid Office.
Preparing Thoughtful, Knowledgeable,
Effective Educators for a Diverse Society
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