Individuals seeking teacher certification must be formally admitted to the College of Education.  A limited number of places are available in each year’s cohorts for Elementary, Secondary, Special Education¹ and Child Development certification candidates.  Competition for the limited spaces in the teacher education program is keen because applicants for the teacher education program exceed our capacity to allow everyone into the program.

Undergraduates who wish to be considered must apply to the program in the early part of fall semester.  To be eligible for consideration for admission, the student must have an overall grade point average of 2.75 or higher, have completed all needed remedial/developmental coursework (e.g., ATL 1004/0102 and math 1825) and have passed all three components of the Michigan Test for Teacher Certification Basic Skills Test.  To view information about the test, to register, or to check deadlines, click here.  The October test is the last opportunity for applicants to obtain passing scores prior to the admission review.  No one will be admitted to the program without passing scores on all three components of the Basic Skills test.  Students admitted to the program must also reach junior status (56 credits) by the end of the subsequent summer semester.

Applications and instructions for admission to the Teacher Education program will be available online via the College of Education website after Labor Day until mid to late October.  The regular registration deadline for the fall (October) Basic Skills test is early in September.  Students are encouraged to take the July Basic Skills test prior to the fall they intend to apply to the Teacher Education Program.

This year applicants will be rank ordered within elementary education (including special education), within child development, and within each secondary major area by weighting overall grade point average (at the end of fall semester) and the essay score.

Students apply to the Teacher Education program “on-line” via a website, including registering for a time and location to do a monitored essay.  The essay component will be completed using a computer and applicants will have one opportunity to respond to the questions on line.  Any person with disabilities requiring special services should identify himself or herself when picking up the application.

¹Special Education considers additional criteria including direct experience with special needs children.  For more information consult the Special Education handbook or advisor.