Admission to Teacher Education Program
Description
The Teacher Education (TE) Professional Program is the final 1-2 years of a student's teacher certification program. Students who have been admitted to UMKC as an education major and have completed all pre-education requirements and subject-area coursework are ready to apply to the TE Professional Program. If these requirements are uncertain and/or unmet, applicants will need to complete a transcript evaluation or meet with an academic advisor prior to applying.
If you have any questions regarding the TE Professional Program, please contact Student Services or your academic advisor.
Admission Requirements
Please familiarize yourself with the policies/procedures stated in the Teacher Education Program Teacher Candidate Handbook before applying to the TE Professional Program, and then:
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Complete required pre-education and/or subject-area coursework- a minimum of 56 hours for students pursuing their first bachelor's degree
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Students pursuing their first bachelor's degree must complete (with grades of C or better) an oral communications course, English Composition I and II, and the college-level math courses required for their degree
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A minimum cumulative college Grade Point Average (GPA) of 2.75 (4.0 scale)
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Develop a plan to pass the College Basic Academic Subjects Examination (C-BASE) with scores of at least 235 on the English, Writing, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies sections. A 'pass' score report must be received in Student Services prior to the start of first semester of the professional program. (Reports take about one month to receive, talk to your academic advisor for testing dates that would allow for results to be received prior to semester start date).
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Those who have completed high school within the past five years must submit scores from the ACT/SAT. Scores are typically found on high school transcripts.
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Middle School, Secondary and K-12 program students must:
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have a minimum subject-area GPA of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale (see Teacher Candidate Handbook for how this is calculated)
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pass the appropriate subject-area Praxis II exam
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Participate in the School of Education Teaching Potential Interview. Each candidate will participate in a personal interview that will be scheduled after meeting all other minimum requirements. Those who are admitted to the Teacher Education program will also participate in an Exit Interview at the completion of the program.
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Complete the Teacher Education admission Writing Sample which will be done during the Teaching Potential Interview. The requirement must be satisfied in full prior to the first student teaching/apprenticeship semester.
Applications will not be processed until Steps 1-3 have been met/submitted:
Step 1
- Apply to UMKC: If applicant is not a current UMKC student, apply for admission to UMKC as a pre-education major based on the University's admission guidelines. Application fees may apply.
- Plan of Study: Be aware of the list of courses you anticipate taking each semester to complete the Teacher Education program. You can find a complete listing for Undergraduate courses here and if you are Post-bachelor, courses are located here. If you need help, make an appointment with an Academic Advisor in Student Services by calling (816)235-2234.
- FBI Background Check: Fingerprints are used to process an FBI background check as required for students to participate in field experience and student teaching activities. The background check process is $49.45. For specific directions on how to schedule an appointment, please review the instruction form. Further instructions for the process are on the TE application. We recommend setting up an appointment in the spring semester. Background check are due by May 1, 2012.
Step 2
- Resume and Cover Letter: Please submit a copy of your resume along with a cover letter addressing your reasons for becoming an educator and your educational goals. Your cover letter should be geared toward school district administrators who will be reviewing them to determine your field placement. Your resume and cover letter will need to be submitted via the Roo Career Network. For specific directions on how to submit your resume/cover letter, please review the instruction form.
- Two Professional References: Names of two professional references are required, at least one of which is an educator or someone who can talk about applicant's ability to work with children or youth. Applicant will submit name for each reference on the TE application and request from each of them a Reference Form. References have to be recieved before an application can be processed.
- TE Professional Program Application: A separate School of Education application. All requirements need to be submitted prior to beginning the TE Professional Program; therefore, we recommend preparing all of the steps in advance and then utilize pertinent information for placement in the electronic application.
- Please see your academic advisor for a late application into the Teacher Education Professional Program for the 2012-2013 academic year.
- College Basic Academic Subject Examination (C-BASE) Scores: If you took the C-BASE at UMKC, we will automatically receive your results; otherwise submit a photocopy of your scores. The registration fee for the exam is $60: C-BASE Registration Form Please see passing score requirements above.
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For Middle School, Secondary and K-12 Education applicants only: Passing scores from the Praxis II content-area examination are required by June 1, 2012. Registration is available online at www.ets.org/praxis.
Step 4
- Teacher Education Admission Interview: Applicants who have met the requirements in Steps 1-3 will be contacted for a personal interview. Each applicant will participate in a personal Teaching Potential interview.
- Teacher Education Admissions Writing Sample: Applicants will complete a writing sample at the time of the interview. The writing sample will assess the knowledge, skills, and dispositions critical to positively enhancing the lives of all children. All responses are confidential and will NOT be used in making grading decisions.