西新英格兰学院

After successful completion of all Education department requirements, students may be endorsed for an Initial license in Massachusetts in grades 5-12 for English and history, and grades 8-12 in biology, chemistry and mathematics.

Students can complete the University’s General University requirements, the College of Arts and Sciences requirements, and the secondary education requirements in four years with the following content majors: biology, chemistry, English, history, or mathematics. Secondary majors begin their educator preparation in ED 120.

A student should file an application with the Education Department by the end of their first year (application available in EG 100C), or immediately upon transfer to an ED major. A student will be fully accepted during the spring semester of junior year if all criteria listed above are successfully met. Students may be counseled out of the major at any advising meeting due to low GPA, lack of progress on MTELS, or demonstrated lack of professional dispositions. Credits earned toward the Education major (leads to licensure) may be applied to the Education minor (not a path to licensure) if a student is unable to meet all requirements for completing Secondary Education requirements.

Minimum eligibility requirements for completing a Secondary Education major are listed below, and in advising handouts available from ED faculty.

Students are required to meet individually at least once a semester with an Education faculty member to review prepracticum feedback and participation, progress in meeting gateway assessments, major coursework assignments, and confirm passed MTEL status before a student teaching placement will be assigned. Students may be counseled out of an ED major for not meeting all criteria, academic performance, or demonstrated lack of professional dispositions. All ED majors complete a minimum of sixty hours of prepracticum experiences, and a minimum of three hundred hours as a student teacher in local schools.

Students meeting all stated criteria are automatically eligible for the practicum semester (fall of senior year). The practicum semester includes a methods course, secondary classroom participation, and a student teaching seminar. The Candidate Assessment of Performance (CAP) system is used throughout the practicum semester. CAP is designed around the PSTs as outlined by DESE. Working collaboratively, the student teacher (candidate), the supervising practitioner (cooperating teacher) and university supervisor (WNE ED faculty) gather data, and analyze evidence of ability to implement the PSTs. We work as a team mentoring students to become professional, effective teachers.

Note: International students who have been admitted for Fall 2020 and are unable to travel to the US may defer their admission to Spring 2021.