Department of Education

The Department of Education prepares students for careers in teaching by providing opportunities to develop critical knowledge and relevant professional skills while engaged in reflective practice. The department offers undergraduate programs in Early Childhood, Elementary, and Integrated Elementary and Special Education. In addition to on-campus courses and learning experiences, programs in the department include field work, internships, practica, and student teaching, conducted in conjunction with education agencies in Greater Hartford.

The College of Arts and Sciences offers a program in Secondary Mathematics Education and Secondary English Education. The Hartt School offers a program in Music Education.

Advising

The Department of Education has established dialogue groups to introduce incoming first-year students to the University of Hartford, its community, and the many educational and enrichment opportunities available to students on and off campus. A faculty advisor and a small group of students meet in informal settings at least one hour a week for 11 sessions during the fall semester to familiarize students with the University of Hartford and the Department of Education as well as to discuss educational and career goals. All students are assigned an academic advisor, and with the advisor’s help, determine a major by the beginning of their sophomore year. A close working relationship between advisor and advisee helps ensure the student’s academic success.

Transfer Students

Transfer student programs are designed individually, with consideration given to academic history and to the specific program into which a student is transferring. Transfer students may be required to spend additional semesters to complete their programs. Due to stringent state requirements for teacher certification, transfer students should plan their programs carefully and keep in regular, close contact with academic advisors to meet the college’s cumulative grade point average requirements. Current information for transfer credit equivalencies can be found here.

Field Work

The Department of Education and several Greater Hartford school systems have established relationships that have resulted in many innovative programs in the field of teacher education. These relationships reflect the college’s commitment to serving school and community needs by making full use of the talents of students and faculty.

Students’ involvement in service learning begins in the introductory courses and continues throughout their academic career, finishing with a culminating student teaching experience.

Teacher education programs include extended periods of integrated professional instruction and experience in local public schools, providing the opportunity for students to apply knowledge and skills.

Accreditation and Memberships

NCATE and State of Connecticut

Certification programs in the Department of Education are approved by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) as well as the State of Connecticut Department of Education.

AACTE-CT

The American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, Connecticut chapter (CTAACTE), is an organization of colleges and universities approved for the preparation of professional personnel for the public schools. The organization meets regularly to discuss issues of mutual concern and advises the State Board of Education and the commissioner for higher education on important issues in teacher education and personnel preparation.

Admission Requirements

General requirements and procedures for admission are given here.

For admission to the Department of Education, 16 units of secondary subjects are expected and should include the following:

English	4 units
Social studies	2 units
One language	2 units
Science	2 units
Mathematics (including one unit of algebra)	2 units
Other academic subjects	4 units

Bachelor of Science Programs

The Department of Education prepares students for careers in education, operating on the model of the reflective practitioner. In the first two years, the student receives broad exposure to general or liberal arts courses and completes introductory professional preparation courses. In the third and fourth years the student concentrates on advanced courses in a chosen major and on internships in schools. The need of all teachers for a broad liberal arts education as well as sound professional preparation calls for careful planning of academic programs.

Connecticut and many other states require that the preparing institution recommend candidates for certification on the basis that they are personally and professionally qualified. Students will therefore have their knowledge, skills, and dispositions assessed throughout their programs on the basis of qualitative standards of performance in a variety of structured and unstructured experiences.

Subject Knowledge Assessments: Required State Certificatioin Exam(s) for Prospective Teachers

Subject knowledge testing designed by the State Department of Education was instituted in 1988. Students are expected to pass an exit exam or exams in their specialty area as a condition of teacher certification. Students should consult their advisors for details.

Students must successfully complete the appropriate course work and student teaching and pass the required Praxis II (for Elementary and Special Education), CT Early Childhood Test (for Early Childhood), or subject area exam(s) prior to being considered certification program completers and before receiving an institutional endorsement for state teacher certification.

As of July 1, 2009, teacher candidates in Connecticut who are applying for an Integrated Early Childhood endorsement (NK-3) or Elementary Education endorsement (1-6) are required to pass the Connecticut Foundations of Reading Test, a test of reading instruction, knowledge, and skills.

As new State of Connecticut certification regulations are implemented, students are required to meet the new standards. While each student works closely with an advisor, it is the responsibility of the student to make sure that all requirements for certification and graduation are fulfilled.

Minors in Teacher Education

For details about earning a minor in teacher education click here .

Academic Standards

Students must apply for admission to the professional program during the fall of their sophomore year.

Professional Program admission requirements include:

ACT, SAT, or GRE scores.
Teaching philosophy.
Resume.
Cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher.
Documented fingerprinting by CREC.
Completed Dispositions Interview form.

Students must attain a grade of B or better in all required education courses. Students must earn a C or better in WRT 110W , WRT 111W , M 118 , and M 119 . Students failing to meet these grade requirements must retake the course. These courses must be taken for a grade only. Pass/No Pass is not acceptable.

No more then half the required University Interdisciplinary Studies (UIS) classes may be taken Pass/No Pass. In addition, students may take up to two courses Pass/No Pass in their chosen subject area or concentration. Students who opt to declare a subject-area major or minor in the College of Arts and Sciences are bound by the specific requirements of their chosen major(s).

Students must also apply for practicum and/or student teaching. In order to be eligible for student teaching, students must have:

Completed the student teaching application.
Maintained a grade point average of 3.0 or higher.
Earned at least a “B” in all Professional Program classes and identified Pre-Professonal classes.
Successfully completed all program-specific coursework and assessments.
Successfully met all disposition requirments.

Measures of knowledge, skills, and dispositions will be required at the various stages of training. At any time, the department also reserves the right to delay or deny practicum, student teaching, and/or continued course work in a planned program. This decision will be based on professional judgements of a student’s qualifications, competencies, and dispositions.

At the completion of teacher preparation programs, teacher candidates must meet the following to be recommended for certification as a teacher in the state of Connecticut.

Successfully complete all program-specific coursework.
Grade point average of 3.0 or higher.
Successfully complete Student Teaching.
Pass all parts of Praxis II and CT Early Childhood Test.
Pass the Connecticut Foundations of Reading Test (for Early Childhood and Elementary Education programs).

A grade below B in any student teaching experience automatically precludes a recommendation. At any time, the department reserves the right to deny recommendation for certification based on professional judgements of a student’s qualifications, competencies, and dispositions.

Programs

Subject Area Options for Teacher Preparation Programs

Subject Area Major (SAM) Options

Undergraduate Program(s)

Minor(s)

Teacher Education Minor