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.

Clinical Experiences & Service Learning

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 their first semester and continues throughout their academic career, finishing with a culminating student teaching experience.

Extended opportunities to serve local public schools allow all students to apply what they learn in college coursework to authentic settings.

Transfer Students

Transfer students programs are designed individually, with consideration given to academic history and to the specific program into which the 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.

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 (AACTCT), 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 clinical experiences in schools. Our programs are carefully planned recognizing all teachers require a broad liberal arts education as well as sound professional preparation.

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 Area Assessments and Required State Certification Assessment(s) for Prospective Teachers

In addition to successfully completing all program coursework, and clinical experiences, students must pass all subject area assessments.

These subject area assessments include the edTPA, a performance-based, subject-specific assessment and support system used by more than 600 teacher preparation programs in some 40 states to emphasize, measure and support the skills and knowledge that all teachers need from Day 1 in the classroom. In addition to the edTPA, the State of Connecticut requires students pass additional subject area assessments. A list of current, required, subject area assessments, can be found here.

As new State of Connecticut certification regulations are implemented, students are required to meet the new expectations. 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 the following:

ACT, SAT, or Praxis Core scores;
Written teaching philosophy;
Resume;
Cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher;
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 than 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 meet the following:

Completed the student teaching application;
Maintained a grade point average of 3.0 or higher;
Earned at least a “B” in all Professional Program courses and identified Pre-Professional courses;
Successfully completed all program coursework and assessments;
Successfully met all disposition requirements;
Completed fingerprinting and passed background check required by clinical placements.

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.

Successful completion of all program coursework.
Maintained a grade point average of 3.0 or higher.
Successful completion of all practica and student teaching experiences.
Successful completion of subject area edTPA.
Successful completion of all subject area assessments determined by the Connecticut State Department of Education.

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