General Requirements for Teacher Certification

Before they can be considered candidates for teacher certification, students must complete a written application and be admitted formally to a teacher certificate program (TCP). If a teacher education student has been away from the University for one calendar year or more, the student must reapply for admission to the teacher certificate program and must satisfy the admission and degree requirements in effect at the time of readmission.

There are two admission periods each year, in January and in September. Deadlines for applying are January 15th and September 15th. During the admission periods, applications are available online at http://www.flint.umich.edu/departments/edu.

At the time of applying, the student must have formulated a reasonably firm academic plan. The choice of certificate level (elementary/secondary) should be firm, major(s) and minor(s) should be identified, and a probable completion date should be projected.

Students apply and are accepted to the Teacher Certification Program one semester prior to taking EDE/EDS

Requirements for Admission.

1. Admission to the University of Michigan-Flint.
2. An overall grade point average (GPA) of 2.75 or better. The GPA will be computed using ALL courses which are potentially transferable to UM-Flint, including courses for which the student has received a grade below a “C.”
3. A grade point average of 2.75 or better in each major and minor teaching area; at least 18 hours completed in the major, 12 hours completed in the minor (only 9 hours completed for the early childhood education  specialization).
4. Mastery of basic skills evidenced by passing the Basic Skills Test portion of the Michigan Test for Teacher Certification. (See the Education Department for the Michigan Test for Teacher Certification registration bulletin.)
5. Completion of PSY 100 or equivalent with a grade of C (2.0) or better.
6. Completion of EDM 120 and EDM 121 with a grade of C (2.0) or better (Elementary Education students only).
7. Completion of SCI 125 or 126 with a passing grade (Elementary Education students only).
8. Effective Fall 2007, all students must undertake a criminal background check that includes fingerprinting prior to their admission to the Education program. Students are responsible for any cost incurred in undertaking the criminal background check.

Requirements for Completion.

Students must have a 2.75 or better grade point average in education courses and must maintain grade point averages specified above in order to apply for admission to student teaching, to be eligible to enter student teaching, and to apply for certification. At all points in the teacher certification program students must exhibit dispositions appropriate to the teaching profession and remain in compliance with student responsibilities  detailed in the “Student Rights and Responsibilities” section of this Catalog.

Students should plan to have at least one regular semester between the time of taking EDE/EDS 360 and the time of student teaching to provide an experiential background for the remaining professional education courses.

Any student who elects a required education course more than five years before enrolling in student teaching must take the course again or satisfy a competency evaluation given by the instructor. This policy includes all professional education courses taken as a part of the student’s certification program. Students who have been away from the University for one calendar year or more must follow the readmission guidelines noted earlier in this section.

To be eligible for student teaching, students must complete an online application and attend a mandatory first seminar meeting. The application period for Fall student teaching will be in early December. The application period for Winter student teaching will be in late April/early May. Missing the application deadline will result in waiting until the next application period. Dates and times for mandatory first seminar meetings will be in August for Fall semester student teaching and in December for Winter student teaching. Failing to attend the first seminar meeting will result in waiting until the next application period. Announcements for the application periods and first seminar meetings will be posted outside the Education Department, and an email will be sent to UM-Flint email student accounts. Students should regularly check their UM-Flint email accounts and Education bulletin boards or call the Department of Education at 762-3260 for specific dates and times.

Prospective teachers must be of good moral character, have suitable personality traits and aptitude for teaching, and possess good physical and mental health. The Administrative Rules Governing the Certification of Michigan Teachers impose the following conditions on teacher certification:

Rule 101. “The state board may refuse to grant or renew, or may revoke or suspend for a fixed term, or may impose reasonable conditions on, a teaching certificate pursuant to these rules for the following reasons:

1. Fraud, material misrepresentation, or concealment in the application for a certificate.
2. Failure or ineligibility of the applicant or certificate holder to meet the criteria for eligibility for the certificate.
3. Conviction, as an adult, of an act of immoral conduct contributing to the delinquency of a child, or of a felony involving moral turpitude.”

Certificate applicants are required to sign a statement declaring that the conditions stated in Rule 101 do not apply to them. They must also take the following oath of allegiance prescribed by the laws of Michigan:

“I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support the Constitution of the United States of America, and the Constitution of the State of Michigan, and that I will faithfully discharge the duties of the office of teacher according to the best of my ability.” To be recommended for a teaching certificate, the student must:

1. Complete degree requirements in a prescribed curriculum in education for the state elementary or secondary provisional certificate.
2. Maintain a 2.75 or better overall grade point average; a 2.75 or better grade point average in education courses and a 2.75 or better grade point average in each major and minor teaching area.
3. Elementary education students must achieve a grade of “Pass” in
   EDE 360
     and earn a grade of C (2.0) or better in each of the following
   EDE 300
    ,
   302
    ;
   EDM 341
    ;
   EDR 343
    ,
   344
    .
4. Secondary education students must achieve a grade of “Pass” in
   EDS 360
     and earn a grade of C (2.0) or better in the required secondary methods course and each of the following:
   EDS 300
    ,
   302
    ;
   ENG 410
    /
   EDR 445
    .
5. Pass the Michigan Test for Teacher Certification (MTTC) in Basic Skills prior to admission. Candidates for an elementary teaching certificate must pass the MTTC in Elementary Education prior to certification and may take appropriate subject area tests if they are seeking additional certification areas in grades 6-8. Candidates for secondary teaching certificates must pass the appropriate MTTC subject area examination for each subject area in which they are to be certified prior to certification.
6. Earn a satisfactory rating in Student Teaching.
7. Submit proof of completion of an approved course in adult and child CPR and first aid.

Certificate Requirements in Other States

The teacher’s certificate issued by the State of Michigan is valid only in the state of Michigan. A student who plans to teach in a state other than Michigan should become acquainted fully with the certification requirements of that state before entering the senior year. The student should then consult an advisor regarding the courses which must be elected in order to meet these requirements.

Many states now require that the applicant pass a test before a teaching certificate is issued. For information, addresses of state departments of education are available from the office of the Director of Teacher Certification.

Certification for Students Holding Bachelor’s Degrees

A student who has completed a bachelor’s degree at an approved institution may meet state requirements for teacher certification without earning a second degree. Such students should contact the Director of Teacher Certification or the Post-Baccalaureate Program advisor for information concerning a coursework evaluation.

Institutional Report Card on the Quality of Teacher Preparation for the University of Michigan-Flint

In response to the Title II - Higher Education Act, Section 207, Accountability for Programs that Prepare Teachers, the University of Michigan-Flint provides the following Institutional Report Card on the Quality of the Teacher Preparation Program.

Pass Rate

The pass rate on the State of Michigan’s Teacher Certification assessments for students who are recommended for teacher certification upon completion of a teacher education program at the University of Michigan-Flint is 100% for all certification programs. This pass rate is equal to or exceeds the pass rate for all other Michigan colleges and universities that prepare teachers.

Program Information

There are 1183 students enrolled in the teacher preparation program. Students are required to complete a minimum of fourteen (14) weeks of supervised student teaching as part of the culminating program requirement. The total number of hours required is 490. The faculty-student ratio in the supervised student teacher experience is 1-18 (one full-time faculty member is responsible for supervising a maximum of eighteen student teachers in supervised practice teaching).

Accreditation Statement

The teacher education program at the University of Michigan- Flint is approved by the Michigan Department of Education to offer programs in elementary education, early childhood education, selected secondary education programs, and selected programs that prepare teachers for teaching in all grades.