Professional Education Unit

430 David M. French Hall
(810) 762-3260
Fax: (810) 762-3102
http://www.umflint.edu/education

Unit Head: Mary Jo Finney, Dean of the School of Education and Human Services
Director of Educational Field Experiences: Barb Walton
Assistant to the Chair and Coordinator for Academic Advising: Cheryl Godmar
Certification Officer: Debra Seyerle
Graduate Programs Advisor: Rachel Biocchi
Post-Baccalaureate Program Advisor: Sandra Sepulvedo

Secondary Teacher Certification Program Advisors:
Earth Science:  R. Repic (Note: The earth science TCP program is not currently accepting new students.  Please contact the earth science TCP advisor regarding the timeline to complete the program).
English:  K. Hiramatsu, S. Knight
Foreign Languages: I. Hakam
History:  G. Havrilcsak
Mathematics:  K. Hansen, L. McLeman
Music (K-12):  L. Alexander
Physics:  A. Grafe (CSEP) (Note: The physics TCP program is not currently accepting new students.  Please contact the physics TCP advisor regarding the timeline to complete the program).
Social Studies (offered as major only):  T. Robertson (History)
Spanish (see Foreign Languages): J. Lawand
Speech (see Theatre):  TBD
Visual Arts (K-12) (see Communication and Visual Arts):  F. Wagonlander (ART), C. Waters (ART)

Unit Council:  Mary Jo Finney, Dean of the School of Education and Human Services; D. J. Trela, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences; Sapna Vyas, NCATE Coordinator; Robert Barnett, Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences; Matthew Wyneken, Interim Chair of the Education Department; Roy Barnes, Assistant Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences; Gerard Voland, Provost.

Professional Education Faculty:  The faculty is comprised of those individuals from the Education Department and the College of Arts and Sciences who teach professional education content or methods courses,  provide services to teacher candidates such as advising, supervise clinical experiences, or administer some portion of the unit.

The Professional Education Unit is responsible for teacher education at the University of Michigan-Flint.  Its program offerings are designed to assist prospective elementary and secondary teachers in acquiring the content knowledge, pedagogical skills, and professional dispositions necessary for excellence in teaching and to meet requirements for Michigan teacher certification. Requirements for elementary and secondary teaching listed in this section of the catalog are cross-referenced in the School of Education and Human Services elementary education section and the College of Arts and Sciences secondary Teacher Certification Programs (TCP). Graduate degree programs in education are listed in the Graduate Programs section of this catalog. 

All programs currently offered by the Professional Education Unit are approved by the Michigan Department of Education, Office of Professional Preparation Services, P.O. Box 30008, Lansing, MI 48909, (517) 373-3310. The Unit is in the process of seeking initial accreditation from the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), 2010 Massachusetts Ave NW, Suite 500, Washington, DC 20036 , Telephone: (202) 466-7496, Fax: (202) 296-6620. 

In order to maintain state approval and in seeking national accreditation, the Professional Education Unit makes mandated changes to its curriculum, as required by the state of Michigan and as necessary for ensuring excellence in teacher preparation.  Students should consult the Professional Education Unit website or their advisors for the most current information about program requirements.  In addition, students are expected to check their university e-mail accounts frequently for special announcements such as orientation meetings, changes in course scheduling, and other notification occurring after publication of this catalog.

Unit Conceptual Framework

The conceptual framework of the Professional Education Unit at the University of Michigan-Flint reflects the evolution of our own learning as faculty, and our emerging sense of identity as a unit. We seek not only to honor our individual and collective commitments but also to define who we are and who we expect to become.  The framework describes the teacher candidates we aspire to develop, as well our understanding of how to prepare such teachers for the many aspects of their future roles in schools and society.  Serving as our underlying structure, the conceptual framework is a living document that evolves as our unit evolves.

Our commitment to engage in continual reflection upon and refinement of our work in preparing teachers is guided by the following beliefs, as further articulated in the conceptual framework:
 

We believe: All individuals possess worth and dignity. All students have the capacity to learn. All students have the right to a high quality education. All students deserve support in achieving their academic potential.

Our mission is to guide and support the growth and development of our teacher candidates into caring educators and engaged citizens who embrace our guiding principles in their understanding of the many aspects of their roles in school and society.

We teach towards passion for the profession, commitment to lifelong learning, dedication to professional advocacy, and the inspiration and capacity to imagine.

In our dedication to on-going reflection and advancement, the Unit participates in the University-wide effort to assess its academic programs.  Information on assessment plans, including goals, methods and outcomes is available at http://www.umflint.edu/assessment.

Academic Policies and Procedures

Academic policies and procedures vary somewhat between elementary and secondary teacher preparation programs. Elementary education policies may be found in the School of Education and Human Services section of this catalog. Secondary education policies may be found in the specific department within the College of Arts and Sciences section of this Catalog.  Unit wide policies can be located in the Education Unit Handbook.  Undergraduate Field Policies can be located in the EDE/EDS 360 Handbook and the Student Teaching Handbook.  Graduate Program policies can be located on the University Graduate Program Website.

 TK20 - All students in the Education Unit, must purchase a TK20 student account for uploading, storage, and access to assessment of their coursework and field/clinical performance throughout the program.

Elementary Education 

Elementary Education General Program (BS)*

*This program is currently being redesigned to meet new required standards of the Michigan Department of Education. Please consult an Education Department Advisor for the most current information regarding program requirements. 

The Elementary Education program is designed to prepare those seeking to become certified to teach in the elementary school environment.  Requirements for this program are specific to teacher preparation and for eventual licensure to teach in the state of Michigan. 

Requirements.

1. Completion of all School of Education and Human Services general education requirements  and University of Michigan-Flint graduation requirements.
2. Completion of 128 credits, including at least 80 in non-education and/or EDM courses, to include:
   1. A course in United States history (HIS 220 , HIS 221  recommended). See the Education Department  office or website for the complete list of acceptable courses.
   2. PSY 100 .
   3. EDM 120 , EDM 121 .
   4. SCI 125 
   5. EHS 120  (preferred) or ENG 112 ; EHS 220 .
   6. A course in the history or culture of American ethnic minorities: AFA 270  / SOC 270 ; AFA 331 ; AFA 334  / HIS 334 ; ENG 213 , ENG 374 ; EDE 432  / PUB 438 . (This list is subject to change. See the Education Department  office or website for the current list of acceptable courses.)
   7. A course in the study of the English language: ENG 200  / LIN 200 , ENG 244  / LIN 244 , ENG 447  / LIN 447 , ENG 409  / LIN 409 ; LIN 346 ; LIN 290  / ANT 290 , ANT 335  / LIN 335 ; LIN 284  / COM 284 ; LIN 351  / ENG 351 . (This list is subject to change. See the Education Department  office or website for the current list of acceptable courses.)
   8. A teaching major and a teaching minor, or three teaching minors, or two teaching minors and a specialization in early childhood education.  (Note: The Michigan Department of Education does not allow a course to be counted toward the total credit requirements of both a minor and a major or another minor.)  
      Available majors, minors, and specialization are:**
      Fine Arts: Elementary Education Major 
      Integrated Science: Elementary Education Major 
      Language Arts: Elementary Education Major 
      Mathematics: Elementry Education Major 
      Social Studies: Elementary Education Major 
      Early Childhood Education Specialization 
      Fine Arts: Elementary Education Minor 
      French-Foreign Language: Elementary Education Minor 
      Integrated Science: Elementary Education Minor 
      Language Arts: Elementary Education Minor 
      Mathematics: Elementary Education Minor 
      Social Studies: Elementary Education Minor 
      Spanish-Foreign Language: Elementary Education Minor 
   9. Approved courses in first aid and adult and child CPR, taken through the American Red Cross or the American Heart Association.  Additional providers of courses for first aid and adult and child CPR in the State of Michigan can be found on the following web site:  www.michigan.gov/mde/0,1607,7-140-6530_5683-118868–,00.html.
3. Completion of the following courses in professional education, to be taken in the student’s third and fourth years:
   1. EDE 300 , EDE 302 , EDE 360 , EDE 469 , EDE 499 ; EDR 343 , EDR 344 ; EDM 341 ; EDN 410 ; EDT 401  or EDT 420 .
   2. Four courses from: EDE 340 , EDE 343 , EDE 344 , EDE 402 , EDE 432 , EDE 433 , EDE 440 , EDE 441 ; EDR 430 , EDR 435 , EDR 437 , EDR 441 .
4. The requirements in the section “General Requirements for Teacher Certification .”

An honors program is also available. See the School of Education and Human Services Department of Education section of this Catalog for further information. 

**Certifiable majors and minors are determined by the state of Michigan and are frequently updated by the state. Please consult the Michigan Department of Education website www.michigan.gov/edu as well as an Education Department advisor for the most current information regarding certifiable majors and minors offered at The University of Michigan-Flint.

Secondary Education

Secondary Education Teacher Certification Programs

The Secondary Education Teacher Certification programs are designed to prepare students to teach in the middle and high school environments. Requirements for secondary certification include coursework in education as well as in the particular major and minor content area(s).  Education requirements are listed below. Content coursework requirements specific to each particular major(s) and minor(s) are listed in the various departmental sections in the College of Arts and Sciences section of this Catalog under Teacher Certificate Programs.  Students should consult the appropriate departmental advisor, as listed below, for requirements within the student’s chosen content major and/or minor: 

Biology:  S. Mayrberger
Earth Science:  R. Repic
English:  K. Hiramatsu, S. Knight
French (see Foreign Languages):  I. Hakam
History:   G. Havrilcsak
Mathematics:  K. Hansen, L. McLeman
Music (K-12):  L. Alexander
Physics:  A. Grafe (CSEP)
Social Studies (offered as a major only):  T. Robertson (History)
Spanish (see Foreign Languages):  J. Lawand
Speech (see Theatre):  TBD
Visual Arts (K-12) (see Communication and Visual Arts):  F. Wagonlander (ART), C. Waters (ART)

Education Requirements.

1. PSY 100 .
2. A course in United States history (HIS 220 , HIS 221  are recommended). See the Education Department  office or website for the complete list of acceptable courses.
3. A course in the history or culture of American ethnic minorities: AFA 270   / SOC 270 ; AFA 331  ; AFA 334  / HIS 334 ; EDE 305 ; ENG 213 , ENG 374 ; EDE 432  / PUB 438 . (This list is subject to change. See the Education Department  office or website for the current list of acceptable courses.)
4. The departmental prerequisites for the Teacher’s Certificate Program selected.
5. Completion of a Teacher’s Certificate Program major and Teacher’s Certificate minor.  (Note:  The Michigan Department of Education does not allow a course to be counted toward the total credit requirements of both a major and a minor.)
6. Satisfactory completion of at least 124 credits including at least 24 in education courses and at least 100 in non-education courses.
7. In the student’s third and fourth years, the following professional courses are required:
   1. EDS 300 , EDS 302 , EDS 360 .
   2. Methods. One of the following appropriate to the teaching major: EDS 341 , EDS 342 , EDS 343 , EDS 344 , EDS 345 , EDS 346 , EDS 347 , EDS 348 .
   3. Student Teaching. EDS 469  EDS 499 .
   4. Reading improvement. ENG 410  / EDR 445 .
8. Admission and completion requirements listed later in this section.

Early Childhood Education

The program is designed for students seeking Michigan elementary education certification with an early childhood specializaion.

Requirements.

1. All requirements of the Program in Elementary Education .
2. Early childhood specialization (31 credits).
   ECE 100 , ECE 200 , ECE 225 , ECE 235 , ECE 240 , ECE 340 , ECE 343 , ECE 420 , ECE 440 , ECE 469 .

Specialist Endorsement in Early Childhood Education

Completion of the Program in Elementary Education and the Specialization in Early Childhood Education and passing the MTTC Early Childhood Education and Elementary Education examinations (Test Codes 82 and 83) meets the requirements for Michigan elementary teaching certification with Early Childhood Specialist Endorsement (ZA).

K-12 Teacher Certificate Programs in Education

Two K-12 certificate programs are available in Visual Arts and Music. See the Communication and Visual Arts and Music departments’ listings in the College of Arts and Sciences section of this Catalog for specific requirements of these programs. 

Admission to the Professional Education Programs

Before being considered candidates for teacher certification, students must complete a written application and be admitted formally to the elementary education program or 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 application, 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 elementary or secondary teacher certification program one semester prior to taking EDE 360 /EDS 360  and courses requiring EDE 360 /EDS 360  as a pre- or co-requisite. For example, a student must be admitted to a certificate program before registering to take EDE 300  or EDS 300 , EDE 302  or EDS 302 , and EDE 360  or EDS 360  the following semester. Students not admitted to a teacher certificate program may enroll in education courses which do not have EDE 300  or EDS 300 , EDE 302  or EDS 302 , and EDE 360  or EDS 360  as prerequisites. 

Admission is selective. Enrollment decisions will be based upon student qualifications as well as faculty and program resources.

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 (MTTC).Registraion for all MTTC tests occur  at this website:   www. mttc.nesinc.com
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 .
8. EHS 120  (preferred) or ENG 112 .

Requirements for Student Teaching and Eligibility for Teacher Certification

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 360 /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 (810) 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:
a.     Fraud, material misrepresentation, or concealment in the application for a certificate.
b.     Failure or ineligibility of the applicant or certificate holder to meet the criteria for eligibility for the certificate.
c.     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 , EDE 302 ; EDM 341 ; EDR 343 , EDR 344 .
4. Secondary education students must achieve a grade of “Pass” in [[permalink=83|tooltip:{ and earn a grade of C (2.0) or better in the required secondary methods course and each of the following: [[permalink=87|tooltip]]%prefix% %code%[[/permalink]], EDS 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 at:  http://education.uky.edu/AcadServ/content/50-states-certification-requirements

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 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 707 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.

Graduate Programs in Education

The School of Education and Human Services Department of Education offers graduate programs in Early Childhood Education , Secondary Education with Certification, Literacy (K-12) ,  Special Education , and Technology in Education . The College of Arts and Sciences Public Administration program offers a Master of Public Administration with a concentration in Educational Leadership.  A new post-master’s Education Specialist degree with specializations in leadership and curriculum is also offered. Refer to the Graduate Study  section of this Catalog for details of all these programs. 

 

 

 

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