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Majoring in Education at UPJ: An Overview

  • The Division of Education offers four-year programs of study leading to Pennsylvania teacher certification and the baccalaureate degree in Elementary Education (BS), and the baccalaureate degree in Secondary Education with a choice of several certification programs: Biology (BS), Chemistry (BS), Citizenship Education (BA), Earth and Space Science (BS), English (BA), and Mathematics (BS). In addition Secondary Education students seeking certification in Biology, Chemistry, or Earth and Space Science may also seek certification in General Science, although it may take them an additional term to meet requirements for both certification programs. Through careful planning, students also may choose to complete a double major or to fulfill requirements for a minor. See the Red Book for information on double majors, double certifications, and minors. Also, post-baccalaureate students may choose to seek certification without a degree. See the Red Book for information on this option.
  • Successful education majors complete two levels of study: Pre-Education and Upper-Level. All education majors begin their program of study in the Pre-Education level of their chosen certification program and must meet requirements to advance to the Upper-Level.
  • Upon declaration of their major as Pre-Education, students are assigned to a Division of Education faculty member who will serve as their academic (education) advisor. Education advisors guide students toward successful completion of their program, maintain their advisees' academic folders, and post office hours designating times that students may meet with them. Students are responsible to make an appointment with their education advisor at least two weeks prior to the beginning of each term's registration date by signing the advising schedule posted on the door of their advisor's office. Students who fail to make an appointment in this timely manner may find that their advisor is unavailable until after registration. Students would then need to pay a late fee to register and may also find that some courses are no longer open. Students may obtain the name of their education advisor by contacting Ms. Shirl Smigla, Administrative Assistant (153 Biddle Hall).
  • All students are required to obtain and submit both a criminal and a child abuse background check within sixty days of declaring education as a major and again as part of the application to student teaching process. See the Red Book for more information about obtaining forms and submitting background checks to the Division of Education and about the importance of the background checks.
  • Freshmen who enter UPJ as declared Pre-Education majors typically spend their first three terms meeting requirements enabling them to apply for admission to the Upper-Level by January 15 of their sophomore year. Pre-Education students are encouraged to apply for admission to the Upper-Level as soon as they have met all application requirements and must apply by the established deadlines. See the Red Book for information on steps, deadlines, and requirements for applying to the Upper-Level.
  • Pre-Education students who apply to the Upper-Level must meet all requirements, including passing of several certification tests, to be admitted to the Upper-Level. Upon declaring Pre-Education as a major, students should gain a complete understanding of the requirements that they must meet to be admitted to the Upper-Level and should read relevant sections of the Red Book very carefully for this purpose. Students also should see the Red Book for information on required Praxis tests.
  • Special policies and requirements for admission to the Upper-Level apply to transfer, post-baccalaureate and relocation (from other University of Pittsburgh campuses) students. Potential UPJ students should understand all policies pertaining to completing an education program at UPJ prior to seeking admission or relocation to UPJ and should read relevant sections of the Red Book very carefully for this purpose.
  • Upper-Level Elementary and Secondary Education courses are taken during the junior year and first term of the senior year and all must be taken at UPJ. They are open only to students who have gained admission to the Upper-Level.
  • Upper-Level students typically complete their program with a full term of student teaching. Students must meet requirements to be admitted to student teaching. Students admitted to student teaching are assigned to the student teaching term they designate on their application to the Upper-Level and may not be able to change this term assignment at a later time. Upper-Level students must later apply for student teaching by established deadlines and meet all requirements to be actually assigned a student teaching placement. The Division of Education, which does not grant students permission to student teach in a non-UPJ established site, chooses this placement. All students should gain a complete understanding of the requirements that they must meet to be assigned a student teaching placement. Students should read relevant sections of the Red Book very carefully for this purpose. Students may seek additional clarification from Ms. Karen Clites, Field Experiences Administrative Assistant, in Biddle 151.
  • Upper-Level students who meet all graduation requirements are eligible for the baccalaureate degree. See the Red Book for graduation requirements, and p. 20 for information about the important Graduation Audit.
  • The Division of Education designates all Upper-Level students as program completers when they have completed all program and graduation requirements, including student teaching and exit standards (See relevant sections of the Red Book), including earning a Satisfactory designation on the professional portfolio requirement (See relevant sections of the Red Book). Program completers then become eligible for Pennsylvania teaching certification when the Division of Education receives verification that they have passed all required certification tests. Ms. Shirl Smigla then submits the program completer's application for certification to the Pennsylvania Department of Education, which typically issues the certification to the new graduate within a few weeks. See relevant sections of the Red Book for information about certification requirements, and for information about teacher certification in Pennsylvania and in other states.
  • In addition to this Red Book, students will find that important announcements concerning Division of Education application deadlines, program policy revisions, certification testing requirement changes, directed tutoring courses, teaching positions, and other essential matters are posted on the bulletin boards located outside the Division of Education main office (153 Biddle Hall). All education majors would be wise to check this bulletin board regularly.
  • From time to time, the Chair of the Division of Education will send a letter or other communication to education majors for a number of reasons including when a change of policy occurs. Except during the summer months, these letters are sent to the student's campus mail box (Student Union). All students, whether they live on or off campus, should check their mailbox on a regular basis and should carefully read the information contained in these letters.
Last Reviewed: November 20, 2004
Copyright © March 2004
The University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown