2.0 Admission to Professional Education

• 2.1 Apply for Admission at the Beginning of Your Program

  All students must complete the Admission to Professional Education application at the very beginning entry point into the program. The form is available at: https://tinyurl.com/osuprofedapp.

   

  Please note that filling out the application for each certification pursued is critical. For example, if a candidate is pursuing both Elementary Education and Early Childhood Education simultaneously, they must fill out two applications. Likewise, if a candidate already holds a master’s degree and is pursuing certification only for School Administrator, they must complete the application. If they are seeking an English degree through Arts & Sciences but want to be recommended for certification, they must fill out the application.

   

• 2.2 Certifications Available through OSU 

  Following are lists of Initial, Advanced, and Non-Traditional certification programs for which OSU can recommend candidates. Initial certifications are your first teacher certification. Advanced certifications are those that require an initial certificate prior to obtaining the advanced or require a specialized master’s degree. Non-Traditional, or alternative, programs are used to facilitate candidates seeking certification and already hold a master’s degree.

   

  Initial Teacher Certification Programs

  • Elementary (P-8)
    • Early Childhood Education (P-3)
    • Elementary Education (1-8)
  • Elementary/Secondary (P-12)
    • Art
    • Foreign Language (French, German, Spanish)
    • Music (Instrumental, Vocal)
  • Secondary (5-12)
    • Agricultural Education
    • Biological Sciences
    • Chemistry
    • Earth and Space Sciences/Geology
    • English
    • Family and Consumer Sciences
    • Mathematics
    • Physical Sciences
    • Physics
    • Social Studies

  Advanced Certification Programs

  • Elementary Mathematics Specialists
  • Reading Specialist
  • Speech Language/Pathology
  • Principal (Traditional and Alternative)
  • School Library - Media Specialist
  • School Counselor
  • School Psychologist (EdS or PhD)
  • Superintendent (Traditional and Alternative)

  Certification Requirement Sheets are available at: https://education.okstate.edu/departments-programs/office-of-educator-support/certification-sheets.html

• 2.3 Full Admission to Professional Education

  The criteria for admission to OSU Professional Education programs are based on Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education requirements and University-wide policies recommended by the Director of Professional Education through the Council of Professional Education. A student is only considered a fully eligible participant in a Professional Education program once formally admitted to Professional Education.

  1. Requirements for full admission include one of the following:

  1. The passing score for the ACT® shall be a composite score of 22 with the writing section included. The passing score for the SAT® shall be a total score of 1120, including the following scores in the essay section: five (5) on Reading, four (4) on Analysis, and five (5) on Writing. The ACT/SAT equivalency approved by PEC vote 07.12.2019 following an OEQA policy change allowing this substitution or
  2. a minimum GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale in all general education courses (a minimum of 30 hours) as defined in the State Regents’ Undergraduate Degree Requirements policy and the Office of Educational Quality and Accountability Administrative Code, Title 218 Chapter 10 or
  3. a score at or above the level designated by the State Regents for math, reading, and writing on the PRAXIS Core Academic Skills for Educators Test (PRAXIS). Students who score below the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education 199 designated level on any section(s) of the PRAXIS test will be permitted to retest. The PRAXIS test is an acceptable performance measure for students who have completed at least 30 credit hours or
  4. possess a Baccalaureate degree from an institution accredited by an organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education for the purpose of accrediting institutions of higher education and approved by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education. Baccalaureate degree graduates from universities accredited by an organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education for the purpose of accrediting institutions of higher education in the United States are assumed to have the basic skill competencies tested by the OGET and PRAXIS. These graduates may be exempt from these testing requirements or
  5. Successful completion of the Oklahoma General Education Test (OGET)
  6. Pass a Professional Education Foundations course with a minimum grade of "C."
  7. Pass a laboratory and clinical experience (observation) course with a minimum grade of "P" or "C."
  8. Earn and retain at least 2.50 (varies by program) grade point average.

  Graduate (post-baccalaureate) students Initial Certification Programs must complete the Application for Admission to Professional Education. Post-baccalaureate candidates must meet the following criteria for full admission to Professional Education:

  1. Students in a master's program must:
  2. satisfy the departmental requirements for unqualified admission to the master's degree program;
  3. have a minimum cumulative overall GPA of at least 2.50;
  4. complete an orientation to Professional Education course with a grade of "C" or better or a grade of "P" and  complete a laboratory and clinical experience (observation) course with a grade of "C" or better or a grade of "P"
  5. have received a baccalaureate degree.
  6. Students classified by the Graduate College as "special" or "provisionally admitted" must:
  7. have a minimum cumulative overall GPA of at least 2.50, and
  8. complete one semester credit hour of early field experience and an orientation to Professional Education course with a grade of "C" or better or a grade of "P" and receive a passing score on the OGET.

  Graduate (post-baccalaureate) students in Advanced Certification Programs must complete the Application for Admission to Professional Education. Post-baccalaureate candidates must meet the admission requirements set by their program.

• 2.4 Retention in Professional Education

  For participation in all courses requiring full admission to Teacher Education and for continued acceptability and recommendations for certification, the student must have met and maintained all specified requirements for full admission to Professional Education. To remain in “good standing” in the OES, the student must maintain:

  1. At least a 2.50 overall (“graduation/retention”) GPA, and
  2. At least a 2.50 (2.75 for Family and Consumer Science Education and Secondary English) GPA in major requirements with no grade below “C” or “P,” and
  3. At least a 2.50 GPA in Professional Education and College/Departmental requirements with no grade below “C” or “P.”
  4. In addition, students in the OES must achieve these grade point requirements to be eligible to complete their clinical practice experience.

   

  Students not meeting the retention requirements will be placed on probation for one semester. During the semester of probation, the student must satisfy the requirements of the probation. A student not satisfying the probation requirements at the end of the probationary semester will be administratively withdrawn from Professional Education and all courses having full admission as a prerequisite. Advisers are available to assist the student in regularly reviewing continuing retention or reinstatement in Professional Education. A retention review prior to enrollment and again prior to the beginning of classes each semester is encouraged when continuing retention is in question. Students may appeal decisions regarding retention decisions to the PEC Student Affairs Committee.

  
  
  

• 2.5 Remediation Opportunities

  It is important for candidates to recognize the importance of milestones (admission requirements, testing, portfolio, etc.), professionalism, and dispositions as non-negotiable requirements in Oklahoma State Statutes and national accreditation requirements. Program area faculty, advisers, and OES staff are available to assist candidates through remediation opportunities as needed.