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 it is critical to fill out the application for each certification pursued. For example, if a candidate is  pursuing both Elementary Education and Early Childhood Education at the same time, 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 fill out the application. If they are pursuing 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 through a career change. 

   

  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

  Other/Advanced Certification Programs

  • Elementary Mathematics Specialist
  • 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
  

• 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 Accreditation and Certification through the Professional Education Council. A student is not considered a fully eligible participant in a Professional Education program until formally admitted to Professional Education. 

   

  • Requirements for full admission include one of the following: 
  • • 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 on 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
    • 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
      
    • 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
      
    • Successful completion of the Oklahoma General Education Test (OGET) 
  • Pass a Professional Education Foundations course with a minimum grade of "C."
  • Pass a laboratory and clinical experience (observation) course with a minimum grade of "P" or "C."
  • Earn and retain at least 2.50 (varies by program) grade point average.

   

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

   

  • The student must have completed an approved Professional Education program and hold a valid Oklahoma certificate or Provisional, Standard, or Professional Certificate; or a valid certificate from a state with which the Oklahoma State Department of Education has an interstate contract. The certificate or Provisional, Standard, or Professional Certificate must have included successful completion of (a) one semester credit hour of early field experiences with a grade of "C" or better or a grade of "P" and (b) an orientation to professional education course with a grade of "C" or better or a grade of "P." If the graduate student does not hold a valid credential and did not successfully complete the criteria listed above, he or she must meet 2 or 3. 
  • Students in a master's program must (a) satisfy the departmental requirements for unqualified admission to the master's degree program; (b) have a minimum cumulative overall GPA of at least 2.50 (2.75 for Elementary Education); (c) complete one semester credit hour of early field experiences with a grade of "C" or better or a grade of "P," and (d) complete an orientation to Professional Education course with a grade of "C" or better or a grade of "P" and have received a baccalaureate degree.
  • Students classified by the Graduate College as "special" or "provisionally admitted" must (a) have a minimum cumulative overall GPA of at least 2.50 (2.75 for Elementary Education); and (b) complete one semester credit hour of early field experiences 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. 
• 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 Professional Education, the student must maintain:
  
  

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

   

  A student not meeting 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.

• 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 Office of Educator Support staff are available to assist candidates through remediation opportunities as needed.