Admission into the Teacher Education Program
Only candidates who have been admitted into the Teacher Education Program (TEP) may enroll in 3000- or 4000-level Education courses. To complete the program in a timely basis, a candidate should complete all requirements and be admitted into the TEP as soon as possible; usually during sophomore year. After completing all requirements, candidates should make application to the Teacher Education Program. You must be in the TEP for one semester BEFORE you are eligible to apply for Student Teaching. Transfer candidates must earn a minimum of 15 credits on this campus before they will be considered for admission to the Teacher Education Program. Transfer candidates may apply, however, during their first semester on campus.
TEP Application Procedures
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Achieve a composite ACT score of 23 or higher with a minimum score of 20 on each subset or exceed the following passing scores on the CORE test prior to application for admittance to the Teacher Education Program: Reading 156, Writing 162, and Mathematics 150.
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Declare your major and your minor through the Office of the Registrar.
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Pick up an application for admission to the Teacher Education Program from the Education office. Complete this form accurately. Applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as they have met all requirements. This should be done during the sophomore year to enable the enrollment in 3000-level courses. Submit application form to the Education office.
NOTE: Acceptance in the TEP is an absolute prerequisite for enrollment in 3000-level courses. No exceptions.
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Complete and pass the criminal background check.
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Documentation of satisfactory disposition reviews associated with particular education classes and clinical experience reviews must be submitted to the Education office. These reviews will be kept in your education folder.
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Candidate records will be checked for satisfactory grade-point average (2.75 overall GPA, which includes all schools attended as well as Carthage); completion of the foundation courses (EDU 1010, 2010), plus the appropriate third course depending upon your major (2720 for Elem Ed, 2570 for Secondary Ed, EXS 2700 for PE, MUS 1180 for Music, or EDU 2150 for ART); and completion of all Heritage/Core courses with a grade of C or better in each course.
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Obtain and submit three faculty recommendations. At least two should be from full-time Education faculty members.
Notification
If all TEP requirements are satisfied, candidates will be notified of admission to the TEP by email and letter. TEP candidates should consider themselves admitted only upon receipt of said email and/or letter.
If any requirements are unsatisfied, Education candidates cannot be admitted into the TEP. An email will be sent indicating failure to be admitted into the TEP and stating the reasons. When all requirements have been met, a student may reapply to the TEP.
Student Teaching
Student teaching is required for all licensure programs (initial and add-on).
In order to be approved for student teaching and later endorsed for licensure, a student must have a minimum grade point average of 2.75 on a 4.0 scale for the entire undergraduate program, which includes courses from all institutions of higher learning prior to attending Carthage. In addition, student teaching candidates need to submit a second self-report background check, show an acceptable preliminary edTPA portfolio, pass the appropriate Praxis II content test or earn a 3.0 or higher in the appropriate courses, and pass the FORT (for MC/EA and CCSE majors) by the time that they apply to student teach, and successfully complete an interview. Students must be admitted to the Teacher Education Program at least one term prior to application for student teaching.
Student teachers will earn a grade of P (Pass) or F (Fail). The grade of P (Pass) is equivalent to a grade of a C or higher.
Clinical Experience
The pre-student teaching clinical experiences at Carthage are developmental in scope and sequence and will occur in a variety of settings. To meet the clinical experience requirements, students must register and successfully complete an education course requiring pre-student teaching clinical experience. Students are expected to balance these experiences so that their time is distributed within the content and grade levels in which students seek licensure and in multicultural settings.
The Family Education Rights and Privacy Act
Carthage College conforms to the Buckley Amendment concerning student records in the Education Office and the Placement Office. More commonly referred to as the Buckley Amendment, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 protects the confidentiality of the educational records of students.
Be sure to meet with your advisor at your earliest convenience if you have any questions or concerns about your pre- TEP requirements.