Skip to main content

2021-2022 Undergraduate & Graduate Catalog

Search Help

Undergraduate Education

For additional information about opportunities your college offers, please refer to the College of Education and Community Innovation section in this catalog.

Website: gvsu.edu/ceci

Mission

Teaching, leading, and learning in a democratic society.

Philosophy

Believing that schools function as social and political entities as well as for the growth of individuals, the College of Education and Community Innovation prepares teachers and leaders a) to enhance the academic and personal potential of their students, and b) to evaluate the social and ethical implications of educational policies and practices.

Values

The College of Education and Community Innovation values expertise to guide our practice, equity to guide our interactions, liberal education to guide our perspectives, and social responsibility to guide our commitment to democratic education. We value these ideals in our preparation of candidates, our development of faculty, and our relationships with the larger community we serve.

Undergraduate Teacher Education Description

The teacher preparation program reflects a belief in strong backgrounds in the liberal arts, familiarity with learning theory, and practical experience in diverse settings. College of Education and Community Innovation faculty teach courses and seminars in educational philosophy and psychology, methods and materials, school organization and management, technology, and assessment. Faculty from the College of Liberal Arts and Science teach content-related courses.

Advising and Course Planning

Teacher preparation is an upper-division professional program and second major. During the freshman and sophomore years, students work toward fulfilling degree requirements, major and minor requirements, and prerequisite courses in education to permit application to the College of Education and Community Innovation. Comprehensive Science and Arts for Teaching (CSAT) majors are strongly encouraged to pass the Michigan Test for Teacher Certification (MTTC) Elementary Certification exam during the semester of their CSAT Capstone course (SAT 495). Students will have two or more advisors: an advisor in the student's content area major and an education major advisor. Transfer students follow the same dual advising process. Students also consult with education faculty prior to admission. Students should discuss career and employment opportunities with their advisors and with the Career Center. Candidates should also review policies in the Undergraduate Teacher Education Student Advising Handbook, available at advising sessions. In addition, advising materials and sample four-year course sequences are available in the College of Education and Community Innovation Student Information and Services Center.

Academic Policies

Due to stringent requirements being set forth by the State of Michigan Department of Education, students pursuing initial certification, first or second renewal of their standard teaching certification, additional endorsement, school counseling license, and professional or administrator certification are now being held to a higher standard. Students who have certain misdemeanors, multiple misdemeanors, or a felony may be denied and/or not recommended for any level of certification by GVSU College of Education and Community Innovation and/or the State of Michigan. If a student is recommended to the Michigan Department of Education for standard teaching certification, additional endorsement, school counseling license, professional or administrator certification, the conviction could have an adverse effect on being granted a certificate. If a certificate is granted, there is no guarantee of employability.

Application Procedures

Deadlines for application to undergraduate teacher education are September 15 for winter admission and field placement; February 1 for fall admission and field placement. Application packets are available on the College of Education and Community Innovation's website. Packets must be complete at the time of application. Students who postpone admission must reapply.

Students should apply during the semester before they expect to do their first field placement (EDI 330, EDS 332, EDS 332), except for the following:

  • Students seeking a CSAT major with special education must apply during the winter semester (February 1) for fall admission.
  • Students seeking a CSAT major are strongly encouraged to pass the MTTC Elementary Certification exam during the semester of their CSAT capstone course (SAT 495).

Students seeking a major in music education must apply during the winter semester (February 1) for fall admission (i.e. fall teacher assisting).

Students seeking a major in world languages must pass the Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) prior to their student teaching semester.

Refer to gvsu.edu/education/undergraduate for more information on applying to the education programs at Grand Valley.

Program Location

Programs are offered in the DeVos Center, Pew Grand Rapids Campus, located in downtown Grand Rapids, MI.

Minimum Admission Criteria

In keeping with the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation Programs (CAEP) guidelines and unit policies, Undergraduate Teacher Education considers students who fulfill the following criteria. As a unit granting secondary admission, admission requirements are those that appear in the Grand Valley State University catalog at the time of application to the unit. Unless otherwise noted, all requirements must be complete at the time of application.

Academic Achievement

  • An established 2.7 Grand Valley GPA overall and in the teaching major, minor, and education major program. Currently, these content area majors require a 3.0 GPA: art education, language arts, social studies, English (major and minor), and history (major and minor). The minimum Grand Valley GPA must be established by the time of application.
  • Most general education requirements completed.
  • Significant progress in the content area minor as determined by the content area major advisor.
  • Significant progress in the content area as determined by the content area advisor.
  • For elementary education, completion of ENG 308 is required.
  • For elementary education, completion of MTH 126 and MTH 226; or completion of MTH 223 is required.
  • At least one meeting completed with assigned College of Education and Community Innovation advisor.
  • All remaining requirements met.

Secondary Review Process

  • An established 2.699-2.5 Grand Valley GPA overall and in the content area major, minor, and education major program. Currently, these content area majors require an established 2.999-2.7 GPA for secondary review: art education, language arts, social studies, English (major and minor), and history (major and minor).
  • Most general education requirements completed.
  • Most requirements in the content area major completed, as determined by content area major advisor.
  • Significant progress in the content area minor as determined by the content area major advisor.
  • For elementary education, completion of ENG 308 is required.
  • For elementary education, completion of MTH 126 and MTH 226; or completion of MTH 223 is required.
  • Subject area and certification tests taken and passed during the semester application is submitted (e.g. September applicants take the October test; February applications take the January or April tests). Secondary candidates take the teaching major and minor tests. Elementary candidates take the elementary test and teaching major test. Special education candidates take the elementary test only.
  • Two meetings completed with assigned College of Education and Community Innovation advisor, including a signed Secondary Review Process form submitted with application.
  • All remaining application requirements met.

Admission Test Requirement

  • Students seeking the Comprehensive Science and Arts for Teaching (CSAT) major are strongly encouraged to pass the MTTC Elementary Exam prior to application to the College of Education and Community Innovation.
  • CSAT major students are strongly encouraged to pass the MTTC Elementary Exam prior to COE application.

Prerequisite Courses

  • Prerequisite courses may be in progress during the semester of application, but preference will be given to candidates who have completed the requirements at the time of application. A cumulative GPA of 2.7 or better must be established in these courses, with no grade lower than C and none of these courses recorded as credit or no credit.

General Education

  1. EDF 315 - Diverse Perspectives on Education (3 credits)
  2. EDI 338 - Teachers as Decision Makers: Instruction and Assessment in Elementary Schools (3 credits) (elementary education) OR EDI 339 - Teachers as Decision Makers: Instruction and Assessment in Secondary Schools (3 credits) (secondary education)
  3. PSY 301 - Child Development (3 credits)
  4. Flex Course 1: This course is taken before OR after admission to the College of Education and Community Innovation. It must be completed before student teaching (grade B- or better).

Special Education

  1. EDF 315 - Diverse Perspectives on Education (3 credits)
  2. PSY 304 - The Psychology and Education of the Exceptional Child (3 credits)
  3. PSY 325 - Educational Psychology (3 credits)
  4. PSY 310 - Behavior Modification (3 credits) AND/OR PSY 326 - Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities (3 credits) (Both courses are required for undergraduate endorsement)
    1. Additional required prerequisites for elementary and special education candidates:
  5. University requirements: Completion of university course requirements or test equivalents in Writing 150 and Mathematics 110.
  6. Advisor recommendations: One from the content area major advisor/department and another from a College of Education and Community Innovation advisor. Students with dual majors must submit a major advisor recommendation form for each major/department.
  7. Positive recommendation: One from an unrelated individual who can address the candidate's ability as a prospective teacher.
  8. Experience: Documentation of 25 hours of experience with children or youth. The experience must be with the age group for which the applicant intends to seek certification. This would rule out, for example, working in the university tutoring center. Special education candidates should have experience working with persons with disabilities, e.g., camp experience, Special Olympics, respite care. For additional options, contact the Community Service Learning Center.
  9. Academic progress: Completion of at least 60 semester credits and junior status.
  10. Felony and misdemeanor conviction statement: Review procedures for those who have been convicted or pleaded no contest to a felony or certain misdemeanors are available from the College of Education and Community Innovation. Conviction or a plea of no contest may cause the candidate to be denied for admission, field placement, or final certification. Candidates are required to pay a fee for conducting a Live Scan criminal background check; information on conducting Live Scan will be provided while turning in your application for admission to the College of Education and Community Innovation.
  11. MyPath degree evaluation: Copy of myPath and current course listings of classes being taken at another college or university.
  12. Resume: Two copies of current resume on plain white paper with an objective stated and a minimum of three references listed.

All admissions decisions will be rendered by the dean of the College of Education and Community Innovation, based on faculty recommendations.

Field Placement Requirements

Flex Course 2: EDT 370 - Technology in Education (3 credits) Grade B- or better. This course is taken after admission to the College of Education and Community Innovation. It must be taken before student teaching.

Upon admission to undergraduate teacher education, the student will be placed in teacher assisting for the following semester, contingent upon an interview and acceptance by the school administrator. Students who postpone their entrance after admission must reapply as new applicants if they seek readmission. Students must follow the holiday break schedule designated by the K-12 district for their school placement/assignment, not the GVSU holiday break schedule, for both teacher assisting and student teaching. Field placements are generally made within a 50-mile radius from campus unless further placement is deemed necessary for suitable supervision and effective use of unit resources. See the College of Education and Community Innovation Undergraduate Advising Handbook for additional placement policies. Student teaching courses (education) include - EDI 430, EDI 431 and EDI 432, EDS 471, and EDS 472.

  1. Submission of completed application packet by September 15 for winter placement, February 1 for fall placement.
  2. Completion of teacher assisting with a grade of B- or better and positive recommendations.
  3. Completion of EDI 310 and EDR 320, or EDR 321 with a B- or better.
  4. Completion of EDT 370 and EDS 378, or EDS 379 (elementary and secondary general education students only) with a B- or better.
  5. Continued 2.7 GPA overall and in the content area major, minor, and education major sequence. Currently, these content area majors require a 3.0 GPA: art education, language arts, social studies, English (major and minor), and history (major and minor).
  6. Interview and acceptance by school administrator.

Students must inform the associate director for placement if they must withdraw from a field placement course. Notification must be immediate and in writing. Failure to do so will result in removal from the program.

Exit Requirements

Recommendation for the Michigan Provisional Certificate requires the following:

  1. Completion of degree requirements and content area major, minor, and education major program requirements.
  2. An established 2.7 Grand Valley GPA overall and in the content area major, minor, and Education major program. Currently, these content area majors require a 3.0 GPA: art education, language arts, social studies, English (major and minor), and history (major and minor).
  3. Grades of B- or better and positive recommendations in professional fieldwork courses, EDI 310, EDR 320 or EDR 321, EDT 370, EDS 378 or EDS 379, EDI 330, EDI 331 and EDS 332, EDI 430, EDI 431 and EDI 432, EDS 471 and EDS 472, and EDF 485.
  4. Passing scores on Michigan Subject Area Tests. Elementary candidates must pass the elementary test; if they also pass subject area tests in their academic areas or special education endorsement areas, these will also be added to their certificates. Secondary candidates must pass subject area tests in their teaching major and minor.
  5. Current certification of CPR (adult/child) instruction and first aid (standard or basic).
  6. If your criminal background information has changed since you originally applied for admission to the College of Education and Community Innovation, contact the Student Information and Services Center (SISC) to confirm the change(s) are on file.

Postbaccalaureate Additional Endorsement Requirements

Students may return to Grand Valley State University to obtain a postbaccalaureate endorsement to append to their teaching certificate by adding one or more content areas. Students may choose to add any endorsement for which Grand Valley State University has approval from the Michigan Department of Education (MDE). Students must meet all of the MDE requirements for an endorsement, which includes taking and passing all courses identified on the endorsement planned program (course substitutions will be permitted with prior departmental approval), meeting GVSU GPA program requirements, taking and passing the associated subject area test for the endorsement through the Michigan Test for Teacher Certification, and meeting any and all other requirements, which might include, but not be limited to, a criminal background check and providing other university transcripts.

Please note: A student seeking a Grand Valley State University recommendation that the Michigan Department of Education add a content-area endorsement to an existing Michigan teaching certificate must be certified at the appropriate level. Six credits of the planned program minor and 12 credits of the planned program major must be earned at Grand Valley State University. For a complete list of the content area endorsements that Grand Valley offers, please refer to the CLAS Academic Advising Center website (gvsu.edu/clasadvising/endorsements-87.htm).

Program Requirements

The following programs are available:


If you are in need of assistance please submit any questions or comments.