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2024-2025 Undergraduate & Graduate Catalog

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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.

Advising and Course Planning

Teacher preparation is a fully integrated dual major professional program, which students declare upon admission to the university. Students can expect to engage in their teacher preparation courses as early as their first year. Students work toward fulfilling degree requirements, major and/or minor requirements, and prerequisite courses in education to prepare for the Teacher Apprenticeship and Teacher Internship Clinical Field Experiences.

Students will have a professional advisor and two faculty advisors: an advisor in the student's content area major and an education major advisor. Students in Elementary, Secondary, and Special Education will have a professional advisor in the CLAS Academic Advising Center. Students in the Birth to Kindergarten major will have an advisor in the CECI Advising Center.

Students should discuss career and employment opportunities with their advisors and with the Career Center.

Criminal History

Due to stringent requirements being set forth by the State of Michigan Department of Education, students pursuing initial teacher certification, first or second renewal of their standard or professional teaching certification, additional endorsement, school counseling license, and professional or administrator certification are 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 For Field Placement

Application deadlines are September 15 for winter semester, and February 1 for fall semester. Applications are available on the College of Education and Community Innovation's website. All application requirements must be complete at the time of application. Students who postpone a field placement must submit an updated application.

Students must 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 major in Special Education must apply during the fall semester (September 15) for winter field placement. Winter semester Teacher Apprenticeship field placement.
  • Students seeking a major in music education must apply during the winter semester (February 1) for fall Teacher Apprenticeship.
  • Students seeking an Applied Linguistics-ESL minor must apply during the winter semester (February 1) for fall Teacher Apprenticeship.

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

Refer to gvsu.edu/education/undergraduate for more information.

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 admitted to the program when a student declares an appropriate teacher education major(s).

Application For Clinical Field Placement

Academic Achievement

  • An established 2.700 cumulative Grand Valley State University GPA.
  • A 2.700 GPA in the Education, Secondary Education, Educational Studies, Birth-Kindergarten, or Special Education major.
  • A 2.700 GPA in the Pedagogical Content Knowledge for Elementary Teaching (PCKET), or content area major, and minor. Currently, these content area majors require a 3.000 GPA is required for content area majors and minors in art education, social studies, English.
  • GPA requirements must be met at time of application for field experience and be maintained throughout program completion.
  • Significant progress in the completion of university general education requirements.
  • Significant progress in the completion of the CLAS major (and minors) as determined by the content area major faculty advisor.
  • Completion of the prerequisite Education, Educational Studies or Special Education major courses is required.
  • At least one meeting completed with assigned Educational Studies, Education, or Special Education major faculty advisor.
  • At least one meeting completed with assigned PCKET or content area major faculty advisor.
  • All remaining requirements met.

Prerequisite Courses and Credits for Teacher Apprenticeship (Elementary Certification-Educational Studies)

PK-3 Emphasis

  1. EDF 315 Diverse Perspectives on Education (3 Credits)
  2. EDR/EDS 323 - Teaching Students with Language and Literacy Learning Difficulties (3 credits)
  3. PSY 301 Child Development (3 Credits)
  4. MTH 326 Math for Pk-6: Fractions, Decimals and Proportional Reasoning (3 Credits)
  5. MTH 328 Early Childhood Mathematics (3 Credits)
  6. ENG 401 Languages, Literacies and Cultures (3 Credits)

3-6 Emphasis

  1. EDF 315 Diverse Perspectives on Education (3 Credits)
  2. EDR/EDS 323 Teaching Students with Language and Literacy Learning Difficulties (3 Credits)
  3. PSY 301 Child Development (3 Credits)
  4. MTH 326 Math for Pk-6: Fractions, Decimals and Proportional Reasoning (3 Credits)
  5. ENG 401 Languages, Literacies and Cultures (3 Credits)

PK-3 and 3-6 Emphasis

  1. EDF 315 Diverse Perspectives on Education (3 Credits)
  2. EDR/EDS 323 Teaching Students with Language and Literacy Learning Difficulties (3 Credits)
  3. PSY 301 Child Development (3 Credits)
  4. MTH 326 Math for Pk-6: Fractions, Decimals and Proportional Reasoning (3 Credits)
  5. MTH 328 Early Childhood Mathematics (3 Credits)
  6. ENG 401 Languages, Literacies and Cultures (3 Credits)
  7. PSY 301 - Child Development (3 credits)

Prerequisite Courses & Credits for Teacher Apprenticeship (Special Education Major)

3-6 Emphasis

  • EDF 315
  • EDR 320
  • MTH 326
  • ENG 301
  • PSY 301
  • PSY 304
  • PSY 310
  • PSY 325
  • EDS 205 Recommended

PK-6 Emphasis

  • EDF 315
  • EDR 320
  • MTH 326
  • MTH 328
  • ENG 301
  • PSY 301
  • PSY 304
  • PSY 310
  • PSY 325
  • EDI 312 Recommended
  • EDS 205 Recommended

Prerequisite Courses and Credits for Teacher Apprenticeship (Secondary Certification  Secondary Education Major)

  • Prerequisite courses may be in progress during the semester of application. A cumulative GPA of 2.7 or better must be established in these courses; with no grade lower than C, courses cannot not be taken for credit/no credit.

5-12 Emphasis

  1. EDF 115 - Introduction to Education: An Exploration of Schooling in America (3 credits)
  2. EDR 225 - Introduction to Teaching Multilingual Learners (3 credits)
  3. EDF 260 - Educational Research and Assessment: Foundations of Practice (3 credits)
  4. EDF 315 - Diverse Perspectives on Education (3 credits)

PK-12 Emphasis

  1. EDF 115 - Introduction to Education: An Exploration of Schooling in America (3 credits)
  2. EDR 225 - Introduction to Teaching Multilingual Learners (3 credits)
  3. EDF 260 - Educational Research and Assessment: Foundations of Practice (3 credits)
  4. EDF 315 - Diverse Perspectives on Education (3 credits)
  5. PSY 331 - Adolescent Development (3 credits) OR PSY 301 - Child Development (3 credits)
  6. EDS 318 - Teaching Students with Learning and Behavior Difficulties (3 credits) OR *EDS 319 - Universal Design for Learning: Secondary (3 credits)

*Must be taken concurrently with the Clinical Apprenticeship course.

Application Requirements for Teacher Apprenticeship Clinical Field Experience:

  1. Personal recommendation from an unrelated individual who can address the teacher candidate's ability as a prospective teacher.
  2. Criminal history self-report and national criminal history background check: Conviction or a plea of no contest may cause the teacher candidate to be denied approval for field placement or final certification. Teacher candidates are required to pay a fee for LiveScan criminal background check; information on conducting LiveScan will be provided during the Teacher Apprenticeship application review meeting. Associated court documentation for all misdemeanors and felonies must be provided at time of application.
  3. Current educator resume, including three professional references.
  4. Completed application specific to semester in which the teacher candidate is applying to complete the Teacher Apprenticeship.
  5. Completed application file will be reviewed during one-on-one meeting with Teacher Education Placement Specialist after submission.
  6. Application and review meeting deadlines are September 15 for winter semester, and February 1 for fall semester.

Application Requirements for Teacher Internship Clinical Field Experience

  1. Completed application specific to semester in which teacher candidate is applying to complete Teacher Internship.
  2. Criminal history self-report: Conviction or a plea of no contest may cause the teacher candidate to be denied approval for field placement or final certification. Associated court documentation for all misdemeanors and felonies must be provided at time of application.
  3. Updated educator resume, including three professional references.
  4. Application deadlines are September 15 for winter semester, and February 1 for fall semester.
  5. All Teacher Assistantship courses (with a grade of B- or better) including:
    • Elementary: EDI 330, EDI 310, EDT 476
    • Secondary: EDI 331, or EDI 333, or EDI 334, or EDI 335, and EDI 332, and EDI 319, and EDT 476
    • Special Education : EDS 332, EDS 305, EDS 306, EDT 476
  6. 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).
  7. Interview and acceptance by school administrator.

Secondary Review Process

Students who meet all other requirements at the time of application for teacher apprenticeship or teacher internship with GPA(s) in the following ranges:

Overall GVSU GPA: 2.699-2.500

Education Majors: 2.699-2.500 (includes Education, Secondary Education, Educational Studies, and Special Education majors)

Content Area Major GPA: 2.699-2.500 (includes CSAT and PCKET majors) (The following content area majors require a 2.999-2.700 GPA for secondary review: art education, social studies, English, and history.)

Content Area Minor GPA: 2.699-2.500 (The following subject area minors require a 2.999-2.700 GPA for secondary review: English, and history.)

Students with GPA(s) within secondary review ranges, are required to include with their application for teacher apprenticeship:

  • Verification of registration for required MTTC test. Test date must be scheduled prior to beginning of teacher apprenticeship semester.
    • Secondary Education, Art, Music, HPE candidates: Major content area test(s)
    • Elementary and Special Education candidates will take lower (PK-3) or upper (3-6) elementary MTTC tests that align with the declared grade band. Students enrolled in dual grade band certification program (Pk-6) are only required to take lower or upper elementary MTTC tests for secondary review prior to teacher apprenticeship, completion of both lower and upper elementary MTTC tests is encouraged.
  • MTTC preparation/study plan, which includes:
    • Outline of study plan and timeline
    • Resources student will engage in to prepare for MTTC test(s)

Secondary review students who meet the previous requirements at the time of application for teacher apprenticeship and continue to successfully meet program, academic, and GPA requirements will be approved for teacher apprenticeship, provided approval to register for teacher apprenticeship academic courses, included in teacher apprenticeship orientations, and clinical field placements arrangements.

Secondary review students who have not passed their MTTC test(s) prior to teacher apprenticeship/Internship will be provided the opportunity to withdraw their application for teacher apprenticeship/Internship and re-apply for a future semester to focus on preparation and passing their required MTTC test(s), which are required by the State of Michigan to apply for initial teacher certification following completion of their teacher preparation program, or sign a letter of understanding demonstrating that the student understands that they are choosing to continue with teacher apprenticeship/internship, not yet having passed their MTTC test(s) and will not be eligible to apply for initial teacher certification until after passing their requirement MTTC test(s).

Michigan Test for Teacher Certification

Clinical Field Placement Requirements

Placement in the teacher apprenticeship/internship clinical field experience is contingent upon an interview and acceptance by the school administrator. Students who postpone their placement must reapply as new applicants if they seek readmission. Students must follow the academic and break schedule designated by the Pk-12 district for their school placement/assignment, not the GVSU academic and break schedule, for both the teacher apprenticeship and teacher internship clinical field experience. Field placements are generally made within a 50-mile radius from Pew Grand Rapids Campus unless further placement is deemed necessary for suitable supervision and effective use of unit resources.

Students must inform their clinical field director and placement specialist if they must withdraw from a field placement course. Notification must be immediate and in writing. Failure to do so may result in removal from the program.

Exit Requirements

Recommendation for the Michigan Standard Certificate requires the following:

Completion of degree requirements education major, content area major, and/or minor program requirements.

An established 2.7 Grand Valley GPA overall and in the education major, content area major, and/or minor program. Currently, these content area majors require a 3.0 GPA: art education, social studies, English (major and minor), and history (major and minor).

Grades of B- or better and positive recommendations in clinical fieldwork courses based on program of study: EDI 310, EDR 321, EDT 476, EDT 477, EDS 319, EDI 330, EDI 331, EDI 333, EDI 334, EDI 335, EDI 332, EDS 332, EDI 430, EDI 431, EDI 433, EDI 434, EDI 435, EDI 432, EDS 471, EDS 472, EDS 473, EDS 474, EDF 485, EDF 495.

Passing scores on appropriate program Michigan Test for Teacher Certification (MTTC).

  • Elementary candidates must pass the elementary subarea tests in their grade band(s).
  • Secondary candidates must pass subject area tests in their teaching major; if they also pass subject area tests in their academic minor this will also be added to their certificate.
  • Special Education candidates must pass the elementary subarea tests in their grade band(s); if they also pass subject area tests in special education endorsement areas, these will also be added to their certificate.

If your criminal history has changed since you originally applied for field placement to the College of Education and Community Innovation, contact the Office of Certification and Accreditation 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 endorsement 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 to 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:


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