Admission to the Teacher Education Program

All students seeking Michigan Provisional Teacher Certification must apply for and be admitted to the teacher education program. The following must be documented at the time of application:

  • Completion of 60 hours with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.70, with no grade below a “C“ in the major, minor, and professional studies.
  • Satisfactory completion of EDU 2202 Introduction to Education and EDU 2243 Educational Psychology with a minimum grade of C.

Criteria for admission to the Teacher Education Program include:

  • Completion of an Application for Admission to Teacher Education.
  • Passing of the MTTC (Michigan Test for Teacher Certification) Basic Skills Tests in reading, writing, and mathematics and submission of scores to the Teacher Education Office.
  • Demonstration of competency in writing.
  • Submission of a completed Criminal Record Disclosure.
  • Submission of two evaluations to be completed by faculty in two of the following areas: education, major or minor area.
  • Completion of an interview with the Education Admission Committee.
  • Successful field placement evaluations from EDU 2201 Introduction to Education Field Experience and EDU 2241 Educational Psychology Field Experience.
  • Compliance with all standards expected of the Rochester College campus community, as outlined in the Student Handbook and the College Catalog.

The application package will be reviewed by the Admission Subcommittee. All recommended candidates for admission to the Teacher Education Program will be reviewed and approved by the Advisory Council at their meetings in December and May. Candidates will be notified of admission status through a letter from the Education department chair.

The application package deadline for the fall semester is the Monday after Thanksgiving. The spring semester deadline is the second Monday of April. Admission is valid for six years; however, changes mandated by the Michigan Department of Education may impose additional requirements during that time period.

Student Teaching

Student teaching is often considered the most exciting and demanding aspect of the Teacher Education Program. It is the final field experience; therefore, it is the doorway into the teaching profession. Prospective employers place a premium on the successful completion of student teaching.

The field placement sites for student teaching are established in the Methods and Assessment Strategies courses. With the approval of the mentor teacher and Coordinator for Student Teaching, placement for Assessment Strategies will also be the student teaching placement. This requires completing the application process two semesters prior to student teaching.

The following requirements must be met prior to placement in the assessment strategies course:

  • Submission of an Application for Methods and Assessment Strategies and Student Teaching Placement.
  • Evidence of academic competency by a cumulative grade point average of 2.70 overall, in professional studies, and in the major and the minor, with no grade lower than a “C.”
  • Demonstration of standards expected of the Rochester College campus community, as outlined in the Student Handbook and the College Catalog.

Before beginning the student teaching experience, teacher candidates must complete the following:

  • All courses and field experiences in professional studies (with the exception of EDU 4721/4821 Seminar), general education, the major and minor.
  • Successful completion of all field experiences. The 60-hour field experience corresponding to the appropriate methods and assessment strategies course weighs heavily.
  • Applicable subject area test(s) of the Michigan Test for Teacher Certification (MTTC).

Applicants for admission to student teaching are reviewed and approved by the Teacher Advisory Council.