COLLEGE ACADEMIC REGULATIONS

Admission Process for Initial Certification

Stage I: Enrolling in an Undergraduate Degree Program Leading to a Potential Teacher Certification Field

Potential fields include:
*Agricultural Education - B.S.A.
*Art Education - B.F.A. from Arts and Sciences
*Elementary Education - B.S.E.
*Human Environmental Sciences Education - B.S.H.E.S.
*Middle Level Education - B.S.E.
*Music Education - B.M. from Arts and Sciences
*Kinesiology - B.S.E.
*Secondary Education - B.A./B.S. from Arts and Sciences or other appropriate areas
*Vocational Education - B.S.E.

Students should contact appropriate adviser(s), department heads, and/or student advisement centers for specific program requirements. Students are responsible for enrolling in programs that lead to initial teacher certification.

Stage II: Pre-M.A.T. Degree Check between August 15 and October 1 of Senior Year

Students must meet the following criteria:

*Pass the PRAXIS I
(Reading 172; Mathematics 171; Writing 173) (CBT scores Reading 319;Mathematics 316; Writing 3l9)

*Obtain a grade of "C" or better in the following courses:
COMM 1313, ENGL 1013, ENGL1023, ENGL 2003, MATH 1203 or higher math course.

*Complete the Speech and Hearing Evaluation (advisory only)

*Obtain a grade of "C" or better in each of the following pre-education core courses:
CIED 1002, Introduction to Education
CIED 1011, Introduction to Education Practicum
CIED 3023, Survey of Exceptionalities
CIED 3033, Classroom Learning Theory
ETEC 2003, Educational Technology
6 hrs. of program-specific courses (see adviser)

*Other requirements specific to major

*Cumulative GPA of 2.70. (Special conditional admission will be considered on a case-by-case basis for students with a GPA between2.50 and 2.69.)

Satisfactory completion of Pre-M.A.T. check does not guarantee admission to the Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) degree program.

Stage III: Admission to Specific M.A.T. Degree Concentrations

The following minimum criteria are necessary to be eligible for consideration for admission:
*Complete appropriate undergraduate degree programs leading toward state certification specified in Stage II above
*A cumulative GPA of 2.70 in all previous courses completed as part of a bachelors degree program
*Admitted to Graduate School (See Graduate catalog for details.)
*Satisfactory completion of Pre-M.A.T degree check
*Departments must recommend student's admission based on successful completion of field experiences, portfolios, and selected written recommendations; and other requirements specified by each department.

Enrollment in each cohort will be limited. Transfer students will be allowed to enter the program on a space available basis and must progress through all three admission stages.

Graduation requirements for the Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.)

1. A cumulative GPA of 3.00

2. Completion of a minimum of 33 semester hours to include a10-12 hour College of Education and Health Professions core and 6 hours of internship

3. Satisfactory completion of internship

4. Completion of comprehensive exam

5. Meeting or exceeding the Arkansas Department of Education cut-off scores on the PRAXIS II examination

6. Completion of application for certification

7. Completion by adviser of Program of Study form

8. Application for degree at Graduate School Office, 119 Ozark Hall

Certification

Students who are completing a Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) and interested in obtaining an Arkansas Teacher's Certificate need to accomplish the following in order to effect a valid application:

1. Apply for M.A.T. degree and be cleared for graduation by the academic dean and registrar.

2. Pay the graduation fee and any other fees or obligations owed to the University.

3. Request that an official transcript showing the completion of degree be sent to the University Certification Office.

4. File an application for the appropriate certificate with the University Certification Officer who then forwards the application with the official transcript and PRAXIS scores with an endorsement to the Coordinator of Teacher Education and Licensure, Department of Education, Capitol Mall, Little Rock, Arkansas.

5. All students seeking certification in the state of Arkansas are subject to a criminal background check. Forms for this procedure may be obtained in the University Certification Office in the Boyer Center or at any police station, including the university campus police department. These background checks take up to four months to process; therefore, students are advised to complete and submit the forms to the proper authorities six months in advance of actually applying for certification.
(The State of Arkansas will not certify anyone who has been convicted of a felony.)

Note: Students who are completing certification requirements in art and music and are interested in obtaining an Arkansas Teacher's Certificate need to accomplish the following:

1. Request that an official transcript showing the completion of degree and successful completion of an internship be sent to the University Certification Office.

2. File an application for the appropriate certificate with the University Certification Officer who then forwards the application with the official transcript and PRAXIS scores with an endorsement to the Coordinator of Teacher Education and Licensure, Department of Education, Capitol Mall, Little Rock, Arkansas.

Usually certification in another state is facilitated by qualifying for a certificate in Arkansas. An application in another state must be made on the application form of that state, which can be obtained by request from the State Teacher Certification Office in the capital city. An official transcript should accompany the application. In many instances the applications are referred to the preparing institution's Certification Officer to verify the completion of a program approved by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education.