Alvernia University offers two undergraduate teacher preparation programs leading to a Bachelor of Arts degree and Pennsylvania Instructional I Certificates in Grades PK- 4 and Special Education PK-12. The programs are approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Education and the Middle States Commission of Higher Education. Guided by the University’s principles of rigor, care and inclusiveness, the education programs strive to prepare teachers who have the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to plan and deliver instruction for diverse learners.
Field Experiences Field experiences are an integral part of your teacher preparation program. They include course embedded fieldwork, pre-student teaching, and student teaching. To be able to participate in field experiences, education students must submit the following documents at the beginning of each academic year to the Academic Compliance Office:
- Pennsylvania state clearances for teachers including PA Criminal Record Check (Act 34), PA Child Abuse Clearance (Act 151), and FBI Clearance (Act 114)
- Certificate of the training completion Recognizing and Reporting Child Abuse: Mandated and Permissive Reporting in Pennsylvania (Act 31)
- TB screening and the University Health and Wellness requirements
Read about the field experience requirements in education programs at https://tinyurl.com/edufieldreqs
Teacher Candidacy
Teacher candidacy signifies the formal admission to the teacher preparation program. Students admitted to pursue an education major at Alvernia University must apply for teacher candidacy by the end of the sophomore year. Mid- degree transfer students must apply for teacher candidacy within the first semester of their studies at Alvernia University. Teacher candidacy status is required to enroll in upper division education courses, pre-student teaching, and student teaching.
To declare teacher candidacy, students must satisfy the following requirements:
- Earn minimum of 48 credits including 6 math, 3 English composition, and 3. American/British literature credits with Grade C or better. Please refer to the program coursework requirements.
- Pass the basic skills assessments for undergraduate teacher certification candidates in math, reading, and writing by utilizing the PDE pathways. Note that this requirement may be waived.
- Earn a cumulative GPA 3.0 or better.
- Satisfy the field experience requirements.
- Submit the application for teacher candidacy to the Education Department for review.
Student Teaching
Student teaching is the major milestone in the teacher preparation program. To be admitted to student teaching, a student must satisfy the following requirements:
- Complete the general education core, related requirement, special and professional education courses except ED 470 and ED 472 with Grade C or better. Please refer to the program coursework requirements.
- Earn a cumulative GPA 3.0 or better.
- Satisfy the field experience requirements.
- Submit the application for student teaching to the Education Department for review.
Pennsylvania Instructional Certification During the senior year, students should take their respective certification exams, including Pennsylvania Educator Certification Test (PECT) for Grades PK-4, Special Education: Core Knowledge and Applications (5354), & Fundamental Subjects: Content Knowledge (5511). To become a licensed PA educator, students need to complete their program, earn a passing score on certification exam(s), and submit an application for their Instructional I Certificate in the Pennsylvania Teacher Information Management System @https://tinyurl.com/yvvtz8bn.
This teacher preparation program leads to a B.A. degree and two Pennsylvania Instructional Certification, Grades PK-4 and Special Education PK-12. The dual certification prepares students to work as early childhood educators in public and private schools and childcare centers and/or special education teachers in various educational settings.
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