Certification Standards

Effective January 2013, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania will implement new certification standards. Students graduating before that time must complete 72 credits and will, upon satisfactory completion of all elements of the Education Program as described herein, be eligible for certification to teach grades K-6.

Students graduating in January 2013 or later are required to complete 66 credits and will upon satisfactory completion of all elements of the Education Program as described herein, be eligible for certification to teach grades Pre-K-4.

Current undergraduate majors that offer teacher certification at the 5-8 or high school level are: Art, Biology, Chemistry, English, French, History/Social Studies, Mathematics, and Spanish. Students must complete all requirements for the subject area major and take a series of education courses (known as a concentration) to prepare them to teach at the middle and/or secondary level. Certification is available for either grades 5-8 or 9-12. The certification in Art is for grades K-12. Students choosing any of these subject areas will receive a baccalaureate degree in the subject area they choose and be eligible to apply for the specified certification.

The College reserves the right to change any requirements at any time in order to comply with state regulations. Starting in September 2006, the Pennsylvania Department of Education embarked on a multi-year program of changes to the guidelines for Early Childhood, Elementary, and Special Education. Any student entering the College in 2006 and after is required to meet the standards set by PDE for their graduation year.

Eligibility for Acceptance

It is strongly recommended that students interested in education express that interest by the end of the first semester of their first year in order to receive proper advising by the Director of Teacher Education. Because of the significant credit requirements of these programs, students may declare a major as early as their first semester.

After earning 42 credits, including at least one course in writing, English literature, and one of the two college-level math courses (must be at or above the level of College Algebra, MAT-0110) as required by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and at least two required Education courses with a cumulative GPA of 2.80, a student may apply for formal acceptance into the Certification Program (as distinguished from simply declaring one’s major). Rosemont will consider applications from students who have the reasonable expectation of obtaining a 3.000 GPA during their junior year.

Please note:

Students who do not achieve a minimum GPA of 3.000 or higher upon graduation cannot apply for certification under the guidelines established by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Students who do not qualify for formal admission to the Certification Program may continue in the Education major. However, they are required to sign a document indicating that they are aware that, absent meeting ALL certification requirements, they will not be eligible for employment as a teacher in the public schools of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Additional criteria for acceptance include the following: an interview with the Director of Teacher Education, and all appropriate mandated clearances including Act 34 child abuse clearances.

All students seeking certification must take and pass all sections of the PRAXIS test required by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for certification in their chosen area prior to applying for certification.

Students aspiring to teach in the elementary schools of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia are strongly encouraged to complete 18 credits in Catholic theology or religious education.

Student Teaching Eligibility

All students in the Teacher Education Program must complete professional courses and student teaching during either semester (fall or spring) of their senior year. To be eligible for this semester, the student must:

­Complete the prerequisite professional courses with a 3.000 average; earned a minimum grade of B- or higher in all required education courses; has documented and approved field experience which meets the state mandated minimum number of hours; and has all current clearances, including Act 34 child abuse clearances.

The College reserves the right to change any of the above requirements at any time to comply with state regulations or with college degree requirements. The college further reserves the right to remove a student from a student teaching placement for unsatisfactory or unprofessional performance.