This Program is designed to prepare entry-level professionals to teach in elementary school classrooms (grades 1 through 6). Elementary Education Certification at Eastern requires a major in an academic subject other than Education, Psychology, or Sociology, and the completion of the Professional Preparation Courses listed in the following recommended course sequence. Psychology and Sociology majors are best prepared for the Early Childhood Education Certification program since that certification program requires an emphasis in Human Development coursework.

Teacher candidates must complete the General Education courses required for certification as outlined on previous pages.

The Elementary Education Certificate program at Eastern begins in the Spring semester each year. Teacher candidates must apply to the CARE committee by October 1 for acceptance into that academic year’s program.

• General Education Requirements and Advisement
• Connecticut's Common Core of Teaching Foundational Skills and Competencies

The State of Connecticut requires that those receiving a certificate after 1993 have a subject matter major outside of education. Elementary teacher candidates may major in any discipline except Psychology or Sociology.

All Education teacher candidates must be formally admitted to the Teacher Education Program. Students may not enroll in professional preparation courses until after admission to the program.

The Department of Education has established a committee of faculty members, the Committee on Admission and Retention in Education (CARE), which is responsible for this admission process. This committee also monitors student progress after admission.

Students interested in teacher preparation programs must apply to CARE at least one semester prior to enrolling in professional preparation courses. Undergraduate Early Childhood Education and Physical Education teacher candidates and graduate teacher candidates may begin professional preparation in both Fall and Spring semester and should submit application materials by October 1st to be admitted to professional preparation courses in Spring semester and by February 15th to be admitted to courses for Fall semester. Undergraduate Elementary and Secondary teacher candidates may begin professional preparation courses in Fall semester only; the application deadline for this program is always Febrary 15. (If these dates fall on a weekend or holiday, then the applications would be due at the end of the following business day.)

The University has an obligation to children in the schools of Connecticut; therefore it is essential that only those teacher candidates who exhibit academic and personal qualities essential in teaching be admitted to the professional program. The University faculty and administrative staff reserve the right to refuse admission to the Teacher Education Program to those teacher candidates whose academic achievement may be satisfactory but who are deemed by the faculty to lack the professional dispositions desirable of teachers.

For admission to the Undergraduate Teacher Education Program, teacher candidates must:

1. Complete fingerprinting requirements for students entering the program who will complete field experiences in schools after July 1, 2010.
2. Complete or be in the process of completing ECE 215 and PSY 206 for the Early Childhood Education Program; EDU 200, EDU 210, EDU 250/COM 250/CSC 250 , PSY 206 or PSY 208 for the Elementary Education Program; EDU 200, EDU 210 and EDU 250/COM 250/CSC 250 for the Secondary Programs.
3. Have an earned grade point average of 2.70 or higher with a C or greater in all pre-requisite coursework.
4. File a formal application by the required date.
5. Send to the Education Department references from a faculty member in their academic major, a faculty member from a General Education course, and a faculty member from the Education Department.
6. Pass PRAXIS I or other appropriate state test. This is a University and state requirement for certification, regardless of where one completes a teacher preparation program. (Note: The PRAXIS I exam or other appropriate state test must be taken a full year before admission so that scores will be received by CARE before application deadlines. Students are urged to take PRAXIS I early in the sophomore year.) This test may be waived if a) the applicant has a total of 1,000 on the SAT, with neither subtest below 400 points (for any test administration on or prior March 31, 1995) or b) a total of 1,100 or more on the SAT with no less than 450 on either the verbal or the mathematics subtests (for any test administrations on or after April 1, 1995).
7. Satisfactorily complete personal interview, demonstrating competencies in oral communication, with a team of faculty. Students will be notified in writing when action is taken on their application. CARE recommends teacher candidates for certification after successful completion of the program.

Students will be notified in writing when action is taken on their application. CARE recommends teacher candidates for certification after successful completion of the program.

For admissions and retention in the Teacher Education Program, teacher candidates must:

1. Maintain a 2.70 grade point average throughout coursework;
2. Earn a grade of “C” or higher in all courses;
3. Display ethical and professional behavior in all courses and clinical experiences.

All education students must enroll in a certification program and have another subject major to receive a teaching certificate.