The graduate-level education program at VWU allows aspiring teachers interested in one of in 13 different endorsement areas (Table 1) to complete a bachelor’s and master’s degree in only five years. Undergraduate students interested in entering the MAEd program should complete an application as soon as possible or contact education department staff or faculty. During the completion of their undergraduate content-focused degree, aspiring MAEd candidates will need to secure an education advisor by their sophomore or junior year to make sure they are completing specific courses and MAEd admission requirements to provide a seamless transition into the 5th-year graduate program. Graduate teaching candidates will encounter three important gateways during their academic journey. Each gateway is specially designed to ensure all candidates are well-prepared, highly-qualified, and ready to enter the teaching profession upon program completion.
Graduate Education Program (MAEd) Endorsement Areas
Secondary Endorsement Areas (6-12)
PreK-12 Endorsement Areas
Gateway 1: Program Admission
After graduating with their bachelor’s degree in a content area matching the endorsement area in which they would like to teach, aspiring teachers must apply and successfully complete all requirements for program admission (Table 1). Students should keep track of all required materials.
MAEd Program (licensure-track) admission requirements
| Graduate Education Program Admission Requirements | Suggested Timeframe to Complete Requirements |
|---|---|
Complete and submit online MAEd Program Application. |
A student thinking about becoming a teacher should begin the application process as soon as possible. |
Submit Passing Scores on Praxis Subject test |
Take and pass the Praxis Subject test required for your content area. |
Successfully complete a bachelor’s degree in the endorsement area with the appropriate courses for the MAEd track. |
Make sure to seek academic advising from education and content faculty from your sophomore or junior year until graduation. |
Achieve an overall cumulative GPA of at least 2.8 for your bachelor’s degree. Conditional admission may be obtained without a 2.8 cumulative GPA with faculty approval. |
During your undergraduate degree, be aware of your overall GPA at all times and maintain at least a 2.8 GPA. |
MAEd Program (non-licensure track) admission requirements.
| Graduate Education Program Admission Requirements | Suggested Timeframe to Complete Requirements |
|---|---|
Complete and submit online MAEd Program Application. |
A student thinking about becoming a teacher should begin the application process as soon as possible. |
Successfully complete a bachelor’s degree in the endorsement area with the appropriate courses for the MAEd track. |
Make sure to seek academic advising from education and content faculty from your sophomore or junior year until graduation. |
Achieve an overall cumulative GPA of at least 2.8 for your bachelor’s degree. Conditional admission may be obtained without a 2.8 cumulative GPA with faculty approval. |
During your undergraduate degree, be aware of your overall GPA at all times and maintain at least a 2.8 GPA. |
Gateway 2: Recommendation for Student Teaching (Licensure Track Only)
The supervised internship serves as the culminating student-teaching experience for all licensure-track teaching candidates. While non-licensure candidates may take part in an internship, it will not include state requirements for licensure. During full-time internship VWU teaching candidates will be responsible for preK-12 student learning. Thus, it is important that VWU faculty are confident that each candidate has the knowledge, skills, and appropriate dispositions to be successful in educating students in an authentic teaching context. Professional education courses with multiple field experiences help to prepare VWU teaching candidates for the supervised internship. Table 2 delineates the specific requirements needed for a teaching candidate to be recommended for the supervised internship. Again, these requirements are explicitly tied to coursework and candidates should keep track of all required materials.
There may be a time when a student in the non-licensure track would like to switch to the licensure track. In that case, they must meet all licensure-track admission criteria by October 15 (for spring, full-time internship) or March 15 (for fall, full-time internship). Without fulfilling all admission and continuation requirements for the licensure-track MAEd (e.g. passing Praxis scores, passing dispositional assessments, practicum professor’s recommendation) students will not be admitted into the licensure track program, and thus, cannot complete licensure-track, full-time internship.
Requirements needed for candidates (Licensure track) to be recommended for student teaching.
Requirement |
Requirement Descriptions and/or Suggestions |
Maintain an overall cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 on MAEd coursework. |
Candidates should be aware of grades in all coursework and utilize VWU tutoring services when needed. |
Achieve grades of C or better in ALL Professional Studies Education courses. |
Candidates should be aware of grades in all coursework and utilize VWU tutoring services when needed. |
Students must not have more than 2 incompletes across the program. |
If you are having difficulty completing coursework or a course, make an appointment with your adviser immediately. |
Achieving Acceptable ratings on the VWU Dispositional Survey for Educators. |
Complete while enrolled in Practicum Understand that class attendance, prompt submission of work, and respectful collaboration with colleagues is an important indicator of teacher effectiveness and will impact your standing in the program. |
Submit a negative TB test and a clean Background Clearance Check |
Candidates should submit documentation prior to Practicum placement. |
Practicum Instructor Grants Consent for Student Teaching |
Candidates’ progress to the student teaching experience is contingent on a successful practicum experience. The practicum instructors will notify the Director of Teacher Education and the Seminar Professor of recommendations at the end of the practicum course. |
Gateway 3: Recommendation for Virginia Teaching Certification (Licensure Track Only)
Candidates taking part in the licensure-track supervised internship (student teaching) will complete an impact study, a teaching portfolio, and their teaching will be observed multiple times by multiple instructional experts. Candidates who successfully complete this internship are considered well-prepared, highly-qualified, and ready to enter the teaching profession. As such, and upon successful review of all elements within the student teaching experience, the VWU Director of Teacher Education will recommend teaching candidates for Virginia Teaching Certification in their endorsement area.