Disciplinary Course Requirements and Pedagogy Course Requirements

For some majors, disciplinary courses in addition to, or in lieu of, the courses that are required for the bachelor’s degree in the disciplinary major are required for teacher certification. Furthermore, for some disciplines, additional pedagogy courses are required for teacher certification.

For additional information concerning disciplinary course requirements and pedagogy course requirements, refer to teacher certification options in the catalog sections for the colleges, departments, and schools that administer disciplinary majors that are available for teacher certification.

General–Liberal Education Requirements

The State of Michigan requires applicants for provisional certification to have completed at least 40 semester credits in a program of general or liberal education, which is designed to ensure that teachers understand the substance, concepts, and methods of the principal areas of human knowledge, and possess the skills essential to communication and inquiry in modern society. The courses used to fulfill the university’s Integrative Studies and Tier I writing requirements will count for 30 of the 40 credits required in general-liberal education.

Observation and Field Experience Requirements

Included in the requirements for teacher certification are courses that involve observations and field experiences in schools. Students are responsible for their transportation to and from observations and field experiences as well as any associated costs (e.g. transportation).

Teacher Certification Internship Year Studies Program

Persons may gain access to the Teacher Certification Internship Year Studies Program as follows:

1.  Elementary Teacher Certification:

1. Students who complete the requirements for the bachelor’s degree with a major in child development, education, or special education along with the teaching major, and all elementary program requirements are thereby qualified to pursue the Internship Year Studies Program.
2. Michigan State University students who were admitted to the Teacher Certification Program with a disciplinary major other than those referenced in item 1. a. above, who complete the requirements for a bachelor’s degree at Michigan State University, and who complete the requirements for teacher certification referenced in items 2. and 3. a. (1) through (3) in the section  “Prerequisites for Admission to the Internship Year Studies Program” below are thereby qualified to pursue the Internship Year Studies Program.
3. Students who complete the requirements for a bachelor’s degree at another educational institution, or who complete the requirements for a bachelor’s degree at Michigan State University without having been admitted to the Teacher Certification Program, must meet the requirements referenced in the section “Prerequisites for Admission to the Internship Year Studies Program” below in order to be considered for admission to that program.

Students who plan to direct preschool programs must, and students who plan to teach children under five years of age should, meet the requirements for the Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in Child Development (teacher certification emphasis) and meet the requirements referenced in items 3. a. (1) through (3) in the section “Prerequisites for Admission to the Internship Year Studies Program” below in order to be considered for admission to the Internship Year Studies Program.  Students who plan to teach kindergarten or early elementary grades may gain access to the Internship Year Studies Program via any one of the three alternatives referenced in item 1. above.

2.  Secondary Teacher Certification:

1. Michigan State University students who were admitted to the Teacher Certification Program with a disciplinary major other than those referenced in item 1. a. above and those referenced in items 3. a. and b. below, who complete the requirements for a bachelor’s degree at Michigan State University, and who complete the requirements for teacher certification referenced in items 2. and 3. b. (1) through (3) in the section on “Prerequisites for Admission to the Internship Year Studies Program” below are thereby qualified to pursue the Internship Year Studies Program.
2. Students who complete the requirements for a bachelor’s degree at another educational institution, or who complete the requirements for a bachelor’s degree at Michigan State University without having been admitted to the Teacher Certification Program, must meet the requirements referenced in the section on “Prerequisites for Admission to the Internship Year Studies Program” below in order to be considered for admission to that program.

1. Michigan State University students who were admitted to the teacher certification program with a music education disciplinary major and who complete the requirements for teacher certification referenced in items 2. and 3. b. (1) and (2) in the section on “Prerequisites for Admission to the Internship Year Studies Program” below are thereby qualified to pursue the Internship Year Studies Program.
2. Michigan State University students who were admitted to the Teacher Certification Program with an art education disciplinary major, who complete the requirements for a bachelor’s degree from Michigan State University, and who complete the requirements for teacher certification referenced in items 2. and 3. b. (1) and (2) in the section on “Prerequisites for Admission to the Internship Year Studies Program” below are thereby qualified to pursue the Internship Year Studies Program.
3. Michigan State University students who were admitted to the Teacher Certification Program with a disciplinary major other than those referenced in items 2. and b. above, who complete the requirements for a bachelor’s degree at Michigan State University, and who complete the requirements for teacher certification referenced in items 2. and 3 b. (1) and (2) under the heading “Prerequisites for Admission to the Internship Year Studies Program” below are thereby qualified to pursue the Internship Year Studies Program.
4. Students who complete the requirements for a bachelor’s degree at another educational institution, or who complete the requirements for a bachelor’s degree at Michigan State University without having been admitted to the Teacher Certification Program, must meet the requirements referenced in the section on “Prerequisites for Admission to the Internship Year Studies Program” below in order to be considered for admission to that program.

Prerequisites for Admission to the Internship Year Studies Program

All students seeking admission to the Internship Year Studies Program must have:

1.	A baccalaureate degree from a recognized educational institution with a cumulative grade–point average of at least 2.5.
2.	Passed all portions of the Michigan Test for Teacher Certification (MTTC), Professional Readiness Examination (PRE), or demonstrated proficiency using approved alternative pass measures and completed the State of Michigan Department of Education’s technology requirement.
3.	Completed the following undergraduate requirements for teacher certification:
	a.	Undergraduate Requirements for Elementary Teacher Certification:
		(1)	The professional education courses listed in the “Undergraduate Professional Education Course Requirements for Elementary Teacher Certification” section below.
		(2)	The Elementary Education Courses listed in the “Undergraduate Professional Education Course Requirements for Elementary Teacher Certification” section below.
		(3)	Courses comprising a grade band concentration listed in the Undergraduate Professional Education Course Requirements for Elementary Teacher Certification section below.
		(4)	The Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) courses listed in the Undergraduate Professional Education Course Requirements for Elementary Teacher Certification section below.
		(5)	Optional Additional Teaching Endorsements in Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Japanese, or Spanish.
	b.	Undergraduate Requirements for Secondary Teacher Certification:
		(1)	The Professional Education Courses listed below in the section on the “Undergraduate Professional Education Course Requirements for Secondary Teacher Certification.”
		(2)	An approved disciplinary major for secondary teacher certification, with a grade-point average of at least 2.5. The approved disciplinary majors for secondary teacher certification are listed below in the section on "Options for Acceptable Subject Matter Teaching Majors and Minors for Secondary Teacher Certification."
		(3)	An approved disciplinary teaching minor for secondary teacher certification, with a grade-point average of at least 2.5. The approved disciplinary teaching minors for secondary teacher certification and their requirements are listed below in the section on “Options for Acceptable Subject Matter Teaching Majors and Minors for Secondary Teacher Certification.
4.	Earned a grade point average of 2.5 or above for pre-internship professional education courses required for teacher certification with no individual grade below 2.0.
5.	Completed any disciplinary courses and pedagogy courses that are required in addition to the courses that are required for the disciplinary major and the courses that are referenced in item 3.a.(1) or 3.b.(1) above.
	Any additional disciplinary courses and any additional pedagogy courses that are required for teacher certification are referenced in the sections on teacher certification options in the catalog sections for the colleges, departments, and schools that administer the disciplinary majors that are available for teacher certification.
6.	Passed the required State of Michigan certification tests for elementary teaching or the appropriate major subject area test for secondary teaching.
7.	Submitted a complete conviction disclosure form; and
8.	Met professional criteria as specified by the College of Education.

Undergraduate Professional Education Course Requirements for Elementary Teacher Certification

GPA Standards: All elementary teacher candidates must pass the following courses with a minimum grade of 2.0. CEP 240, TE 101, TE 102, TE 150, TE 341, LIN 200 or LIN 401, TE 301, and TE 348. Within the Grade Three through Grade Six concentration: HST 301, HST 302, and ISE 301 must be passed with a minimum grade of 2.0.

a.	Professional Education Courses (19 credits):
	All of the following courses (19 credits):
	CEP	240	Diverse Learners in Multicultural Perspectives						3
	TE	101	Social Foundations of Justice and Equity in Education						3
	TE	102	Pedagogy and Politics of Justice and Equity in Education						3
	TE	150	Reflections on Learning						3
	TE	341	Teaching and Learning of (Bi)Multilingual Learners						3
	TE	371	Justice and Equity Seminar I						1
	TE	372	Justice and Equity Seminar II						1
	TE	471	Justice and Equity Seminar III						1
	TE	472	Justice and Equity Seminar IV						1
b.	Elementary Education Courses (25 or 26 credits):
	(1)	All of the following courses (10 credits):
		TE	100	Introduction to Early Childhood and Elementary Education					1
		TE	333	Social Studies for Young Learners (PK-6)					3
		TE	403	Teaching Science to Diverse Learners - Elementary					3
		TE	404	Teaching of Social Studies to Diverse Learners-Elementary (W)					3
	(2)	Language Acquisition and Development
		One of the following courses (3 or 4 credits):
		LIN	200	Introduction to Language					3
		LIN	401	Introduction to Linguistics					4
	(3)	Literacy
		Both of the following courses (6 credits):
		TE	301	Children’s Literacy Development (W)					3
		TE	348	Reading and Responding to Children’s Literature					3
	(4)	Mathematics
		Both of the following courses (6 credits):
		MTH	201	Elementary Mathematics for Teachers I					3
		MTH	202	Elementary Mathematics for Teachers II					3
		The completion of Mathematics 201 may satisfy the university mathematics requirement. Mathematics 201 and 202 are prerequisites for Teacher Education 406 or 406A and must be completed with a minimum grade-point of 2.0 prior to enrollment in Teacher Education 406 or 406A.
c.	One of the following concentrations (21 to 29 credits):
	Prekindergarten through Grade Three (29 credits):
	All of the following courses:
	HDFS	320	Interaction with Children in Groups						3
	HDFS	320L	Interaction with Children-Laboratory						1
	HDFS	321	Curriculum for Children (W)						3
	HDFS	321L	Curriculum for Children-Laboratory						1
	HDFS	424	Student Teaching in an Early Childhood Program						6
	TE	330	Science Curriculum for Young Learners (PK-3)						3
	TE	405A	Teaching Literacy to Diverse Learners I (PK-3)						3
	TE	405B	Teaching Literacy to Diverse Learners II (PK-3)						3
	TE	406A	Teaching Mathematics to Diverse Learners I (PK-3)						3
	TE	406B	Teaching Mathematics to Diverse Learners II (PK-3)						3
	Grade Three through Grade Six (21 or 22 credits):
	1.	One of the following ethnic studies courses (3 or 4 credits):
		AAAS	100	Pathways into AAAS					3
		AIIS	201	Introduction to American Indian and Indigenous Studies					3
		CLS	201	Introduction to Chicano/Latino Studies					3
		HST	208	Introduction to African History, Culture and Society					4
		HST	210	Modern East Asia					4
		HST	309	American Indian History: Precontact to the Present					3
		HST	310	African American History to 1876					3
		HST	311	African American History since 1876					3
		HST	312	African American Women					3
		HST	327	History of Mexican Americans in the United States					3
		HST	365	The Vietnam War					3
		HST	366	Modern Southeast Asia					3
		HST	371	Women and Gender in Asia					3
		HST	383	The Caribbean					3
		HST	384	Modern Mexico					3
		PLS	304	Minority Politics					3
		PLS	351	African Politics					3
		SOC	214	Social Inequality					3
		SOC	215	Race and Ethnicity					3
		SOC	375	Urban Sociology					3
		SSC	293	Introduction to Asian Pacific American Studies					3
		TE	352	Immigrant Language and Culture					3
	2.	One of the following United States history courses (3 credits):
		HST	301	Indigenous-European Encounters in North America					3
		HST	302	Revolutionary America					3
	3.	One of the following arts integration courses (3 credits):
		TE	430	Introduction to Arts in the Classroom					3
		TE	431	Learning through Drama					3
		TE	432	Learning through Movement					3
	4.	All of the following courses (12 credits):
		ISE	301	Science for Elementary Schools					3
		TE	332	Science Curriculum for Upper Elementary Learners (3-6)					3
		TE	405	Teaching Literacy to Diverse Learners (3-6)					3
		TE	406	Teaching Mathematics to Diverse Learners (3-6)					3
d.	Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (15 or 18 credits):
	Completion of this requirement along with TE 341 in 2. a. (1) and either LIN 200 or LIN 401 in 2. b. (2) satisfies the course requirements for the additional endorsement in English as a Second Language.
	(1)	All of the following courses (12 credits):
		LLT	307	Methods of Second and Foreign Language Teaching					3
		LLT	346	Pedagogical English Grammar for English Teachers					3
		LLT	361	Second and Foreign Language Learning					3
		TE	342	Teaching Methods for (Bi)multilingual Learners					3
	(2)	Complete either (a) or (b) (3 or 6 credits):
		(a)	ANP	420	Language and Culture				3
		(b)	COM	310	Intercultural Communication				3
			or
			COM	320	Diversity and Communication				3
			LIN	471	Sociolinguistics				3
e.	Optional Additional Teaching Endorsements
	Students may elect to complete one or more optional disciplinary teaching minor(s), in addition to the required grade band concentration and English as a Second Language requirements. The following disciplinary teaching minors are available for prospective elementary school teachers.
		Arabic	22
		Chinese	26
		French	24
		German	23
		Japanese	24
		Spanish	24
	Requirements for the disciplinary teaching minors can be found in the section Requirements for the Disciplinary Teaching Minors in the section on TEACHER CERTIFICATION, below. Students wishing to complete one or more of the following optional disciplinary teaching majors, in addition to the grade band concentration and English as a Second Language requirements, should refer to Teacher Certification Options in the catalog sections for the colleges, departments, and schools that administer disciplinary majors that are available for teacher certification.
		College of Arts and Letters:
		Arabic
		Chinese
		French
		German
		Japanese
		Spanish

Undergraduate Professional Education Course Requirements for Secondary Teacher Certification

1.	The following Professional Education Courses (20 or 21 credits):
	a.	All of the following courses (20 credits):
		TE	101	Social Foundations of Justice and Equity in Education			3
		TE	150	Reflections on Learning			3
		TE	302	Learners and Learning in Context - Secondary (W)			4
		TE	407	Teaching of Subject Matter to Diverse Learners - Secondary (W)			5
		TE	408	Crafting Teaching Practices - Secondary (W)			5
	b.	The following course if the teaching major and minor are in different subject matter:
		TE	409	Crafting Teaching Practices in the Secondary Teaching Minor			1
		The pedagogy courses that are required for students with a disciplinary major in music education are specified in the section  on TEACHER CERTIFICATION OPTIONS in the College of Music section of this catalog.  Students with a disciplinary major in music education must complete Teacher Education 150, Teacher Education 250, Teacher Education 302 and Music 277 to be considered for admission to the Music Education student teaching experience. Teacher Education 409 is required if the student pursues a minor. It is not required of the major.
		Students with a disciplinary major in art education must complete Studio Art 481 and 482 in lieu of Teacher Education 407 and 408.

Admission to the Internship Year Studies Program

The section on admission to the Internship Year Studies Program pertains to all students who complete the requirements for a bachelor’s degree at another educational institution, or who complete the requirements for a bachelor’s degree at Michigan State University without having been admitted to the Teacher Certification Program.

The number of students admitted to the Internship Year Studies Program is established by the university. Enrollment in the program is limited. The criteria and procedures for the selection of students for admission to the Internship Year Studies Program are established by the College of Education.

Requirements for the Internship Year Studies Program

1.	All of the following Professional Education Courses (24 credits):
	TE	501	Internship in Teaching Diverse Learners I				6
	TE	502	Internship in Teaching Diverse Learners II				6
	TE	801	Professional Roles and Teaching Practice I				3
	TE	802	Reflection and Inquiry in Teaching Practice I				3
	TE	803	Professional Roles and Teaching Practice II				3
	TE	804	Reflection and Inquiry in Teaching Practice II				3
2.	For those pursuing optional additional discipline-specific teaching endorsements, one credit of TE 503 must be taken for each additional teaching endorsement earned.
3.	Meet all professional standards for the internship year as specified by the College of Education.

Students with a music education disciplinary major must complete approved alternative courses in lieu of Teacher Education 501, 502, 801, 802, 803, and 804.

Students with a special education disciplinary major who are seeking both teacher certification and endorsement in learning disabilities must complete Counseling, Educational Psychology and Special Education 502A, 801A, 802A, 803A, and 804A in lieu of Teacher Education 502, 801, 802, 803, and 804.  Those courses contain disciplinary content, as well as pedagogical content.  Therefore, those courses are also counted toward the requirements for endorsement in the area of learning disabilities.  Students who completed Teacher Education 502, 801, 802, 803, and 804 and who are seeking endorsement in learning disabilities must complete Counseling, Educational Psychology and Special Education 502A, 801A, 802A, 803A, and 804A.

Internship Placements

Students seeking teacher certification are required to complete extended internships during the Internship Year Studies Program. Interns who desire to be placed in secondary schools must pass the Michigan Test for Teacher Certification (MTTC) subject tests in their teaching majors. Elementary interns, including Special Education and Child Development majors, must pass, at minimum, the MTTC tests appropriate to their grade band concentration. For the full criteria to be admitted to the internship year, see Prerequisites for Admission to the Internship Year Studies Program. 

Although students are given an opportunity to express their preferences concerning possible internship placement sites, the placement of students in internships is the sole responsibility of the College of Education.  The College will not honor student-arranged internship placements.

Each student’s subject areas, the availability of field instructors, the voluntary willingness of schools to accept interns and visitors, and the College’s commitment to providing service to public schools are considered in internship placement decisions.  Given the number of factors that influence internship placement decisions, the College cannot guarantee that placements will be available in the vicinity of East Lansing or in a location that a student prefers.

Students are responsible for their transportation to and from internships.  Students are responsible for costs associated with internships; e.g., moving to and living in the community in which a student’s internship placement is located.

For additional information, students should contact the faculty who are responsible for internship placements.

Relationship of the Internship Year Studies Program to Master’s Degree Programs

Students may be admitted to the Internship Year Studies Program without being admitted to a master’s degree program. Students who are admitted to both the Internship Year Studies Program and a master’s degree program may pursue both programs simultaneously and may be allowed to apply 800–level courses from the Internship Year Studies Program to their master’s degree with the approval of the units that administer the master’s degree program.

Students in any master's program in the College of Education may apply a maximum of 12 credits earned through any combination of courses taken through lifelong education, graduate certification, or in transfer from another institution. Each program may determine if courses are appropriate for the master's program and may allow fewer than 12 credits to be applied to the specific master's program.

For additional information about the 800–level courses that are required for the Internship Year Studies Program, refer to the section on “Requirements for the Internship Year Studies Program.”