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Frequently Asked Questions about Teacher Education and Certification
Programs Q: How can I receive certification to teach in the State of Maryland? Certification to teach in the State of Maryland can be obtained in two ways: 1) Completion of a degree that leads to certification, or 2) completion of credit count certification. Q: What degree programs leading to certification
are available at UMCP? Q: What bachelor's degree programs does UMCP
offer? Q: How can I start working on the bachelor's
degree at UMCP? Q: How can I receive certification to teach in
the State of Maryland? Q: What degree programs leading to certification
are available at UMCP? Q: What bachelor's degree programs does UMCP
offer? Q: How can I start working on the bachelor's
degree at UMCP? Q: What courses will I need to take?
Q: What should I do if I already possess a bachelor's degree? Prospective students that already hold a bachelor's degree may apply for the Master's Certification Program (MMCP), the Creative Initiatives in Teacher Education (CITE) Program, or Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages TESOL Program, or completed the Certification Program in Secondary Education Q: Can I pursue my studies at College Park on a part-time basis? Not completely. Secondary education programs can be pursued on a part-time basis up to the student teaching semester, which requires a full-time semester long commitment. The Elementary program has a semester of full-time professional methods as well as a semester of student teaching required. The Master's Certification Program for Elementary and Secondary teachers is a full-time, twelve month program. Q: Can I pursue my studies at College Park by taking evening classes? The UMCP undergraduate degree programs are designed for full-time undergraduates. As a result, very few undergraduate courses are offered in the evening. In fact, a number of education courses require that you be available for off-campus day-time field placements anywhere from one to five days a week. Undergraduate and graduate teacher education programs at College Park are essentially designed for full-time students. The exception is the CITE Program, which students work as classroom aides during regular school hours and take courses in the evenings. Consult the Schedule of Classes each semester for the availability of late afternoon and evening courses. Q: Upon completion of a degree program from UMCP will I actually receive a teaching certificate? No. Upon graduating, you will receive a diploma indicating that you have completed an NCATE and NASDTEC accredited bachelor's degree program in teacher education. Your name will be sent to the Maryland State Department of Education, MSDE, verifying that you are eligible for certification. Upon being offered a teaching contract form one of Maryland's County Boards of Education, their personnel officer will process the application for the certificate. Or you may apply direct to the MSDE for your certificate. Additional questions about receiving the certificate should be directed to the MSDE. If you seek certification in another state after graduation, that state will determine how you must verify eligibility for certification. Q: What is credit count certification? Degree holding students seeking certification may also request that a Certification Specialist at the Maryland State Department of Education review their transcripts to identify exactly what courses would be required to comlete the requirements for Maryland certification. Such students would then take only those courses without earning an additional degree. Although this may be an attractive option for some students, it is not possible to pursue credit count certification at UMCP. The Department of Curriculum and Instruction's methods courses, other professional courses, and student teaching are open only to UMCP degree seeking students. For more information on how to have your credentials evaluated, contact the Maryland State Department of Education, 200 West Baltimore Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202, telephone (410) 767-0412 or visit their website at: www.msde.state.md.us. Q: Can I take courses at College Park toward credit count certification? No. Enrollment in all of our methods and student teaching courses is limited only to degree seeking students at College Park who have been fully admitted to a program in teacher education. It may be possible to take some courses over the summer sessions or in departments other than Curriculum and Instruction. Check with Hood, Mount St. Mary's, Loyola, Notre Dame, Towson, and Bowie State University and other area institutions to see what they have for credit count certification. Q: What kind of academic advising is available for prospective degree seeking students with intended majors in the College of Education? Through the Department of Curriculum and Instruction, 1207 Benjamin Building, telephone (301) 405-3120, or visit the Department's Advising website at: www.education.umd.edu/EDCI.html. General questions about admission requirements, evaluation of transfer credits, the status of your academic records, and graduation requirements should be directed to the office of Student Services, 1204 Benjamin Building, telephone (301) 405-2359.
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| © 2006 Department
of Curriculum and Instruction, College
of Education, |