Admission To Teacher Education

Admission to Elms College does not guarantee admission to teacher licensure programs.

Students interested in becoming teachers should begin the preeducation sequence in the first semester at Elms College.

Education advisors are assigned to students at the time of their enrollment in the pre-education sequence, but students are not formally admitted to licensure programs until second semester, second year at Elms College or the first semester, fourth year at Elms College (transfer students with an associate’s degree or 60+ credits).

To be eligible for admission to the Education Department, students must meet the following requirements:

1. A declared academic major in liberal arts or sciences appropriate to the
   license sought.
2. Successful completion of pre-education coursework with no grade lower
   than a C. (The undergraduate admission policy, which includes a listing of required pre-education coursework for each initial license and an
   application, is available from the Education Department in Marian Hall.)
3. Successful completion of the communication and literacy portion of the
   M.T.E.L. (Massachusetts Tests for Educator Licensure).
4. The endorsements of a liberal arts faculty member and an education faculty member who have had the student in class.

Education Department Requirements for Initial Licensure:

1. Eligibility to graduate with a liberal arts major appropriate to the license
   sought.
2. Passing score on the Massachusetts Test for Educator Licensure (M.T.E.L.) in communication and literacy portions.
3. Appropriate coursework and fieldwork in education for the license sought.
4. Passing score on the M.T.E.L. in subject matter knowledge appropriate to the license sought for student teaching placement.
5. Minimum GPA of 2.80 for student teaching placement.
6. Passing score on the M.T.E.L. foundations of reading test for student
   teaching placement (for early childhood, elementary, and teacher of students with moderate disabilities candidates).
7. Recommendation by academic major department for student teaching
   placement (secondary students only).
8. Evidence of current completion of an approved first aid/C.P.R. course prior to registering for student teaching placement.
9. Recommendation by Education Department for student teaching placement.
10. Successful completion of the practicum (student teaching experience).
    
    

For more information, contact
Mary Janeczek, chair, education division
413-265-2291
janeczekm@elms.edu