POLICY FOR
CERTIFICATION ONLY
Northern State University
recognizes that individuals may have the desire and opportunity to
change careers more than once in a lifetime; therefore, the School of
Education strives to assist non-traditional students with the
opportunity to receive teacher certification through the state in a
timely and credible manner. The purpose of this policy is to clarify
the qualifications for admission to teacher education and all related
steps to completion of a South Dakota teacher certificate or endorsement
for post-baccalaureate candidates.
Post-baccalaureate
candidates are defined as students who have graduated from an accredited
institution of higher education with a teachable major and who seek
South Dakota teacher certification or endorsements through the teacher
education program at Northern State University. The program is
recognized by the South Dakota Department of Education and Cultural
Affairs and meets the South Dakota requirements for certification in
elementary, secondary, or K-12 education. Students must complete an NSU
secondary or K-12 teaching major or elementary certification
requirements. Some of the course work may be taken for graduate credit
and may apply towards a master's degree. After initial transcript
evaluation, no credit will be granted for correspondence courses from
other institutions, television courses or institutional/national
examinations. Northern can award a second baccalaureate in certain
circumstances provided all the requirements for the second degree are
met. See the registrar for more information on this process.
The South Dakota Department
of Education regularly changes certification
requirements. Any requirement changed and reflected in a catalog
subsequent to initial registration will be required of the student in
order for the student to be certified to teach in South Dakota.
Students entering this
program must
pass the Praxis II Content Exam in their teaching major and meet all requirements for admission to teacher education as
outlined in the university catalog and maintain all other standards.
Permission may be granted to enroll in professional education courses
for one semester pending successful completion of
PPST requirements or
prerequisite course work.
Procedures:
-
Apply for admission at
the Registrar's Office.
-
Submit official
transcripts from previously-attended institutions.
-
Complete a declaration of
program and have it approved by the School of Education. The
Registrar will provide a checklist.
-
Complete an application
to teacher education, submit passing PPST and Praxis II Content Exam
scores to the School of Education Office.
-
The student may receive
provisional permission to enroll in professional education courses for
one semester. This must be based on a written request explaining the
details of the situation and outlining the plan to obtain the
qualifications for admission to teacher education within one
semester. The certification only student may register for a first
semester of education and major coursework upon receiving permission
from the Dean of Education and if the student has a cumulative GPA of
2.60 and a major GPA of 2.60 from the institution granting the
degree. To register for professional education courses after the
first semester of attendance, the student must meet the following
requirements:
-
a cumulative GPA of
2.60 overall and a cumulative GPA of 2.60 in the major field;
-
successful completion
of the PPST and Praxis II Content Exam
-
a grade of C or better
in speech, English composition, and educational psychology;
-
successful completion
of a sophomore field experience; and
-
signature of an
advisor.
-
The post-baccalaureate
student completes the same certification requirements as all
elementary, secondary, or K-12 students.
-
Upon completion of the
program, the Northern transcript will indicate that the student has
completed the certification requirements for the program chosen, and
upon application for certification, Northern will grant its
institutional recommendation.
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