Teacher Candidacy
All Middle Grades Preparation (MGP) majors are designated as probationary teacher education students until they achieve Teacher Candidacy. All students seeking a Bachelor of Science in Education (B.S.Ed.) must apply for Teacher Candidacy. Undergraduates are strongly encouraged to apply for Teacher Candidacy upon completion of 48 credits; undergraduates MUST have earned Teacher Candidacy by the time they have completed 60 semester hours of coursework.
Currently, minimum criteria for Teacher Candidacy are: 48 earned credits; 2.8 GPA; Completion of the Ethics Module; 6 credits of college-level English composition and literature taught in English; and 6 credits of college-level Mathematics. Please refer to the WCU College of Education and Social Work Certification website for information regarding GPA and additional PDE mandated testing requirements.
Only students achieving Teacher Candidacy will be eligible to enroll in advanced professional education coursework.
Candidates achieving Teacher Candidacy must maintain a minimum 2.8 GPA to continue enrollment in advanced professional education coursework. A candidate falling below a 2.8 GPA will be permitted to retake—in accordance with University policy—professional coursework that contributed to the fall below the minimum GPA, but will not be permitted to take additional coursework until the minimum GPA is met. (See Undergraduate Catalog, “Teaching Certification Programs”.)