Program Overview

West Chester University was founded as a teacher’s college, and educating our nation’s educators remains at the core of the University’s mission. Earn your teaching certification from the regional leader in education. West Chester University provides graduate-level teacher preparation for students who have a bachelor’s degree in a field other than education. Our certification program develops the critical skills required to serve the needs of diverse populations of children through the development of active, constructive, and collaborative approaches to teaching and learning. The program consists of a complementary group of courses and field experiences that are designed to help candidates meet the certification demands of the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE).

Tracks

Early Grades (Pk-4) Teacher Preperation

This concentration focuses on grades PreK-4, and includes courses in human development, building community and integrating the arts in the classroom, literacy development, and mathematics as well as field experience in an inclusive classroom and student teaching. Application requirements:

  • Official academic transcript(s) from all colleges and universities attended
  • Minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
  • A professional goals statement
  • Two recommendations

Middle Grades (4-8)Teacher Preperation

This concentration focuses on grades 4-8, and includes courses in adolescent cognition, development and learning theories, literacy development, science, and mathematics as well as field experience in an inclusive classroom and student teaching. Application requirements:

  • Official academic transcript(s) from all colleges and universities attended
  • A minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
  • A professional goals statement
  • Two recommendations

For certification in grades 4 through 8, admission requirements include a copy of passing scores on PDE-mandated Praxis II subject concentration tests in either math, science or social studies. Candidates may be provisionally admitted while awaiting test results.

Program Highlights

  • Flexible, once-a-week evening classes designed for working professionals

  • Condensed course formats during the summers

  • Small classes

  • Affordable tuition

  • Comprehensive academic study enriched by and integrated with practical field experience in schools

  • Professional growth courses for students looking for professional enrichment but not seeking certification

  • Credits transferable to the M.Ed. program after one year in the classroom

  • NCATE accredited

What can I do with this degree?

Certified Teachers

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NEWSWORTHY

According to a recent survey of WCU teacher preparation graduates, 95.6% rated their program as effective for preparing them for the current position, 93.5% think their program gave them in-depth content knowledge and 91.6% are employed in the education field.