When should I apply to the Teacher Education Program (TEP)? Return to Top of Page
You should apply when you have met all of the following requirements:
- At least Sophomore status
- Met the requirements for GPA, both overall and in the major
- Successful completion (C- or higher) of courses required for admission and any certification courses you have taken so far
- Completion of required background checks that are no more than one year old
- Pass the Praxis I exams (Reading, Writing, and Mathematics)
What is the latest time that I should apply to the TEP?
In order to progress through your academic program in a timely fashion, you will want to apply before the registration period of the semester BEFORE you intend to enroll in courses that require admission to the TEP (the junior sequence and selected other 300-level courses in your major).
What GPA do I need to apply to the Teacher Education Program? Return to Top of Page
A minimum GPA of 3.0, both overall and in the major, is required for full admittance to the TEP.
What if I have almost a 3.0?
A special provision is made for students whose current major and/or overall GPA is between 2.80 and 2.99. Students may apply for the program and be considered for provisional admittance into the Teacher Education Program. A special one-semester contract allows students to take courses that require TEP approval.
Where can I find my GPA?
On MC Square, go to Self Service Banner. Choose Student Services - - > Student Records - - > Degree evaluation. Press the button to process a new audit, and you will find your overall GPA near the top of the document. If you scroll down, you should also be able to find the GPA for your certification major.
What records will the Teacher Education Program be checking? Return to Top of Page
The Teacher Education Program will check your current degree audit each semester that you are enrolled in a teacher certification major. Additionally, they will check each semester if you are on disciplinary probation and/ or accused of a violation of academic integrity.
What courses do I need to apply to the Teacher Education Program?
Successful completion (no grade below a C-) in First Year Seminar, COMM 105, English/American literature, and two college level math courses are required for full admittance to the Teacher Education Program.
What if I get a D in a required course?
Messiah College has made a provision that you can retake a course in which you received below a C-. The grade you earn when you repeat the course will replace the initial grade. Students can also replace the grade with a course taken at another institution, but the D will still show on the transcript and will affect the GPA.
What English course must I take? Return to Top of Page
The following students should take ENGL 160 - Introduction to World Literature as it will also meet their Non-Western requirement:
- Education with Teaching Certification in Pre K-4
- Education with Dual Teaching Certification in Pre K-4 and Special Education (N-8)
- Education with Teaching Certification in Middle Level English, Mathematics, Mathematics & English, Science, Science & English, or Science & Mathematics
All other teacher certification students may choose from any literature course between ENGL 122 and ENGL 176
What mathematics courses must I take?
Check with your advisor, since some programs are specific about the course(s) that will meet this requirement. Both must be college level math courses.
What clearances do I need? Return to Top of Page
You need to have the Pennsylvania criminal record check, Pennsylvania child abuse clearance, and the FBI background check. Clearances must be within a year of the date that your application is reviewed.
How do I get them?
Links for these clearances are available on the TEP website: www.messiah.edu/teacher. The FBI check must be done through Cogent and the Pennsylvania Department of Education. You are responsible for the costs of these clearances.
How does Messiah get them?
You must attach your original copies to your Application for Admission to the Teacher Education Program. An assistant can make a copy and return your originals when you deliver it, or they will be returned to you in campus mail.
When should I take the Praxis I?
You are encouraged to take the Praxis I by the fall of your sophomore year. Praxis I includes tests in mathematics, reading, and writing, which test your general knowledge. Information about and links for registration and preparation for the test is found on the TEP website: www.messiah.edu/teacher.
How does Messiah get my Praxis scores?
You must designate both Messiah College (code 2411) and PDE (code 8033) as score recipients when you register for Praxis tests.
How do I know if I passed? Return to Top of Page
For Praxis I, minimum required scores are 169 for reading and 170 for writing and math. Additionally, all 3 scores added together must equal at least 521.
When should I take the Praxis II?
You can take Praxis II as early as the summer before your senior year. If you do not want to have your certification delayed, you should plan to complete Praxis II 2 months before you complete the program. If you will to be certified in French or German, plan far ahead for Praxis II. Test dates are very limited.
Which Praxis II tests should I take?
To save time and money, it’s very important to be sure that you are taking the correct Praxis II tests. Go to the Praxis link at www.messiah.edu/teacher to see which tests are required for your certification area(s).
What is provisional acceptance?
Provisional acceptance allows students who are not eligible to be fully admitted to the TEP to take courses that require TEP admittance while they work on the final requirement(s). There are three conditions that will allow a student to have provisional acceptance:
- Students who have not met the 3.0 GPA requirement, but have at least a 2.8 GPA overall and in the major
- Students who have taken all but one of the required courses for admittance, as long as they are concurrently enrolled in the course they are missing
- Students who have earned lower than a C- in one required course for certification
What is the 2.8 GPA policy? Return to Top of Page
If your major and/or overall GPA is between a 2.8 and a 2.99 and it is mathematically possible for you to raise your GPA to a 3.0 prior to student teaching, you may petition the Teacher Education Committee to allow you to enroll in courses that require TEP admittance for one semester while you work to raise your GPA.
If I want to use the 2.8 policy, what do I do?
If you are eligible to use the 2.8 policy when you apply to the TEP, you will be sent the petition to complete with your advisor. Your advisor can help you determine if it is in your best interest to use the policy in a given semester or to delay the courses for which you are currently ineligible. Completed petitions are to be sent to the chair of the Teacher Education Committee. You will be considered eligible to use the policy when the petition has been completed, returned and approved.
What is the concurrent course policy?
The concurrent course policy allows you to enroll in courses that require TEP admittance while concurrently being enrolled in a course for which you received a grade lower than C- or a course that is required for admission that you have not yet completed.
If I want to use the concurrent course policy, what do I do?
If you are eligible to use the concurrent course policy when you apply, you will be sent the petition to complete with your advisor. Your advisor can help you determine if it is in your best interest to use the policy in a given semester or to delay the courses for which you are currently ineligible. Completed petitions are to be sent to the chair of the Teacher Education Committee. You will be considered eligible to use the policy when the petition has been completed, returned and approved.
Are there courses I need to take concurrently? Return to Top of Page
Yes. All certification students except for PreK-4 and PreK-4 with Special Education should take the following sophomore sequence:
EDUC 203, EDSP 207, and EDUC 210
PreK-4 and PreK-4 with Special Education take EDSP 207 and EDUC 210 concurrently, but do not take EDUC 203.
During the junior year, all certification students except for PreK-4 and PreK-4 with Special Education should take the following junior level sequence:
EDUC 331, EDUC 307, ENGL 330, and EDSP 307.
Some certification majors also require a course in the major to be taken with the sophomore or junior sequence. See your academic advisor for these courses.
PreK-4 and PreK-4 with Special Education take a prescribed set of courses in both semesters in the junior year. See your academic advisor for these courses.
What about pre-requisites?
The sophomore sequence is a pre-requisite for the junior sequence. Both of these sequences must be successfully completed before you can begin student teaching. Enrollment in the junior sequence also requires admission into the Teacher Education Program, so you need to complete the requirements and apply before the start of the registration period of the semester BEFORE you intend to enroll in those courses (late March for fall courses, late October for spring courses).
Where do I go if I have questions? Return to Top of Page
The assistants in Boyer 410 and 414 will be happy to help you and direct your questions to the appropriate person.
