Secondary Teacher Education Minor

Grade 6 through Grade 12

The secondary teacher education program is designed for bachelor's degree candidates with appropriate academic majors who wish to become secondary teachers in business, history, chemistry, biology, English, and mathematics. Students earn a minor in secondary education as a complement to their major in business or the College of Arts of Sciences.

Admission

Students seeking enrollment in secondary teacher education must have the following:

• Minimum GPA of 2.7 out of 4.0 for all college work completed prior to the time of application;
• Minimum GPA of 3.0 in the major, except for math and science majors, where a minimum GPA of 2.7 is acceptable;
• Successful performance on the ICTS Basic Skills Test.

Advising

Students must consult an education advisor to determine which courses (Roosevelt or transferred) are acceptable toward fulfillment of the Illinois requirements for certification. Because requirements for certification, graduation, and continuing enrollment are subject to change, undergraduates must consult frequently with their education advisors. The advising plan developed at program admission provides the most up-to-date and authoritative information with respect to all program and certification requirements.

Prerequisites

To enroll in subsequent education courses in the major, students must earn at least a grade of B in EDUC 200 and EDUC 210.

Requirements

General Education Courses

Courses in history may be applied toward either the humanities or social science requirement. Students, including Business majors, must complete all College of Arts & Sciences requirements.

Field experience

Field experiences in secondary education involve urban and suburban placements and must include culturally diverse student populations. Experiences take place in middle school and high school settings, and involve teacher candidates in individual, small group, and whole class instruction, observation, and participation in community based activities.

Placement in student teaching is planned with consideration for each student’s needs and interests. Each student is supervised by a College of Education faculty member as well as a resident, experienced teacher. Formal application is required approximately two semesters in advance of student teaching. It is open only to those students who have successfully completed all the appropriate general education, methods, and field experience courses as well as other certification requirements such as the content test required by Illinois state regulations. No other course may be taken during student teaching. Details of other College policies with respect to field placements can be found on the College of Education website.

Students are advised that school districts require transcripts for all placement applicants. School districts may deny a placement if the student’s academic record does not meet their standards. School districts may also require an interview before accepting a student for a placement. If a student's application for placement is rejected three times due to academic or interview concerns, the Office of Field Placements will no longer attempt to obtain a placement and the student will be notified of the need for a Student Performance Review, per the guidelines listed on the College of Education website.

Student Teaching Requirements for Secondary Education

To be eligible to student teach, a student must:

1. Have completed all general education courses, all major courses, and the prerequisite education courses. No other course may be taken, nor may students be employed, during student teaching.
2. Have passed the Illinois Certification Testing System Basic Skills Test and the appropriate Content test for the major. The Content test must be passed no later than the June test date prior to fall student teaching, or the October test date for spring student teaching.
3. Have a cumulative GPA of 2.7overall, and a minimum 3.0 GPA in the academic major, with the exception of Math and Science, where a 2.7 minimum GPA is acceptable.
4. Have applied for student teaching by the deadline set by the Office of Field Placements.
5. Have provided official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended to document completion of all prerequisite requirements.
6. The appropriate APT test may be taken during student teaching, but a student cannot be recommended for certification until this test has been passed.

Certification Requirements

Standards of academic competence are established and administered jointly by academic major programs in the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Business, as well as by the Secondary Education program. In order to qualify for Roosevelt University's recommendation for the grades 6 through 12 high school teaching certificate (Type 09), students must meet all requirements, including general education course work specified by the College of Arts and Sciences and by the Illinois State Board of Education, that are in effect at the time of their application for the certificate.

Standards

A grade below C is not acceptable for any course required for certification. Before issuing a certificate, the Illinois State Board of Education also requires satisfactory scores on the ICTS Basic Skills Test and the appropriate subject matter knowledge test(s), and the Assessment of Professional Teaching (APT).

Advising

Students must consult a secondary education advisor to determine which courses (Roosevelt or transferred) are acceptable toward fulfillment of the Illinois requirements. Students completing the program and applying for the secondary education certificate must meet the general education requirements listed below.

* Non-Western/Third World/Multicultural course: a humanities or social science course involving Asia, Africa Central/South America, or Native America or their descendants in the US. May also be counted in humanities or social science.

Courses in history may be applied toward either the humanities or social science requirement. Students must complete all College of Arts & Sciences requirements.

Students, including Business majors, must complete all College of Arts & Sciences requirements.