RESIDENCY TEACHER CERTIFICATION PROGRAM

Preparing future teachers is a critical responsibility, and one that Seattle Pacific University has assumed wholeheartedly for almost 100 years. Students in our teacher education program are provided a variety of experiences through a combination of field and class work. We utilize SPU’s rich urban setting and provide students a number of diverse cultural experiences within school settings. Seattle Pacific University has a reputation as one of the premier teacher preparation programs in the state and region because our graduates are well prepared as people of scholarship and character, equipped to make a positive impact on student learning.

School of Education programs are accredited by the National Council for Accreditations of Teacher Education (NCATE) and the Certification Office of the Washington Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI). Upon completion of SPU’s approved teacher preparation program, the School of Education recommends students to the state for a Residency Teaching Certificate. The State of Washington Regularly reviews and, when necessary, revises certification requirements. Seattle Pacific University must comply with current Washington State requirements when recommending teacher candidates for certification. Consequently, any change in Washington state requirements takes precedence over information outlined in the Seattle Pacific University catalog.

The University and School of Education missions are represented in the goals for the teacher education program. These goals are also directly related to state and national competencies for teacher education. Our mission commitments of service, leadership, competence, and character are developed around the eight teacher education program goals that guide our program at Seattle Pacific University. Each component of the program is carefully crafted to contribute to the development of educators who exhibit service, leadership, competence, and character within a framework of Christian faith and values.

The professional program leading to a residency teaching certificate at Seattle Pacific University consists of four components comprising a minimum of four quarters:

1. Foundations Component (1 quarter)

2. Skills Component (Pre-requisite for Methods Quarter)

3. Methods Component (1 quarter)

4. Applications Component (2 quarters)

• The Foundations Component - provides a one quarter overview of theory, pedagogy and educational issues along with limited field experiences.

• The Methods and Skills Components - provides content breadth and depth for teacher preparation. Skill courses are pre-requisite for the methods quarter.

• The Applications Component - includes integrated and internship quarters which provide in-depth training in methods of teaching along with field placement.

ACADEMIC MAJORS AND CERTIFICATION

SPU students major in a discipline other than education. Special Education is the only major that is housed in the School of Education. Once a student declares a major he/she will have a faculty advisor in their major area to assist in developing an academic plan of study.

Elementary Certification: School of Education and College of Arts and Science faculty developed the “Integrated Studies Major (B.A.),” to prepare Elementary School teachers to be well prepared and highly qualified to teach the content that is the basis of the elementary school curricula. All students interested in becoming an Elementary Teacher must select this major which is organized around two major components.

• Core Course: In the first component, all students are required to pass 64 quarter credits of Core Courses in six academic disciplines: The Arts, Health and Fitness, Language Arts, Mathematics, Natural Sciences, and Social Sciences. These core disciplines were purposely selected because they reflect Washington’s academic competencies for elementary teachers and will help prepare students to pass the Washington Educators Skills Test-Endorsement (WEST-E), a requirement for becoming an Elementary teacher.

• Discipline Concentration: In the second component, each student selects one of the six Core Disciplines as an area of Concentration and completes an additional 30-35 quarter credits in this discipline.

Learn more about the Integrated Studies major.

Secondary Certification: Students pursuing secondary certification should major in their desired endorsement area. Students should work closely with the Certification Advisor to make sure endorsement requirements are met. Please see the Certification Advisor in the School of Education for more information.

K-12 Certification: Visual Arts, Theatre, Music, and Health/Fitness are the K-12 certifications available to undergraduate students.. Students obtaining a K-12 certification will complete one quarter of internship at the elementary level and another quarter of internship at the secondary level.

Transfer Students:

All transfer students are required to take the entire certification program at SPU. Any exceptions must be approved through the course substitution process in the School of Education . If substitutions are granted, a minimum of 26 credits, including the internship, must be completed as a regularly enrolled student at SPU. Upon arrival at SPU and prior to registration, transfer students should meet with the Certification Advisor regarding course substitution requirements and procedures.

Registration:

Most courses in the certification program require School of Education permission to register. Before registering for these courses, students must go to the School of Education main office (M-F, 8:30 - 4:30) to sign up for permission. At this time, pre-requisites will be checked and students will be notified, what, if any, additional steps need to be taken prior to registration. Pre-requisites for each quarter can be found in the School of Education Certification Handbook available in the School of Education main office. No appointment is necessary for this process.

Electronic Portfolio

Like the best schools and colleges of education across the nation, the SPU School of Education utilizes an electronic portfolio system to track student achievement of program competencies. Courses require assignments to be posted to this system for faculty review. This portfolio will be a record of program completion and can be part of the application process as you begin your education career to showcase your work. Students enrolling for the first time will be assessed a fee of $65 for an electronic portfolio. This fee will be posted to your student account. It is applied before classes begin so that financial aid can be applied to this fee as well as tuition charges.

Advising:

To complete the residency certification program in a timely manner, students need academic advising. The School of Education provides individual appointments with the Certification Advisor to answer questions about the certification process. As soon as a student identifies a desire to be a teacher, he/she should make an appointment for advising by calling 206-281-2214.

Undergraduate Students must complete all requirements for a bachelor's degree in addition to the certification program.

Post-baccalaureate Students: students pursuing certification after receiving a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution (recognized by the state of Washington) will be considered Post-baccalaureate students. Post-baccaluareate students do not have to earn a second degree, however, candidates must apply and be admitted to Seattle Pacific University through undergraduate admissions. Post-baccalaureate students will also need to apply and be admitted to the School ofEducation.

Post-baccalaureate requirements for admission to School of Education include:

• Completed application packet

• Interview in School of Education

• 3.0 cumulative grade point average

• Passing scores on all sections of the WEST-B

• Passing score for WEST-E exam in the specific subject area he/she wishes to teach

• Meet endorsement subject matter requirement

Admission to the School of Education:

A student enrolled in the Foundations Quarter will be advised on completing an application for admission to the School of Education.

To achieve admission to the School of Education, a candidate must do the following:

1. Be accepted into their major.
2. Complete the appropriate skills course with a grade of C or better.
3. Successfully complete Foundations Quarter.
4. Have Junior Standing (90+ credits)
5. GPA of 3.0 cumulative or GPA of 3.3 in the last 45 credits
6. If Elementary Certification - verification of completion of Core 1 Courses from Faculty Advisor to School of Education
7. Passing scores on all sections of the WEST-B
8. Must have taken WEST-E
9. Completed fingerprint clearance
10. Completed State Application and fee
11. Completed and approved School of Education Admissions Packet

Entering the Teacher Certification Program

The first step a student should take is admission to Seattle Pacific University. Information on admission requirements and financial aid is available in the Office of Admissions, Demaray Hall 110, or contact 206-281-2021.

• Students entering as freshman or transfers will be admitted as undergraduate students.

• Students who already have a bachelor's degree will be admitted as post-baccalaureate students.

• Students graduating from SPU before completing all requirements for certification will need to reapply as a post-baccalaureate student.

Please contact the School of Education at soeinfo@spu.edu or 206-281-2214 for additional information or questions on our undergraduate teacher certification programs.