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College of Education

Accreditation and Program Approval

Admission Requirements

Degrees and Programs Offered

Teacher Education Programs

Graduate Practicum and Internship in School Positions

Teacher Certification

Certification-Only for Elementary, Secondary, and Special Education

General College Requirements for Graduation

Major Curricula

Academic Majors Leading to Teacher Certification

Teaching Majors and Minors

Centers and Institutes

Cori Mantle-Bromley, Dean; Kathy D. Browder, Associate Dean, James A. Gregson, Interim Associate Dean (301 Educ. Bldg.; 208/885-6773).

The College of Education was organized as an independent unit of the university in 1920. It is the principal teacher-education unit and consists of the Department of Curriculum and Instruction; Department of Movement Sciences; and Department of Leadership and Counseling. Undergraduate programs leading to degrees in teaching fields are offered in elementary education, technology education, physical education, secondary education, special education, and professional-technical education (teaching option). Programs leading to non-teaching degrees include: athletic training, dance, physical education and recreation.

The education of professional personnel for the public schools constitutes a critical service to the state and its people and to the education profession. The college screens for admission to programs leading to educational service to assure that they are qualified by preparation and personal attributes for this important work. Once admitted, the student completes a program in which competence in a broad, general education, the professional functions of the teacher, and the subjects and/or skills to be taught are demonstrated and applied in P-12 schools.

Besides preparing personnel for the schools, the college provides educational leadership for the people of Idaho, to the state's education system, and to the teaching profession through consultation, participation in organizational activities, and research. Preparation is provided in all of the major areas of professional education.

Accreditation and Program Approval

The College of Education is accredited by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education and its school preparation programs are approved by the State Board of Education. The programs of study in education are planned to meet certification requirements in Idaho, those of most other states, and the requirements of the various accrediting agencies, such as the Northwest Commission of Colleges and Universities.

Admission Requirements

Admission to the University. For a statement of general undergraduate and graduate admission requirements, see admissions portion of this catalog.

Transfer Students. Students who have attended college, whether at another institution or in another division of the university, before matriculation in the College of Education, must have a grade-point average of 2.00 (C) or better.

Degrees and Programs Offered

Undergraduate. Baccalaureate degrees offered in the College of Education are the Bachelor of Science in Education, Bachelor of Science in Dance, Bachelor of Science in Physical Education, Bachelor of Science in Recreation, and Bachelor of Science in Technology. See the departmental section for the programs of studies leading to these degrees.

Graduate. The College of Graduate Studies offers work toward advanced degrees in several disciplines of the college. Students must fulfill the requirements of the Graduate College and of the division in which they intend to study. Consult the College of Graduate Studies section for further information.

Upon the completion of the appropriate programs of study, the following degrees are conferred: Master of Science, Master of Education, Education Specialist in Adult/Organizational Learning and Leadership, Education Specialist in Educational Leadership, Education Specialist in School Psychology, Education Specialist in Professional-Technical Education, Doctor of Education, and Doctor of Philosophy.

Studies at the master's level are offered in adult/organizational learning and leadership, counseling and human services, curriculum and instruction, educational leadership, physical education, recreation, special education, and professional-technical and technology education.

Doctoral candidates majoring in education may concentrate in the following programs through the departments in the college: adult/organizational learning and leadership, counseling and human services, education, educational leadership, exercise science, higher education, curriculum and instruction, special education, sport pedagogy and character education, or professional-technical and technology education. Students interested in pursuing a doctoral program must meet both the admission requirements from the College of Graduate Studies and the doctoral admission requirement from the College of Education. See the College of Graduate Studies and College of Education web pages for specific requirements and timelines.

Teacher Education Programs

At the University of Idaho, the preparation of teachers is a cooperative enterprise between the College of Education and other colleges. Coordination is achieved through the Teacher Education Coordinating Committee. The screening of all applicants for admission to Teacher Education Programs is the responsibility of the College of Education, and the dean of the College of Education is the recommending authority for certification.

Students preparing for a career in secondary teaching have the option of completing their bachelor's degrees in the College of Education (except for agricultural education, family life education, and music education) or in the department of their subject major.

Secondary education students have an advisor from the College of Education who is the primary advisor on teacher education requirements. Students should contact their content area for advising on content classes. When a student identifies teacher education as his or her objective (this could be as early as the freshman year and certainly no later than admission to Teacher Education Programs), the education advisor is designated.

Admission to, Continuation in, and Exit from Teacher Education Programs. Prospective teacher education candidates work closely with academic advisors to assure that they meet the criteria for each step in the admission and continuation process.

Admission to Teacher Education Programs. All students who plan to enter degree seeking or certification only teacher education programs must make application for admission to the program. Criteria for admission to teacher education programs include: 1) Initial interview with academic advisor; 2) cumulative grade point average of 2.75 or better; 3) have completed, with a minimum of a C in the following courses: Engl 102, University of Idaho Core Mathematics Course, Comm 101, and EDCI 201 (including 20 hours of service-learning or FCS 210 for ECDE students); 4) letter of application; 5) recommendations; 6) completion of background check; and 7) (when enrollment projections exceed departmental resources) a competitive interview.

Continuation in Teacher Education Program. Students seeking to continue in teacher education programs shall not have received more than two negative indicators ("red flags") on all education-coursework Standards and Dispositions evaluations.

Eligibility for Internship Experience. Prospective teachers seeking to enter the internship year must meet the following criteria: (1) cumulative grade-point average of 2.75 or higher; (2) completion of background check, (3) completion of and successfully passing program-area content assessment (e.g. Praxis II), (4) for Elementary Education and Early Childhood Development and Education students only, completion of at least parts I and II of the Idaho Comprehensive Literacy Assessment with passing scores; and (5) recommendation of advisor.

The College of Education does not permit students enrolled in any student teaching or internship course to concurrently function as head coach in any school sponsored sport at any grade level, whether paid or voluntary. Students who desire to function as assistant coaches must have written approval of the department chair and the director of clinical experiences (adopted 1996).

Graduate Practicum and Internship in School Positions

Admission. Admission to practicum and internship courses is conditioned upon acceptance in a graduate program and approval of the major professor and/or student's committee.

The Program. Graduate students are provided clinical experience in the study of teaching and learning and in the performance of other school positions through graduate practica and internships (see courses 597 and 598 in the various subject fields in the college).

Teacher Certification

Students who complete Teacher Education Programs at the university are eligible to receive the Idaho Elementary School Certificate, the Secondary School Certificate, the Exceptional Child Certificate, or the Professional-Technical Certificate. Students who complete the certification program in school counseling or school psychology qualify for the Idaho Pupil Personnel Services Certificate. Students completing a master's degree, specialist degree, or doctorate in educational administration may qualify for an administrator's certificate. The College of Education reserves recommendations for initial teacher certification to students who have completed the approved teacher preparation program and hold a bachelor's degree. The student initiates the certification process through the dean's office in the College of Education.

Certification-Only for Elementary, Secondary, and Special Education

Elementary Education Certification. Students who are seeking certification as an elementary teacher satisfy the requirements for the Idaho Elementary School Certificate, endorsed grades K-8, by meeting the general education requirements outlined by the state, completing the professional education core, and by completing the elementary major and professional year.

Secondary School Teaching Certification. Students who are seeking certification while enrolled in an academic major or after completion of a degree normally satisfy the requirements for the Idaho Secondary School Certificate by including Psyc 101 Intro to Psychology or Psyc 305 Developmental Psychology, and the professional education core as electives in their program for the baccalaureate degree, and by completing one of the following options: (1) one 45-credit teaching major; or (2) one 30-credit teaching major and one 20-credit teaching minor, and the professional year.

Special Education Certification. Students who are seeking certification as a special education teacher satisfy the requirements for the Idaho Exceptional Child Certificate, endorsed grades K-12, by meeting the general education requirements outlined by the state, completing the professional education core, completing the special education major, and by meeting the requirements for the elementary or secondary education major, and the professional year.

Certification Checklists. Checklists for the elementary, secondary, and special education certification programs are available through the Department of Curriculum and Instruction; and the Department of Movement Sciences. See the Academic Majors list in this section to locate the appropriate division.

Application for Certification. See procedures listed under Teacher Certification in this section.

General College Requirements for Graduation

University Requirements. See regulation J for requirements that all students in the university must meet. When appropriate, courses listed in J-3 may satisfy both the university requirements and the college requirements.

College Requirements. All candidates for a baccalaureate degree in the College of Education must complete 128 semester credits, of which at least 36 must be in upper-division courses. (See the Department of Movement Sciences for the special requirements applicable to the major curricula in athletic training, dance, physical education, recreation; the Department of Curriculum and Instrution for the major curricula in career and technology education, and the Department of Curriculum and Instruction for the major curricula in elementary education, special education and secondary education.)

Major Curricula

Students in the College of Education must complete a major curriculum that leads to a degree granted by the college (B.S.Dan., B.S.Ed., B.S.P.E., B.S.Rec., or B.S.Tech.). These major curricula (with the degree goal identified) are listed in the individual department section.

Careful distinction should be made between a student's "academic major" and any additional "teaching majors" or "teaching minors" leading to certification.

Academic Majors Leading to Teacher Certification

Ag Education (B.S.Ag.Ed.) – Department of Agricultural Education and 4-H Youth Development

Art Education (B.S.Art Ed.) –Art and Architecture

Elementary Education (B.S.Ed.) – Department of Curriculum and Instruction

Music Education (B.Mus.) – Lionel Hampton School of Music

Physical Education (B.S.Ed.) – Department of Movement Sciences

Career and Technical Education (B.S.Ed.) - Department of Curriculum and Instruction

  • Business and Marketing Education Option
  • Occupational Education Option
  • Engineering & Technology Education Option

Secondary Education (B.S.Ed.) – Department of Curriculum and Instruction (see list below)

Special Education (B.S.Ed.) – Department of Curriculum and Instruction

Teaching Majors and Minors

45-Credit Teaching Majors

Art

Biological Sciences

Chemistry

Earth Science

English

French

German

History

Latin

Mathematics

Physical Science-Life Science (60 cr)

Physical Sciences

Physics

Social Science

Social Science Through American Studies (45 or 60 cr)

Spanish

Theatre Arts

Theatre Arts-Speech

30-Credit Teaching Majors

English

English through American Studies

Geography

History

History Through American Studies

Journalism

Mathematics

Political Science

Psychology

Speech

Technology Education

20-Credit Teaching Minors

Art

Biological Sciences

Business Education

Chemistry

Computer Science

Consumer Economics

Dance

Economics

English

English As a Second Language

French

Geography

Geology

German

Health Education

History

Journalism

Latin

Library Science

Mathematics

Music: Vocal

Physical Education (Secondary)

Physics

Political Science

Psychology

Sociology/Anthropology

Spanish

Speech

Theatre Arts

Centers and Institutes

Centers and institutes affiliated with the College of Education support the mission of the college and extend services to the state, region, and nation. Programs offered through the college are enriched and extended as a result of these initiatives. Historically, the College of Education established the Center for Educational Research and Public Service (CERPS) to conduct research, to facilitate research by College of Education faculty members and graduate students, and to be of assistance to local school districts and other educational units. More recently, additional centers and institutes have been established. They are listed below; additional information about them can be accessed at the college website:

Center for Disabilities and Human Development

Center for Dance

Center for Economic Education

Center for ETHICS

Institute for Mathematics, Instructional Technology, and Science Education

TRIO Programs