Teaching Certification

Teaching Certification Program Requirements

• Admission to the Certification Program and GPA Requirements

  All students seeking teaching certification must be formally admitted to the Pre-certification, Initial Preparation Program (Pre-CIP). Admission to the program can occur after the student has completed 12 Bucknell University courses or their equivalents, including two courses in mathematics, one course in British or American literature, and one in composition; and achieved for the three preceding semesters an overall grade point average of at least 3.0. Appeals to this requirement may be made to the chair of the Department of Education.

  Candidates must also pass the Pre-service Academic Performance Assessment tests in reading, writing and math. Students should apply to Pre-CIP as soon as they begin considering a career in education, and no later than the start of the first semester of their junior year. Students are notified of their acceptance or rejection at the end of their sophomore year.

  The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania generally requires an overall grade point average of 3.0 upon completion of the program prior to recommendation for certification to teach.

   

• Required Courses for Each Certification Area

  All students seeking certification must take two mathematics intensive courses, one English/American literature course and one W1 writing course (in addition to the literature course).

  Pre-K–4 (BSED Major)

  • Early Childhood Education:
    • Required courses & recommended sequence

  7–12

  • Biology (requires biology major):
    • Required courses & recommended sequence
  • Chemistry (requires chemistry major):
    • Required courses & recommended sequence
  • English (requires English major)
    • Required courses & recommended sequence
  • Mathematics (requires mathematics major):
    • Required courses & recommended sequence
  • Physics (requires physics major):
    • Required courses & recommended sequence
  • Social Studies (requires major in anthropology, economics, geography, history, political science, psychology or sociology):
    • Required courses & recommended sequence

  K–12

  • Art (requires art major):
    • Required courses & recommended sequence
  • French (requires French major):
    • Required courses & recommended sequence
  • Music (requires music major):
    • Required courses
  • Spanish (requires Spanish major):
    • Required courses & recommended sequence

  The following are considered to be "add-on" certifications that require students to concurrently pursue certification in one of the areas above:

  • ESL Program Specialist, K–12 (requires concurrent certification in Pre-K–4 or one of the 7–12, or K–12 programs listed above): Advising Worksheet and Portfolio

   

• Clearances Required for Field Work and Student Teaching

  In addition to completing an approved program and successfully demonstrating the prescribed role competencies, the prospective teacher must be a "person of good moral character" who "possesses those personal qualities and professional knowledge and skills which warrant issuance of the requested certificate."

  It is the student's responsibility to satisfy these criteria. Students should note that prior to placement in student teaching or any other field experience, they will be required to submit results of a child abuse clearance, criminal background check and fingerprinting pursuant to requirements of the Pennsylvania Department of Education. Results must indicate that there are no criminal or child abuse records.

  If you are registered for a class that has a practicum component in which you work in a local school as a tutor, observer or student teacher, you need to obtain the three clearances below before you start your work in local schools.

  Students in Education classes with field experiences can get help navigating the clearance process by contacting the department's Director of Professional Education.

   

• The Student Teaching Experience

  To ensure that future professionals are competent, the privilege of taking the course in student teaching (EDUC 349 and EDUC 449 or EDUC 359 and EDUC 459) is restricted to students whose cumulative grade point average through their junior year is 3.0 or better.

  Additional requirements for all student teachers are good health, character, personality and acceptable spoken and written English. Your placement in student teaching is contingent upon your acceptance by a cooperating teacher in an elementary or secondary school that has been approved by the Bucknell education department.

  Students must meet all necessary prerequisites prior to student teaching. The education department reserves the right to specify the semester during which you're permitted to enroll in student teaching. In addition, you are responsible for obtaining transportation to the placement.

  You must apply to the Pre-certification, Initial Preparation Program no later than the first semester of your junior year.

   

• Certification Exams

  In addition to coursework, students must complete and submit scores from required Praxis or Pennsylvania Education Certification Test examinations to the Department of Education. Specific examinations required for each area of certification vary. Although members of the department will advise students concerning examinations, the student is responsible for taking those examinations that meet certification program requirements.

  For your convenience, the following table summarizes the tests required for each certification area. You can register for these tests at praxis.ets.org.

  Certificate Area	Test
  Art Education PK-12	Art: Content Knowledge (5134)
  Biology 7-12	Biology (5236)
  Chemistry 7-12	Chemistry (5246)
  English 7-12	English Language Arts: Content Knowledge (5038)
  French PK-12	French: World Languages (5174)
  Mathematics 7-12	Mathematics (5165)
  Music Education PK-12	Music: Content Knowledge (5113)
  Physics 7-12	Physics (5266)
  Social Studies 7-12	Social Studies: Content Knowledge (5081)
  Spanish Pre-K-12	Spanish: World Languages (5195)
  Grades Pre-K-4	Pre-K-4 Module 1: Child Dev, Assessment, Professionalism (8006)
  Grades Pre-K-4	Pre-K-4 Module 2: Lang, Social Stud, Arts (8007)
  Grades Pre-K-4	Pre-K-4 Module 3: Math, Science, Health (8008)
  Grades 5-6 Add-on to Grades Pre-K-4	Pennsylvania Grades 4-8: Module 2-English Language Arts & Social Studies (5154)
  Grades 5-6 Add-on to Grades Pre-K-4	Pennsylvania Grades 4-8: Module 3-Mathematics & Science (5155)

   

• Applying for a Teaching Certificate in Pennsylvania

  After completing the approved program of courses, the student submits an application for a Pennsylvania teaching certificate through the online Teacher Information Management System website not earlier than the first day of the month of graduation.

  Following a review of the student's program, the student may be recommended for certification by the designated officer at Bucknell. As noted above, the student must pass all the competency tests required by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for the desired certificate. Bucknell's certification officer is able to recommend for certification students who successfully completed one of Bucknell's teacher certification programs, passed the appropriate tests and met all other certification requirements within five years of the student's date of graduation. Because state requirements and/or curricula may change, it may not be possible to make recommendations for certification outside of this five-year window.
  
  Note: If you are pursuing pre-K-4 certification and would like to add Grades 5-6, you can do so by passing the Grades 5-6 content area tests listed in the Certification Exams section above.

  • The Grades 4-8: Module 2 – English Language Arts & Social Studies (5154)
  • The Grades 4-8: Module 3 – Mathematics & Science (5155)
    

  Candidates may take these modules during or after the PK-4 program and apply for PK-4 and Grades 5-6 certification simultaneously, but the evaluation of the Grades pre-K-4 requirements will be evaluated first, and the Grades 5-6 add-on certificate will only be granted once the PK-4 certificate is approved. Certification Testing information is available on the Pennsylvania Department of Education website.

   

• Applying for a Teaching Certificate in Other States

  Students who desire certification in states other than Pennsylvania must understand that teacher certification is governed by state law and that each state has different requirements. Obtaining a Pennsylvania teaching certificate, by completing an approved program and meeting all other requirements, does not ensure that students will be certified in another state.

  • Although members of the Bucknell education department will assist students in obtaining information concerning certification in other states, as well as Pennsylvania, it is the student's responsibility to obtain current information and to meet all the certification requirements of any state.

  Links to state departments of education:

  Connecticut

  Maryland

  Massachusetts

  New Jersey

  New York