Step 1. Apply for Admission to Aurora University

Step 2. Declare a major:

A candidate interested in becomming a teacher at any grade level and in any subject area, including physical education, should declare pre-teaching as their major when submitting an application for admission or as soon as possible after beginning the freshman year.

To declare your major, all you need to do is tell your academic advisor that you would like to change your major to pre-teaching. The College of Education will then receive all of your information and help you begin the process of applying for formal admission to the College of Education.

Step 3. Apply for admission to the Bachelor of Arts in Teaching with Certification (BATC) program:

This should be done early during the sophomore year, or immediately upon transferring to Aurora University. The following requirements must be met to be accepted into the program:

• Submit a completed application form to the College of Education. Application must include:

  • a written essay in response to the prompt "Why I Want To Be a Teacher"

  • Official transcript indicating a minimum of 2.75 overall GPA

  • Official transcript indicating a grade of "C" or better in:

    • MATH 1210 and 1220, for Elementary Teachers and

    • MATH 1010 and ENG 1010 and 1020, or their equivalents

• Complete and submit passing scores for the Illinois Basic Skills Test to the AU College of Education (Test required for certification)

• Complete and pass a criminal background check (this is required by state law prior to being placed in any school setting). Applications are available in the College of Education. The cost is $10.00 per student and it generally takes about 72 hours to process. You will be notified only if you do not pass the screening.

Pass a background check using the National Sex Offender Registry. You will be notified only if you do not pass the screening.

Step 4. Admission Levels in the College of Education

The College of Education has two levels of admission. To be conditionally admitted the candidate must have a cumulative GPA between 2.50 and 2.75. As soon as a candidate's GPA reaches a minimum of 2.75 and all other requirements are met, he/she are fully admitted.

Continuation in the College of Education

• Candidates must maintain an overall GPA of 2.75. If a candidate's GPA begins to decline, that candidate's advisor meets with the candidate to provide support and resources. The advisor also reminds the candidate of the consequences of allowing the GPA to slip below 2.75.

• If a candidate's GPA does fall below 2.75 she or he receives a letter fromt he chair asking the candidate to withdraw from the program through a change of major form. The candidate is encouraged to make use of the resources available at the University as well as to contact his/her advisor. The candidate is informed that she/he wil be welcomed back into the College of Education if, and when, the GPA returns to an acceptable level. The candidate must reapply through a change of major form.

• Official transcript indicating a grade of "C" or better in:

  • MATH 1210 and 1220, for Elementary Teachers and

  • ENG 1010 and 1020, or their equivalents

• Candidates must receive a "C" or better in the 3000 level Writing Intensive course.
  
  a. Admission to Methods/Field Experience Courses

• In order to enroll in methods courses a candidate must be a fully admitted College of Education candidate.

• Candidate has successfully completed ("C" or better) EDU 2100, How Schools Work, EDU 2260, Theories of Learning and EDU 3350, Assessment/Approaches to Elementary Instruction

b. Capstone Experience: Student Teaching and Seminar

• In order to student teach a candidate must have:

  • Passed the Illinois Content Area test in elementary education, and the scores must be on file in the College of Education and

  • Completed all methods courses

• Completion of a standards aligned e-portfolio during the student teaching seminar.

• Completion of 16 weeks of student teaching.

c. Graduation/Exit

• Overall GPA of 2.75.

• Successful completion of Student Teaching (EDU 4750).

• Successful completion of Capstone Course (EDU 4760).

• Successful completion of all required coursework and credit hours (minimum 120), including student teaching.

d. Certification

• Candidates must provide documentation, preferably prior to completion of student teaching, of a passing score on the Assessment of Professional Teaching (APT K-9) test.

• Candidates will be recommended for teacher certification (Type 03 Elementary-Middle Grades K-9 Teacher Credential) upon documentation of passage of the APT.

TO BE CONSIDERED "HIGHLY QUALIFIED" (and therefore meet the State and Federal Requirements) you must pass the elementary/middle grade state test - this is the same test you must pass to student teach.

IF a candidate is denied admission to Bachelor of Arts in Teaching with Certification (BATC) Program:

• Candidate will be notified in writing the reason for the denial of admission

• Candidate may reapply to the program once the deficiency has been removed and once admitted will follow the progress stated for admitted candidates.

• Candidate may appeal in writing to the Director of the Initial Certification Programs providing support for why admission to the program should be granted.  The Director will review the appeal and supporting evidende and bring the written documentation, along with his/her recommendation, to the review committee of the Initial Certification Teacher Programs.  The appeals decision on admission to the teacher certification program of the review committee of the Initial Certification Programs will be sent to the applicant.

• A final appeal may be made in writing to the Chair of the Council on Certification.  Included in this appeal should be the appeal and the support evidence, along with the written decision of the Director of Initial Certification Programs.  The Council on Certification will review the appeal and will notify the applicant in writing of its decision.  The decision of the Council on Certification is binding and final.