Evans Hall

What we do

The Undergraduate Advising Office is the hub for students seeking information about how to become a teacher.  Our goal is to help students complete all of their program requirements efficiently so that they can finish on time and become certified teachers.  Below is a brief description of how we help you do that.  The words in italics are defined later under the What does this mean? section.

As you know, all freshmen are advised through University College.  After earning 24 hours of college credit and achieving a 2.75 overall grade point average, all students who have declared a major in education are transferred to the College of Education and are referred to as pre-admits.  Transfer students will also enter the College of Education as pre-admits.  The first thing you should do after coming to the College of Education is make an appointment to meet with your adviser. You are assigned an adviser according to your program area.  Look at the table below to see whom your adviser will be.

Early Childhood Education (PK-Grade 3)

Elementary Education (Grades 1-5 & 6-8 with additional work)

Foreign Language Education (PK-Grade 12)

Language Arts Education (Grades 6-12)

Mathematics Education (Grades 6-12)

Science Education (Grades 6-12)

Social Studies Education (Grades 6-12)

Special Education (PK-Grade 12)

* Music Education majors are advised in the College of Fine Arts.

Initial Advising Session

In your initial advising session, you will receive an orientation to your chosen program guidelines as they are covered on your degree checksheet.  Also at this meeting your adviser will go over the full admission checklist and help you understand what requirements you still have outstanding before going through the interview to become a full admit.

Group Advising

From that point, you will participate in group advising every semester.  After you attend group advising, your advising stop will be lifted so that you can enroll in classes.  If you have specific questions after attending group advising, your adviser can easily be reached by email.  If your question needs to be discussed in person, please call the Student Services Center and make an appointment to meet with your adviser. 

Full Admission

When you have met all of the requirements, you will apply for full admission to your chosen program area (e.g. Early Childhood education).  As part of the process, you are required to write an essay that will be included in your full admission packet.  You can learn more about the essay during group advising.  After submitting your completed packet, you will have an interview with program area faculty.  Upon acceptance into the program, you are now considered a full admit.  At this point, you will become immersed in your professional education and specialized education classes. 

After you are fully admitted to your program, you should construct a mapout if you have not already completed one. Please bring the mapout of your remaining coursework that you prepared to go over with your adviser.

The State of Oklahoma requires all teacher candidates to pass three certification exams.  Your adviser will help you know when you should take each exam and she will officially recommend you for each one.  It is important that you work closely with your adviser on this.

The State Board of Regents requires all teacher candidates to demonstrate foreign language proficiency.  You can accomplish this proficiency at any point in your program.

As you begin your professional education classes, make sure you plan time for your field experiences.  Your enrollment may say, for example, ED S 3003 Lab, with the time listed as TBA.  You will learn more about the lab, or field experience, when you attend the first class session of the course.  If you have questions about your field experience placement, stop by and talk with Jamie Aldridge in room 138 ECH. 

Grade Point Standard

Please remember that the College of Education has a minimum grade point standard of 2.75 for acceptance and retention in the College.  That means that if your gpa drops below that level you will be placed on a retention contract.  You will have one semester to bring your grade point average back up to the 2.75 minimum so that you can remain in the College.

Graduation Checklist

As you progress toward graduation, you will need to use your graduation checklist to make sure you take care of all necessary details.  You will learn more in group advising.

Student Teaching/Internship

As you near the end of your program, you will need to file the appropriate paperwork to apply for student teaching/internship.  You will learn more about this process during group advising.  Jamie Aldridge makes the official placements.

Graduate Component of Your Program

After you graduate, you will finish your program requirements in one more semester.  This is referred to as the graduate component of your program.  When you complete all of your program requirements, it is time to apply for your initial license, which will then lead to certification.  Our certification officer, Jamie Aldridge, will assist you in completing your application materials.  Again, you will learn more about this through group advising.

After completing your program, it's time to teach.  Those of you who get your first teaching job in Oklahoma will participate in the Residency Year Program.  After successful completion of that program you will be recommended for full certification.

This page last updated: Sep 3, 2009


The mission of the Jeannine Rainbolt College of Education is to promote inquiry and practices that foster democratic life and that are fundamental to the interrelated activities of teaching, research and practice in the multi-disciplinary field of education.


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