Admission

Admission

Program Students at The University of Oklahoma have three phases of admission into the Teacher Education PLUS program.

Phase I

Admission:

Students at the University of Oklahoma are eligible for admission to the College after they have:

1. a minimum of 24 semester hours earned from an accredited institution of higher learning
2. a minimum of a 2.75 combined retention grade point average on all course work attempted
3. a declared major in education

Foreign Language Oral Proficiency Exam:

In order to meet the demands created by a rapidly increasing multicultural society, the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education have determined that, effective fall 1997; all incoming freshman education candidates must demonstrate oral proficiency in a foreign language. Students whose background will not allow them to score at the novice-high level on a foreign language test will need to enroll in a language course(s) to fulfill proper requirements.

Advisement:

The Student Services Center serves as an advising and information center for undergraduate students in the College of Education. All paperwork and related activities involved in the completion of students' degree and certification programs are coordinated through this office. The Center is located at 137 Collings Hall (ECH), (405) 325-2238.

Phase II

Admission:

Students at the University of Oklahoma are eligible for full admission to the College after they have:

1. a minimum of 30 semester hours from an accredited institution of higher learning earning a grade of C or better in the following 24 hours of coursework: English (Composition and Literature) ENGL 1113 and 1213 or their equivalents-six hours; College Algebra-three hours; American History-three hours; American Government-three hours; Humanities-three hours; Social and Behavioral Sciences-three hours; Natural Sciences-three hours;
2. a minimum OU retention and combined retention grade point average of 2.75 on all coursework attempted;
3. a 3.00 combined retention grade point average on all coursework earned or successful completion of the Oklahoma General Education Test (OGET) or Pre-Professional Skills Test (PPST).

All teacher candidates must pass a general education assessment, which includes critical thinking in reading, mathematics, writing and communications, computation skills, communication skills, science, art and social sciences. Concepts will be integrated across the general education areas with authentic written assignments and high-level analysis of information.

Phase III

Admission:

Students at the University of Oklahoma are eligible for admission to the Graduate College to complete the graduate certification component of the program after they have:

Students must be admitted to the Graduate College to complete the graduate certification component of the TE-PLUS program. They may begin a master's degree program or be classified by the Graduate College as a certification only student. For full admission to the Graduate College, students must achieve a 3.00 grade point average on the last 60+ hours of undergraduate work; for conditional admission, students must achieve a 2.75-2.99 grade point average on the same 60+ hours. Students also must meet the admission requirements of the master's program they wish to enter.

Academic credit from any division of the University of Oklahoma - Norman campus, Health Sciences Center, OU-Tulsa, or Continuing Education - is considered resident credit at the University of Oklahoma. Grades and hours earned in any of these divisions are included in the OU retention and cumulative grade point averages for purposes of admission or readmission to the University, and to the individual colleges within the University.

Professional Education Assessment:

Students will complete the Oklahoma Professional Teaching Examination (OPTE) with the following conditions:

1. All candidates must complete an assessment of knowledge related to professional education and teaching skills.
2. The test will be based on the Oklahoma General Teaching Competencies.
3. The test will involve a high level of critical thinking and analysis related to classroom situations. Situations will be contextualized at the level in which the candidate will be teaching.
4. Authentic written components will be included in the assessment.

Licensure/Residency Program:

Once students complete the teacher education program, pass Certification Examinations for Oklahoma Educators (OGET/OSAT/OPTE), and have provided two sets of fingerprints for the OSBI/FBI background checks, they may apply for initial licensure. STUDENTS ARE ENCOURAGED TO INITIATE THE FINGERPRINTING PROCESS EARLY DURING THE INTERNSHIP SEMESTER AS THIS PROCEDURE CAN TAKE UP TO 16 WEEKS.

A licensed teacher is then required by House Bill 1706 to participate in a residency program during the initial year of teaching in an accredited school under the guidance and assistance of a residency committee to qualify for an Oklahoma teaching certificate. Members of the residency committee include a mentor teacher, the principal or assistant principal of the employing school, and an educator in a college or school of education in an institution of higher learning. In all cases, at least one member of the residency committee shall have expertise and experience in the teaching field of the resident teacher.

The residency committee is responsible for:

1. working with the resident teacher to assist in all matters concerning classroom management and professional development
2. making a recommendation regarding certification
3. recommending a professional development program for the resident teacher, designed to strengthen the resident teacher's teaching skills if any are identified by the committee.