Academic
Catalog August 2009 - August 2010 Undergraduate
and Graduate
NAU’s College of Education offers courses in teacher preparation through our teaching and learning and educational specialties areas. In our teaching and learning area, we offer plans in early childhood education, elementary education, and secondary education (except in mathematics and science: see CEFNS). Our educational specialties area offers plans in career and technical education, and special education as well as courses in bilingual and multicultural education and educational technology.
Along with learning what to teach and how to teach, you have opportunities to experience increasingly complex assignments in classrooms with master teachers. We consider fieldwork and practicum experiences as integral parts of your professional teaching preparation.
Our teacher education programs lead to preparation and state teaching certification in early childhood education, elementary education, secondary education, and special education, and some courses lead to special endorsements on state teaching certifications.
If you are completing teacher certification program, you must apply for admission to our teacher education program. We accept applications at set times each year; contact the College of Education’s Student Services office to obtain an application packet, which indicates the exact application timelines.
You must be admitted to the teacher education program in order to take education coursework other than EDF 200 and 301W, EPS 324 and 325, and ESE 380, BME 300 and 331W.
Please be aware that the College of Education is a professional college, and all plans under our jurisdiction are controlled by special admission and retention standards. Our faculty members may, under certain circumstances, recommend that a student be removed from a teacher education plan.
Also be aware that you must have a grade point average of at least 2.5 in all of your NAU coursework in order to graduate.
To be accepted in the teacher education program, you must meet criteria established by our teacher education committee. The requirements differ by program. The following is a list of the specific admission criteria for each teacher education program.
If you are completing an undergraduate or post degree program in early childhood education, elementary education or special education, you must meet the following admission requirements.
45 units of coursework
EDF 200 with a minimum grade of C
MAT 150 with a minimum grade of C
MAT 155 with a minimum grade of C
two lab science courses with a minimum grade of C in each course
the English foundations requirement (ENG 105 or equivalent) with a minimum grade point average of 3.0 (If your English grade point average is below 3.0, you may take an approved writing course to achieve the 3.0 grade point average.)
one of the following grade point average requirements
a cumulative 2.5 grade point average in Liberal Studies courses
a cumulative 2.5 grade point average in all courses
Recommendation Form (included in application packet) completed by someone who has directly observed your work with children or adolescents within the ages of pre-school through high school; the work experience can be either voluntary or paid but must have occurred in a structured setting for a minimum of fifteen hours; examples of acceptable experiences may include work as a camp counselor, swimming instructor, Sunday school teacher, volunteer in a classroom or other similar settings
a declared content emphasis (not required for Elementary/Special Education dual majors)
attendance at an early childhood, elementary, or special education teacher education orientation
a copy of fingerprint clearance card
admitted to NAU
If you are completing an undergraduate program in secondary education, you must meet the following admission requirements.
45 units of coursework
EDF 200 with a minimum grade of C
MAT 110 or 114 with a minimum grade of C
MAT 155 with a minimum grade of C
complete at least 3 units of content major course work
a minimum grade point average of 2.5 in all content major course work
the English foundations requirement (ENG 105 or equivalent) with a minimum grade point average of 3.0 (If your English grade point average is below 3.0, you may take an approved writing course to achieve the 3.0 grade point average.)
one of the following grade point average requirements:
a cumulative 2.5 grade point average in Liberal Studies courses
a cumulative 2.5 grade point average in all courses
a declared a major and minor or extended major
Recommendation Form (included in application packet) completed by someone who has directly observed your work with children or adolescents within the ages of pre-school through high school; the work experience can be either voluntary or paid but must have occurred in a structured setting for a minimum of fifteen hours; examples of acceptable experiences may include work as a camp counselor, swimming instructor, Sunday school teacher, volunteer in a classroom or other similar settings
attendance at a secondary education teacher education orientation
a copy of fingerprint clearance card
admitted to NAU
Note: For mathematics or science certification programs, see CEFNS
If you are completing the Masters in Elementary Education with Certification, you must meet the following admission requirements.
Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution
grade point average of 3.0 – full admittance
grade point average below 3.0 – provisional admittance with allowance to achieve 3.0 in graduate-level course work within first nine units
English composition course(s) (ENG 101 & 102, ENG 105 @ NAU, or equivalent English composition/writing course) with minimum grade point average of 3.0 OR submission of a writing sample to be reviewed by the Teacher Education Admissions Committee
College Algebra or equivalent mathematics course(s) with a minimum grade of C (equivalence is determined by designated Teaching and Learning faculty member)
a lab science course with a minimum grade of C
Recommendation Form (included in application packet) completed by someone who has directly observed your work with children or adolescents within the ages of pre-school through high school; the work experience can be either voluntary or paid but must have occurred in a structured setting for a minimum of fifteen hours; examples of acceptable experiences may include work as a camp counselor, swimming instructor, Sunday school teacher, volunteer in a classroom or other similar settings
a copy fingerprint clearance card
admitted to NAU Graduate College
If you are completing the Masters in Secondary Education with Certification, you must meet the following admission requirements.
Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution
grade point average of 3.0 – full admittance
grade point average below 3.0 – provisional admittance with allowance to achieve 3.0 in graduate-level course work within first nine units
English composition course(s) (ENG 101 & 102, ENG 105 @ NAU, or equivalent English composition/writing course) with minimum grade point average of 3.0 OR submission of a writing sample to be reviewed by the Teacher Education Admissions Committee
minimum grade of C in a mathematics course or equivalent course that met the Bachelor’s degree graduating mathematics requirement
three or more units in teaching content area course work with a minimum grade point average of 2.5 (additional content specific courses will be determined by the content area advisor)
Recommendation Form (included in application packet) completed by someone who has directly observed your work with children or adolescents within the ages of pre-school through high school; the work experience can be either voluntary or paid but must have occurred in a structured setting for a minimum of fifteen hours; examples of acceptable experiences may include work as a camp counselor, swimming instructor, Sunday school teacher, volunteer in a classroom or other similar settings
a copy fingerprint clearance card
admitted to NAU Graduate College
Program of Study approved by both content advisor and education advisor
If you are completing the Masters in Special Education with Certification, you must meet the following admission requirements.
Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution
grade point average of 3.0 – full admittance
grade point average from 2.5-3.0 – conditional admittance based on one of the following:
undergraduate grade point average of 3.0 in final 60 units of bachelor’s degree
grade point average of 3.0 or higher in prior graduate work
completion of nine (9) approved hours from NAU with grade point average of 3.0 or higher and no grade lower than a B
English composition course(s) (ENG 101 & 102, ENG 105 @ NAU, or equivalent English composition/writing course) with minimum grade point average of 3.0 OR submission of a writing sample to be reviewed by the Teacher Education Admissions Committee
College Algebra or equivalent mathematics course(s) with minimum grade of C
Lab science course with a minimum grade of C
Recommendation Form (included in application packet) completed by someone who has directly observed your work with children or adolescents within the ages of pre-school through high school; the work experience can be either voluntary or paid but must have occurred in a structured setting for a minimum of fifteen hours; examples of acceptable experiences may include work as a camp counselor, swimming instructor, Sunday school teacher, volunteer in a classroom or other similar settings
a copy fingerprint clearance card
admitted to NAU Graduate College
In all of our teacher education programs, you are required to complete a student teaching or internship experience. In addition, a minimum number of units of practicum is required, which involves supervised field experience with a practicing teacher.
Before being accepted to student teaching, the following criteria must be met:
Admission to the teacher education program.
NAU grade point average must be at least 2.5, with a grade point average of 2.5 in all teacher preparation courses, with no grade lower than a C.
All education courses and departmental requirements must be successfully completed prior to student teaching.
All content emphasis courses must be completed with no grade lower than a C. (B.S.Ed. in Elementary & Early Childhood education students only)
All education coursework, with the exception of EDF 200, must be completed within the six years prior to student teaching.
All candidates must demonstrate social and emotional maturity consistent with professional standards of classroom instruction as well as adequate physical health for teaching.
NAU assesses a fee of $40 for fieldwork and $85 for each student teaching. This fee structure may change at any time; advance notice given when possible.
In the following paragraphs, the requirements for various state teaching certifications and endorsements are described.
After you complete your teacher education program, you must apply to the Arizona Department of Education for certification. NAU issues institutional recommendations for teacher candidates indicating that you have successfully completed the program. You must pass the professional knowledge and subject knowledge tests of the AEPA for Arizona certification.
In Arizona, you may apply for state teaching certification in early childhood, elementary, secondary, special, or vocational education. Early childhood certification is for teaching grades PreK-3rd; elementary certification is for teaching grades K-8; secondary certification is for teaching subjects in grades 7-12; and special education certification is for teaching special education grades K-12.
Be aware that you must meet U.S. and Arizona constitution requirements to satisfy Arizona certification requirements.
Endorsements can be added to state teaching certifications. You can add an endorsement when you are initially certified or later.
Endorsements are available in reading specialist, early childhood, art, bilingual education, English as a second language, middle-level teaching (grades 5-9), music, and physical education.