2024-2025 Catalog 
    
    Dec 03, 2024  
2024-2025 Catalog

Secondary Initial License Certificate


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About the Program

The Secondary Initial License Certificate allows students to meet licensure requirements in secondary education (grades 7-12). The program includes an intensive combination of methods courses and extensive fieldwork required throughout the duration of the program.

Upon successful completion of certificate requirements, teacher candidates are recommended for initial teacher licensure from the State of Colorado in secondary education (grades 7-12) in one of the following content areas: English language arts, social studies, world languages, mathematics, or science.

This certificate may be completed as an undergraduate or as a post-baccalaureate student.


Focus of Study

  • Integration of education courses with professional field experiences
  • Over 800 hours of supervised and mentored field experiences
  • Focus on embracing diversity and social justice throughout coursework and experiences
  • Preparation of teacher candidates with evidence-based pedagogy and best practices through carefully designed methods courses
  • Field experiences occur in partner schools and teacher candidates are provided support from mentor teachers, building liaisons, and university supervisors
  • Culminating student teaching experience during the final year of the certificate program

Program Requirements

  • 33-39 credits must be completed with a cumulative CU grade point average of 2.75.
  • All education courses must be completed with a grade of B- or better.
  • UCCS undergraduate students seeking a bachelor’s degree outside of the College of Education must fulfill their major requirements in addition to the licensure certificate requirements. Undergraduate students must map their program of study with their academic advisor prior to consulting with a faculty advisor from the College of Education.

Required Coursework


Required courses differ (based on content area) are included below: 

English Language Arts, Social Studies, and World Language

Teacher candidates pursuing initial licensure in secondary English language arts, Social Studies or World Language will complete the following program sequence:

Mathematics

Teacher candidates pursuing initial licensure in Secondary Mathematics (grades 7-12) will complete the thirty-three (33) credit UCCSTeach program sequence as follows: 

Science

Teacher candidates pursuing initial licensure in Secondary Science (grades 7-12) will complete the thirty-three (33) credit UCCSTeach program sequence as follows: 

Post Baccalaureate Disciplinary Foundation Strands


Students who are pursuing a post-baccalaureate pathway to a secondary teaching license must also complete courses in the following content areas, according to the licensure content area:

English Language Arts - 21 credit hours

  • 9 credits are required in literature
  • 9 credits are required in written and/or digital communication
  • 3 credits are required in oral communication

Mathematics - 24 credit hours

  • 6 credits are required in Number, Algebra, and Modeling
  • 6 credits are required in Calculus
  • 3 credits are required in Geometry
  • 3 credits are required in Data Analysis, Statistics, and Probability
  • 3 credits are required in Perspectives, Philosophy, and the History of Mathematics
  • 3 credits are required in Mathematics Teaching Methods

Science - 24 credit hours

  • 6 credits are required in Physical Science (includes laboratory experience)
  • 6 credits are required in Biological Science (includes laboratory experience)
  • 6 credits are required in Earth and Space Science (includes laboratory experience)
  • 3 credits are required in Mathematics
  • 3 credits are required in Science Methods

Social Studies - 21 credit hours

  • 3 credits are required in US History
  • 3 credits are required in World History
  • 3 credits are required in Cultural Geography
  • 3 credits are required in Physical Geography
  • 3 credits are required in Political Science
  • 3 credits are required in Economics
  • 3 credits are required in Behavioral/Social Sciences

World Languages - 24 credit hours

  • 12 credits are required in Language (i.e. Phonology, conversation, listening, linguistics, grammar, composition, etc.)
  • 6 credits are required in Literature of the Language
  • 6 credits are required in Culture of the Language

Additional Information on Licensure


Upon completion of the program, students can apply for an initial teaching license in secondary education (grades 7-12) in a specific content area from the Colorado Department of Education. 

Exam Requirements

In order to receive an initial license, students will need to receive a passing score on one of the following Praxis II exams, according to their content area. 

  • English Language Arts: Content Knowledge #5038
  • Social Studies: Content Knowledge #5081
  • Mathematics: Content Knowledge #5165
  • Science: Content Knowledge #5434
  • Spanish: World Language #5195
  • French: World Language #5174

When registering to take the Praxis exam, students need to send their scores to UCCS (4874) and the Colorado Department of Education (7040).

For more information, students should visit the Praxis website

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