Admission to Student Teaching

The following requirements must be met prior to student teaching:

1. A cumulative grade point average of 2.50 or better;   

2. A grade of "C" or better in required courses in education, psychology, and those courses offered in fulfillment of the student's major;  

3.  A grade of "C" or better in each course offered in fulfillment of Liberal Studies Program;  

4. Completion of all courses (education, Liberal Studies, major and senior paper) requirements for graduation;

5.  Approval of the Teacher Education Committee, the Education Department and the department of the student's major; 

6. Official admittance into the Teacher Education Program at least one full semester prior to the semester in which student teaching is to occur and must maintain membership in the program;

7. Earned the state cut off scores on Praxis Tests: PPST Reading, PPST Writing and PPST Mathematics.

Students will be notified by mail of the action taken on the application. 

It is expected that students will devote full time to student teaching.

Application to Student Teaching

Students who wish to do student teaching during the senior year must file an application for student teaching with the Department of Education at the beginning of the semester prior to the in which student teaching is to begin. Application must be filed by January 20th for the FALL SEMESTER and by September 20^th for the SPRING SEMESTER. No student accepted for enrollment in student teaching is permitted to register for any other courses.

Teacher Licensure

The university will recommend for initial licensure only those students who have successfully completed the requirements of any of the education programs offered by Johnson C. Smith University and who have met the minimum score requirements on the Praxis II Subject Assessments. Those students who have completed all degree requirements in the Teacher Education Program but have not received licensure will be recommended for licensure only after deficiencies (e.g. successful scores on the Praxis Subject Assessments) have been removed. This requirement must be met within 5 years after graduation. An exception can be made when the applicant has worked at least three of the five years under the supervision of a licensed teacher (e.g. as a teacher's assistant) and has participated in ongoing staff development for 3 consecutive years during this time.  This will ensure up-to-date knowledge. Those students seeking renewal of their teaching license are required by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction to present renewal credits within five years of receipt of their license. For students who have been out of the University for more than five years, an individual plan for renewal will be developed.

The requirements for teacher licensure may be summarized as:

1. Completion of requirements for a degree 

2. Completion of an approved teacher education program

3. Credit for successful student teaching in the area of specialization

4. Recommendation of the Department of Education, the Teacher Education 
   Committee and a department of the major.

5. Satisfactory scores on the Praxis II Subject Assessments.

Students interested in obtaining teacher licensure in states other than North

Carolina will need to plan their program to meet the specific requirements

of the given state.