- Admission to Teacher Education
- Students entering a program for initial certification for teaching will apply for
admission to the Teacher Education program during their enrollment in PTE 200. Application
should be initiated with the KASE (Knowledge and Assistance for Students in Education)
Director, FDHL 2001; phone (308) 865-8264. The requirements for admission to the Teacher
Education program are as follows:
- The student must have satisfactorily completed the freshman year of study.
- A continuous appraisal of each student will be made. The quality of the student's work
and faculty and committee evaluations will be a part of this procedure.
- Students must complete PTE 200 with a grade of "C" or better.
- No one will be admitted to Teacher Education who has less than a "C" in ENG
101GS or ENG 102GS and SPCH 100GS. (Admission requires 6 semester hours of English
composition and 3 semester hours of speech..)
- The minimum overall grade point average for admission to Teacher Education is 2.5.
- Successful completion of the Pre-Professional Skills Test (PPST) or Content Mastery
Examination for Educators (CMEE) prescribed by the Nebraska State Department of Education.
- Approval by the department(s) offering the proposed endorsement(s) (one field
endorsement or two subject endorsements).
- Absence of any criminal conviction (misdemeanor or felony) that would prevent qualifying
for a teaching certificate.
- Student must provide evidence of their emotional or mental capacity.
- Students assures that a Degree Audit for each endorsement is on file in the Academic
Advising Office (one field endorsement or two subject endorsements).
- Approval of the application will be granted only after a complete evaluation of all
components of the application and successful completion of PTE 200.
- Students who transfer a course for PTE 200 will not be unconditionally admitted to the
program until they successfully complete PTE 300.
Application Procedures:
- The student must apply for admission to the Teacher Education program while enrolled in
PTE 200. Transfer students who have taken the equivalent of PTE 200 must apply during
their first term at UNK. Applications are available in the KASE office, College of
Education, Founders Hall 2001; phone (308) 865-8264.
The student shall be responsible
for securing the application form and initiating the procedure for processing this form.
The form shall be routed confidentially throughout the entire procedure and shall be
returned for action to the KASE (Knowledge and Assistance for Students in Education)
Director, FDHL 2001; phone (308) 865-8264.
The Director of KASE will determine the procedure and action to be taken on each
application and will either (1) approve the applicant for the Teacher Education Program;
(2) disapprove the applicant. Decisions of the Director may be appealed to the Teacher
Education Appeals Board. Students should not enroll in professional methods courses, PTE
464 nor PTE 400, until they have been admitted into the Teacher Education Program.
Student Teaching:
- Plans have been developed with a number of schools in Nebraska to permit UNK students
who have met all requirements to participate in student teaching on the secondary or
elementary level. Under this plan the student spends the entire school day for a semester
in the school system selected and receives 16 hours of college credit. Note: some
endorsement combinations will require 20 weeks of student teaching.
The application for
admission to student teaching must be filed by February 1 preceding the academic year the
student teaching will occur. Students must attend an Instructional Meeting for Student
Teaching about the application and placement process.
All UNK student teachers under this program are obligated and pledge themselves to
observe local rules and regulations. Any student teacher may be removed at any time upon
the recommendation of the superintendent of schools or his designated representative.
Student teachers will have an opportunity to observe and participate on a full-day basis
and become acquainted with the activities of the public school in which they are doing
their student teaching. All student teachers will be required to return to campus for one
designated full day of training during their student teaching semester. Student teaching
is graded credit/no credit. Students must follow the rules and regulations outlined in the
College of Education's Student Teaching Handbook.
Requirements for admission to student teaching as recommended by the College of
Education and approved by the Academic Affairs Committee are as follows:
- Attend one of the instructional Meetings for Student Teaching, available in the latter
part of the fall semester. Present a complete application for student teaching to the KASE
Office (Founders Hall 2001) by February 1 preceding the academic year the student teaching
will occur. Students are encouraged to initiate this process immediately after attending
on the Instructional Meetings, since they will need to request transcripts from the
Registrar.
- The specific requirements for an approvable application for student teaching are:
- Full admission to the specific teacher education program(s), and satisfactory scores in
PPST or CMEE Examinations.
- A minimum of 24 hours completed or in progress in subject endorsements or 80% of
requirements of field endorsement.
- Special methods courses completed or in progress.
- Departmental approval of the application. This is provided by the advisor's signature on
the application.
- Completion of professional education prerequisites.
- A minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.5.
- A minimum grade of "C" in English 101GS, English 102GS, and Speech 100GS.
- Completion of all Education General Studies requirements.
- Applications for student teaching during the following fall semester must be approved no
later than June 1.
- Applications for student teaching during the spring semester must be approved no later
than September 1.
Advising of students in teacher education
- UNK provides academic advising as an integral part of the educational process.
Establishing a friendly and honest relationship with an advisor will be an advantage to
the student both personally and educationally.
Teacher education students majoring in a
department are assigned an advisor from that unit. Each department may use a different
process in assigning advisors. In the case of dual endorsements the student may be
assigned to more than one advisor.
As part of the procedure for the advisement/preregistration system at UNK, students
meet with their respective advisors at designated times each semester to plan their
schedules for the next term. All freshman and sophomore students are required to meet with
their assigned academic advisor prior to early registration. However, students are
encouraged to meet with their advisors on a regular basis to develop the type of
meaningful faculty/student relationship that is important at UNK.
Although faculty advisors are important for providing information regarding degree
requirements, class selections, and career direction, it is necessary for students to
realize that the ultimate responsibility is their own. The UNK catalog is the official
source of information on these matters.
Teaching Endorsements
- The following endorsement programs have been established at UNK:
Teaching Subject Endorsements
(2 subject endorsements are required for certification)- Basic Business, 7-12
Biology, 7-12
Chemistry, 7-12
Early Childhood, Pre-kindergarten - Grade 3
Early Childhood Special Education, 0 - 5 years
Economics, 7-12
English, 7-12
English as a Second Language, K-12 (also Graduate Program)
French, 7-12
Geography, 7-12
German, 7-12
Health, 7-12
History, 7-12
Mathematics, 7-12
Mild/Moderate Disabilities, K-6
Mild/Moderate Disabilities, 7-12
Physical Education, K-6
Physical Education, 7-12
Physics, 7-12
Political Science, 7-12
Psychology, 7-12
Sociology, 7-12
Spanish, 7-12
Speech Communication, 7-12
Speech/Theatre, 7-12
Theatre, 7-12
Teaching Field Endorsements- Art, K-12
Business Education, 7-12
Communication Disorders, preschool-12 (5 1/2 year program)
Elementary Education, K-6
Family and Consumer Sciences Education, 7-12
Health and Phys. Ed., K-12
Marketing Education, 7-12
Mathematics, 7-12
Middle Grades, 4-9
Music, K-12
Physical Science, 7-12
Social Science, 7-12
Supplemental Endorsements
(Cannot be used as a subject endorsement for the initial certificate.) - Adapted Physical Education
Behavioral Disorders, P-6 (Graduate Program)
Behavioral Disorders, 7-12 (Graduate Program)
Diversified Occupations, 7-12
Driver Education, 7-12
- Elementary School Counseling (Graduate Program)
Educational Media, K-12 (Graduate Program)
- Family and Consumer Sciences Related Occupation, 7-12
Gifted, K-12 (Graduate Program)
Interscholastic Coaching, 7-12
Reading, K-6, 7-12 and K-12 (Graduate Programs)
School Psychologist, K-12 (Graduate Program)
Secondary School Counseling (Graduate Program)
- Specific Learning Disabilities, P-6 (Graduate Program)
Specific Learning Disabilities, 7-12 (Graduate Program)
Sports Trainer, 7-12
Strength Training, 7-12
Vocational Special Needs, 7-12
Administration Endorsements - Superintendent of Schools, K-12 (Graduate Program)
Elementary Principal, K-6 (Graduate Program)
Secondary Principal, 7-12 (Graduate Program)
Supervisor, K-12 (Graduate Program)
Teaching and Administration Certificates - Applications for all teaching and administrative certificates are filed through the
office of KASE. The institutional recommendation for certification and/or endorsement is
based on admission to and successful completion of the respective programs.
