Provisional Certification
Baccalaureate and Post-Baccalaureate Programs
Northern Michigan University is committed to excellence in its teacher preparation programs. The quality of our program is attained in many ways:
The quality of our programs also demands excellence from our student participants. Success in the teaching profession is evidenced by competency in basic skills and intellectual capacity; good oral language skills; commitment to the teaching profession; and sound moral character. The presumption is that students come to us with both personal and academic integrity. Conduct at any given time may call into question this premise.
We are also committed to the idea that teachers accept unique responsibility in fostering healthy teaching and learning environments in our schools. The following set of principles are derived from the conceptual framework adopted by our teacher education faculty.
We demand that students exhibit academic integrity. Teachers are in a position to become the most influential adults in the lives of many students. Individuals who wish to become teachers must be aware that evidence of professionalism does not begin the day a college student graduates or is awarded a teaching certificate. Indicators of a professional lifestyle must be readily evident during the time an individual is preparing to enter the profession.
Academic integrity is one of those very important indicators. Examples of how academic integrity may be violated (e.g., submitting someone else's work as one's own without proper acknowledgement or credit to the author) are provided in the NMU Student Code. Sanctions that may be imposed by faculty for violations of academic integrity are described in the NMU Student Rights and Responsibilities document. These sanctions include assigning an F grade for a paper or exam as well as lowering a course grade to an F.
We expect students to show continuing progress toward possession of the personal characteristics and competencies which personify the professional educator. Behaviors and qualities which are valued by the teaching profession and which are expected of students by the faculty include class attendance and participation, promptness in completing assignments, leadership, commitment to learning, a willingness to build collegiality by working with peers in collaborative, reflective, and problem-solving settings, and a multicultural perspective.
We also expect that students meet minimum degrees of relevant forms of socialization. The Administrative Rules Governing the Certification of Michigan Teachers gives the State Board of Education authority to deny, revoke, or suspend a certificate to individuals convicted as an adult of an act of immoral conduct contributing to the delinquency of a child or a felony involving moral turpitude. In addition, we believe that the responsibilities and challenges of the teaching profession require that teachers be of sound moral character. As a result, admission and retention in the teacher education program require that students have minimum degrees of relevant forms of socialization. In general, such socialization will not be considered present if an individual has:
Moral turpitude as a ground for denial of admission or academic dismissal from the program means an intentional act prohibited by statute which:
Forms authorizing the release to the School of Education of all records and information pertaining to any and all convictions for criminal offenses, ordinance violations or penalties for violation of university regulations are required at several stages in the program. This information may be on file either at the Dean of Students Office, at the Michigan State Police Central Records Division of NMU's, the Public Safety Department, or at any other criminal justice agency. Through this form, students consent to the use and communication of such information among the faculty and others included in the administration of the teacher education program, including appropriate elementary and secondary school personnel, in carrying out their official responsibilities.
Any misrepresentation by a student concerning a matter governed by the Teacher Selection and Retention Standards shall itself constitute a failure to comply the with Teacher Selection and Retention Standards. The Director of Teacher Education Student Services is responsible for review of these reports and for any follow up that is considered necessary. Cases which result in denial of admission or dismissal are handled in accordance with the procedures stated in the document entitled "Academic Dismissal from the Professional Teacher Education Program."
Admission into the teacher preparation program is highly selective. Progress throughout the program, including approval for methods-level classes, student teaching, and recommendation for certification, is monitored continually. Each student is responsible for knowing and meeting all program requirements. Furthermore, students are expected to have successfully met all of the requirements of one level of their program before entering the next. Failure to meet retention standards or make satisfactory progress may result in temporary suspension or dismissal at any point in the program.
Admission to Northern Michigan University does not necessarily imply admission to a teacher education program of study. Admission to teacher education is determined by the director of Teacher Education Student Services or the certification counselor in the School of Education or, on appeal, by the Teacher Selection and Retention committee.
Admission requirements to a teacher education program of study are as follows.
All other undergraduate applicants must have:
All post-baccalaureate applicants must have:
ALL students, prior to enrolling in education courses, must have shown competency in the areas of reading, mathematics and writing in one of the following ways:
Applicants may be denied admission if they do not meet the above requirements or if they have:
Applications from first semester freshmen will be considered for admission prior to new student orientation. Applicants who are already attending NMU or who are applying for re-entry must submit to the director of Teacher Education Student Services an application which verifies that all entrance requirements have been met. An NMU transcript and transcripts and transfer evaluations from all other colleges attended will be required.
New transfer students must apply and have all transcripts submitted to NMU's Admissions Office at least eight weeks prior to the beginning of classes so that eligibility requirements may be determined.
Students with a baccalaureate degree must apply and submit all transcripts by May 1 for the fall semester and October 1 for the winter semester. Students who do not meet all entrance requirements will not be authorized to enroll in education classes.
Admission to the methods level of the program enables students to take courses in their professional education sequence numbered from ED 306 through ED 406, MA 353, and secondary education methods courses as long as deficiencies do not exist and prerequisite courses have been satisfactorily completed.
The screening of candidates for entrance to the methods phase of the program is extremely important. The Teacher Selection and Retention Committee is responsible for overseeing this function. The faculty is interested in determining whether or not the applicant possesses the characteristics that are necessary for effective teaching. Just as important, however, is the faculty's interest in identifying students who need or should be given opportunities for remediation, further academic preparation, special assistance, or special consideration of some kind. In pursuit of these objectives, interviews, application forms, portfolios, recommendations, correction of deficiencies through remedial courses, etc., may be required. The information gathered about the student is combined with the information outlined below in reaching decisions about continuance in the program. Applicants who have deficiencies may be advised about suitable courses of action.
Methods Phase Requirements and Policies
Prior to entering the methods phase of the program, students must:
In the event that more students qualify for admission to the methods phase of the program than university resources can accommodate, a selection system may be established. The criteria to be used in selecting students will include (but not be limited to), GPAs, PPST scores, faculty recommendations, representation from under-represented populations and subject area demand.
To retain eligibility in the professional teacher education program, a student must:
V. Limitations on Acceptance of Transfer Courses and Validity of Courses
Students are expected to take their professional education sequence courses at Northern Michigan University. Guidelines for specific courses are as follows:
A. ED 201, Introduction to Education
B. Methods level courses.: A minimum of 20 credits of methods-level courses must be taken at NMU, including the following:
Elementary Education:
ED 311 3 credits
ED 316 3 credits
ED 420 11 credits
ED 450 1 credit
ED 450 1 credit
Secondary Education:
ED 319 3 credits
ED 349 2 credits
__ 350 3-4 credits
ED 430 11 credits
ED 450 1 credit
Special Education:
ED 311 3 credits
ED 316 3 credits
ED 401 or ED 408 4 credits
ED 406 or ED 409 2 credits
Elementary Based:
ED 423A 5 credits
ED 423B or ED 423C 6 credits
ED 450 1 credit
Secondary Based:
ED 424A or
ED 424B 11 credits
ED 450 1 credit
All Education courses are invalid after six years. Math 150, MA 151, and MA 353 are also invalid after six years.
These requirements apply to all provisional certification programs of study. Exceptions to the requirements may be made by the director of Teacher Education Student Services or the certification counselor in consultation with the appropriate faculty member.
Repeats of all education courses must be taken at Northern Michigan University.
Students should plan to do their student teaching when they have completed all prerequisite course work. Students should notify the student teaching office of their intent to do student teaching two semesters in advance and must submit a complete student teaching application one semester in advance. Forms, policies and procedures and other information are available in the Laboratory Field Experiences Office.
Student teaching placements are made by the university. Students are not to contact school personnel to arrange student teaching placements.
To qualify for a student teaching placement, students must satisfy the following requirements:
NOTE: Occasionally NMU finds it difficult to secure a student teaching assignment. Although NMU may request an assignment, school districts are under no obligation to accept a student teacher. Reasons such as a poor academic record or a lack of a suitable supervising teacher are responses typically given by districts when not offering a student teaching placement. Students should be aware of this possibility as they progress toward a degree in teacher education.
To be eligible to be recommended for certification, students must satisfy the following requirements:
Students who do not meet requirements for continuous enrollment (i.e., those who drop out for one or more semesters or withdraw from all courses in which they are enrolled) are required to re-apply for admission to the level of the Teacher Education program in which they were enrolled at the time of their departure.
Students may be required to complete other tests or evaluation procedures for admission to any phase of the Teacher Education program, for removal of any suspension from the program, or for teacher certification.
The director of Teacher Education Student Services shall be responsible for making all initial decisions on the admission and retention of students and the validity of course credits for undergraduate students. The Certification Counselor assumes these responsibilities for post-baccalaureate degree students. These officers shall have the authority to make exceptions to admission and retention requirements when circumstances warrant them.
Students who are denied admission or are academically dismissed from the program may appeal the decision to the Teacher Selection and Retention Committee by contacting the Committee's chairperson or the director of Teacher Education Student Services. Hearing procedures followed by the committee for dismissal cases are stated in a document entitled "Academic Dismissal from the Teacher Education Program."
