The School of Education offers course work leading to initial Colorado licensure to undergraduate, postbaccalaureate, and master’s degree students. Colorado requires public school teachers to be licensed by its state department of education. Students who successfully complete all School of Education requirements will be recommended for a Colorado provisional (initial) teaching license, the license issued to all new teachers in Colorado. Licensure requirements vary from state to state and from teaching area to area. Students who are interested in teaching in other states should familiarize themselves with the requirements of those states so they may plan an appropriate degree program.
Teacher education programs focus on the preparation of novice teachers in three interdependent areas:
To meet these goals teacher education students engage in a planned sequence of courses and accompanying field experiences in community and school sites.
In addition to program goals, the teacher education programs address eight performance-based standards for Colorado teachers, as adopted by the Colorado Department of Education in January 2000.
The objectives of the university relative to teacher education are the following:
Teacher education at the University of Colorado, while administered by the School of Education, is a university-wide function. Many academic departments provide course work that supports the teacher in training. Undergraduate students follow a prescribed set of arts and sciences core courses that meet state content preparation standards, complete a major, and satisfy professional education requirements concurrently. The program involves a combination of courses at the university and K–12 school placements.
Undergraduate Students. Undergraduate students enrolled at the University of Colorado Boulder seeking both a bachelor’s degree and teacher licensure must complete a major approved for prospective teachers by the Colorado Department of Higher Education. With careful planning beginning freshman year, these programs may be completed in four years. A list of these approved majors is available on the School of Education website, www.colorado.edu/education. No professional education course work taken before the implementation of the Colorado Model Content Standards and Performance-Based Standards for Colorado Teachers may count for teacher education requirements.
The major selected is determined by the student’s interest in teaching a certain subject or instructional level. Before selecting a particular major, students may see the School of Education advisor. Students interested in teaching at the secondary level should be aware that in many subject areas the teaching program requires additional courses or more hours than the academic major. Course requirements for all programs are explained in the program checklists available in Education 151.
Arts and sciences students must complete college core curriculum requirements (see College of Arts and Sciences Undergraduate Degree Requirements section). Teacher licensure students must take specified courses within some categories of this core curriculum.
The arts and sciences core is listed below; courses specified in each area for students seeking teaching licensure are in bold italic type.
Postbaccalaureate Students. Postbaccalaureate students are not required to have a degree in one of the majors approved by the Colorado Department of Higher Education. However, students who have graduated with a nonapproved major often must take additional arts and sciences and major course work to fulfill state teacher licensure requirements.
Admission to all School of Education programs is selective. Satisfying minimal admission criteria does not guarantee admission.
Undergraduate students seeking to complete the School of Education teacher education program must be enrolled in an approved degree program in one of the colleges or schools of the university. All undergraduates interested in teaching may seek teacher education advising at the time they enter the university. Freshman and sophomore students are encouraged to satisfy as many of the arts and sciences core requirements, liberal arts requirements for the appropriate licensure program, and major field requirements as possible before applying for admission to the teacher education program. Some education courses may be taken prior to admission to the teacher education program. Students should pick up advising materials in Education 151 and attend all education information sessions, including freshman orientation.
Undergraduate students who seek to transfer to the University of Colorado from another accredited institution must apply for admission through the Office of Admissions. They must enroll in a degree program in one of the undergraduate degree-granting colleges or schools of the university and also apply for admission to the teacher education program in the School of Education. At least 30 hours of course work for licensure must be taken while the student is officially enrolled as a student in the university. Credit in student teaching will not transfer to the University of Colorado Boulder. Please see Undergraduate Admission in the General Information section for specific requirements.
Former students who have not completed an undergraduate degree may reenter the university according to general university policies; however, subsequent to that readmission, they must apply separately for entry into the teacher education program. Undergraduate students who anticipate that they will graduate prior to completing the teacher education program must see the School of Education advisor. All admitted students who remain continuously enrolled will be expected to complete the program in effect at the time of their admission to the program unless state accrediting changes dictate otherwise.
Students who already hold a bachelor’s degree and wish to pursue licensure should apply directly to the School of Education. Students desiring institutional recommendation for licensure must complete at least 30 semester hours of work at the University of Colorado and also must fulfill the same academic area requirements as undergraduate students. The actual number of required hours will depend on courses already completed.
Students may apply to one of the teacher education programs if the following requirements have been fulfilled:
Individuals interested in completing the teacher education program at the University of Colorado Boulder should request application materials from the Office of Student Services, Education 151 or online at www.colorado.edu/education/prospective. Students currently enrolled in a degree program at Boulder will need to complete an application and submit official transcripts from all previous colleges to the Office of Student Services, Education 151. Transcripts must be mailed directly to the School of Education from the previous college to be considered official.
Individuals who have completed a baccalaureate degree at an accredited institution and are not currently enrolled at the university must complete a program application, a university application, and submit official transcripts from all previous colleges directly to the School of Education. Applications will not be processed until all materials are received in the Office of Student Services.
Students are responsible for obtaining a student handbook and program checklist in Education 151, available online at www.colorado.edu/education/students/teachereducation.html. These materials include specific information for all teaching fields and information on how to seek advising.
Off-campus students may obtain advising materials online at www.colorado.edu/education/students/teachereducation.html or by calling 303-492-6555.
At CU-Boulder, degree requirements vary among the schools and colleges. Students seeking a degree at the University of Colorado should consult, as soon as possible, with an advisor in the college or school from which they expect to graduate and with the School of Education advisor.
Students are encouraged to become familiar with the teacher education requirements by comparing their own transcripts to the published advising materials. Students can then talk with an advisor before applying to the program or they may wait until after their applications are processed. Students seeking teacher training in French, German, Japanese, Latin, Russian, Spanish, or music should see the designated advisor for that teaching field in addition to the School of Education advisor.
Advising also may be obtained by e-mail through EdAdvise@colorado.edu. When requesting e-mail advising, students should make questions as specific as possible.