Program Requirements
The program assumes a substantial undergraduate preparation in the proposed certification area. It is the responsibility of the student, and a requirement of the degree program, to submit official transcripts of previous academic work to The CGC office. Through a dual advisement system that includes content and education faculty, transcripts will be evaluated and a program of study will be developed for each student. Additional undergraduate course work may be required. The program of study will include work in professional education and a content field. At the outset, it should be recognized that programs of study are highly individualized based on the prior preparation of the teacher candidate, and hours for completion vary among students. Registration cannot take place until program of study is complete.
Prior to the internship in teaching, the teacher candidate must:
- Apply for the internship no later than two semesters prior to the Student Teaching Internship.
- Successfully complete all required field experiences - a minimum of 75 hours prior to the student teaching internship.
- Complete the teacher certification application via this website, https://EdSc.gov/educators/teaching-in-south-carolina/aspiring-educators/applying-for-certification/, with state-required fees, social security card copy, and fingerprints for FBI/SLED background check.
- Be cleared by the South Carolina State Department of Education.
- Successfully complete the Praxis II Content Specialty Exam. Candidates are encouraged to take the specialty exam two semesters prior to beginning the internship. A passing score, using South Carolina standards (www.ets.org/praxis /prxsc.html), must be achieved prior to placement in the Professional Internship.
- he Praxis II Principles of Learning and Teaching (PLT) pedagogy exam is required prior to the issuance of an initial certificate. Candidates are encouraged to take the PLT exam upon completion of the following education courses: EDUC 500 - Foundations of American Education , EDUC 514 - The Exceptional Child in the School , and EDUC 536 - Educational Psychology .
- Negative TB test prior to the internship.
- M.A.T. interns must successfully pass Red Cross Blood Borne Pathogens training prior to internship.
- M.A.T. PE candidates must provide proof of current American Red Cross certification in First Aid and CPR prior to internship.
- Successfully complete 60 consecutive full days during the student teaching internship.
Successful completion of the approved program will qualify the student for a South Carolina teaching certificate/license in their chosen discipline and appropriate grade level(s).
Co-requisite: PSYC 500 - Human Growth and Development (or verifiable undergraduate preparation in psychology).
Core Education Requirements
It is recommended that the following courses be taken prior to any other professional education courses. Courses in the content field may be taken prior to or concurrent with this required core. (For Physical Education, see specific Professional Education Courses listed under that section.) Candidates should consult with their education advisor for course sequencing.
- EDUC 500 - Foundations of American Education (A minimum grade of B must be earned to move from pre-teacher education to teacher education.)
- EDUC 514 - The Exceptional Child in the School
- EDUC 536 - Educational Psychology
- EDUC 512 - Data Collection and Analysis
- EDUC 588 - Foundations of Literacy
Professional Education Methods Course Requirements
The professional requirement courses should be taken after the Core Education Courses have been completed. Content courses may be taken prior to or in conjunction with all of these courses except the Professional Internship. The student must recognize that the Professional Internship requires that a minimum of 60 full days be spent in the school. During the Internship, it will not be possible for the student to take any additional courses or be employed.
- EDUC 501 - Methods and Materials of Middle and High School Teaching
- EDUC 592 - Teaching Language and Literacy across Content Areas
- EDUC 623 - Special Methods in Teaching
- EDUC 520 - Professional Internship
Content Area Preparation Requirements
Transcripts will be evaluated against the following list of required courses in the possible certification areas of the M.A.T. program. Guidelines from the South Carolina State Department of Education, NASPE, NCSS, NCTE, NCTM, NMSA, and NSTA are used to determine courses for each program which students have taken in either graduate or undergraduate levels.
Each student is assigned an advisor from the School of Education and from the respective Content Area that he or she has chosen. Both advisors examine transcripts and develop a program of study for the student. To be eligible for the Student Teaching Professional Internship, program completion, and recommendation for licensure, in addition to education courses, students must have taken all of the content area courses below. Further, it is the responsibility of the teacher candidates to make sure that they have credit for prerequisites for each required course. In the event that all of the following have been taken prior to matriculation into this program, the content area advisor will recommend additional graduate work in the content field for program completion.
Field Experiences and Clinical Practice/Internship Semester Expectations
As is expected for all South Carolina graduate teacher preparation programs, candidates in this program will spend a minimum of 75 hours in school settings prior to their internship semester participating in activities that range from focused observation to assisting small groups to teaching whole classes. These pre-internship experiences are an integral part of the core education courses. During the internship semester, teacher candidates in this program will spend 60 full days in a High School setting with content area certified teachers who are ADEPT trained.
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