Transition to Teaching
Frequently Asked Questions
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According to the Indiana Professional Standards Board, “Transition to Teaching is based on the premise that a candidate already has the content knowledge in the licensing area.”
Individuals who have undergraduate or master’s degrees without teaching certification may be eligible for the Transition to Teaching program. The requirements for consideration for acceptance into the program are:
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A bachelor’s degree or the equivalent from an accredited institution of higher education in the subject area that the person intends to teach with a total combined grade point average of three (3.0) on a four (4.0) scale from all accredited institutions; OR
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A graduate degree from an accredited institution of higher education in the subject area that the person intends to teach; OR
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A bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution of higher education with a total combined grade point average of 2.5 on a 4 point scale from all accredited institutions AND five (5) years of professional experience in the subject area that the person intends to teach.
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Qualifying scores on the Praxis I. See http://ets.org/praxis/index.html for more information about Praxis tests.
NOTE: The program here at Indiana State University is only open to candidates from Indiana and the Wabash Valley.
Candidates who meet the above qualifications may submit their applications for review.
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For information about the Elementary Education program, refer to the next FAQ or go to Elementary T2T
The following programs are offered at the Secondary level:
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Business
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Chemistry
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Earth/Space Science
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English
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Family & Consumer Science
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Health
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Language, Literature, & Linguistics (students must select one of French, German, or Spanish.)
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Life Science
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Mathematics
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Physical Science
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Physics
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Social Studies (students must select three areas from the following: Economics, Geographical Perspectives, Government and Citizenship, Historical Perspectives, Psychology, Sociology)
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Yes. The elementary (K-5) program is cohort-based and 24 hours of coursework is taken in a defined sequence beginning with an intensive seminar in the summer, extending over an academic year, and concluding with a capstone course the following summer. The coursework includes related field experience in K-5 settings, with extensive mentoring from university supervisors and outstanding practicing elementary teachers.
The qualifications for consideration for admission into the Elementary Transition to Teaching program are:
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A bachelor’s degree or the equivalent, with a grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale from an accredited institution of higher education.
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A Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution of higher education with a grade point average of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale, AND five years of professional experience in an education-related field.
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Qualifying scores on the Praxis I.
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For a program participant who seeks to obtain a license for middle and secondary schools, 18 hours of diverse teaching pedagogy and adolescent development are required, and for elementary candidates, 24 hours are needed for licensure recommendation.
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If a candidate meets the requirements, including the GPA requirements, background requirements, and has passed the Praxis I, he or she may apply for admission to the Transition to Teaching program. At that time, a $75 admission request fee is required which will allow the applicant’s transcripts to be audited by a faculty member in the requested teaching area. Any deficiencies will be noted.
If academic deficiencies are found, the candidate will have an appropriate timeframe to rectify the deficiencies. After completion of the courses, the applicant may apply again to the Transition to Teaching program. The fee for this second attempt will be waived. However, additional application attempts beyond the second may be charged at the same rate as the original fee.
Please note that program completion forms are only effective as long as the program/courses exist, and course or program requirements may change without notification. It is important that the candidate rectify any deficiencies in an appropriate time frame.
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Praxis I is a basis skills test that tests math, writing, and reading skills. Passing scores must be achieved in Praxis I prior to application to the Transition to Teaching program. Praxis II is the content area test that must be completed prior to student teaching.
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Yes, but you must have a degree or the equivalent in any subject area in which you wish to teach. A nonrefundable fee of $75 must accompany the Transition to Teaching application. If a candidate is accepted into the Transition to Teaching program, $35 of the application fee will be transferred to the Graduate School to cover the application fee there.
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The process is described at Application for T2T
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Applications are accepted only during the open application period from January 1 through February 1. Applications for the Secondary Transition to Teaching are required no later than February 1 for the Summer cohort. The Elementary Cohort only has one cohort per year, and applications for that cohort are due by February 1 with an application period from January 1 to February 1.
Applications submitted during the open application period are held until all applications are received at the deadline. Applications are then sent for evaluation to the major departments in which students are applying for licensure. If an applicant has satisfied content area requirements, as determined by the subject area department, he or she will be called so that an interview may be scheduled with the program coordinators.
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All secondary applicants will begin the Summer I session following their admission. Student cohorts are begun ONLY Summer I semester. Elementary cohort participants will begin Summer I.
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Students who must withdraw from their cohort must wait until the next cohort begins. Progression through the Transition to Teaching program must be with a cohort.
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Yes. A supervised student teaching experience is required in order to be recommended for licensure. Student teaching is sixteen weeks in length with the typical placement requiring eight weeks at a middle school and eight weeks at a high school. Elementary student teaching is one semester.
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After the candidate has successfully completed the Transition to Teaching program, including a successful student teaching experience and passing scores on the Praxis II content area exam, the candidate may apply, through the Education Student Services office, for a teaching license.