Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- How do I apply for the teacher certification program at SJU?
To be eligible for the teacher certification program, undergraduate students majoring in elementary or elementary/special education, or seeking a minor in secondary education, must:- complete a minimum of 47 credits (including 6 in English and 6 in Math) while maintaining a GPA of at least 3.0
- complete the Schools in Society and Educational Psychology courses and their accompanying labs (maintaining a combined 2.7 GPA for both courses)
- take and pass the Praxis I (PPST) Reading, Writing and Mathematics exams
- and complete an "Application for Acceptance Into the Undergraduate Certification Program" form with their academic advisor.
- Graduate students must:
- have a 3.0 undergraduate GPA
- complete and submit a graduate application
- take and pass the Praxis I (PPST) Reading, Writing and Mathematics exams
- Which Praxis exams should I take?
All students are required to take the Praxis I (PPST) Reading, Writing and Mathematics exams in order to apply for the teacher certification program at SJU. In addition to these three exams, to obtain certification- Elementary Education students take (after completing their education courses except student teaching):
- Elementary Education: Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment
- Fundamental Subjects: Content Knowledge
- Special Education students take (after completing their special education courses):
- Education of Exceptional Students: Core Content Knowledge
- Secondary Education students take (after completing most of their content area course work):
- Subject Area (e.g., Mathematics or Physics): Content Knowledge
To learn more about the required Praxis exams, consult the PA Department of Education. Click here.
To register for the Praxis exams, consult ETS. Click here.
- Elementary Education students take (after completing their education courses except student teaching):
- Can I obtain certification for another state besides Pennsylvania by completing the SJU program?
SJU can only recommend students for teacher certification to the Pennsylvania Department of Education in Harrisburg. Pennsylvania, however, has reciprocity agreements with a majority of states in the US. Pennsylvania certification is readily transferred to other states because of these agreements. To learn more, consult the PA Department of Education web page by clicking here.
- Can I obtain more than one teacher certification at the same time at SJU?
With the exception of the dual elementary/special education program, students at SJU seek Instructional I certification in only one area. (There is a five-year program at SJU in which undergraduate students first obtain elementary and special education, and then obtain certification as a reading specialist as graduate students. Please consult the Programs Offered section.)SJU students who obtain the Instructional I Certification in one area can obtain certification in additional areas including Middle School science, math, English and social studies, and most secondary subject areas, by taking and passing the respective Praxis exam for the additional area. Students seeing an additional certification apply directly to the PA Department of Education in Harrisburg.
Students must complete a university program to obtain elementary and/or special education certification.
- Can I conduct my student teaching in another state?
The SJU Education Department places student teachers in public, parochial, and licensed private schools in numerous school districts throughout the Philadelphia Metropolitan Area (including New Jersey). Student teaching placements, however, must be within reasonable commuting distance of SJU and meet the requirements established by the PA Department of Education. Students with special circumstances should contact the Director of Student Teaching and Field Placements at (610) 660-3242.
- Can I obtain an Intern certificate at SJU?
Graduate students can obtain an Intern certificate in elementary or secondary education at SJU, which is good for teaching in public schools for a period of three years, while they are completing their required education coursework. Students who obtain the Intern certificate conduct student teaching "on the job" as paid teachers.
To be eligible for the Intern certificate, graduate students must:- have an undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0
- have completed all content area coursework (for secondary education students)
- have submitted a completed graduate application to SJU
- have enrolled in at least two of the following courses: EDU 4015 American Education (and lab), EDU 4035 Psychology of Teaching (and lab), or SPE 4805 Special Learners;
- have passed all required Praxis I and Praxis II exams;
- and have an offer of teaching employment.
Graduate students who have met these requirements should complete an application for certification and submit it to the SJU Education Department in Barbelin Hall 273. Students seeking an Intern certificate should follow the same directions for obtaining Instructional I certification, outlined under the "Applying for Certification in PA" section of this web page.
