Educational Studies

Department of Educational Studies
College of Education and Public Policy

Neff Hall 250 ~ 260-481-4146 ~ ipfw.edu/educ

The Educational Studies department offers B.S.Ed. degrees in early childhood education, elementary education and secondary education.

“The following subjects may also be added to any of the majors listed above:

Chemistry
English as a New Language
Life Sciences
Mathematics
Exceptional Needs-Mild Intervention
Physics

In addition the following teaching majors are available at IPFW through the following colleges:

Special Academic Regulations for Students in Educational Studies

Professional Education

Students are usually admitted to Professional Education (Block 1) courses beginning their junior year.

There are a number of academic regulations for students seeking admission to the Professional Education program. They include the following:

1. pass the Pearson CASA Basic Skills Assessment or alternative measure
2. for early childhood degree completion majors only, completion of an A.S. in early childhood with a minimum of 2.0 GPA
3. completion of all Pre-Professional Education classes
4. complete at least 45 credit hours with a minimum 2.70 cumulative GPA (IPFW/IU only); 2.70 cumulative GPA in your major course work with at least 50% completed in major (secondary)
5. successfully complete all program assessments
6. pass an Indiana State Police Limited Criminal History Report
7. students may repeat a Pre-Professional Education course one time.

Student Teaching

Below are the requirements for entering into the student teaching semester:

1. complete an application for student teaching and meet with the Director of Field Services ONE YEAR before intended student teaching semester (Fall: meet Sep-Nov; Spring: meet Feb-April). See EPIC office for exact dates.
2. submit and pass a Safe Hiring Solutions Criminal History Report
3. must have no more than 6 credit hours of general education or specialty area/major courses remaining before student teaching
4. completion of each Block course with a grade of C- or higher.
5. successfully complete all program assessments
6. must have a minimum 3.00 cumulative GPA and 3.00 major GPA (IPFW/IU only)
7. take the Pearson content exam(s)
8. candidates may retake a Professional Education course one time

Graduation

Below are the requirements for graduation:

1. apply for graduation
2. successfully complete all program assessments
3. completion of student teaching and all course requirements
4. minimum 3.00 cumulative GPA; secondary students must also have a 3.00 major GPA (IPFW/IU only)
5. no grade lower than a C- in any required course

Licensure

Below are the additional requirements for obtaining an Indiana teaching license:

1. pass the Pearson pedagogy exam
2. pass the Pearson content exam
3. provide evidence of CPR/AED certification
4. provide evidence of suicide prevention certification
5. apply for license

International Students

International students desiring to complete a program in Educational Studies, Professional Studies, or Public Policy must comply with all university requirements for international admissions, including demonstration of English language proficiency. International students seeking to obtain a license to teach, counsel, or administer in an Indiana school must obtain a social security number prior to application of the license.

Early Field Experiences

If you are pursuing a B.S. in a teacher education program, you are required to participate in the prescribed field-experiences. Field-experience courses are numbered EDUC M101, M201, M301, and M401 and must be taken as shown in the degree-requirements listings.

This distinctive program provides an organized series of courses designed to integrate all professional education courses with field experiences. The program allows you repeated opportunities to participate with teachers/pupils in classrooms. In the early part of your field-experiences, you are introduced to teaching, educational concerns, goal setting, and professionalism. Beginning in your freshman or sophomore year and continuing up to your final semester, field experiences build upon one another so that you gain valuable classroom experiences designed to prepare you for your student teaching.

Pass/Not-Pass Option

Permission to elect this option must be requested on a form available from the College of Education and Public Policy. Permission will be granted only if the course will not be used to fulfill any degree requirements other than total credits for the degree.

Certification-Only Option

Students who already hold a bachelor’s degree and who seek to obtain a teaching license in early childhood education, elementary education, or secondary education may qualify for enrollment under a Certification-Only status. Students who complete our certification-only option will qualify for an Indiana teaching license, but will not receive a second baccalaureate degree. Students enrolled in this option will have to complete the same education (EDUC) courses (51 credits in early childhood education, 61 credits in elementary education or 36 credits in secondary education) as those enrolled in a degree-seeking program, however, they may be waived from completing IPFW general education requirements and IPFW content (secondary major) course requirements provided that they pass the Pearson Basic Skills Assessment (or alternative) and Pearson Content Assessment exams before admission to Block 1 courses. For more information on this option, contact the Education advising office in the College of Education and Public Policy, Neff Hall 243 - 260-481-6449.
NOTE:  Students enrolled in Bachelor degree programs of Biology , Chemistry  and Physics  who wish to obtain a teaching license may complete the certification-only courses for secondary education within their degree.

Special Academic Regulations for Students in Education Policy Concentrations

1st Checkpoint for Admission to Education Policy courses requires:

1. Completion of 45 credits with a minimum 2.70 cum GPA (IPFW/IU), and enrolled to retake any course that has a grade of “C-” or below.
2. Submit and pass a Criminal History Report via Safe Hiring Solutions (criminal reports must be updated each year).

2nd Checkpoint for Admission to Senior Internship

1. Complete an application for internship by specified date.
2. Submit and pass a Criminal History Report via Safe Hiring Solutions.
3. Minimum 2.70 cum GPA (IPFW/IU); no grade lower than a “C-” in any required course.

3rd Checkpoint: Verification for Completion of Degree

1. Apply for graduation.
2. Completion of Internship and all course requirements.
3. Minimum 2.70 cum GPA (IPFW/IU) in courses required for the degree; no grade lower than a “C-” in any required course.

For an exception to any of the above requirements, a student should request permission for a waiver in writing from the Educational Studies Chair. All waiver requests must be submitted at least 10 days before classes begin.