Degree Requirements

Student Teaching Requirements

Teacher preparation/certification programs in Bloomington require 12-16 weeks of student teaching. An additional practicum of six weeks is required for students who are adding a license addition to the initial teaching area. When completing a license addition, the major student teaching assignment will be reduced to ten (10) weeks, with an additional six (6) weeks in the license addition subject area. Students completing a dual certification program like the Elementary Special Education: Teaching All Learners (TAL) program will be required to complete two semesters of student teaching in each of the initial certification areas (elementary generalist and elementary mild intervention).

Both student teaching and license addition practicums are full-day, full-time, off-campus, school-based experiences that are completed in consecutive weeks. The extent of actual student teacher or practicum student involvement and the assumption of full class responsibilities rests upon the mutual agreement of the student, the supervising teacher, and the university supervisor. Augmentation of the program is achieved through participation in the total education activities of the school and school community. Such participation is regarded as an integral part of the experience, not optional or supplemental.

The student teaching experience has been carefully designed to be as realistic and as intensive as actual teaching, including placing student teachers in schools with carefully selected and qualified supervising teachers. Supervision from the university is provided by professionals who have been successful classroom teachers and administrators.

Most placements are made in the public and private school—elementary, middle, junior high and senior high—statewide for students on the Bloomington campus. In-state students are encouraged to student teach in their home town region in the school corporations on the list in which Indiana University Bloomington has a working relationship as placements fill up in the local area quickly. Students may not do their student teaching in the school in which a relative is employed. 

Requests by candidates to student teach outside of Indiana (except as part of Global Gateway) will be approved only in exceptional circumstances (e.g., family illness) and the decision must be approved by both the candidate’s program area faculty and the Academic Standards Committee.  When submitting an appeal to ASC, the documentation must include written verification from the program area faculty indicating their support.

Students also have the option of student teaching in approved locations through the Global Gateway for Teachers, including the Navajo Nation, Urban and the Overseas Programs. These types of placements require specialized preparatory study and onsite assignments to complement the school and community immersion experiences.

As of fall of 2016, teacher candidates are required to complete a teacher performance assessment (edTPA) during student teaching. For additional information about edTPA, email stuteach@indiana.edu.

The Application Process 

Student teaching begins with a mandatory Canvas course with student teaching information, quizzes and information for the application process. Student teaching or practicums will be completed through IUB, unless an exception is granted by the appropriate authority.

Students are required to provide a criminal history check to the school districts before participating in student teaching. An initial background check is required with the student teaching application, as some corporations require a background check before considering a placement. Each school district has its own requirements for the type and means of obtaining and where those criminal history checks must be sent. Students will be required to contact the school corporation(s) in which they are placed for student teaching for that information. School districts may deny a student teaching assignment based on a misdemeanor or felony record.

Eligibility for Student Teaching and Practicum Require the Following:

  1. Unconditional admission to the Teacher Education Program.
  2. Senior status in the university, or be within two semesters and one summer session of graduation. (In no case should a student have completed fewer than 90 credit hours prior to the semester in which the student teaching and/or practicum is to be done.)
  3. Have a minimum overall GPA of 2.5 at Indiana University.
  4. Submit all required materials for student teaching or practicum as soon as possible before expected start date of placement.
  5. Students may add up to one additional year between the completion of the last block and student teaching.
  6. For the secondary and all-grades programs, students must complete at least three-fourths (75%) of the number of credit hours in the content. For early childhood and elementary content areas of Language Arts, Fine Arts, Math, Science and Social Studies combined, there cannot be more than one (1) course missing from a content area. (Note: For the elementary education program, this includes the elementary Area of Concentration or Non-teaching academic minor requirement.) For example, a student cannot be missing a Social Studies World Civilization and Social Studies Elective course. In addition, there cannot be more than two (2) content classes overall missing.
  7. Complete all professional education courses, including required laboratory field experience courses, and have attained a minimum GPA of 2.5 in all professional education courses. A minimum grade of C must be attained in each professional education course.
  8. If earning a license addition, all courses must be completed, including required laboratory field experience courses with a minimum GPA of 2.5 in the license addition area. A minimum grade of C is required in each license addition course.
  9. Elementary, early childhood and elementary/exceptional needs majors must have a minimum overall GPA of 2.0 in content area for each of the following: Language Arts, Fine Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies.
  10. Elementary majors must have a minimum GPA of 2.5 in the area of concentration, license addition or academic minor and no grades lower than a C.
  11. Secondary and all-grades settings programs may have C- grades in the content area(s).
  12. Secondary or all school settings programs require a minimum GPA of 2.5 in each content area (Exception: Mathematics which requires a 2.0 GPA).
  13. Show proficiency in the area(s) in which the student teaching or practicum is to be done. This requires a school, department, project, or program recommendation; and may also include passing a required qualifying examination (i.e., World Language) or meeting other requirements established by the respective school, department, project, or program that has been approved.
  14. Students may not enroll in other classes while completing student teaching. (Exception: EDUC-M 202: Job Search Strategies for Educators)
  15. Transfer students must be enrolled at least one semester or summer in education courses on the Bloomington campus before student teaching and have taken all authorized professional education courses through Indiana University.
  16. Students found ineligible for student teaching or a practicum may appeal this decision. At Bloomington, students should follow the appeals processes described in the Undergraduate Student Portal section of the School of Education website under Academic Policy and Procedure Appeals.

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