School of Education Graduate Policies

Student Teaching and Practica Policies

Prior to beginning student teaching and practica, graduate candidates must:

• Have completed all required coursework for licensure.
• Have successfully passed all Praxis I® subtests.
• Have successfully passed all Praxis II® tests if required to do so by department policies.
• Have a minimum overall GPA of 2.5 if only earning a license. Students also completing master’s degree requirements must have an overall GPA of 3.0.
• Must have a grade of C or better in all required licensure and degree coursework. All coursework required for licensure must be completed prior to beginning the student teaching experience.
• Complete all assignments in courses with a grade of incomplete (I) and have a grade of C or better posted to replace the incomplete.
• Submit an application for the student teaching or graduate practicum placement according to the deadlines listed below. Applications are valid for a period of 12 months. Beyond that time students will be required to submit a new application.

Semester | Placement Deadline

Fall | May 1
Spring | September 15

• Candidates are allowed to state preferences for student teaching and practica placements, but first priority is to place according to availability of qualified classroom supervising teachers. Graduate students working on emergency permits may request to complete their student teaching experience in their own classroom. Permission to do this must be given by the school corporation and the director of student teaching and clinical practice. Other factors that influence placement decisions follow.
• Candidates typically are placed within 20 miles of IU South Bend.
• Candidates may not complete student teaching or practica experiences in corporations where they are school board members or are related to a school board member.
• Candidates may student teach out of state in Michigan where we have established contractual agreements. Candidates need to request permission from the director of student teaching and clinical practice for other out of state placements.
• Candidates are not placed in schools where their children are in attendance or where they have been students.
• It is the candidate’s responsibility to complete forms accurately, submit them according to the deadlines above, and to meet all eligibility criteria before they can begin their student teaching or graduate practicum experience.

Application for Graduate Degree

An application for a degree must be completed and filed with the Office of Education Student Services by the following deadline dates:

Graduation | Deadline | Tentative List Posted by

May | October 1 | February 15
August | October 1 | February 15
December | March 1 | September 15

Failure to file this application by the proper deadline may result in failure to graduate at the expected time. The responsibility for checking degree requirements rests with the student.

Timeline for Master of Science Degree Completion

Once candidates have been admitted into a degree program, they have two years to complete their first course. Candidates then have six years to complete all degree requirements. If candidates are admitted and do not take a course within two years, they must reapply for admission into the degree program.

Field and Clinical Experience for Graduate Students

Graduate candidates in the School of Education complete a variety of field and clinical experiences. Some of these are integrated into coursework and do not require a separate placement. Students working on licensure in elementary education, English as a New Language, any secondary teaching license, and a license in exceptional needs mild interventions may require separate placements for certain field or clinical experiences and should work with the director of clinical and field experiences for these placements.

Required Field Experience for Elementary Education

Graduate students in elementary education are required to complete field experience, practica and/or student teaching if their program of study includes certification. Field experience requirements are specific to individual programs of study. Students should refer to their advising sheet and/or consult their advisor for current field requirements for their program of study.

Required Field Experience for Secondary

Graduate students in secondary education are required to complete field experience, practica and/or student teaching if their program of study includes certification. Field experience requirements are specific to individual programs of study. Students should refer to their advising sheet and/or consult their advisor for current field requirements for their program of study.

Required Field Experience for Special Education

Graduate students in special education who are working on their initial teaching license or an additional license will typically complete field experiences in specific placements. If approved, these placements may be in the classroom where they are employed. Students should refer to the advising sheet, consult their advisor, and meet with the director of clinical and field experiences for current field requirements for their program of study.

• Mild interventions
• Intense interventions

Required Field Experience for Counseling and Human Services

Counseling students complete practica and internships that meet CACREP accreditation standards. Students should refer to the advising sheet and/or consult with the program coordinator and their advisor for current requirements.

• Alcohol and substance abuse
• Clinical mental health counseling
• School counseling

Accreditation

The School of Education was granted continuing accreditation by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and the Indiana Department of Education Division of Professional Standards through 2012. The School of Education met all NCATE standards for initial and advanced programs. The Counseling and Human Services degree program has received national accreditation by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).

Conceptual Framework

The members of the faculty and staff in the School of Education have a commitment to preparing educators who assume leadership responsibilities in and beyond the classroom. In our advanced programs, teachers, counselors, and principals build on classroom leadership responsibilities to become advocates, decision makers, researchers, and partners in school and community settings. The conceptual framework for advanced programs summarizes these themes.

Standards

Graduate programs are aligned with appropriate national and state standards. All advanced teacher education programs are aligned with the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards or standards from the Council for Exceptional Children. The Educational Leadership Program is aligned with standards from the Educational Leadership Constituent Council. All programs in Counseling and Human Services are aligned with standards from the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs.