Secondary Teacher Education

Description

Teacher Education

The College of Liberal Arts & Education prepares effective and responsible professional teachers who have a commitment to the implementation of the Education Department's Code of Professional Ethics. This professional teacher will have an impact on school reform, the community and society in the 21st century. Education faculty help students become ethical, caring, value-directed persons who possess a commitment to urban society and social justice. Students also gain competency in the art and science of teaching from a research knowledge base and continue to be inquiring, reflective educators. The cosmopolitan nature of our metropolitan area (multi-cultural and multi-talented) provides a perfect laboratory for the education of the professional teacher.

Preparing for a Secondary Provisional Teaching Certificate
(granted through the Michigan Department of Education)

Teacher candidates earn their bachelor's degree in an approved Michigan Department of Education (MDE) major and/or minor from the College of Liberal Arts & Education or  the College of Engineering & Science.  Detroit Mercy's Department of Education works collaboratively with the faculty from both of these colleges to ensure MDE requirements are met.

Federal law requires all teachers to be “highly-qualified”, meaning they meet a set of criteria to be licensed if they plan to teach in a K-12 setting. Through successful completion of University of Detroit Mercy’s curriculum for Secondary Teacher Education and by passing the in their content area, graduates are eligible to apply for a provisional teaching certificate that is granted through the Michigan Department of Education, pending recommendation from University of Detroit Mercy.

Once a student is formally admitted to the Teacher Education Program through an application and review process, he / she is assigned an advisor in the Education Department to plan the completion of the teaching major, the teaching minor and the professional education sequence of courses.

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    Admission Requirements

    Upon being accepted to University of Detroit Mercy, students may declare "Pre-Teacher" status, however this is not admission into the Teacher Education Program. When the prerequisites for admission to the program are met, the student must complete an application packet to request formal acceptance into the Teacher Education Program.

    Prerequisites for application to the Teacher Education Program:

    • Pass all three components of the Michigan BASIC SKILLS EXAMINATION (BSE)
    • Possess a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0
    • Complete at least 9 graded credits in the teaching major with a least a 2.7 grade point average.
    • Complete at least 6 graded credits in the teaching minor with at least a 2.70 grade point average (if applicable).

    To be admitted to the Teacher Education Program, you must provide the following:

    • Application form
    • Two recommendations from professional educators, one of whom must be a University of Detroit Mercy professor. The educators must use a Detroit Mercy Department of Education recommendation form. Once completed, he/she must place that form in a sealed envelope which can then be mailed separately or submitted with your packet.
    • A form for the evaluation of work with groups of school-aged children (minimum 15 hours) at desired certification level (K-8 or 6-12).
    • A felony inquiry form 

    ALL FORMS IN THE APPLICATION PACKET MUST BE SUBMITTED TOGETHER TO THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT.

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    Secondary Teacher Education (Provisional Teaching Certification through MDE)

    Teacher candidates who are pursuing a bachelor's program with a Michigan Department of Education approved major at Detroit Mercy or another accredited college or university may apply to the Detroit Mercy Teacher Education Program. Upon acceptance to the program, teacher candidates who pursue the Secondary Teacher Education course of study. Successful completion of Detroit Mercy's Secondary Teacher Education requirements leads to recommendation to the Michigan Department of Education for a provisional secondary teaching certificate.

    Students planning to become certified to teach in secondary schools must complete 36 credit hours in the following sequence of education courses.

    Professional Education Sequence

    • EDU 4000 Introduction to Education (3 credits)
    • EDU 4320 Psychology of Education (3 credits)
    • EDU 4200 Philosophy of Education (3 credits)
    • EDU 4400 School and Society (3 credits)
    • SED 4600 Educating and Mainstreaming Exceptional Persons (3 credits)
    • EDU 4590 Instructional Technology (3 credits)
    • EDU 4780 Reading in the Content Areas (3 credits)
    • EDU 4690 Secondary Curriculum Methods (3 credits)
    • Select one of the following based on your teaching minor:
      • EDU 4710 Secondary Mathematics Methods (3 credits)
      • EDU 4730 Secondary Social Studies Methods (3 credits)
      • EDU 4740 Secondary English Methods (3 credits)
      • EDU 4750 Secondary Science Methods (3 credits)
    • EDU 4900* Secondary Clinical Experience (8 credits)
    • SED 4600 Educating and Mainstreaming Exceptional Persons (3 credits)

    *See current Michigan Department of Education Teacher Certification Handbook for requirements.

    Teaching Majors and Minors

    A teaching major consists of not less than 30 semester hours in a single discipline or 36 semester hours in a group of disciplines. Some content area majors may require additional credit hours to complete. Individual departments should be consulted regarding the required number of credit hours to complete a major. A teaching minor consists of not less than 20 credit hours in a single discipline or not less than 24 credit hours in a group of disciplines. The department reserves the right to require specific courses in the major and minor.

    The following teaching majors and minors are approved by the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) for Secondary Certification:

    Majors:

    Minors:

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    Handbooks

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    Post-Degree Preparation for Provisional Teaching Certification

    Through successful completion of University of Detroit Mercy’s curriculum for Teacher Education and by passing the (MTTC) in their content area, teacher candidates are eligible to apply for a provisional teaching certificate that is granted through the Michigan Department of Education.

    Post-bachelor degree teacher candidates (individuals who already possess a bachelor's degree in the Michigan Department of Education approved list of teaching majors and minors) may prepare for an elementary or secondary provisional teaching certificate.

    Individuals seeking an elementary provisional teaching certificate are required to have fulfilled the University Core Curriculum requirements and the elementary professional sequence and required supportive courses.

    Individuals seeking a secondary provisional teaching certificate are required to have fulfilled the University Core Curriculum requirements and the secondary professional sequence.

    Additional courses may be required. Please speak with a Detroit Mercy Education Department advisor to create a specific course of study.

    The post-degree program may be pursued on a part-time, late afternoon or evening basis with the exception of the clinical experience requirement which is a full-day, 15-week placement. Students in the post-degree program must satisfy all teacher certification program requirements.

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    Michigan Test for Teacher Certification (MTTC)

    Michigan Test for Teacher Certification (MTTC)
    Teacher candidates for Michigan teacher certification must pass tests designed by the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) to ensure that they possess the skills and knowledge to be effective educators in Michigan K-12 learning environments. Competency for certification is established through the Michigan Test for Teacher Certification (MTTC). Successful passing of the MTTC BASIC SKILLS TEST is also necessary for admission into University of Detroit Mercy's Teacher Education Program.  A individual must successfully complete all components of the MTTC before University of Detroit Mercy can recommend him/her for certification / endorsement by the MDE.

    The MTTC consists of:

    BASIC SKILLS EXAMINATION
    Before being admitted to Detroit Mercy's Teacher Education Program, students with "pre-teacher" status must take this test and pass all subtests (reading, writing and math) before being admitted to the Detroit Mercy Teacher Education Program. University of Detroit Mercy students are encouraged to take the BASIC SKILLS EXAMINATION no later than their third semester.  A student may retake failed subset(s),

    CONTENT AREA TEST(S)

    Based on a student's teaching major and / or minor, teacher candidates seeking certification / endorsement are required to demonstrate competency in their content area(s) by passing MDE required content area exams.

    CERTIFICATION

    Elementary Certification

    In order to be qualified to teach K-5 students in a Michigan school, teacher candidates must take and pass MTTC test #103 for elementary education.

    If a teacher candidate also wishes to be certified to teach grades 6-8, he/she must have completed the appropriate majors or minors and then take and pass the appropriate tests in content areas. Students in special education must pass tests in their respective area (i.e., LD, or EI/BD) in order to be endorsed and teach in those areas.

    Passing these content area tests, while mandatory for provisional teacher certification, is not required for completing the Bachelor's degree program from University of Detroit Mercy.

    Secondary Certification

    In order to be qualified to teach grades 9-12 students in a Michigan school, teacher candidates must have completed the appropriate majors and / or minors and then take and pass the appropriate MTTC tests in those content areas. Students in special education must pass tests in their respective area (i.e., LD, or EI/BD) in order to be endorsed and teach in those areas.

    Passing these content area tests, while mandatory for provisional teacher certification, is not required for completing the Bachelor's degree program from University of Detroit Mercy.

Program Contact Information

Department Chair: Alan Grigg, Ed.D.
Reno Hall, Room 243
McNichols Campus

Email: griggae@udmercy.edu
Telephone: 313-993-1475
Fax: 313-578-0507