Admission to Teacher Education

Students may apply for admission to the program only after they have completed a year of college study. In addition, at least 9 semester hours must be completed at Cornerstone University, including at least 3 hours in Teacher Education. Transfer students, those entering Teacher Education late and post-baccalaureate students must be admitted to the program if they seek teacher certification. Course work and the GPA from other institutions may be used to meet admission requirements.

Students must maintain the minimum academic (overall 3.0 GPA, major 3.0, and minor 2.7) and social standards required for admission during enrollment in the Teacher Education Program to be considered in good standing. Refer to the Teacher Education Program Probation Protocol in the Teacher Education Handbook and following this section regarding procedures for failure to maintain these standards. A minimum grade of “C-” is required in all courses with an EDU number, all methods courses with and without an EDU number, ENG-114, ENG-212, HIS-115, HIS-211, PSY-111, COM-112, MAT-315, SCI-202, SCI-212. Assistance may be provided to students by their academic advisor, the teacher education faculty, the Center for Academic Success and the Center for Career and Life Calling.

If circumstances warrant discontinuing a student from pursuing a Teacher Education degree, the decision can be communicated at any point: prior to or during conditional or professional status phase, or prior to or during the student teacher internship. For all details relating to conditional and professional status, please refer to the Teacher Education admissions requirement information, available in the Teacher Education Handbook and on MyCornerstone.

The following requirements are in addition to the Associate of Arts and Education core requirements, found here. 

Required Courses 

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
EDU-233	FOUND TEACHING EXCEPTIONAL LEARNER	3
EDU-333	FOUNDATIONS EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION	3
EDU-352	TEACHING YOUNG CHILD	3
EDU-371	YOUNG CHILD & COMMUNITY	3
EDU-328	LEARNER-CENTERED ASSESSMENT	3
EDU-373	TEACHING INFANTS/TODDLERS & CLINICAL EX	4
EDU-361	EARLY CHILDHOOD PRACTICUM	4
Total Hours		23

Post-Baccalaureate Students

Post-baccalaureate students with a degree from a regionally accredited institution who are returning to college for education certification programs must also meet current admission standards, have (and maintain) a GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, obtain one faculty reference and complete a professional interview with the certification officer or division chairperson. A minimum of 12 credit hours, taken at Cornerstone University and student teaching will be required. Students who have received a degree from a non-accredited institution must complete the requirements for a Bachelor’s degree while completing the Teacher Education program.

Student Teaching

One year prior to the student teaching semester, students must apply for admission to the student teaching internship (EDU-481, 482, 484, 486).  Application forms are available on MyCornerstone.  Cut-off dates for applications are the second Wednesday in October for the following fall semester and the second Wednesday in February for the following spring semester.  Placement for the student teaching internship is restricted to a 50-mile radius of the university.

Students must be in good standing in the program, which includes a minimum 3.0 GPA in their major and overall, and a 2.7 in their minor and must have completed all other requirements for graduation.  All course work must be completed prior to student teaching.

As part of the application, students must be accepted for placement by their prospective cooperating teacher. Students will be asked specific questions required by the State of Michigan regarding felonies or misdemeanors and prior revocation of a teaching certificate at three points: time of application to the Teacher Education Program, prior to the directed teaching semester, and before recommendation for certification. If there is a positive response to a question, the university has the option of recommending or not recommending a student for certification based on the information given. In such cases, the decision of the State Board of Education is final. Failure to disclose such information to the Director of Field Experiences may result in termination of the placement, failure of the practicum, and/or lack of Michigan certification. As a representative of Cornerstone University, each student is expected to adhere to professional dress, etiquette and conduct.

1. A student must be admitted into the Teacher Education program and be in good academic standing to enroll and participate in methods courses and/or upper level EDU courses.
2. A student must turn in a completed program evaluation when applying for student teaching internship. This process begins one full year before the scheduled term of student teaching. Application deadlines are posted on MyCornerstone.
3. Placement for the Student Teaching internship is restricted to a 50-mile radius of the university.
4. A student must maintain the required minimum GPA in his/her major(s) (3.0), minor (2.7); and a cumulative GPA (3.0) for the Director of Field Experiences to begin the process of locating and securing a student teaching placement. If a student has a GPA that falls below the minimum requirements, he/she must withdraw from registering for student teaching until mandatory GPA requirements are reached.
5. Student teaching placements will be forfeited by any student that allows his/her GPA to drop below the minimum requirements at any time before the onset of the teaching internship. Students will then need to resubmit an application and begin the student teaching placement process over again from the start of the placement process.
6. Students on Teacher Education Program Probation may not initiate arrangements for student teaching placements with cooperating teachers and/or administrators and an internship placement cannot begin to be located during the student’s time on probation.

Please note: Students who have not demonstrated the dispositions necessary for the teaching profession as well as a readiness for student teaching, may be asked to discontinue the student teaching and education program.

Any student terminated from a practicum or student teaching placement will complete a Professional Growth Plan under the guidance of the Director of Field Experiences (EDU 488). This plan usually takes a minimum of one academic semester to complete and is individualized to focus on the needs of the student and the issues that led to the placement termination. A student released from a placement will not be eligible to continue in their practicum or internship, in another setting, within the same academic semester as the dismissal.

An additional internship (EDU 488), prior to student teaching, can also be required for students who may need more time to develop skills and/or abilities following their Teacher Assistance Practicum (TAP). It is recommended that students plan to take TAP one-two semesters prior to student teaching. However, if TAP is taken the semester before the student’s planned student teaching internship, this additional practicum would mean that the student teaching would be delayed one semester.  During the EDU 488 internship, individual goals and objectives will be the focus of the internship and one-on-one support will be provided to the student throughout the term.

Online, Correspondence Courses & CLEP Tests

Teacher Education students must have all online, correspondence courses and/or CLEP tests completed by the end of the term one year prior to their student-teaching term.

In other words, online, correspondence and/or CLEP tests are not permitted to be taken or completed the term directly prior to the student teaching term. Please note: The spring/summer semester will count as one term.

All courses enrolled in the term prior to student teaching should be completed at Cornerstone University.

Note: Students will be required to submit a written proposal for outstanding courses one year prior to student teaching.

Please visit the MTTC website for further information including sample tests, test objectives and study guides. Students are encouraged to form study groups to prepare for tests or contact teacher.ed@cornerstone.edu to inquire about faculty in subject areas who may be available to help with test preparation. Please find additional information (e.g. electronic study guides) on MyCornerstone under Undergrad Divisions, then to Teacher Education and MTTC Testing Information.

Teacher Education Program Probation 

The division of Teacher Education is passionate about preparing students to serve as highly qualified teachers. Therefore, it is vital that students pursuing a teaching degree establish high academic standards throughout their academic career.

Students applying for admittance into the Teacher Education program must possess the following minimum GPA requirements:

• 3.0 Overall/Cumulative

*Institutional requirements for graduation are 2.5 overall and major; 2.0 minors, but the Teacher Education Department monitors their internal policy for practicum and program admission as stated above.

Teacher Education policy:

• 3.0 major(s)
• 2.7 minor(s)

Once a student has been admitted into the Teacher Education program, these minimum GPAs must be maintained throughout the student’s academic career. GPAs will be checked at the end of each semester.  The following procedure will result if a student’s overall and/or major GPA drops below a 3.0 and/or the minor drops below a 2.7.

1. The student and his or her academic advisor will be notified by letter and email of the status of his/her GPA.
2. The student must submit a written plan of improvement which includes specific actions/strategies to be implemented in order to raise his/her GPA.
   1. The plan must be submitted electronically to the Teacher Education office and will be kept in the student's file.
   2. Failure to submit a plan of improvement may result in a meeting with the Dean.
3. The student will have one academic semester to re-establish the required GPA.
   1. During that semester, the student will be placed on Teacher Education Program Probation and the student will not be allowed to register for methods courses and/or upper level EDU courses.  (Teacher Education Probation is a probationary period where a student is supported in re-establishing academic success.  Unless otherwise indicated, TE Probation is for a period of one semester).
4. The student must schedule and attend an appointment with his/her advisor to discuss academic progress. 
   1. ​This appointment should take place around mid-term.  Feedback by the Dean may be requested from the academic advisor concerning this meeting.
   2. The Dean may schedule meetings in addition to those set by the advisor.
5. At the conclusion of the semester, the student's GPA will be reviewed.
   1. ​If the minimum GPA requirements are re-established, the student will receive a letter indicating his/her removal from TE Program Probation and granted permission to register for upper level EDU courses. 
   2. If the minimum GPA requirements are not reached, but academic improvement has been demonstrated, the Dean may extend the student's TE Program Probation for one additional semester.
      1. The student will receive a letter stating the extension of the TE Program Probation period.
      2. Steps 2-4 will be applied
      3. Optional:  at mid-term, professors for each course may be asked to complete an Academic Improvement Midterm Evaluation Form
   3. If the minimum GPA requirements are not reached and academic improvement has not been demonstrated, the student will no longer be eligible for participation in the Teacher Education Program.  An Academic Program Denial letter will be sent to the student and the approval code for registering for education classes and Teacher Education Program will be removed from the student's record.
   4. Readmission to the Teacher Education Program is possible once a student has acquired and maintained the minimum GPA requirements for two consecutive semesters.   If the student does not have two consecutive semesters left, the Dean will review an alternative plan with the student.  The student's request for readmission will be presented for approval.
   5. Readmission requirements:
      1. Letter from student requesting readmission
      2. Recommendation letter or email from academic advisor supporting the student's readmission
      3. Final decision made by the Teacher Education Professional Committee

Recommendation for Certification

A student is considered a program completer when (a) all institutional academic and other requirements such as establishing eligibility for certification recommendation have been met, and (b) the minimum number of state certification tests for the teaching field desired have been passed. Students who meet all the standards and requirements of the Teacher Education program and the State of Michigan are eligible to apply for certification and be recommended to the State Board of Education. Students who wish to be considered a program completer of Cornerstone University should apply for certification. Since the State of Michigan requirements are subject to periodic change, students must meet State of Michigan requirements and Teacher Education Department requirements for teacher certification in effect at the time the application is submitted for certification.

The State of Michigan requires the passing of competency tests in the subject areas in which the student is planning to seek certification. Students with questions are encouraged to contact the certification officer. State test information is available on the MTTC website.

Students must use the following codes when signing up for tests for the Michigan Test for Teacher Certification (MTTC).

MTTC Codes

CU Subject	Level	MTTC Code #	Endorsement Code
Biology	Secondary	17	DA
Chemistry	Secondary	18	DC
Early Childhood (general & special education birth-K)	Elementary	106	ZS
Elementary Education	Elementary	103	ZG
English	Secondary	02	BA
English as Second Language	Elementary & Secondary	126	NS
Integrated Science	Elementary	93	DI
Integrated Science	Secondary	94	DI
Learning Disabilities	K-12	114	SM
Lower Elementary Education (PK-3rd grade)	Elementary	117-120	ZO
Mathematics	Secondary	22	EX
Music Education	K-12	99	JQ
Psychology	Secondary	11	CE
Social Studies	Secondary	84	RX
Spanish	Elementary & Secondary	28	FF
Upper Elementary Education (3rd-6th grade)	Elementary	121-124	ZP

Please visit the MTTC website for further information including sample tests, test objectives and study guides. Students are encouraged to form study groups to prepare for tests or contact teacher.ed@cornerstone.edu to inquire about faculty in subject areas who may be available to help with test preparation. Please find additional information (e.g. electronic study guides) on MyCornerstone under Undergrad Divisions ~ Teacher Education ~ MTTC Testing Information.