General Requirements for Admission to the Graduate School

Please refer to general information provided in The Graduate School  section.

Graduate Certificate Admission Requirements

1. An undergraduate degree from a regionally accredited four-year institution
2. A cumulative undergraduate GPA of 2.75  (For alternative ways to demonstrate academic competence, contact the Office of Teacher Education Advising and Licensure (TEAL))
3. Three recommendations from persons knowledgeable of your interaction with children or youth
4. Statement of purpose
5. Clear criminal background check
6. Apply online at graduateschool.uncc.edu
7. Submission of digital portfolio

Certificate Requirements

Total = 18 Credit Hours

Clinical Field Experiences

Most courses require candidates to develop their knowledge, skills, and dispositions in public school settings.  These experiences broaden their ability to help all children learn, including children with exceptionalities and students from diverse ethnic/racial, linguistic, gender, and socioeconomic groups.  During clinical experiences, candidates apply theories and understandings gained in coursework, analyze P-12 student learning, and develop the ability to positively impact all learners.  All candidates are expected to complete clinical experiences in at least three significantly different school settings (the graduate student teaching placement may serve as one of the settings).

Candidates who are lateral entry teachers or teacher assistants must move beyond their own classrooms and schools for at least two clinical experiences.  Alternative settings must be approved by the instructor and may include schools on different schedules, after-school and summer programs, Saturday programs, private, and charter schools.  A limited number of clinical experiences may be approved in significantly different classrooms within their school of employment.  Employed candidates are encouraged to seek assistance and support from their administrators to complete these requirements.

Internship/Student Teaching

The graduate-level student teaching/internship is the culminating experience of the Graduate Certificate in Teaching program, offering candidates the opportunity to demonstrate their readiness for the initial Standard Professional I teaching license.  Candidates are assigned to an appropriate classroom for a full-time, semester-long experience under the supervision of the classroom teacher and university faculty.  Lateral entry teachers and teacher assistants must contact the Office of Field Experiences to determine the appropriateness of their classroom for the student teaching/internship experience and licensure requirements.  This contact should take place at least one semester before student teaching.

Advising

All candidates are assigned an advisor upon formal admission to the program.  Candidates should consult with their advisors at least once each semester. 

Licensure

Upon successful completion of the Graduate Certificate, candidates will be recommended for the North Carolina initial Standard Professional I teaching license.  For this license, candidates are required to complete an electronic licensure portfolio that is created during coursework and student teaching.  Earning a passing score on the required PRAXIS II test is also mandatory for the licensure recommendation.  Additional information on this test is available on www.ets.org/praxis.

Program Approval

All teacher education programs at UNC Charlotte are accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education and approved by the North Carolina State Board of Education.