General
- What subject or licensure areas do we offer?
- When I get a license can I teach in any school or urban school only?
- What does urban mean?
- Is this just a program for people of color?
- When are classes offered?
- Do you have online courses?
- How long does it take to go through the program?
- What is Praxis? Where can I get more information?
Post-Baccalaureate
- I have a degree and I'd like to teach. What licensure programs do you offer? What grade level and/or subject area would you like to teach?
- Do the graduate courses lead to a master's degree?
- What is the average time it takes to get the license?
- How do I get my transcripts reviewed?
Field Experience
- What counts toward field experience?
- Where can I get my field experience? or Where do I get my field experience?
- I work during the day and can't take time off of work?
Advising
- What are the office hours for the advisor?
- What are the office hours for faculty?
- Who do I talk to about classes that I should take?
- I don't know who my advisor is. How do I know who it is and how do I contact her/him?
- How do I get my transcripts reviewed?
English as a Second Langauge (ESL) and Special Education
- Do you offer an ESL license?
- Do you offer special education license?
- Who will be able to get these licenses?
What subject or licensure areas do we offer?
The Urban Teacher Program offers licensure programs in:
- Urban Early Childhood Education (birth to grade 3 licensure)
- Urban Elementary Education (preK-grade 6 licensure)
- Urban Secondary Education (grades 5-12 licensure) in four areas:
- Communication Arts and Literature
- Life Science/General Science
- Mathematics
- Social Studies
When I get a license can I teach in any school or urban school only?
Persons who successfully complete the program and state requirements for licensure will earn a Minnesota teaching license, which is valid throughout the state. However, our program focuses all of its required coursework and field experiences on urban schools, so students in our program are not interested in teaching just anywhere. One of our criteria for admission to our program is having a commitment to teaching in an urban setting.
What does urban mean?
In the context of Minnesota, we define "urban" as a combination of geographic and demographic characteristics. Geographically, urban is Minneapolis, St. Paul or certain innerring suburbs of the Twin Cities. Demographically, we seek to have our teacher candidates in education settings that comprise at least 30% students of color, at least 40% low-income students, and at least 10% English Language Learners.
Is this just a program for people of color?
No, but the first part of our mission is to increase the number of teachers of color in our urban schools, and we expect all students in our program to understand why that is important. The Urban Teacher Program is an inclusive not exclusive teacher preparation program, and it is the most diverse of any in the state. We also have a particular interest in seeing more lowincome, first-generation, and other historically underrepresented students enter the teaching profession. The other part of our mission is to empower all prospective teachers in our program to be effective urban teachers of diverse students.
When are classes offered?
About 80 percent of our classes are offered in the evening, and each meets once per week.
Do you have online courses?
All courses meet face-to-face. Some courses have reduced class time, but no courses at this time are fully on-line.
How long does it take to go through the program?
It varies depending on how many credits you have earned before being admitted to the program, how many credits are required in the specific licensure program you are seeking to complete, and how many credits you plan to take per semester. Unlike some other programs, we offer an individualized program where you go at your own speed rather than enter a cohort and where everyone takes the same courses at the same time and finishes at the same time.
What is Praxis? Where can I get more information?
Three exams are required for all persons seeking licensure in Minnesota.
- Praxis I: Pre-Professional Skills Test (PPST).
This is a three-part test of basic skills in reading, writing and math. Just taking the PPST exams is a requirement for admission to the Urban Teacher Program. Passing these basic skills exams and the other Praxis exams are requirements for licensure. - Praxis II: Content Area Knowledge
These are tests which sample the content-area knowledge that beginning teachers are allegedly supposed to know for teaching students about a particular subject area of licensure. - Praxis II: Principles of Learning & Teaching (PLT)
This test samples the minimum knowledge that beginning teachers are allegedly supposed to know about student learning and effective teaching practices. The department can send you a copy of our Guide to Exams Required for Licensure, and you can visit the website of the testing company.
I have a degree and I'd like to teach. What licensure programs do you offer? What grade level and/or subject area would you like to teach?
The Urban Teacher Program offers a post-baccalaureate process including optional graduate level courses in urban secondary education to earn grades 5-12 licensure in one of the following subject areas:
- Communication Arts and Literature
- Life Science/General Science
- Mathematics
- Social Studies
We also offer licensure programs in Urban Early Childhood Education (birth to grade 3 licensure) and Urban Elementary Education (preK-grade 6 licensure), but none of the required courses are offered at the graduate level.
Do the graduate courses lead to a master's degree?
No. Metropolitan State doesn't offer a master's degree in education or teaching, but it does offer a Graduate Certificate in Urban Secondary Education after completing courses required for licensure. Some people are interested in taking our graduate level courses in urban secondary education because those graduate credits may result in higher pay at a school district or they might be used at another university for a master's degree.
What is the average time it takes to get the license?
Two and a half years but that's an average and some take less time, some take more time depending on how many courses a person takes per semester along with other life commitments, and how many courses they need to take for the license given their previous degree. If you have an equivalent degree without a teaching license and don't have any prior coursework in education, you would have 11-12 courses to complete (40-44 credits) including a semester of full-time student teaching.
How do I get my transcripts reviewed?
The department can send you a transcript review form for the major and licensure coursework we require for the particular licensure area that you are interested in pursuing. You could return it to our office with a copy of your transcript and course descriptions. The review usually takes 2-3 weeks.
What counts toward field experience?
To gain admission to the Urban Teacher Program, you need to be able to document at least 40 hours working with diverse youth in an urban setting within the last five years. This can be as a volunteer or employee in a school, classroom or daycare center, at an after-school program, at a community center, a shelter, or a camp, etc. If you have questions about whether some of your prior or planned field experience would be acceptable for admission to the UTP, contact the UTP Field Experience Coordinator, Victor Cole.
Where can I get my field experience? or Where do I get my field experience?
The department / program requirements for field experience are included to give each student the broadest range of experiences in an educational setting that can include after school programs, community based organization programs, and/or schools. A student can make a placement according to the geographic and demographic criteria for an urban field experience. These requirements are set to help you prepare for your student teaching placement and eventual job in teaching. Geographically, urban is Minneapolis, St. Paul or certain inner-ring suburbs of the Twin Cities. Demographically, we seek to have our teacher candidates in education settings that comprise at least 30% students of color, at least 40% low-income students, and at least 10% English Language Learners. If you have questions about whether some of your prior or planned field experience would be acceptable for admission to the UTP or request some names of places which are looking for volunteers, contact our Field Experience Coordinator, Victor Cole.
I work during the day and can't take time off of work?
In urban schools and communities there are some after-school and evening programs to support youth. However, you should be aware that as you would progress through the Urban Teacher Program after admission, you would be expected to find a way to do approximately 100 hours of field experiences during a typical school day, and then at least 12 weeks of fulltime student teaching to complete our licensure program.
What are the office hours for the advisor?
Generally, 9-5 Monday-Friday but we strongly encourage you to make an appointment.
What are the office hours for faculty?
These vary by faculty member. Is there a certain person whom you'd like to speak with or a certain licensure area of interest? (look at the directory for program specialty and office hours for availability and respond)
Who do I talk to about classes that I should take?
You can start with our academic advisor Taslima Khaled in the Urban Teacher Program or Barbara Schulman academic advisor in the College of Arts and Sciences who works with UTP students seeking a subject-area teaching degree for grades 5-12 licensure. If necessary, they can direct you or your questions to a faculty member.
I don't know who my advisor is. How do I know who it is and how do I contact her/him?
You can find that information when you log into Net Direct.
How do I get my transcripts reviewed?
- If you are wondering about courses transferring to meet the general education/liberal studies requirements of the university for graduation, then that initial review of your coursework takes place in the university's Registrars office after you have submitted your official transcripts as part of your university admission application and you have been admitted to the university.
- If you are wondering about subject courses required for a secondary education teaching major (i.e. English, Life Science, Math, or Social Studies), then I can send you a transcript review request form that you'll send back to the College of Arts and Sciences in care of Barbara Schulman, academic advisor.
- If you are wondering about Education-related courses required for Early Childhood Education, Elementary Education or Secondary Education, then I can send you a transcript review request form that you'll send back to the Urban Teacher Program.
Do you offer an ESL license?
Not at this time (January 2008), but we are hoping to establish a licensure program by 2009.
Do you offer special education license?
Not at this time (January 2008), but we are hoping to establish a licensure program by 2009-10.
Who will be able to get these licenses?
People who will be interested in getting either the ESL or Special Education license through our program would already have a teaching license or be finishing classes for a first license in another field. The ESL and Special Education licensure programs will not lead to undergraduate bachelor's degrees.