Secondary Education Frequently Asked Questions
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Should I see an advisor, or can I just follow my degree box? | You should be meeting with your advisor EVERY semester, and keeping in touch with them at all times. The degree box is not always accurate, and the more communicative you are with your advisor, the less issues you will run into as you continue further into your undergraduate program. |
| Are there scholarship options available to help me? | The University has lots of scholarship opportunities available to you! College of Education scholarships are awarded through University Scholarships, and applications are due in February for awards the following year. Learn more here. |
| How do I confirm my degree selection? | Go to your Bronco account and check it in your Student Center. |
| How do I change my major? | Go here to learn how to change your major. For further questions, contact regmail@boisestate.edu. |
| What are my degree requirements? | Secondary Education majors are required to have 45 credits in their field OR 30 credits in their major field and 20 credits in their second endorsement field, depending on the degree plan. |
| When can I apply to the Teacher Ed program? | You must have completed your 200-level required Education courses (or be actively taking them the semester you apply) to apply to Teacher Ed. Applications are due the first Friday in February for Fall applications, and the third Friday in September for Spring applications. *History, English, Economics, Political Science, Sociology, and World Languages are on a cohort model. This means that students enrolled in these programs can only apply for Teacher Ed once per year-in the Fall, due the third Friday in September. Apply here. |
| When can I apply to the Professional Year program? | You must have completed your 300-level required Education courses (or be actively taking them the semester you apply) to apply to Professional Year. Applications are due the first Friday in February for Fall applications, and the third Friday in September for Spring applications. *History, English, Economics, Political Science, Sociology, and World Languages are on a cohort model. This means that students enrolled in these programs can only apply for Professional Year once per year-in the Spring, due the first Friday in February. Apply for Professional Year here. |
| Where can I go to see what classes I need to take? | Your best resource will be your catalog. If you don't have a printed copy, you can find a PDF copy on the Registrar's website. Find your degree in your catalog and your endorsement area to see your required classes. You can also go to your Student Center and utilize the academic requirements, degree tracker, and what if report features to navigate the classes you need. For specific questions, contact your program advisor. |
| What is my catalog year? | You can find this information on your Student Center, or you can determine it based on when you started at BSU. For example, if you started in the Fall of 2018, your catalog year would be 2018-2019. |
| Should I take Summer classes? | It is a good idea to keep an eye on your course requirements before you get too far along in the program to see if you need to fill in any gaps during the Summer. This is especially helpful if you are on a cohort model and need to take a few more requirements that you missed throughout your time without being thrown off cohort. For some degree programs, you will need to take Summer courses to lighten your semester load in order to fulfill your degree requirements, so it is a good idea to meet with your advisor to plan accordingly. *DO NOT PLAN TO TAKE ANY CORE REQUIREMENTS OVER THE SUMMER. We cannot always guarantee that classes will be offered in the Summer, and if you are getting close to the end of your degree plan, this could set you back. Plan to take any degree-specific courses (especially 300+ level ones) during your Fall or Spring semesters to make sure they will be offered. Work with your advisor to avoid any last minute issues with requirements. |
| What are the additional Teacher Education requirements? | For any teaching endorsement you have, you are required to take a methods course in that subject. For example, if you are a History, Multidisciplinary major with a Math Teaching Endorsement Minor, you would need to take both Social Studies Methods (ED-CIFS 405) and Math Teaching Methods (STEM-ED 410). Contact your advisor about specifics. Field work is required in each subject you are seeking endorsement in. This is usually integrated into your degree plan, but contact your advisor about specifics. Education-specific classes are required to receive a Teaching endorsement. This is usually integrated into your degree plan, but contact your advisor about specifics. PRAXIS exams are required for each endorsement field you are seeking. Learn more here. |
| What are the different Methods courses? | See the list here. |
| What departments offer Teaching Endorsements? | See the list of endorsement options here. *Note-These are endorsements, not full degree programs. |
| What do I need to get a Teaching Endorsement? | See more information about endorsement requirements here. |
| What if I have transfer credits? | Contact the Registrar or visit your department's website to see who to contact about what credits will transfer, or check out the transfer equivalency webpage. |
| Can I have a step-by-step guide to what I need to do before I apply to Teacher Ed? | We have program-specific roadmaps to help you here.. |
| Who can I talk to if I have specific questions? | If you have questions, please contact Morgan Coddington, the Secondary Programs Coordinator. You can set up an advising appointment with her here. |
| What is the difference between an endorsement and a certification? | An endorsement implies an add-on to your existing degree program to become a certified teacher. A certification is the initial process you will go through to become a teacher through the University and the state. |
| After I am admitted to Teacher Ed, should I enroll in the 1-credit or the 2-credit section of ED-CIFS 301? | The 1-credit section is for Music and Art majors ONLY. This is because they do fieldwork in other courses. All other majors need to take the 2-credit course to get all necessary fieldwork completed. This course does not apply to IDoTeach students. |
Professional Year Questions
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What does my Professional Year consist of? | Professional Year consists of two semesters--one semester doing a fieldwork internship, and your final semester doing Student Teaching. |
| What is my Internship semester? | Your Internship semester refers to your first semester of Professional Year. Click here for the Internship requirements. *Note: The Internship is called something different depending on your program. In IDoTeach, this is called Field-Based Methods. In the Masters in Teaching (MiT) program, this is called your Clinical Rotation. |
| What should I expect during my Internship? | You will take at least two required Teacher Education courses, your Teaching Methods course if you haven't taken that yet, and usually, your Finishing Foundations (FF) course for your degree as well. You will spend two days a week in a classroom doing co-teaching and planning to prepare you for your final Student Teaching semester. We recommend that you try and complete as many content courses as possible prior to beginning your Professional Year, but you may have room for one or two during your Internship semester if you need. *Note: This applies primarily to undergraduates; for information on MiT, click here. |
| Can I take other classes during my Student Teaching semester? | The short answer is no. You are required to follow your mentor teacher's full-time, 5 days a week schedule, and to attend all the seminars associated with the Teacher Ed program as well. You must complete all required coursework before Student Teaching, with the exception of your Capstone course. If you need to take a required course during Student Teaching, you will need to file an appeal. Filing the appeal does not guarantee you an approval. *Note: IDoTeach and Masters in Teaching (MiT) have slightly different requirements for the Internship and Student Teaching semesters. Contact your advisor for more specific information. |
| What is my Student Teaching course called? | Your 14-credit Student Teaching course is ED-CIFS 485 - Professional Year - Teaching Experience III (for Teacher Education) or STEM-ED 480 - Apprentice Teaching (6-12) (for IDoTeach). |
| Are there additional costs associated with Student Teaching? | Yes. In addition to your normal Boise State tuition and enrollment fees, students pay an additional fee to help cover the additional cost of clinical supervision. More information on this fee is listed under the course description when you go to register for the course. |
| What is the time commitment like for Student Teaching? | You should expect to be following your mentor teacher's schedule in the classroom full-time, five days a week during your Student Teaching semester. You will not be able to work another job and Student Teach at the same time. |
| If I have both my major area and a teaching endorsement area, what will my Student Teaching look like? | The College of Ed will handle your placement, and they will make sure that you are teaching in each of your endorsement fields. |
| When should I take my PRAXIS? | You should plan to take your PRAXIS around the Summer before you begin your Professional Year. However, you can take the test as early as you would like. You must have your official passed results for all of your content areas 60 days before you begin Student Teaching, otherwise you will not be able to Student Teach. *Also, please note that you must wait at least 30 days (sometimes longer depending on the test) to re-take the PRAXIS every time, so plan accordingly. Ask your advisor or check the PRAXIS website for more information. |
| What PRAXIS test/s do I need to take? | You need to take and pass PRAXIS tests in every subject you are seeking certification in. For example, if you are a History, Secondary Ed major, and you are seeking a Social Studies endorsement as well, you will need to take both the History and the Social Studies PRAXIS tests. If you are an English Teaching major, you would only need to take the English PRAXIS. Here is a link to all PRAXIS tests and their passing scores. PRAXIS tests cost every time you take them. If you are experiencing an emergency financial situation that prevents you from being able to take your tests, you are eligible to apply for this scholarship through the College of Education Dean's Office. |
| What else do I need to do to become certified? | Once you are in your final semester of Professional Year, The Office of Teacher Education will send you information about how to apply for certification. IT IS THE STUDENT'S RESPONSIBILITY TO COMPLETE THEIR CERTIFICATION PAPERWORK. |
Cohort-Specific Questions
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What is a cohort model? | A cohort model follows a specific timeline to get you through the Teacher Education program in the most efficient way possible. This means that certain programs only offer certain classes once per year, so it is important to stay on cohort. |
| What programs use the cohort model? | History, English, Economics, Political Science, Sociology, and World Languages are the programs currently using the cohort model (Art will soon as well-stand by). Meet with your advisor early and often to ensure that you are staying on cohort. |
| What if I can't do three straight semesters at the end of my degree plan to stay on cohort? | One option is to take one semester off to catch up, and to meet with your advisor early to make sure you can get back on track that way. Another option is to graduate with a general degree in your field, and complete whatever secondary endorsement(s) you want to go with it (if applicable), and then apply for the Masters in Teaching program (MiT). It would mean pursuing a Master's degree for this certification, but it would provide the flexibility you might need. |
| What are the degree options for History, Secondary Ed majors? | There are two degree options for teaching History: History, Multidisciplinary, Secondary Ed: This program requires 30 History credits and 20 in another endorsement area. See your options here. History, Social Studies, Secondary Ed: This program requires 30 History credits and 12 credits each in Economics, Geography, and Political Science. This option requires courses in the Summer to lighten your semester load to fulfill your degree requirements, so plan accordingly. |
| How do I enroll for Economics courses that require permission numbers? | Go to this link. Scroll all the way to the bottom and follow the instructions. When asked why you need a permission number, you will want to state: I am a Secondary Education major. Indicate what your specific major is, and that you have been admitted to Teacher Ed or Professional Year, depending on your situation. |