Education Minor

Associate Professor: Joan Swanson
Assistant Professor: Elizabeth Lapon, Lisa Thompson-Sousa

The School of Education minor consists of six courses (18 credits) that enable students to experience the world of education and the dynamic interplay of teaching and learning. Students can learn instructional approaches and strategies that are based on evidence-based practices designed to meet the needs of classroom instruction or the needs of other professional education settings.

 

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Required Courses

ED105  Educational Psychology
ED112  Teaching and Learning in a Democratic Society
ED224  Design and Management of the Learning Environment OR
ED275  Community Education
EDXXX   3 Education electives at the 300/400 level OR additionally select from the following electives: 

PS230 Child and Adolescent Development, PS303 Psychology of Learning, or PS330 Child Abuse and Neglect, Advisors may approve substitutes from a Content Area Education Studies pathway if this is appropriate. Students may take courses from the teacher certification track which require field placement hours if they have completed the necessary background checks. 

Graduate Education Programs

The School of Education offers graduate education in Teacher Certification and Educational Leadership.  Teacher Certification Candidates can earn a post baccalaureate certification, a Master in Education (M.Ed.) or both.  Candidates in Educational Leadership earn a M.Ed. 

Graduate Teacher Certification Programs of Study                                            
Students may apply to the M.Ed. program, Teacher Certification, or both in any of the following areas. Total number of credits required for “Certification only” may vary, depending upon whether student is seeking first or second certification.

Elementary* (K-6 or K-8)
Degree and Certification 40 credits
M.Ed. only 36 credits
Certification only 39 credits
*All students must meet the Bachelor’s/undergraduate content area requirements for K-6.  Students must also demonstrate a 15 credit content concentration in English, Mathematics, Science or Social Studies for the K-8 certification.

Social Studies* (5-8 or 5-12) 
M.Ed. Degree and Certification 42 credits
M.Ed. only 36 credits
Certification only 40 credits
*All students must meet the Bachelor’s/undergraduate content area requirements for social studies or life sciences.

Life Sciences* (7-12)
M.Ed. Degree and Certification 42 credits
M.Ed. only 36 credits
Certification only 39 credits
*All students must meet the Bachelor’s/undergraduate content area requirements for social studies or life sciences.

English Language Arts* (5-8 or 5-12)
M.Ed. Degree and Certification 42 credits
M.Ed. only 36 credits
Certification only 39 credits
*All students must meet the Bachelor’s/undergraduate content area requirements for English Language Arts.

General Special Education* (K-12)
M.Ed. and Certification 48 credits
M.Ed. only 42 credits
Certification only 49 credits
* All students must meet the Bachelor’s/ undergraduate content area requirements for K-6.

Educational Leadership
M.Ed. Only 36 credits

Admissions and Acceptance
Criteria for initial application can be found in the Admissions section of the Catalog. Students applying to the School of Education Teacher Certification M.Ed. and Bachelor’s Conversation programs should provide transcripts to demonstrate a CGPA of 2.8 or higher. Applicants who provide transcripts to demonstrating a CGPA of 2.79 or lower may work through the School of Education to explore potential solutions and/or alternative pathways to acceptance. The undergraduate transcripts of teacher certification applicants will be reviewed to ensure content requirements are complete. Any applicant with a deficiency of content required at the Bachelor’s level will be required to develop a plan to complete required content. Evidence of the required content must be completed prior to student teaching.  

Students accepted into M.Ed. Only will not need to take the Student Teaching and Seminar. However, they must take ED585 Student Research Capstone and pass background check for New Hampshire.

Requirements for Teacher Certification Programs
All licensure programs are approved by the New Hampshire State Department of Education and must fulfill the requirements described in N.H. Ed Administrative Rules 500 and 600 series. Students must meet the following gates to progress through the teacher preparation program. Students seeking certification in states other than NH are advised to consult that state for their respective certification requirements.

Teacher Licensure Gates
Gate 1 
• Gain Admission into Franklin Pierce University
• Sign the Academic Admissions worksheet
• Pass a New Hampshire background check and a background check from every state you have lived in for the past 5 years.

*Gate 1 is a requirement for any courses that require field experience.

Gate 2 
• Fulfilling the Basic Assessment of Academic Skills requirement
• Pass courses ED501 and ED505 or ED506 with a B- grade or higher
• Maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0
• Submit a Teacher Licensure Program Application.

*Gate 2 is a requirement for official acceptance into a Teacher Licensure Program.

Gate 3 
• Open an on-line account with the New Hampshire Department of Education
• Be in good academic standing
• Maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0
• Complete all required courses in Education with a B- grade or higher
• Complete all field placement requirements and receive positive results on evaluations
• Complete all content area requirements
• Submit an application for student teaching.

*Gate 3 is a requirement for student teaching

Gate 4 
• Complete all subject area testing
• Complete student teaching seminar and the New Hampshire TCAP assessment
• Successfully complete your graduate degree requirements
• Successfully complete the student teaching experience
• Apply for recommendation to the state of New Hampshire (optional)

*Gate 4 is a requirement for graduation and recommendation for licensure.

M.Ed. Only
Students accepted into M.Ed. Only will not need to take the Student Teaching and Seminar. However, they must take ED585 Student Research Capstone and pass background check for New Hampshire and any state they have lived in in the past 5 years.

Certification Only
Students pursuing Teacher Certification without a degree will need to meet all requirements for enrollment in the teaching certification program. Total number of credits for "Certification Only" may vary. 

Double Certification
Students interested in combining elementary, middle or secondary certification with General Special Education may do so by indicating that in the application process. Students must also specify whether the M.Ed. degree will be in the area of Elementary, Middle, Secondary, or Special Education. Once accepted, students will need to take all applicable coursework in each area, complete a full student teaching clinical (16 weeks) in the first certification area and 10-weeks in each additional certification area. The N.H. TCAP must also be completed for recommendation.

Use of Undergraduate Credits
Undergraduate credits may be approved by the School of Education Director as credits only when a candidate is enrolled for the sole purpose of certification. Undergraduate credits will not count towards the Master’s Degrees. Candidates may transfer in graduate credits with the Director’s approval.

Preclinical/Field Placement and Clinical Student Teaching Experiences
All certification programs are approved by the New Hampshire State Department of Education and must fulfill the requirements described in N.H. Ed Administrative Rules 500 and 600 series. All students taking courses in the teacher certification program are required to meet all enrollment criteria and to take part in field placement hours. Those students seeking certification also participate in student teaching. 

Pre-clinical/Field Experiences
Many courses in the School of Education require field-based assignments to ensure that the teacher certification majors are experience authentic teaching situations. We work with community partners to ensure that there is a mutually beneficial experience for the students in the local school districts and for our teacher certification students. Teacher certification majors must successful complete all required field experience hours to pass the associated course. If a student has to retake a course with field placement hours, the student must also redo the full set of field hours and all relevant field assignments assigned through the course. Professional attire and travel to local schools are required for this course. Any student participating in a field experience must pass a New Hampshire background check, before a placement will be made.

Clinical/Student Teaching
A student teaching clinical experience is the final summative experience for all Teacher Certification majors. All certification programs are approved by the New Hampshire State Department of Education and must fulfill the requirements described in N.H. Ed Administrative Rules 500 and 600 series. Students must complete Teacher Licensure Gates 1-3 before they are placed in a student teaching experience.