Consistent with national recommendations to strengthen the academic background of beginning teachers, the college offers nearly all of its initial teacher license programs at the master’s degree level. M.Ed. candidates enter the license program with strong content knowledge acquired during the completion of their undergraduate degrees. The college remains strongly linked to the undergraduate programs at the University of Minnesota through its DirecTrack to Teaching and undergraduate Elementary and Early Childhood Foundations degree programs. Students who complete the license program continue with coursework necessary to complete the M.Ed. degree.
Structure of Initial Licensure/Master of Education (M.Ed.) Programs
You are enrolled in a professional degree program designed to prepare students seeking an initial license to teach in pre-K–12 public school settings. While completing license requirements, students also earn credits toward the M.Ed. degree. The curriculum varies depending on your chosen content area (ex: math, art, social studies, etc.) and licensure pathway (non-conventional, conventional, or alternative), and the courses are typically prescribed to follow a particular order. Therefore, it is important to understand the specific license program schedule and register for all coursework as published.
Most programs can be completed in approximately 12-15 months; however, all requirements for the master’s degree must be completed and the degree awarded within five calendar years after initial enrollment in the graduate program (this includes any non-degree or transfer work applied to the program). Speak with your M.Ed. adviser or review the content specific portion of the CEHD website for more information.
Structure of Initial Licensure/Undergraduate Programs
You are enrolled in a professional degree program designed to prepare students seeking a license to teach in pre-K–12 public school settings. While completing license requirements, students also earn credits toward the undergraduate degree. The curriculum varies depending on your chosen content area and licensure pathway (conventional, non-conventional, or alternative), and the courses are typically prescribed to follow a particular order. Therefore, it is important to understand the specific license program schedule and register for all coursework as published.
Most programs can be completed in approximately four years, including any non-degree or transfer work applied to the program. Speak with your departmental adviser or review the content specific portion of the CEHD website for more information.
Prerequisite Coursework
Teacher Candidates are expected to have a strong depth and breadth of knowledge in their teaching field, which is obtained through prerequisite coursework for the specific content areas. Work with your adviser to ensure you are meeting all requirements. You must have all prerequisite courses complete before you can obtain your teaching license.
Registration
Registration for courses is completed by students either at orientation or online once you have been officially admitted to your program. Specific instructions regarding your classes and/or sections will be provided to Initial Licensure students at admission and assistance is provided at orientation. Registration instructions are on One Stop. You must register each term to remain an active student in your program.
APAS
Enrolled students have access to the Academic Progress Audit System (APAS). This is a web-based program that enables students and University staff to monitor and track individual license and degree progress, and can be accessed through One Stop. It is important to become familiar with the system and continue to use it throughout the program. If you are unclear about how to use the APAS system, please contact your adviser for assistance.
Academic Calendar
The University calendar is located on the One Stop website. Students in the Initial Licensure programs typically follow the academic calendar of the school in which they are placed for their teaching and pre-student teaching field experience. This will mean a deviation from the University’s calendar. For didactic/methods courses, note the dates and times of courses listed on One Stop.
Background Checks
Minnesota school districts require background checks on every candidate before beginning any clinical experiences, including pre-student teaching field experiences, student teaching and practicum. In all cases, decisions about candidate eligibility will be made by the district approving the clinical assignment. In our agreement with school partners it is the responsibility of the school or district to screen and confirm a placement. Teacher candidates must follow the instructions for each district in a timely manner. The cost and process varies by district and it is the responsibility of the teacher candidate to pay for and complete the district background check. In all cases, decisions about candidate eligibility will be made by the district approving the clinical assignment.
Candidates are also subject to a separate background check at the time of Minnesota teaching license application. Background checks are required by PELSB and conducted by the State’s Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA).
Licensure Testing Requirements
The Minnesota state legislature passed a bill in June 2023 that removed the statutory MTLE exam (Minnesota Teacher Licensure Exams) requirements for those who completed an approved licensure program, effective August 1, 2023.
Teacher candidates are no longer required to take and pass the MTLE (content and pedagogy) tests for their Minnesota tier 3 or tier 4 license. This statutory change also applies retroactively to those who completed the program previously and did not pass the MTLE.
These legislative updates also include the Minnesota Basic Skills requirement. The basic skills are no longer required to move from a tier 3 to a tier 4 license.
Teacher candidates still need to meet all other program and licensure requirements before applying for their MN tier 3 license, including licensure and prerequisite coursework, required practicum and student teaching, and edTPA*.
*edTPA is not required for the parent and family education program, school counseling program, and school psychology program.
Teacher Performance Assessment (edTPA)
The edTeacher Performance Assessment (edTPA) is a national assessment of teacher candidates’ readiness to teach that is required of all initial licensure candidates in Minnesota. The assessment focuses on the impact the teacher has on student engagement and learning.
Developed by the Stanford Center for Assessment, Learning, and Equity (SCALE), edTPA is a standardized portfolio-style performance assessment that focuses on teachers’ classroom instruction and relationships with students that are linked to improved student learning.
Promoted and supported for national development by American Association of Colleges of Teacher Education (AACTE), currently there are over 500 Educator Preparation Programs in 34 states and Washington D.C. are participating in edTPA.
Who is required to take edTPA?
PELSB requires 100% participation by teaching candidates in Minnesota Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs).
CEHD is collecting and reviewing scores at the program and individual level to make recommendations for continuous improvement. Here is the list of the initial licensure programs for which edTPA is required by PELSB. Students in the following programs must take the edTPA in order to complete their licensure program and be recommended for a MN teaching license:*
- Agricultural Education
- Arts Education (Dance, Theater or Visual Arts)
- Early Childhood Education
- Elementary Education
- English Education
- Mathematics Education
- Music Education
- Science Education
- Second Languages Education (ESL, Classical Languages, World Languages)
- Social Studies Education
- Special Education
What are the MN standards for edTPA?
PELSB does not require that individual teacher licensure candidates meet minimum scores on the edTPA in order to be licensed. However, at the institutional level, our teacher education programs are accountable for meeting edTPA performance standard. A minimum of 70% of candidates in each program are expected to achieve the recommended standard for each task:
- Planning: 13
- Instruction: 13
- Assessment: 12
For World languages and Classical languages:
- Planning: 10
- Instruction: 13
- Assessment: 9
Where can I find edTPA resources?
For edTPA resources specific to our teacher candidates, please refer to the CEHD edTPA candidate support page. It is critical that faculty, supervisors, and candidates use resources that are officially sanctioned and approved by edTPA (via AACTE and MACTE). Please use only the resources that appear on the following edTPA websites:
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- edTPA Handbooks for your program area
- Making Good Choices
- edTPA FAQs artifacts and commentaries
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- CEHD and OTE also provide resources to help as you register with Pearson and complete the edTPA. Expect to hear from Shuji Asai, CEHD License Officer for edTPA updates and FAQs.
- edTPA
- Visit “Faculty,” “Candidates,” and “FAQs” tabs on the webpage
- Faculty page includes useful documents/handouts, including “guidelines for candidate support”
- The Candidates page helps you navigate the edTPA system through practical “how-to” guides on registration, video recording, portfolio submission process, scoring timelines, etc.
What is the cost involved in edTPA?
Our teacher candidates pay a special institution discount rate of $270 because of an agreement Minnesota has with Pearson for a 10% reduction of the $300 fee. The student pays Pearson the $300 registration fee, following the directions provided by OTE. The student will receive $30 back from Pearson once they submit their edTPA portfolio.
What platform do candidates use to submit edTPA?
At this time, students will use Pearson’s edTPA website for submission of the edTPA.
What is the edTPA Submission Timeline?
Currently, each program area coordinator is responsible for establishing the deadline for submission of the edTPA for their program. In setting the deadline, please keep in mind that candidates should have submitted their edTPA before they apply for their license. CEHD will not recommend candidates for license without proof that the student has completed the edTPA assessment submission process. Programs and students should allow adequate time prior to their planned submission date to upload and review their files. The submission and reporting dates can be found on the edTPA website.
Each licensure area has a different score report date, so please make sure you review your program specific dates.
Advising and Career Services
Advisers play an important role in your studies, from initial notification of your admission into the college to the completion of your degree or program. Although the approach to advising may differ among departments, these general principles apply to all departments:
- Academic advising is available to prospective and currently enrolled students.
- Academic advising addresses students’ needs in coursework, program planning, and developmental issues.
Although you are responsible for your progress in school and staying up to date on your degree progress, your adviser is available to help you with questions or issues that arise along the way. This adviser can assist you with many day- to-day advising issues such as submitting a petition, course registration, graduation planning, or adjusting to the rigors of a professional program. Advisers at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities use a note system, APLUS, to track meetings and record your milestones. All students have access to these notes upon request.
Students are notified of their departmental and faculty advisers in their acceptance letter and/or during their respective orientation. You can also find their names and contact information through the MyU Portal or by viewing your online transcripts. Before meeting with either adviser, give careful thought to possible course selections, program schedules, and short- and long-term education and career goals. If you plan to transfer credits to your program, be prepared to submit course descriptions and/or college bulletins/syllabi if requested.
Faculty Advisers
Faculty advisers are professors/instructors in CEHD and have a wealth of experience they can share with students regarding how to succeed in the academic and professional teaching environment. Faculty advisers can also be a good resource if you are having trouble with your student teaching placement or curriculum requirements. They are experts in their field and will be able to answer questions specific to the teaching profession.
CEHD Career Services
The mission of the CEHD Career Services office is to prepare and support undergraduate and graduate students and recent alumni in the College of Education and Human Development to make well thoughtful decisions about their career development and job search by:
- Providing resources, individual appointments, programs, and presentations.
- Valuing differences and meeting students and recent alumni where they are in their own personal development.
- Creating and maintaining employer relations to enhance networking connections and recruitment opportunities for CEHD students and recent alumni.
- Collaborating with CEHD departments and the greater University of Minnesota community.
The staff in the Career Services office offer one hour individual appointments with a career counselor covering topics such as career assessment, résumé/CV critique, cover letter writing, practice interviews, graduate school and job search planning. Schedule an appointment online or call 612-625-3339.
Office of Teacher Education
The Office of Teacher Education (OTE) provides operational leadership and support for the initial and additional teacher licensure program area faculty, staff, teacher candidates, and cooperating school professionals. OTE works across the college and university in support of the teaching, research, outreach, and accreditation goals specific to the development of pre-service teacher candidates and school-based professionals in district/school clinical preparation partnerships. OTE is responsible for coordinating student teaching and pre-teaching experiences and for recommending teacher licensure candidates for licensure at the completion of their programs.
Program Costs
Undergraduate Students
According to the 13-credit policy, if you are a degree-seeking undergraduate student, you must pay a flat tuition rate based on 13 credits, no matter your credit load. This means that even when you take 12 or fewer credits, you must pay the 13-credit flat tuition rate and any credits beyond 13 are available at no additional charge.
M.Ed./Initial Licensure Program Students
Students in the M.Ed./initial licensure program are charged CEHD M.Ed. and Certificate tuition rates (not Graduate School rates), which are set each July for the following academic year (fall, spring, and summer). These are the three categories of expenses: Tuition, University Fees, and Collegiate and Program fees. There are also professional expenses for state testing and to apply for the license at the end of the year. See the following OneStop sites to review current tuition rates, University fees and collegiate/program fees:
Financial Aid
Federal financial aid (FAFSA) is available for the cost of tuition and fees for the program, and limited expenses. Eligibility is different than undergraduate programs, so most people will qualify regardless of how much students were (or were not) approved for as an undergraduate.
We recommend all students submit a FAFSA application – you don’t need to accept all of the aid offered, but having the application on file is useful if other planned funding falls through. A submitted FAFSA is also a requirement for some CEHD scholarships. Review the following OneStop websites for a summary of the various types of financial aid, and the process for applying for and receiving aid.
- Types of Financial Aid
- Applying for and Receiving Financial Aid
- Contact the U of M Office of Student Finances with your specific financial aid questions:
Nichole Andersen
You can search for outside scholarships through websites such as FastWeb or through the Annual Registry of Grant Support that is typically available at the library of any College or University that has graduate programs. There are also federal programs to consider such as the TEACH Grant or loan forgiveness program such as Perkins or Stafford.
Student Loan Information
U.S. Department of Education
- Repaying Loan Information
- Direct Loan Repayment Calculators
Direct Loans
- Direct Loan Consolidation
- Direct Loan Options for Postponing Repayment
- Loan Forgiveness
Direct Loan Servicing
- A loan servicer will help you manage the repayment of your federal student loans
Loan Consolidation
- Federal Perkins Loan: can be consolidated
- University Trust Fund Loans: cannot be consolidated
Student Educational Loan Fund (SELF)
Firstmark Services Phone: 1-888-538- 7378
U of MN Student Account Assistance Office:
Phone: 1-612-625-8007
Fax: 612-624-2873
E-Mail: stdtloan@umn.edu