Secondary School Education (Grades 8–12)
Initial Teacher Licensure Program
Worcester State University offers the Initial Licensure in Secondary School Education (grades 8-12). The Massachusetts Test for Educator Licensure (MTEL) is embedded in the program at various stages and must be passed for completion of the program and licensure.
Fieldwork accompanies most education courses and is required and needed as a necessary component of the program. It should be noted that student prepracticum experience should include a wide variety of field settings. Students should attend different and varied schools in urban, rural and suburban settings. They should also vary their placements and grade levels in different school buildings within districts to insure a well rounded experience.
The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education offers Initial Licensure programs in the following areas in cooperation with the liberal arts and sciences departments in the Worcester State University Education Program.
Teacher of English (8-12)
Teacher of History (8-12)
Teacher of Political Science (8-12)
Teacher of Mathematics (8-12)
Teacher of Chemistry (8-12)
Teacher of Biology (8-12)
Teacher of Earth Science (8-12)
Teacher of Health/Family and Consumer Sciences (5-12)
Teacher of Spanish (5-12)
For required courses in these areas, students should consult their liberal arts/science advisor.
It is understood that if students do not abide by these fieldwork directives, they will be asked to redo their hours for prepracticum.
Admission Requirements: Undergraduate Program.
Students planning to minor in Secondary Education will progress through a three-stage process. Each stage must be completed satisfactorily prior to passage to the next stage. It is expected that students will major in one of the Liberal Arts and Science content areas.
Stage I: Secondary School Education Minor
1. Completion of EN 102 English Composition II with a grade of C or higher.
2. Completion of 15 semester hours in the subject major.
3. Students must submit a Criminal Offender Records Information (CORI) check application and be approved prior to doing observations for Education courses. No student is allowed to do fieldwork unless approval of the CORI has been received from the state.
4. Students demonstrate potential for teaching children by completing the following courses with a grade of C+ or higher in ALL prerequisite courses AND a prerequisite AND cumulative GPA of 2.5.
ED 149 Introduction to the Teaching Profession (5 hours
fieldwork)
PS 215 Psychology of Adolescence
ED 250 Educational Psychology (10 hours fieldwork)
ED 251 Foundations of Education (15 hours fieldwork)
ED 270 Diversity and Multicultural Education (20 hours fieldwork)
5. Students must have received a passing score on the Massachusetts Test for Educator Licensure (MTEL) Communication and Literacy Skills Test.
6. Any departure from the prescribed program of study for teacher licensure must have Waiver Committee approval prior to advancement to Stage II.
Stage II: Secondary School Education Minor
1. Upon satisfactory completion of Stage I requirements, the student is eligible to apply for formal admission into the Secondary School Education minor. The application must include a satisfactory physical examination, Mantoux test results, MTEL test results and transcripts of all previous course work. Approval by the Education Department is necessary for a student to progress to Stage II.
2. During Stage II, students must complete the following with a Grade of C+ or higher in ALL prerequisite courses AND a prerequisite AND cumulative GPA of 2.7. Fieldwork accompanies the following methods courses:
ED 351 Principles of Curriculum and Evaluation in the
Secondary School (10 hours fieldwork)
ED 353 Effective Teaching in the Secondary School (15 hours
fieldwork)
3. Received a passing score on the Massachusetts Test for Educator Licensure (MTEL) in their major subject area and communication and literacy skills.
Stage III: Secondary School Education Minor – Practicum
1. Upon satisfactory completion of Stage II requirements, the student is eligible to apply for:
ED 480 Practicum in Teaching Secondary School (9 credits)
ED 424 Seminar (3 credits)
2. Students must have attained senior standing (90 credits of course work) to student teach.
3. The Stage III application will be acted upon by the Licensure Officer.
4. Students convicted of a felony may be denied admission to student teaching.
Additional information regarding formal application into student teaching is available from the Education Department.
Admission to the program does not guarantee student teaching eligibility.