Overview
Program Description
The Education and Humanities Department offers courses leading to certification in Elementary Education (K‐6), Preschool through Grade Three (P-3), Teacher of Biology (6‐12), Teacher of English (K‐12), Teacher of Math, Teacher of Social Studies (6‐12), Theater and Teacher of Students with Disabilities. Undergraduate students in these certification programs are majors in Education and receive either a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science depending on the content area. Qualified post‐baccalaureate candidates, whose undergraduate majors were in liberal arts, and graduated with a 3.00 or higher GPA, are eligible for admission to programs leading to certification based on the degree that they earned. All certification programs are approved by the New Jersey Department of Education and accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Education Programs.
Students must apply for admission to the Education Department in addition to admission to the University. Admission to the department includes achievement of minimally a 3.00 cumulative GPA, two supportive letters of reference, an interview with department faculty, completion of EDU-2000 and either EDU-2003 or EDU-2004 with a grade of B‐ or better. In order to remain in the Education Department, students must maintain a 3.00 cumulative GPA and receive a B‐ or better in all Education courses. There is one semester of probation if the student’s GPA falls below 3.00 before being dismissed from the department roster. Contact the department regarding required tests (PRAXIS and edTPA) for admission into the department, clearance for clinical practice and final certification submissions. To be certified in New Jersey, a student must be a citizen or sign a document that they intend to become a citizen within five years. The student must sign allegiance to the United States for the certification papers to be sent to the state department. Students also must pass the Core Praxis for entry into the Education Program and Praxis II Exam in their appropriate area, as well as the final edTPA performance assessment. The Praxis tests are administered independent from Centenary University.
Clinical Internship: Student Teaching (EDU-4050) is full-time status and carries full-time tuition. If a student is considering dual certification in a high school subject-specific area and elementary education, one extra course is required. Dual certification with Teacher of Students with Disabilities, requires several extra courses dependent upon the student’s original major. In order to meet the requirements for Teacher of Students with Disabilities, students must also fulfill the requirements for Elementary or Secondary Education certification. Only two courses in education are permitted each semester; courses for Teacher of Students with Disabilities may be allowed. Students must remember to apply for placement, one full semester before planning on taking either Teaching Experience: Practicum and Assessment Outcomes or Clinical Internship: Student Teaching (EDU-3080 and EDU-4050). The Education Department’s policies allow for one discipline course to be taken concurrently with EDU-4024 and EDU-4050, but the Department prefers that students plan their academic program so that Student Teaching and the Applications in Literacy are the only courses they register for during their last semester.
Education Department’s Admission Requirements:
- Successful completion of EDU-2000 and either EDU-2003 or EDU-2004 with grades of B‐ or higher.
- Successful completion of the Praxis Core Educator Prep Entry Assessment
- Completed application to the Education Department and the successful completion of a departmental interview.
- Minimum undergraduate cumulative GPA of 3.00, combining the work completed at Centenary and the work completed at all previous colleges/universities.
Areas of Certification
K – 6 Elementary School Teacher Certification
For certification as an elementary school teacher, candidates must complete a major in the liberal arts, sciences, or a minimum of 60 liberal arts credits. A liberal arts major means any college major such as philosophy, history, literature, sociology, science, mathematics, or world language that is intended primarily to provide general knowledge and to develop an individual’s general intellectual capacities to reason and evaluate, as opposed to professional or vocational skills. The final determination as to which courses will be counted towards the subject matter is based on professional and content standards found in the NJ Licensing Code. In addition to content and education coursework, candidates must also pass the Praxis II Elementary Education Multiple Subjects Test and edTPA during Clinical Internship.
5 – 8 Middle School Endorsement
The Middle School Endorsement (grades 5‐8) can be earned only in conjunction with the Elementary or Secondary Education certifications and cannot be earned on its own. Applicants must complete a minimum of 15 credits in the subject for certification. Centenary University offers certification in English, History, Mathematics, and Science. Special conditions may apply and these will be discussed with each candidate on an individual basis. In addition to content and education coursework, candidates must also pass the appropriate Middle School Praxis II and edTPA during Clinical Internship.
K – 12 or 5-12 Secondary Education Certification
The State of New Jersey requires that all secondary teachers be highly qualified in one of the State’s core disciplines or in their certification area in order to be licensed. This certificate allows candidate to teach in either a high school or middle school classroom. Each candidate for secondary teaching certification is required to complete a minimum of 30 credits in a coherent sequence in the subject field of licensure. A coherent sequence includes at least 12 credits the advanced level of study (junior, senior or graduate level). Courses in pedagogy/education are not accepted towards the subject matter preparation. The final determination as to which courses will be counted towards the subject matter is based on professional and content standards found in the NJ Licensing Code. All credits must appear on a regionally accredited 2 or 4‐year college/university transcript. At Centenary University, the discipline emphasis choices available are: Biology, English, Mathematics (Post Baccalaureate only), or History/Social Studies. For transfer and post baccalaureate candidates, an analysis of all transcripts will allow an advisor to inform the candidate if any credits remain to be satisfied in this category.
Within the 30 credits, candidates for the Teacher of Social Studies certification must complete a minimum of 15 semester hour credits in history to include a minimum of one course in American History and one course in World History. The State of New Jersey defines the field of social studies to include American history, European history, world history, government, political science, sociology, geography, anthropology, and economics.
In addition to content and education coursework, candidates must also pass the appropriate Praxis II content test(s) in their certification area and edTPA during Clinical Internship.
Teacher of Students with Disabilities Endorsement
The Teacher of Students with Disabilities endorsement allows teachers to teach in special education classrooms and act as in class support teachers. This endorsement must be earned along with a general education certificate (K-6 Elementary, P-3 Early Childhood or of K-12 Secondary). It cannot be earned on its own. As such, the Teacher of Students with Disabilities endorsement is integrated into the general education certification programs. By taking the required program of study, candidates earn both a general education certification and the Teacher of Students with Disabilities endorsement.
Preschool – Grade Three Certification (P-3)
The P-3 Certification is designed for a candidate who wants an additional certification for teaching in a variety of public school preschool situations. The program provides an integrated view of curriculum and instruction at the early childhood level. P-3 teacher candidates will be exposed to principles, methods, materials, and practices that are intended to stimulate, support and sustain emergent skills in young learners. Candidates who wish to pursue the P-3 certification take the K-6 Elementary School Teacher and Teacher of Students with Disabilities sequence of courses then take an additional 6 credits (three two-credit courses) specific to early childhood education. In addition to content and education coursework, candidates must also pass the Praxis II Early Childhood Education Test and edtTPA during Clinical Internship.
Post Baccalaureate Program
The Post Baccalaureate program at Centenary University is designed with the specific goal of assisting the non-traditional candidates in obtaining New Jersey State Teaching Certification. Through a detailed analysis of the candidate’s transcripts, Centenary University establishes a course curriculum that will assist the candidate in obtaining certification. The number of credits required is dependent on a candidate’s previous college experience and the certification area.
All teaching licenses require a minimum of a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university. All credits must appear on a regionally accredited two‐ or four‐year college or university transcript. New Jersey further requires that candidates for certification achieve a cumulative GPA of at least 3.00 in a baccalaureate degree program or a State‐approved post‐baccalaureate certification program. Candidates in the Centenary Education Program must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 in their Centenary course work, a B- or better in all Education coursework, and must have successfully passed the Core Academic Skills for Educators Praxis, the Praxis II exam in their certification area, and complete edTPA during the Clinical Internship to obtain teaching certification.
The time frame for completion of the program is minimally two years but may be extended depending on the rate at which the candidate completes courses and how many credits are required for completion of the respective certification program.
Other Important Information
- While certification and degrees can be earned either part time or full time, Clinical Internship: Student Teaching (EDU-4024 & EDU-4050) carries full‐time status and full‐time tuition.
- If a candidate is considering dual certification in a secondary subject‐specific area and elementary education, extra courses may be required.
- A maximum of three education courses may be taken during a semester either by taking two general education courses and one special education course or one general education course and two special education courses.
- The Education Department’s policies allow for one additional course to be taken concurrently with EDU-4024 and EDU-4050.
- To be certified in New Jersey, a candidate must be a citizen or sign a document that they intend to become a citizen within five years. The candidate must also pledge allegiance to the United States.
Course Requirements for Certification
Educational Psychology Courses – 8 credits
These courses are specific to the level of certification the candidate is working towards. EDP-3013 is exclusive to Centenary University and must be taken at our institution.
| EDP-2001 | Pre-School and School Aged Development (birth-18) | 4 |
| EDP-3013 | Psych of High/Low Incidence Exceptional | 4 |
EDP-2001:
1. Birth–18 years
2. Candidates who are earning K‐6 Elementary School Teacher certification may substitute a course in Child Psychology for this requirement. Candidates who are earning K‐12 Secondary Education certification may substitute a course in Adolescent Psychology for this requirement. Candidates who are earning any Middle School Endorsement, which is earned in conjunction with the K‐6 certification, must have both Child Psychology and Adolescent Psychology courses to meet this requirement.
Teaching certification courses – 40 credits
Courses are specific to the level of certification the candidate is working towards.
| EDU-2000 | Foundations of Education | 4 |
| EDU-2003 | Foundations of Education: Teaching K-6 (science) | 4 |
| - | | |
| - | Or | |
| - | | |
| EDU-2004 | Found of Educ: Teaching Content Areas | 4 |
| EDU-3031 | Special Education: Learner's Perspective | 4 |
| EDU-3038 | Classroom Mgmt for Challenging Behavior Literacy in Special Education | 4 |
| EDU-3053 | Foundations of Literacy in Elementary Ed Literacy in Special Education | 4 |
| - | | |
| - | Or | |
| - | | |
| EDU-3054 | Literacy in the Content Areas Literacy in Special Education | 4 |
| EDU-3052 | Elementary Teaching Methodology Literacy in Special Education | 4 |
| - | | |
| - | Or | |
| - | | |
| EDU-3056 | English Curriculum and Instruction Literacy in Special Education | 4 |
| - | Or | |
| EDU-3057 | Mathematics Curriculum and Instruction | 4 |
| - | Or | |
| EDU-3058 | Biology Curriculum and Instruction Literacy in Special Education | 4 |
| - | Or | |
| EDU-3059 | Social Studies Curriculum & Instruction Literacy in Special Education | 4 |
| - | | |
| EDU-3080 | Clinical Experience: Teaching Practicum And Assessing Outcomes | 4 |
| EDU-4024 | Applications in Literacy Literacy in Special Education | 2 |
| EDU-4050 | Clinical Internship: Student Teaching Literacy in Special Education | 10 |
Note:
1. EDU-2003, EDU-3053 and EDU-3052: Elementary Certification K‐6 & Middle School Certification 5-8
2. EDU-2004, EDU-3054, EDU-3056, EDU-3057, EDU-3058, and EDU-3059: Secondary Certification K-12
Teacher of Students with Disabilities Endorsement
This endorsement that allows candidates to teach in special education classrooms and act as in class support teachers is earned concurrently with a K-6 Elementary School Teacher certification or a K-12 Secondary Education certification for undergraduate and post‐baccalaureate candidates who are currently seeking initial certification.
| EDU-3000 | Assistive Technology | 1 |
| EDU-3031 | Special Education: Learner's Perspective | 4 |
| EDU-3033 | Language Development, Communication, and Literacy in Special Education | 4 |
| EDU-3034 | Special Education Methods and Materials Literacy in Special Education | 4 |
| EDU-3038 | Classroom Mgmt for Challenging Behavior Literacy in Special Education | 4 |
| EDP-3013 | Psych of High/Low Incidence Exceptional | 4 |