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Contact Information

School of Education
PO Box 1510
Pembroke, NC 28372

Phone: 910.521.6221/6539
Fax: 910.521.6165
Email: soe@uncp.edu

Location: Education Center, Room 108
Campus Map

 


Licensure

For additional Licensure Information contact:

Mrs. Janetta C. Obeda
Licensure Officer
Phone:  910.521.6879
Fax:  910.775.4247
Email:  janetta.obeda@uncp.edu
School of Education, Room 337

 

Admission to the Teacher Education Program
The Teacher Education Committee selectively admits and periodically evaluates students in the Teacher Education Program on the basis of scholastic aptitude and suitability for teaching. Admission into the University as a student does not automatically satisfy eligibility requirements for admission to the Teacher Education Program. Eligibility for admission into the Teacher Education Program will be determined by regulations current at the time initial application is made for admission into the program.

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Eligiblity

To be eligible for consideration by the Teacher Education Committee and approved for admission to the Teacher Education Program, each candidate must: 

  • Have not more than 9 hours of the General Education requirements remaining.

  • Have earned a “C” (2.0) or better in EDN 3020 or the approved equivalent course.

  • Have earned a grade of at least a “C-“(C if the course was repeated) in all required specialty area, professional studies, and content pedagogy courses completed at the time of admission, with exception of EDN 3020, which requires a grade of “C.”

  • Have at least a 2.5 cumulative Quality Point Average (QPA) on a 4.0 scale on all prior college/university course work.

  • Meet the state established scores on Praxis I, SAT, or ACT.  An official copy of the scores must be sent to UNCP.  Students must meet the scores at the time they apply to and qualify for admission to the Teacher Education.

  • Satisfactorily complete an admission interview after completing all the above requirements.

  • Complete a Candidate for Professional Licensure (CPL) form.  CPL forms are available in the School of Education Licensure Office and on the School of Education website under Student Forms.

 

Students should apply for admission to the Teacher Education Program when all of the requirements for admission have been met.  Applications are available in the School of Education Licensure Office and on the School of Education website under Student Forms.  Formal admission to the Teacher Education Program is a prerequisite for enrollment in many specialty area, professional studies, and content pedagogy courses.

Students will receive written notification from the School of Education that their application for the Teacher Education Program is approved or disapproved by the Teacher Education Committee.  A student is not considered admitted to the Teacher Education Program until such notification is received.

Testing Requirement for Admission to the Teacher Education Program
State law requires that an undergraduate student seeking a degree in teacher education must attain passing scores on a pre-professional skills test prior to admission to an approved teacher education program in a North Carolina college or university. Students seeking admission to the Teacher Education Program must satisfactorily complete the Praxis I Series, which includes subtests in reading, writing, and mathematics, or achieve the state established scores on the SAT or the ACT that allow individuals to be exempt from Praxis I testing requirements. Students must meet the required scores in effect at the time they apply to and qualify for admission to the Teacher Education Program. The School of Education must receive an official copy of the scores before the student may be admitted to the Teacher Education Program. Student copies of scores are not acceptable. For more information about testing requirements or other requirements for admission to the Teacher Education Program, students should contact the School of Education.

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Students with disabilities

Students with disabilities who may require special accommodations should contact Dr. Zoe Locklear, Dean, of the School of Education and Ms Mary Helen Walker, the Director of Disability Support Services. 

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.NC State Licensure Examination Requirement:  The Praxis II

All persons qualifying for licensure in North Carolina in the areas Elementary Education, Birth to Kindergarten Education and Special Education must pass the designated Praxis II specialty area test(s), as required.  Alternative licensure teachers must meet Praxis II requirements as defined by current NC State Board of Education policy.
 
The School of Education must receive an official copy of satisfactory scores before a recommendation for licensure can be forwarded to the NC State Department of Public Instruction.  Candidates should have their scores sent directly to the University by the testing company.  Candidate copies are not accepted.  Applications and information about the Praxis II tests are available at the Educational Testing Service website at http://www.ets.org. 

 

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.Licensure-Only/Lateral Entry: What is Lateral Entry?

Lateral Entry: Criteria and Conditions
A lateral entry license entitles the holder to be employed by and serve as a teacher in North Carolina schools. Lateral entry licenses are authorized on a provisional basis in major areas of academic study for which the state has established licensure.

Criteria

  • Applicants for a lateral entry license must be employed by a North Carolina school system and hold at least a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution in the subject area they are employed to teach or hold at least a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university and have satisfied Praxis II testing requirements for the license area.
  • Individuals must have a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.5 (on a 4.0 scale) or have passed the NTE/Praxis I tests and have earned one of the following:

    • GPA of 3.0 in the major field of study
    • GPA of 3.0 on all work completed in the senior year or
    • GPA of 3.0 on a minimum of 15 semester hours of course work (related to the area of licensure) completed during the preceding five years.

  • Graduates of approved education programs who are not recommended for licensure by their college or university are not eligible for a lateral entry license. However, a person who has satisfied all major degree requirements but has a minor deficiency or technical requirement can apply for a lateral entry license if employed by a school system. Such a deficiency cannot exceed six semester hours and must be corrected during the first year of licensure.

Individuals who have completed all education program requirements except the Praxis Series tests are not eligible for lateral entry licensing.

Conditions

  • The applicant and the employing school system submit a joint application to the Licensure Section.
  • Individuals licensed through lateral entry must complete an approved education program in their area of licensure at a college or university or through a Regional Alternative Licensing Center (RALC). The college or RALC evaluates the individual’s credentials and outlines the course work necessary to earn a clear license. Successful teaching experience can substitute for the student teaching requirement.
  • An initial lateral entry license is valid for two school years. It can be extended for one year if the holder earns a minimum of six semester hours of the outlined course work per year. Lateral entry employees must meet all program requirements within three years.
  • Lateral entry employees must earn the required score on the designated Praxis Series specialty area test or subject assessment tests during their first two years of licensure. If they do not, the license cannot be extended.
  • Lateral entry license holders are subject to all regulations that apply to other beginning teachers in North Carolina. They must successfully complete three years of teaching in the Initial Licensure Program before their licenses can be converted from lateral entry to clear and continuing status. Lateral entry employees retain initial status throughout the entire period during which they complete academic and testing requirements.
  • Individuals entering public school service through lateral entry must complete a two-week training course prior to service in the schools or submit evidence of equivalent training. The required training may include effective teaching methods, classroom management and discipline procedures, and an orientation to local school policies and procedures.
  • For a lateral entry license to remain valid, the holder must meet the testing and progressive credit requirements within the three-year limit whether or not he or she continues to be employed in a North Carolina school system. 

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.Alternate Routes To Licensing

The UNCP Teacher Education Program offers three alternative pathways to licensure:

  • Licensure-only—available in all licensure areas offered by the unit
  • NC TEACH II—a Department of Education grant-funded initiative, in partnership with the state NC TEACH office and selected school systems, to recruit persons with bachelor’s degree and work experience into teaching. Licensure is offered in middle grades, special education, and secondary math and science.
  • Master of Arts in Teaching Program—specializations in art education, middle grades education, music education, physical education and secondary English education, mathematics education, science education, and social studies education. More information about this pathway can be found in the School of Graduate Studies section of the catalog.

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.Licensure Only
 

The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction issues licenses to teach in the public schools. Individuals who already possess a baccalaureate degree must satisfy individually determined requirements for licensure based on previous study and professional experiences. Candidates must apply to UNCP and must have earned a degree from a regionally accredited college or university. In determining requirements for licensure-only candidates, consideration will be given to alternative means of demonstrating the knowledge and competencies for licensure. Licensure-only students are subject to the same Teacher Education Program admission and continuation regulations as degree seeking students. Additional information is available from the School of Education. 

Licensure-only candidates who have an overall Quality Point Average (QPA) of 2.5 at the time the degree was awarded may request a Plan of Study (POS) that is developed based upon his/her educational background and intended licensure area. Official transcripts from each institution attended must accompany the request. Based upon review of the transcript(s) by the School of Education Licensure Office and the appropriate program coordinator, a Plan of Study is developed. Upon successful completion of the prescribed POS, the student may apply for licensure recommendation from The University of North Carolina at Pembroke.

An In-Focus Plan of Study is for licensure only students who do not have an overall GPA of 2.5 at the time the degree was awarded.  Eligibility requirements for an In-Focus Plan of Study are as follows:

  • Hold at least a Bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university;
  • Meet the state established scores on Praxis I, SAT, or ACT;
  • Have an overall grade point average of 3.0 on a minimum of fifteen (15) semester hours of coursework taken at UNCP relative to licensure (professional studies, content pedagogy, and specialty area courses);
  • Complete a Request for a Plan of Study (POS) form;
  • Submit an official transcript

To be admitted into the Teacher Education Program, In-Focus students must have:

  • Earned a "C" or better in EDN 3020 (Foundations of Education);
  • Earned a grade of at least a "C-" ("C" if the course was repeated) in all required professional studies, content pedagogy and specialty area courses completed at the time of admission;
  • At least a 2.5 cumulative Quality Point Average (QPA) on a 4.0 scale on all prior college/university course work;
  • Satisfactorily complete an admission to the Teacher Education Program interview and;
  • Complete a Candidate for Professional Licensure (CPL) form.

The admissions requirements listed above apply only to an individual holding a bachelor's degree from a regional accredited college or university and seeking teaching licensure. An alternative to the grade requirement (#3) is as follows: 

  • Earned a QPA of 3.0 on a minimum of fifteen (15) hours of course work taken at UNCP relative to licensure (professional studies, content pedagogy and specialty area courses) and;
  • Pass all three (3) parts (Reading, Writing and Mathematics) of the Praxis I exam.

The Regional Alternative Licensing Centers were created by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) specifically to help lateral entry teachers in North Carolina achieve full licensure. The centers will assist teaching candidates by evaluating their applications, prescribing a course of study, recommending requirements they need in order to receive full licensure and clearing the license so that they become fully licensed. Candidates can take the required coursework at any of the state’s colleges or universities.

Another option available for licensure-only students is to have a Plan of Study developed by one of North Carolina’s Regional Alternative Licensure Centers (RALCs). The Plan of Study includes a list of competency areas that the candidate must fulfill to clear his/her license. Upon completion of the specified requirements, the candidate may be recommended for licensure by the RALC. In order for licensure-only students to take courses at UNCP, the candidate must complete an application, which is available from the School of Education website, http://www.uncp.edu/soe under Student Forms, or from the School of Education Licensure Office. Candidates who have a Plan of Study through RALC will not be eligible for licensure recommendation from UNC Pembroke. Candidates should contact their Local Education Agency (LEA) when they are ready to clear their license.

The center closest to our region is located in Fayetteville, NC, located near the Cumberland County Board of Education. You can contact the site coordinator, Dr. David Jackson, at Fayetteville Regional Alternative Licensing Center, Post Office Box 2357; Fayetteville, NC 28302. The telephone number is 910.483.1495.  The Regional Alternative Licensure Center’s website is http://www.ralc.ccs.k12.nc.us.

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Program Completion


Once the student has completed all requirements for their program area including passing the Praxis II tests, UNCP can recommend him/her for licensure. The student will fill out an Application for a North Carolina License (Form A) and submit the required fee in the form of check or money order payable to NCDPI to the Licensure Office. At that time, the Licensure Office will request an official copy of his/her transcript from the Registrar’s Office and submit the documentation to NCDPI for processing his/her license. The required amount of time required for NCDPI to process their licensure packet is four to six (4-6) weeks.

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Updated: Wednesday, November 7, 2007

 

© The University of North Carolina at Pembroke
PO Box 1510 Pembroke, NC 28372-1510 • 800.949.UNCP (8627) • 910.521.6000