Learn More and ApplyTeaching and Learning: Secondary Education - Biology (MA or MEd)

Dispositions

The academic programs within the College of Education have set forth these dispositions as educational and professional expectations for all students.  Students should be aware that failing to abide by DePaul University or College of Education policies including, under certain circumstances, these dispositions, could result in adverse consequences for the student, including removal from his or her program, the College of Education, or the University. 

• Reflects on progress and identifies strengths and weaknesses, including evaluating strategies for success, finding alternatives for inappropriate strategies, and modifying future practices
• Is receptive to faculty feedback and acts meaningfully and professionally upon suggestions
• Values critical thinking, including engaging theoretical and philosophical frameworks and shows evidence of critical thinking through discussion and writing (e.g., journals, response to prompts)
• Understands the importance of and is committed to communicating clearly orally and in writing both in traditional and in new and emerging digital formats
• Values and is committed to continually developing strong content area knowledge and/or knowledge of the professional field, including pedagogical content knowledge
• Takes initiative, uses imagination and creativity, and seeks out information using a variety of human and material resources and technology to inform his or her teaching
• Is aware of the role of classroom environment and uses management procedures that reflect respect and care for learners and concern for their emotional and physical well being
• Takes the time and effort needed to understand how students learn, including discovering their interests and experiences and determining how to shape teaching acts (using technology as appropriate) that engage learners meaningfully and actively
• Values and is committed to using assessment to evaluate and ensure the continuous intellectual, social, emotional, and physical development of the learner
• Respects and considers cultural contexts in order to determine how to be responsive to learners and to proactively promote all students' learning
• Values and is responsive to diverse learners' academic, emotional, and social needs through teaching acts (including careful instructional planning, implementation, and differentiation) and through everyday interactions with students
• Is committed to collaboration with colleagues, families, and communities in order to promote all students' learning and development
• Recognizes and fulfills professional responsibilities and habits of conduct (e.g., dress, language, preparedness, attendance, punctuality, etc.)
• Demonstrates collegiality, honesty, good judgment, courtesy, respect, and diplomacy
• Balances self-confidence and assertiveness with respect for others' perspectives
• Respects the requirements, expectations, and procedures of both the College of Education and of our field partners and appreciates the issues of trust, fairness, and professionalism involved  

Licensure Tests

All individuals licensed by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) are required to complete licensure tests specific to their teaching license.  Each test has a state mandated timeline by which to pass the test.  The Academic Success Center can provide help through tutoring, workshops, and online resources to help each student succeed.

Field Experiences

Each student seeking licensure from the College of Education / Professional Education Unit must complete supervised field experiences in appropriate settings in conjunction with education courses. The field experiences must include a variety of grade levels, multicultural experiences, and a minimum of 15 hours in special education settings.  All field experiences must be completed prior to final approval for student teaching.  Field experience hours should be entered by the student into the FEDS system when completing courses with field experience requirements.    

Endorsements

An endorsement is a statement appearing on a license that identifies the specific subjects or grade level that the license holder is authorized to teach.
  
The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) issues endorsements in various subject areas.  To view the full list and requirements, visit the ISBE website. 
  
Please note that the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) may change the state licensure and endorsement requirements at any time and without prior notice. Individuals are bound by the requirements in place when applying for the license or endorsement, not the requirements in place when beginning the program.

Student Teaching Requirements

Student Teaching is the culminating clinical experience in the student's program. All students in teacher preparation programs must meet the following requirements before applying for student teaching:

Academic Requirements:

• Completion of all Education, Content Area, and Graduate level Content Area courses
• Overall cumulative G.P.A. of 3.00 or better
• Meet all other program requirements  (e.g., residency requirements) 
• Meet designated program standards 
• Pass the required Illinois licensure content area test

Clinical Requirements:

• Completion of all required field experiences
• Three satisfactory evaluations in field experiences
• Three satisfactory faculty recommendations
• Attendance at mandatory meeting for student teaching
• Application for student teaching, resume, transcripts, and writing sample (check deadlines)
• Review and approval by Student Teaching Committee of the College of Education

Student Teaching Timeline and Deadlines:

• Attend a Mandatory Meeting approximately 1 year prior to expected quarter of student teaching.
• Submit application for student teaching after attending Mandatory Meeting, approximately 1 year prior to student teaching. 
• Academic requirements must be passed one quarter before expected quarter of student teaching. 
• Content area tests must be passed prior to Student Teaching (deadlines apply).
• Clinical requirements are completed as course requirements.  Field experience hours are entered by the student as coursework is completed. 

Online Faculty Evaluations are entered by the instructor of relevant courses.  All data must be entered in the Field Experience Documentation System (FEDS) due one month prior to student teaching. 
  
Individual childcare agencies and public and private school districts may have additional requirements (application, training, background check, etc.). 

Degree Conferral and Graduation

The awarding of a degree is not automatic. You must submit an application to be considered for the degree. DePaul awards and posts degrees at the end of each regular academic term (autumn, winter, spring, summer).

It is your responsibility to initiate the graduation application (degree conferral) process by submitting an online application.  Submitting an application means you intend to finish your degree requirements by the end of the term for which you have applied. 

Graduate students must be approved for student teaching and complete student teaching, seminar, and induction courses to be cleared for the degree.  Student must submit graduation application for the quarter you are completing the final course (student teaching is considered a course).

After you submit the application, you cannot register for any term after the one selected in the application.

To apply for graduation (degree conferral), log on to Campus Connect.  Select the Academic Progress tile, then apply for Graduation.  On screen instructions will take you through the application process. 

Provided that all requirements and financial obligations are met, degrees are posted 30 days after the official end of the term. Official dates are listed on the Academic Calendar.

DePaul holds one commencement ceremony each year in June. If you intend to participate, you must first apply for graduation (degree conferral) for the current academic year and then submit a cap and gown order.  Honors are not announced at the ceremony for undergraduates completing their final courses in spring quarter because a final GPA is not available at the time of the ceremony.  Eligibility for the June Commencement ceremony is limited to individuals that complete the entirety of their program (including student teaching) within the same academic year (prior to the ceremony).

Additional information about degree conferral and graduation can be found on the College of Education website.

Licensure

Requirements for licensure include completion of the full licensure program and all licensure tests (including OPI for world language majors).  A bachelor's degree is required; a master’s degree is not.

Individuals must submit an application directly to the Illinois State Board of Education after completion of requirements and after DePaul has submitted notification to ISBE.  Application requirements include application form, application fee, official transcripts, and registration fee. 

All individuals must meet ISBE requirements in place at the time of application for the license.  Requirements are subject to change per the discretion of ISBE. 

Individuals seeking additional endorsements after applying for the license must contact ISBE directly for an evaluation request.  ​

Sept 1, 2015 begins the implementation of a new requirement for any individual seeking teaching licensure in the State of Illinois. The new requirement is the Teacher Performance Assessment (“edTPA”), which is mandated by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) for anyone that completes student teaching in Fall 2015 and beyond.  EdTPA is an assessment conducted during the student teaching experience. For this assessment, teacher candidates are required to create video clips of instruction, lesson plans, student work samples, analyses of student learning, and teacher candidate reflective commentaries for a learning segment and submit these components using an electronic portfolio to Evaluation Systems an outside agency that is a group of Pearson Publishing.  The portfolio will be independently evaluated by a panel of trained reviewers hired by Pearson.  For this service a fee is charged. The panel of scorers of edTPA are selected and trained by Evaluation Systems. DePaul University is neither affiliated with Evaluation Systems nor Pearson Publishing and by ISBE regulation cannot be involved in edTPA registration, submission of portfolios, or scoring of individual teacher candidate portfolios. Institutions of higher education are required by the Illinois State Board of Education to provide teacher candidates with information to prepare for edTPA; however, the process of edTPA is external to DePaul University and is not monitored by DePaul University’s College of Education.