1. Bachelor of Arts in Education (B.A. in Ed.) degree
Major: Elementary Education (K-8)
Endorsement options:
a. Bilingual Education (Pre-K-12)
b. English as a Second Language (ESL) (Pre-K-12)*
c. Early Childhood Education (Birth-3rd grade)
d. Special Education (Pre-K-12)
e. Middle-Level Math (4-9)
f. Middle-Level Science (4-9)
g. Middle-Level Humanities (4-9)
2. Bachelor of Arts in Education (B.A. in Ed.) degree
Major: Middle-Level Education (4-9)
Endorsement options:
a. Middle-Level Humanities
b. Middle-Level Math
c. Middle-Level Science
3. Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree (5-12)
a. Major: Visual Arts
b. Major: English/Language Arts
c. Major: Mathematics
d. Major: Science: Endorsement options:
Biology (5-12)
Chemistry (5-12)
4. Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Early Childhood Studies (ECS)
Major: Early Childhood Studies (ECS)
5. Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree
Major: Psychology
Major: Interdisciplinary Studies
Primary concentration choices: Education, psychology;
Secondary concentration choices: Education,psychology, or another department
Associate of Arts (A.A.) degree
Content Concentration
* The endorsement for English as a Second Language is called English Language Learner (ELL) by the State of Washington’s certification office.
Outcomes for Residency Teacher Preparation Program (B.A. and M.I.T.)
The baccalaureate and graduate degrees with the Residency teacher Certification is designed to provide broad preparation for students planning to teach. Candidates are expected to provide teacher-based and student-based evidence related to the following knowledge and skill outcomes:
- Demonstrate skill in designing/adapting developmentally appropriate instruction based on relevant subject matter and curriculum standards.
- Demonstrate positive impact on student learning through the use of differentiated instruction and assessment methods to develop the critical thinking, problem solving, technology, and application skills of students
- Demonstrate reflective planning, instruction, and communication that reflect the application of learning theory/child development of diverse learners
- Demonstrate professional dispositions that enhance student learning and professional development
- Demonstrate professional accountability for student growth through submission of a portfolio or capstone performance tasks
TEACHER PREPARATION PROGRAM OPTIONS AND REQUIREMENTS
The Teacher Preparation Program at Heritage University is a performance-based program that prepares students at both the undergraduate and graduate levels for teaching positions. Prior to receiving recommendations for licensure, a candidate must demonstrate competence on a number of professional standards, including subject matter content, pedagogical practices, collection of data that reflect student progress, and other elements of professionalism. Candidates will also need to complete one or more pedagogical assessment portfolios and submit them for review prior to being recommended for certification.
Prior to admission to the Teacher Preparation Program, candidates interested in pursuing a residency teaching certificate must take the WEST-B, which comprises three entry-level tests. The College of Education Psychology encourages students interested in education to take the WEST-B as early as possible and recommends the following:
Reading and writing subtests - at the completion of ENG 102
Math subtest - at the completion of MATH 101 or equivalent (e.g. MATH 116 or 117)
Residency Teaching Certificate Requirements
Completion of either the B.A. in Education (K-8 or 4-9) or the B.A. degree (5-12), completion of all state requirements for certification, and successful passage of a pedagogical exam, qualify students to teach in the State of Washington in areas approved for Heritage University by the Professional Education Standards Board. Students who already hold a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college/university may also qualify by completing and successfully passing a pedagogical exam.
Candidates completing the elementary education endorsement are required by Heritage University to complete an additional endorsement.
All Residency Teacher Certification candidates must also complete an additional subject knowledge assessment (WEST-E) as a state requirement for a desired endorsement. Prior to a candidate being issued a 180-day permit or recommendation to OSPI for certification, the WEST-B exam in their major area must be passed. For information on test registration/administration, see your advisor or the certification officer at Heritage University. The WEST-B exam should be taken as soon as possible in the program but not later than one semester prior to the semester in which the student hopes to complete co-teaching internship and the pedagogical assessment.
Students of education are required to develop and maintain a professional e-portfolio throughout their time of study. This portfolio is intended to show evidence of the candidate's development ability to positively impact student growth.
Candidates should be aware that they must meet all current State of Washington certification requirements that are in place at the time of their final application for certification. (These requirements may change from the time a candidate starts the program to the time they apply for certification.)
Teacher Certification Programs Admission Guidelines
The guidelines below apply to all residency teaching certificates for undergraduate education post-baccalaureate certification only.
- Candidate applies for admission to teacher certificate programs in his or her first semester of education course work, coinciding with ED 305 or EdR 300.
- Interviews for admission are conducted during the first semester or education course work.
At the time of the interview, candidates must have on file:
Completed copy of their application for admission to the Teacher Preparation program
Completed character and fitness supplement, FORM SPI/CERT4020B
Official scores from Pearson for all three subtests of the WEST-B exam
Assessment of professional disposition form from two education instructors
Initial portfolio of designated work samples
- Following the admission interview, the program chair will review the documentation listed above along with the official recommendation of the interview team to determine the candidate's status in the program.
The following criteria will be used to determine admission status of the candidate.
For unconditional admission to the program, a candidate must have:
- A completed application for admission to the Teacher Preparation program
- Completed the character and fitness supplement
- Completed the General University Course Requirements (GUCRs)
- Passed all three subtests of the WEST-B exam
- Satisfactory ratings on the assessment of professional dispositions
- Approval recommended by interview team
For conditional admission to the program, a candidate may have:
- A completed application for admission to the Teacher Preparation program not received
- Unsatisfactory completion of General University Course Requirements (GURs)
- Indicators of concern noted on the assessment of professional dispositions
- Conditional approval recommended by the interview team
Other conditions may be identified at the discretion of the program chair according to this or her professional judgment. All conditions must be met before the candidate interviews for approval to student teach.
All candidates receiving conditional admission will receive a letter specifying the conditions.
A candidate may be deferred admission to the program if they have:
- Deficient completion of General University Course Requirements (GURs)
- Failed to attempt all three subtests of the WEST-B exam
- Significant concerns expressed on the assessment of professional disposition
- Inadequate writing skills, as judged by faculty in the Education and/or English departments
- Earned less than a B (3.0) in ED 305
- Earned less than an accumulative GPA of 2.60 for the most recent 30 semester or 45 quarter credits
- Non-approved of admission by the interview team
Any candidate deferred admission to the Teacher Certification Program, according to the guidelines listed above, may not enroll in education, bilingual education, special education, or classes. All candidates being deferred admission will have a right to appeal the decision to the dean of the College of Education and Psychology.
A candidate may be granted provisional status* is they have attempted all three subtests of the WEST-B but have not passed one or two subtests.
*Provisional status is applied to students who pass one or two of the three subtests on the WEST-B exam; students have until the end of the current academic year to pass all three subtests before being placed on deferred status. Students can continue to take courses until the end of the current academic year, ending in August. Deferred status will not allow students to register for any additional education courses (Education [ED], Bilingual Education [BLE], Special Education [SPED] or Early Childhood Education [ECE] courses).
Residency Teaching Certificate
Students officially accepted into the Teacher Preparation program must maintain a 2.80 cumulative GPA. Courses in the professional core endorsement areas, or supporting course work, may not be taken pass/no pass or fall below a C (2.0) grade. Accepted applicants for the residency certificate who have a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution other than Heritage University, or transfer students, must also be admitted to the Teacher Preparation program and complete at least one-half the required professional core courses, and methodology course, plus co-teaching internship, at Heritage University.
Assessment of certification candidates' dispositions is an important element of the College of Education and Psychology unit assessment system. Dispositions are the attributes of professional, including attitudes and principles that ultimately manifest themselves in tendencies to act in a particular way.
Assessments of professional dispositions are not based on a single class performance. Rather, assessments are conducted periodically, over time and in several courses, to identify dispositional patterns. All candidates for certification will be assessed, using the rating scale, at various points in their course of study on each of the adopted dispositions and will be provided feedback about their dispositional strengths and weaknesses.
In addition, because of the responsibility of members to he teaching profession to the total development of young people, and notwithstanding a student's enrollment in or gradation from the College of Education and Psychology, the dean and the faculty of the college reserve the right to refuse to admit to a teaching program, or recommend a student for a teaching certificate or endorsement, if, in the opinion of the dean and the faculty, such a recommendation or assignment would be contrary to or in violation of WAC 181-79A-155 -- Good Moral Character and Personal Fitness. Any potential student concerned about such issues should immediately contact the certification office at (509) 865-8592 for assistance.
Departmental requirements are subject to change according to state certification requirements. Completion of requirements for a degree does not guarantee that all requirements for certification have been met.
Applications for co-teaching internship are made one to two semesters prior to program completion, depending on the program. Graduation applications are completed two semesters prior to graduation date. Completion of the institutional application for a teacher's certificate, character and fitness supplement, and fingerprint processing by OSPI are required at program-specific times determined by the College of Education and Psychology. Certification candidates must pass the WEST-E exam(s) in all endorsement areas prior to applying for co-teaching internship.
Education Placement Services