General FAQ

BYU offers the following undergraduate degree programs related to teacher preparation:

B.S. in Early Childhood Education: For details, go to http://saas.byu.edu/catalog/current/depts/Teach_Ed/ECE.aspx

B.S. in Elementary Education: For details, go to  http://saas.byu.edu/catalog/current/depts/Teach_Ed/ElEd.aspx

B.S. in Elementary Education with an emphasis in Early Childhood Education: For details, go to  http://saas.byu.edu/catalog/current/depts/Teach_Ed/ElEd_Major.aspx#EarlyChildhood

B.S. in Teaching Social Science (secondary): For details, go to  http://saas.byu.edu/catalog/current/depts/Teach_Ed/ScEd_Major.aspx

Other secondary teaching degrees are available. Contact the appropriate major department. A list of these majors may be seen at  http://saas.byu.edu/catalog/current/depts/Teach_Ed/ScEd.aspx

Applications for admission are accepted twice a year: September 15 and January 15. Application forms and instructions are available online:

• Early Childhood Education      http://education.byu.edu/ted/early_childhood.html
• Elementary Education               http://education.byu.edu/ted/pdf/ElEdApplication.pdf
• Secondary Social Sciences      http://education.byu.edu/ted/secondary_forms.html

For other secondary education majors, contact the appropriate department or advisement center.

Deferment from the Elementary Education or Early Childhood Education program may be granted on the basis of extreme need, such as to serve a mission, for health or financial problems, and for special programs, such as Study Abroad or teaching in another country. For the procedures, click here.

Be sure to talk to an advisor and check your ABC report and the MAP for your major. The MAPs can be found at http://saas.byu.edu/depts/advisement/map.aspx.

Find your advisement center at http://saas.byu.edu/depts/registration/acad_advise.aspx

Be sure to talk to an advisor and check your ABC report and the MAP for your major. The MAPs can be found at http://saas.byu.edu/depts/advisement/map.aspx.

Find your advisement center at http://saas.byu.edu/depts/registration/acad_advise.aspx

The Teacher Work Sample (TWS) is a major assignment related to your clinical experience during your program.

The TWS contains seven teaching processes identified by research and best practice as fundamental to improving student learning. Each teaching process is followed by a TWS standard, pertinent INTASC standards addressed, the task, prompts, and a rubric that defines various levels of performance on the TWS standard.  The standards and rubrics will be used to evaluate the TWS. 

To complete a TWS, you will follow these steps:

1. Prepare a comprehensive unit by:

• describing contextual factors of your class,

• identifying learning goal(s) and objectives based on your state or district content standards (see Utah core at http://www.uen.org/core/ ),

• creating an assessment plan designed to measure student performance before (pre-assessment), during (formative assessment) and after (post-assessment), and

• design instruction (lessons) based on your goal(s) and objectives.

2.  Teach the unit you have prepared.

3.  After you teach the unit:

• analyze student learning, and

• reflect upon and evaluate your teaching as related to student learning.

Candidates will receive detailed TWS instructions and practice throughout the program.

The Utah State Office of Education grants the teacher endorsement for English as a Second Language (ESL). Having this endorsement attached to your teaching license strengthens your preparation and may enhance job opportunities. Undergraduates may begin the necessary courses (16 credit hours) at any time. With one additional course, you may obtain a TESOL minor ( see http://linguistics.byu.edu/tesolK12Minor.php for details). For further information on the state endorsement go to www.usoe.k12.ut.us or for the BYU program contact Valerie Hales at valerie_hales@byu.edu or you may access the ESL/BEEDE website.

The Praxis II content tests are developed by Educational Testing Service (ETS) to measure candidates' knowledge of the subjects they will teach, as well as general and subject -specific pedagogical skills and knowledge. State offices of education require these tests for teacher education candidates to measure the academic achievement and proficiency of individuals completing teacher preparation programs.

For more general details go to the ETS site at  http://ets.org/praxis/prxfaq.html

For details specific to BYU and Utah click here .

In lieu of student teaching, education majors may apply for a one-year internship through their department; applicants must submit a request for internship with the regular student teaching application in 120 MCKB.  

Candidates in Early Childhood Education (ECE) and Elementary Education with an ECE Emphasis (Duals) who obtain an Internship must complete their student teaching in either Preschool or Kindergarten during the Spring term preceding the internship. Duals who have not completed the second Elementary cohort by the Winter semester before the beginning of their internship will not be eligible to apply for an internship. 

See Policy and Procedures Handbook for Student Teaching and Internships, Section III, pp. 11-15 at education.byu.edu/ess

Student teaching applications are due during the first month of the semester prior to student teaching.  See the Field Services calendar at: education.byu.edu/fieldservices

Education majors may apply to student teach at one of the sites within the BYU National/International Student Teaching Program: Houston, TX; Mexico; Washington, D.C.  For further information contact the National/International Program Directors: 206-B MCKB, 422-8117.   

During the program, faculty members regularly review each candidate’s standing in (1) academics, (2) teaching, (3) interpersonal relations, and (4) professionalism. Patterns of deficiencies in any of these areas may result in suspension or termination from the program. For the complete policy, click here.

Candidates may submit a complaint or grievance about any aspect of their program. For the complete policy, click here.

Candidates must maintain a 2.85 GPA. Individual course grades in the professional semesters must be C- or higher. Lower grades requre professional review.

Students may appeal if they are being removed from the program because of poor academic performance, poor teaching performance, or lack of professionalism if they can provide information that supports a re-examination of their status. For the complete policy, click here.

Livetext is web-based data management / e-portfolio system which allows for the creation, sharing, saving, and storing of information, assignments, assessments and other artifacts to be used as evidence of candidate performance. You will register for Livetext during the admissions process. During your program you will submit key assignments to faculty for assessment via Livetext.

Assistance is available from the Livetext staff in 180MCKB. They may be contacted at 422-1190 or at livetext@byu.edu

Our educator preparation programs are centered on several aims designed to prepare professionals who (1) understand and apply the moral dimensions of teaching, (2) demonstrate academic excellence, (3) act with social competence, and (4) engage in meaningful collaboration. These aims together with the University aims provide a shared vision for our licensure programs. They provide direction for all aspects of the programs, including admissions, coursework design, candidate performance and assessment, and unit accountability. For the complete conceptual framework document, click here.

A career placement file is an essential step in the job search process. Instructions are available in both video and written format at http://educationplacement.byu.edu . Candidates are required to establish this file prior to the student teaching semester.