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Academic Catalog '11-'12 | Alternative Certification Program

Accelerated Certification Program

This certification program does not lead to a degree.

Faculty

Roberta Dorr, Associate Professor of Education

Description

The Trinity Accelerated Certification Program (A.C.P.), which consists of 20 credits at the graduate level, is a collaborative initiative between Trinity's School of Education and the District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS). The goal of the program is to recruit and prepare new teachers to meet the requirements for certification through an alternative route to teach elementary grades, secondary English, or secondary social studies. Participants in this program must be teaching in D.C. schools (public, private, charter or parochial) and must qualify for and obtain a Provisional Teaching Certificate from the District of Columbia. The program curriculum is grounded in the core propositions of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards and is customized to meet local certification and performance assessment requirements for teachers.

Participants in the Accelerated Certification Program are supported by a network of Trinity faculty and mentors comprising experienced school and teaching professionals who are dedicated to assuring each student's success. All program participants complete a final Teaching Portfolio that reflects the knowledge, skills, and competencies leading to initial licensure. The assignments in course work completed throughout the program comprise components of the portfolio.

Candidates for the Accelerated Certification Program must hold a baccalaureate degree having maintained an undergraduate GPA of at least 2.8. Additionally, they must successfully pass Praxis I. While Praxis II is not required for admission into the A.C.P. program, passing scores in content ARE required to obtain Provisional Certification in the District of Columbia.  It is recommended that applicants inquire of their employer as to whether Provisional Certification is a requirement of their job and, if so, to take the appropriate content area exam so that Trinity faculty can assist them to applying for Provisional Certification.  Students who complete the program requirements and the Praxis II in pedagogy will be eligible for standard certification in the District of Columbia.

Program Requirements Leading to Certification

Students in the Accelerated Certification Program (A.C.P.) must complete the following program requirements:

  1. Earn passing scores on the Praxis I examination, a pre-professional skills test administered by ETS in reading, writing, and mathematics. Earn passing scores on the Praxis II examination (content and pedagogy) required in their prospective field.
  2. Complete the 20 credits of sequenced graduate study in the Accelerated Certification Program with a minimum GPA of 3.0.
  3. Receive successful mid-term and final course and teaching assessments from Trinity faculty and the local school system.
  4. Complete a Teaching Portfolio documenting the knowledge, skills, and competencies required for initial licensure in the school district in which the student is teaching.
  5. A review of undergraduate course work in content and subject areas is also necessary to ensure that the general education requirements that pertain to teacher certification eligibility have been met.  These requirements usually involve 48 credit hours in a range of disciplines that help ensure that future teachers are well-equipped to meet rigorous content standards. All general education requirements must be met prior to the A.C.P. participant's application for standard teacher certification.

For students pursuing certification in the secondary field of English or social studies, the courses listed below are required in addition to general education and professional education requirements. Students wishing to be certified in a content area must pass both content and pedagogy areas of the Praxis II required in their areas.

English: Thirty-six (36) semester hours is required in course work from the following: writing process, American literature, English literature, linguistics, oral communication, world literature or comparative literature, multicultural literature, drama, journalism, adolescent literature, and mythology.

Social Studies: Thirty-three (33) semester hours is required in course work from   the following: history, world history, United States history, the history and government of the District of Columbia, physical or cultural geography, economics, political science, and at least one course in international relations, global studies, law, philosophy, psychology, sociology, social science, or anthropology.

Certification Requirements for Students Registered in the Accelerated Certification Program
Students must meet three general requirements to be recommended for certification:

1.  Successful completion of all program requirements (refer to the University Catalog for specific requirements).

2.  Successful completion of the capstone, final project, or student teaching (see below).

3.  Be in good academic standing (see Section VII below).

The minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) required is 3.0

No student who has more than 3 credits below a "B-" on his or her transcript may be recommended for certification.

All program requirements must be completed within five years of matriculation as a degree candidate.  Any request for an extension must be made in writing to the Dean.

Course Requirements

Course Requirements (20 credits)

ALL of the following courses:

EDCC 601
EDAC 601
EDAC 602
EDAC 603
EDAC 604
EDAC 605
EDAC 606
EDAC 689
(taken twice for 1 credit each term)

Course Descriptions

EDCC 601
EDAC 601
EDAC 602
EDAC 603
EDAC 604
EDAC 605
EDAC 606
EDAC 689


Trinity reserves the right to change, without prior notice, any policy or procedure, tuition or fee, curricular requirements, or any other information found on this web site or in its printed materials.

Questions may be directed to Virginia Broaddus, Ph.D., Provost at BroaddusV@trinitydc.edu.

For teacher education courses, check Continuing Education  Archived Course Descriptions and Schedules.

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