Undergraduate Secondary Education Teacher Licensure

This program leads to a Colorado Provisional license in seventh through twelfth grade.  Teachers at the secondary are licensed in one teaching field.  The fields are English, mathematics, science, social studies, or a foreign language: Spanish, French, Italian, German, Japanese, Russian, or Latin.  Secondary Education licensure candidates must have a minimum 2.75 GPA in their content area.

Course Requirements for Secondary Licensure
Undergraduates must satisfy the Arts & Sciences (A&S) Core Curriculum.  The following Program of Studies Checklists shows the required courses for Secondary licensure seekers by content area.  Select courses from the checklist in order to satisfy the Core, content area, and Education courses most efficiently.

Undergraduate Program of Studies Checklists for:
Secondary English Education (PDF)
Secondary Mathematics Education (PDF)
Secondary Science Education (PDF)
Secondary Social Studies Education (PDF)

Checklists for Languages:
Secondary Spanish Education (PDF)
Secondary French Education (PDF)
Secondary German Education (PDF)
Secondary Japanese Education (PDF)
Secondary Russian Education (PDF)
Secondary Latin Education (PDF)

Approved Majors for Freshmen Beginning Fall 2001 and Later*

Under rules described by the Colorado Department of Higher Education, A&S students who apply to an initial licensure program must have declared a state-approved major.  What follows is a list of state-approved majors for Secondary education.  With careful planning and regular advising, students who declare approved majors may complete degree and licensure requirements in four years.

*Several additional majors are pending CCHE approval. We will update this list as majors are approved.

Admission Criteria

• Minimum 2.75 GPA overall
• At least 26 semester hours completed or in progress
• A minimum of 25 hours of satisfactory, age appropriate youth experience
• Declaration of a state-approved major
• Demonstration of basic skills

• Spring admission:  September 15
• Fall admission:  February 1

Click here to download the Application Checklist & Instructions

1. A completed Application for Admission to the Teacher Education Program.
   
   
2. A well-written personal statement that addresses the prompts below.  The statement should be 1,000 words in length, typed, double-spaced, and in a standard size typeface.
• Why you want to become a (level/subject) teacher and why now.
• Description of a powerful learning experience in your life and how it might inform your own teaching in the future.
• Reflection on personal strengths (e.g., intellectual passion, academic abilities, dispositions to work with youth and professional colleagues) and lived experiences that you will build upon to reach and teach all learners.
  
  
3. One letter of recommendation from a college-level instructor who can speak to your academic competencies.  The letter may not be from your youth experience supervisor, a neighbor, friend, or relative.
   
   
4. Evidence of ability to interact positively and work constructively for a minimum of 25 hours with school-aged children of the appropriate age for the licensure type.  All applicants must submit a Youth Experience Verification Form completed by a supervisor who can verify the amount, level, and kind of interactions performed.
• Acceptable age ranges: Secondary 11-18
• Unacceptable experiences:  Peer counseling performed in high school, babysitting or nannying, any experience supervised by a relative or friend, any experience involving your own children, child relatives, or a friend’s children.
• Time limit: 5 years from the application deadline
  
  
5. CDE Authorized Fingerprint Card and a cashier's check or money order for $39.50 exactly, payable to Colorado Bureau of Investigation. Review the School of Education Fingerprinting Policy & Instructions for full details on completing this requirement.

For Questions

There are few ways for you to direct your questions:

1. Come by the Office of Student Services in Education, room 151. Write to us at edadvise@colorado.edu, or call us at (303) 492-6555.
2. Attend one of the undergraduate information sessions offered during the fall and spring semesters.