Education Curriculum for Teachers of Academic Subjects

Program Contact/Coordinator

Patrick Hales, Assistant Professor, Coordinator
Department of Teaching, Learning, and Leadership
Wenona Hall 219
605-688-4369

Program Information

The Secondary Teacher Education program prepares students to teach in an academic major  and/or other fields in which they are appropriately prepared. Students complete the requirements for a B.S or B.A. degree in an academic major before or while meeting the requirements for South Dakota teacher certification. The program in Teacher Education is a certification program in which students who are completing a major in an academic discipline of their choice can become certified in secondary education (middle and high school) in one or several subject areas and/or K-12 teaching in art, world languages, music, or physical education.  

Program Admission

The coursework for teacher education is divided into four professional semesters. In addition, once one has finished the professional sequence, he/she must be recommended for certification to teach in South Dakota. The requirements for each are as follows:

Admission into Pre-Residency I (EDFN 101 , EDFN 351 )

In order to register for the two courses of Pre-Residency I (PR-I) a candidate must be at least a sophomore at the beginning of the semester in which he/she is taking the PR-I courses.

Admission into Pre-Residency II (EDFN 352 , EDFN 352L )

Candidates admitted into Pre-Residency II are considered members of the Teacher Education Program and are classified as “Education Candidates.” In order to achieve this status, a candidate must have:

1. Achieved a junior status at the University;
2. Completed PR-I with grades of “C” or better and be recommended by PR-I faculty;
3. Hold an overall GPA of 2.5 or higher;
4. Met competency requirements:

• English: a grade of “C” or above in ENGL 101  or credit by examination
• Math: a grade of “C” or above in MATH 103  or higher level math course or credit by examination
• Speech: a grade of “C” or above in SPCM 101  or higher or credit by examination;
• Completed an application for admission to Teacher Education which includes appropriate biographical and background information; and

5. Have a current transcript on file in the department office.

Admission into Residency I & II (EDFN 453 , EDFN 453L , EDFN 454 )

Education candidates will be permitted to register for the courses of Residency I and II if they have:

1. Achieved senior standing at the University;
2. Achieved a passing score on the Praxis Content Exam;
3. Been admitted to the Teacher Education Program and successfully completed all standard requirements therein (or alternatives decided by the Admissions and Scholastic Standards Committee);
4. Successfully completed all prerequisite coursework for the professional education program, including one special methods course in a major field (with exception of the sciences for which the methods course is a co-requisite), the South Dakota Indian Studies requirement and suicide awareness and prevention training;
5. Have the following minimum GPA’s:

• Education courses 2.7
• All courses completed at the “C” level or above
• Courses in the major 2.7
• Overall cumulative 2.5
• Pass content approved content test
  or
• Completed all competency plans and/or other activities prescribed by the Admissions and Scholastic Standards Committee;

6. Have recommendations on file in the department office from both the major adviser and the content methods instructor (these recommendations must include the candidate’s GPA in his/her major);
7. Meet with the placement supervisor of the Office of Field Experiences before October 1 (for Residency I in spring) or February 1 (for Residency I in the fall) and complete an Application for Student Teaching;
8. Hold non-probationary status; and
9. Prior to student teaching, a background check may be required.
   *See major department section for special methods courses.

Academic Requirements

• A grade of “C” or better is required in SPCM 101 , ENGL 101 , PSYC 101 , and MATH 103  or higher (if these courses are in your plan of study), and all courses for the major (classes with department/program prefix).
• An overall GPA of 2.5 is required to enroll in any education courses.

Accreditation, Certification, and Licensure

Accreditation

Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP)
South Dakota Department of Education

Certification and Licensure Requirements for South Dakota

• Complete an approved bachelor’s degree program in the content area, with all required teacher education coursework included.
• Complete an approved Indian Studies course.
• Pass the state designated content knowledge test.
• Pass the state designated pedagogy test.
• Complete a Suicide Awareness and Prevention training, available free online through the South Dakota Department of Education.
• Apply online with the South Dakota Department of Education.
• Receive a written recommendation from institution of higher education (SDSU) verifying program completion.

Course Delivery Format

Courses in Secondary Education are delivered face to face, online and hybrid (face to face and online combination). Most secondary education courses have practical applications in field experience settings in K-12 or 7-12.