Education: Teacher Licensure

Teaching is most definitely an art. At Salem, women (undergraduate) and men and women (graduate-level) looking to become educational leaders of tomorrow learn the art of teaching through a careful and intentional blend of course work and multiple field-based experiences. And through it all, they enjoy a close and collaborative learning environment.

To be admitted to teacher candidacy, applicants must have a minimum GPA of 3.0. Undergraduate students must have earned a minimum score on one of the following tests:  SAT (1100 combined score), ACT (24), or Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators (468 composite score).  MAT applicants must have a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution and the minimum GPA of 3.0. For more information, please see Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) Program.

Teacher Licensure for Elementary (K-6) or General Curriculum Special Education (grades K-12)

Candidates wishing to obtain licensure for elementary education (K-6) or general curriculum special education (K-12) may currently select any major offered by Salem College and pursue licensure coursework as well. Students wishing to obtain teacher licensure for elementary or special education are advised to complete the following professional studies curriculum, including the Teachers as Practitioners semester (student teaching) in addition to one of the interdisciplinary concentrations in the teaching, schools and society major. To ensure satisfactory progress, elementary and special education licensure candidates should seek advising from the director of teacher education or an advisor in the Teacher Education Department as early as possible in their academic programs.

Teacher Licensure for Candidates in Middle School (grades 6-8) Secondary (9-12) Content Areas, Art (K-12) and Second Language (grades K-12)

Candidates wishing to teach middle (6-8) or secondary (9-12) content, art (K-12), or second language (Spanish) currently major in the discipline they plan to teach: art (licensure concentration) for art; English for language arts; biology or chemistry for science; economics, history, international relations, psychology, or sociology for social sciences; mathematics for math; or Spanish for second language. Candidates should seek advising from the director of teacher education as early as possible in their degree programs.

• A required course for teacher education is Texts in Context. This course addresses young adult and children’s literature as a central relevance to K-12 education.  A foundational understanding of this course is that education and literacy are key to the health of children and the overall health of communities. Through a close examination of young adult and children’s literature, this course will examine social determinants of health as demonstrated in literary works.
• Students in the MAT licensure program can specialize in Elementary Education, Special Education, Middle School/High School content areas, Second Languages, or Art. With a focus on developing teachers who will lead in their schools from a student-centered, constructivist lens, teachers learn the effects of physical and social-emotional health on the development of healthy communities. A focus on Education as one of the five Social Determinants of Health is emphasized throughout the program.
• Students in the MAT licensure program in Special Education learn to recognize, evaluate, and address specific physical, social-emotional, and learning needs of individual students. They become health leaders in their schools by addressing the needs of all students to support their health, well-being, and school success.