Education Preparation Program
(EPP) Admission
Candidates should work closely with their advisor(s) to follow the recommended 4 Year Plan leading to initial licensure.
It is the candidate’s responsibility to meet all requirements and specified deadlines.
Applications for Initial Entry into the EPP may occur as early as the second semester of Freshman year and should be no later than the second semester of Sophomore year.
**Initial Entry interviews occur only in the Spring semester.
- Important information from the TNDOE, regarding teacher candidates without a social security number:
“State of TN law prohibits state agencies from issuing professional licenses to individuals who are not eligible to work in the United States. Aside from a few specific exceptions, all individuals eligible to work in the United States are given a SSN. Therefore, the department is unable to process any licensure transactions for candidates without a SSN.”
Initial Entry Requirements
- Be enrolled at Maryville College
- Be a student between the second semester of Freshman year and the second semester of the Sophomore year
- Apply for Initial Entry to the EPP
- Qualifying scores on one of the following (while MC is a test optional institution, this is a requirement of the TN State Board of Education for entry into a teacher education program) (1) ACT score of 21 or higher; (2) SAT score of 1080 or higher; or (3) Passing scores on all three subtests of Praxis Core (reading, writing, and math).
- Overall GPA of 2.75 or higher on a 4.0 scale
- Successful completion of an Initial Entry interview and recommendation by the interview team
- Clear and current Background Check provided from the TBI and delivered directly to the EPP.
Admission to Clinical Practice
Candidates in all undergraduate licensure programs complete a full semester of a student teaching clinical practice during the final semester of the senior year. Candidates are expected to be in their school placement for the full day and follow the same schedule as their mentor teacher. Candidates are required to have completed all degree requirements and cannot take any courses at Maryville College during the student teaching semester except in extreme circumstances. Approval to take a course during student teaching must be obtained from the candidate’s advisor and program director or division chair.
The following requirements must be met for admission to clinical practice:
- Completion of all required coursework
- A grade of “C- “or better in courses for the major
- 2.75 overall GPA
- “At Target” or better on the Maryville College Professional Dispositions rubric
- Clear and current Background Check provided from the TBI and delivered directly to the EPP
- Evidence of liability insurance
Requirements for Graduation
- Meet all degree requirements as stated in the Maryville College Academic Catalog
- 2.75 overall GPA
- Successful completion of the student teaching clinical placement
- Successful completion of the Professional Seminar
- Other requirements as specified by individual departments
In the event a candidate does not successfully complete the student teaching clinical placement or Professional Seminar, overall GPA requirement, or is dismissed from the clinical placement, candidates will meet with an advisor to discuss options. Options may include graduating without licensure, a change of program, or retaking the student teaching clinical practice and/or Professional Seminar. It is the responsibility of the candidate to obtain additional information concerning financial aid implications.
Final responsibility for satisfying degree requirements as outlined in the Maryville College Academic Catalog rests with the candidate.
Requirements for Licensure
- Completion of a bachelor’s degree
- A passing score on all state-required content exams in each licensure area. It is the candidate’s responsibility to have scores sent to Maryville College and the Tennessee Department of Education.
- A grade of “C” or better in the student teaching placement and in the Professional Seminar.
A background check is required for all students who are in a field experience or student teaching. The Tennessee Board of Education requires each teacher candidate to complete a fingerprint sample and submit to a criminal history records check to be conducted by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in accordance with T.C.A. § 49-5-5610. The state of Tennessee requires that only original documents, delivered straight from the TBI to the EPP, are acceptable. Without a clear and current background check on file in the EPP office, a student CANNOT attend a field placement. Background checks are good for one calendar year (365 days) from the date the check was taken. They must be renewed yearly at the student’s expense.
Non-education majors enrolled in classes that visit schools or agencies where children are present are required to obtain a background check before they can participate. Instructors of these classes will alert their students at the beginning of each semester and should include a notice in the course syllabus.
All background checks are received and reviewed by the Division Chair. Should findings be reported by the TBI, the EPP will review findings on a case by case basis and determine whether or not clearance will be granted. Candidates who have an offense which would preclude them from obtaining a license from the Tennessee Department of Education will be contacted by the Division Chair and be asked to meet with the EPP. Decisions made by the EPP are final. Clearance will be denied for illegal conduct unbecoming to a teacher.
In the event that a student is excluded from participating as a result of the background check, the EPP will provide in writing to the student an initial determination, which will include the basis upon which the determination was made, and allow the student the opportunity to review and provide comment on any information contained in the background check. The notification of the initial determination will include a copy of the document “A Summary of Your Rights Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act.”
For Those Currently Working in a School
Candidates currently employed by a public school district or a non-public school that is approved by the State of Tennessee (Non-Public School Approval List >) may provide background check verification by providing a copy of their public school ID and most recent pay stub. Further proof may be required. Non-teaching employees must obtain a TBI background check by the aforementioned process.
EDU Courses
EDU 299: Contemporary and Professional Issues in Education (1 hrs.)
EDU 301: Models of Classroom Management and Instruction (3 hrs.)
EDU 302: Educational Technology (2 hrs.)
EDU 303: Models of Classroom Instruction (3 hrs.)
EDU 305: Strategies for Classroom Management (2 hrs.)
EDU 321: Reading and Writing in the Content Classroom (2 hrs.)
EDU 323: reading and Writing K-4 (3 hrs.)
EDU 324: Instructional Strategies for Teaching Science (3 hrs.)
EDU 325: Instructional Methods in Teaching Social Studies (3 hrs.)
EDU 333: Applied Pedagogy (3 hrs)
EDU 351-352: Senior Study (6 hrs)
EDU 401: Student Teaching (9 hrs.)
EDU 402: Professional Seminar on Teaching (3 hrs)
EDU 411: Education Assessment and Evaluation
EDU 412: Instructional Strategies for Diverse Learners
