Additional Licensing Requirements

It is the student's responsibility to be sure that the Praxis test has been taken and that BYU has received the test scores, that their fingerprint background clearance is current and that state licensing fees have been paid prior to graduation. Students will also be responsible for any additional requirements imposed by the state prior to their graduation. To confirm the status of these requirements contact the Education Advisement and Certification Center, 120 MCKB, (801) 422-3426. Graduation and Utah licensure cannot be processed until these requirements have been completed.

The Discipline

The Department of Teacher Education provides a program that licenses secondary teachers for the public schools. In addition to content courses in the field(s) in which they plan to teach, students complete professional education courses and practicum experiences that prepare them to teach in a secondary school setting.

Career Opportunities

Secondary education teacher.

General Information

Teaching Majors, Minors and Composites

Students wishing to certify as secondary teachers select one of the following options in addition to the professional education sequence. For specific requirements, see the department listing for the teaching major or minor.

Option 1a: Teaching Major

The following subjects do not require a teaching minor, although a teaching minor is recommended.

• Chemistry Education (79.5 hours)
• Dance Education (75–78 hours)
• English Teaching (74–91 hours)
• History Teaching (67–87 hours)
• Mathematics Education (74 hours)
• Physical Education Teaching/Coaching (K–12) (76.5–77.5 hours)
• Physics Teaching (74.5–75.5 hours)
• Theatre Arts Education (71 hours)

Option 1b: Teaching Major and Approved Teaching Minor

The following subjects require an approved teaching minor.

• French Teaching (76–99 hours)
• Geography Teaching (87–92 hours)
• German Teaching (80–104 hours)
• Spanish Teaching (75–108 hours)

Approved Teaching Minors for Options 1a and 1b Teaching Majors:

• Art Education (21 hours)
• Chemistry Education (15–18 hours)
• Chinese Teaching (26–42 hours) (see Department of Asian and Near Eastern Languages)
• Coaching and Teaching Exercise Sciences (23.5–27.5 hours)
• Computer Science Teaching (17–18 hours)
• Driver Safety Education (16 hours) (see Department of Health Science)
• English Teaching (27 hours)
• French Teaching (24–39 hours)
• Geography Teaching (18 hours)
• Geology Teaching (16 hours)
• German Teaching (19–39 hours)
• Health Education (23 hours)
• History Teaching (21 hours)
• Japanese Teaching (25–37 hours) (see Department of Asian and Near Eastern Languages)
• Latin Teaching (23–31 hours) (see Department of Humanities, Classics, and Comparative Literature)
• Mathematics Education (33 hours)
• Physics Teaching (26 hours)
• Political Science Teaching (21 hours)
• Psychology Teaching (21 hours)
• Russian Teaching (17–32 hours) (see Department of Germanic and Slavic Languages)
• Sociology Teaching (21 hours)
• Spanish Teaching (21–37 hours)
• Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) K–12 (19 hours) (see Linguistics and English Language Department)
• Theatre Arts Education (33 hours)

Option 2: Restricted Teaching Major and Approved Teaching Minor

The following subjects require an approved teaching minor from a frequently taught academic area.

• Latin Teaching (85–98 hours) (see Department of Humanities, Classics, and Comparative Literature)
• School Health Education (74–79 hours)

Approved Teaching Minors for Option 2 Teaching Majors

• Art Education (21 hours)
• Chemistry Education (15–18 hours)
• Coaching and Teaching Exercise Sciences (23.5–27.5 hours)
• Computer Science Teaching (17–18 hours)
• Driver Safety Education (16 hours) (see Department of Health Science)
• English Teaching (27 hours)
• French Teaching (24–39 hours)
• Geography Teaching (18 hours)
• German Teaching (19–39 hours)
• History Teaching (21 hours)
• Mathematics Education (33 hours)
• Physics Teaching (26 hours)
• Spanish Teaching (21–37 hours)
• Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) K–12 (19 hours) (see Linguistics and English Language Department)
• Theatre Arts Education (33 hours)

Option 3: Composite Teaching Major

A teaching composite enables a student to complete a broader range of content area courses. However, a composite requires at least 46 hours in the teaching major, usually exceeding the 120 hours required for graduation. Teaching composite majors are available in the following subject areas:

• Art Education (K–12) (85 hours)
• Biology Composite Teaching (91 hours) (see Department of Integrative Biology)
• Earth and Space Science Education (83–86 hours)(see Department of Geological Sciences)
• Family and Consumer Science Education (87–90 hours) (see School of Family Life)
• Music Education: K–12 Choral Emphasis (87 hours)
• Music Education: K–12 Instrumental Emphasis (92 hours)
• Physical Science Composite Teaching (77.5–78.5 hours)
• Social Science Composite Teaching (76 hours) (see Department of Teacher Education)
• Technology Teacher Education (73–74 hours) (see School of Technology)

Teaching Majors

The following is a list of teaching majors and minors offered jointly with the Department of Teacher Education and other academic departments throughout the university. For specific major course requirements, see the department offering the teaching major or minor. For licensure requirements, refer to the above information.

Teaching Majors and Composite Teaching Majors

(Hours listed include courses taken to fill both major and licensure requirements.)

• Art Education (K–12) (85 hours)
• Biology Composite Teaching (91 hours) (see Department of Integrative Biology)
• Chemistry Education (79.5 hours)
• Dance Education (75–78 hours)
• Earth and Space Science Education (83–86 hours) (see Department of Geological Sciences)
• English Teaching (74–91 hours)
• Family and Consumer Science Education (87–90 hours) (see School of Family life)
• French Teaching (76–99 hours)
• Geography Teaching (87–92 hours)
• German Teaching (80–104 hours)
• History Teaching (67–87 hours)
• Latin Teaching (85–98 hours) (see Department of Humanities, Classics, and Comparative Literature)
• Mathematics Education (74 hours)
• Music Education: K–12 Choral Emphasis (87 hours)
• Music Education: K–12 Instrumental Emphasis (92 hours)
• Physical Education Teaching/Coaching (K–12) (76.5–77.5 hours)
• Physical Science Composite Teaching (77.5–78.5 hours)
• Physics Teaching (74.5–75.5 hours)
• School Health Education (74–79 hours)
• Social Science Composite Teaching (76 hours) (see Department of Teacher Education)
• Spanish Teaching (75–108 hours)
• Special Education: Mild/Moderate Disabilities Emphasis (55–56 hours)
• Special Education: Severe Disabilities Emphasis (55–56 hours)
• Technology Teacher Education (73–74 hours) (see School of Technology)
• Theatre Arts Education (71 hours)

Teaching Minors

• Art Education (21 hours)
• Chemistry Education (15–18 hours)
• Chinese Teaching (26–42 hours) (see Department of Asian and Near Eastern Languages)
• Coaching and Teaching Exercise Sciences (23.5–27.5 hours)
• Computer Science Teaching (17–18 hours)
• Driver Safety Education (16 hours) (see Department of Health Science)
• English Teaching (27 hours)
• French Teaching (24–39 hours)
• Geography Teaching (18 hours)
• Geology Teaching (16 hours)
• German Teaching (19–39 hours)
• Health Education (23 hours)
• History Teaching (21 hours)
• Japanese Teaching (25–37 hours) (see Department of Asian and Near Eastern Languages)
• Latin Teaching (23–31 hours) (see Department of Humanities, Classics, and Comparative Literature)
• Mathematics Education (33 hours)
• Physics Teaching (26 hours)
• Political Science Teaching (21 hours)
• Psychology Teaching (21 hours)
• Russian Teaching (17–32 hours) (see Department of Germanic and Slavic Languages)
• Sociology Teaching (21 hours)
• Spanish Teaching (21–37 hours)
• Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) K–12 (19 hours) (see Department of Linguistics and English Language)
• Theatre Arts Education (33 hours)

Professional Education Requirements

All teacher candidates in secondary education complete an approved sequence of required professional education courses. Please see the appropriate department listing for each teaching major.

Fingerprint and Background Check

All candidates for teacher licensure are required by state statute to be fingerprinted and pass an FBI background check before participating in required field experiences. Fingerprint clinics are held in the McKay Building in November and March. Allow from five to six weeks for fingerprints to be processed. FBI background clearance is valid for only three years. If clearance expires before graduation, candidates must repeat the fingerprinting and clearance process, including a new fee payment.

Additional Licensing Requirements

It is the student's responsibility to be sure that the Praxis test has been taken and that BYU has received the test scores, that their fingerprint background clearance is current and that state licensing fees have been paid prior to graduation. Students will also be responsible for any additional requirements imposed by the state prior to their graduation. To confirm the status of these requirements contact the Education Advisement and Certification Center, 120 MCKB, (801) 422-3426. Graduation and Utah licensure cannot be processed until these requirements have been completed.

Student Teaching Prerequisites

1. Teaching Major. Complete all teaching major requirements. Exceptions require a written appeal submitted to Field Services (120 MCKB).

2. Teaching Within a Minor. Students requesting to student teach in the area of a teaching minor must (1) complete all minor course work before student teaching and (2) obtain written permission from the Teacher Education Department and the teaching minor department.

3. Professional Education Courses. Complete CPSE 402, Sc Ed 276R, 350, 353, 378, 379, IP&T 286, and the appropriate 377R or 477 methods course with a C or higher.

4. Application. Apply for student teaching at the Education Advisement and Certification Office. Packets are available online at http://education.byu.edu/fieldservices/

Licensing Procedures

Students are responsible for keeping the Education Advisement and Certification Office informed of their progress toward licensure. If any changes are to be made in the licensing program outlined in this catalog, the student must prepare and circulate the necessary memoranda to obtain approval from both the academic major department and secondary education.