Is the U of M right for you?

Why you should consider the University

Cohorts

Students take most of their foundation courses, and all of their major courses, as a single group of students. The cohort consists of individuals with a common theme (i.e. mathematics education, elementary education, art education). Most cohorts consists of no more than 30-35 students.

Cohorts give you the ongoing fellowship of fellow students who are experiencing the same academic and personal challenges and rewards at the same time that you are. You can support and work with each other as a unit as well as individually.

Cohort members find that they can create stronger and more lasting professional relationships and friendships from within this consistent group than they would in less structured academic arrangements.

On your way to a master's degree

Students are recommended for licensure and can begin teaching before they complete the M.Ed. After gaining experience in their own classrooms, teachers come back to complete their degree by taking a few additional graduate credits.

The American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education suggest asking the following questions when researching schools:

Will the teacher education program provide a variety of experiences?

During a 12- to 15-month program, our students focus on three core areas:

Foundations: Students explore learning theories, the needs of diverse students, child and adolescent development, assessment tools, using technology for teaching, and the interaction between school and community.

Methodology: Students learn how to teach. Topics include instructional methods, assessment of student learning, and classroom management, each geared to the student’s particular content area.

Integrated field experiences: Rather than separate campus learning from schoolroom learning, we weave field experiences throughout the program. Students progressively increase the amount of time they spend in schools, concluding with a full-time teaching experience during their final semester.

What is the school's reputation?

The teachers we’ve hired from the U of M have been notable for their poise and maturity. They’ve each had thorough curricular preparation, show exemplary work effort, and have participated in school- and district-wide change initiatives. They’ve been very comfortable taking leadership roles. There is a consistency that marks teachers from the College’s program and that is a consistency of excellence.
Michael Llovett, assistant superintendent for human resources, Minnetonka School District

Ask around. We're confident you'll hear great things about our programs and our graduates.

• Of the Minnesota Teacher of the Year recipients honored by Education Minnesota, almost half are college alumni.

• Over each of the past 10 years at least 90 percent of our students found regular or substitute teaching jobs in the first year after completing the program.

According to surveys of our graduates and the school administrators who hire them, students completing our initial licensure programs are reflective practitioners who routinely analyze their own work, monitor their students’ progress, and adjust and improve their teaching practices. Eighty-five per cent of respondents to an employer survey in 2005 rated our graduates as well or very well prepared.

Is the school accredited?

Accreditation ensures that programs are a good investment by meeting academic standards set by state and national organizations.

Our programs are accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education and the Minnesota Board of Teaching.

The Minnesota Standards of Effective Practice for Teachers are embedded in course syllabi, curriculum, and assessments.

Title II

Title II of the federal Higher Education Act requires each state receiving federal funding under the act to report annually on the assessment of teacher licensure in the state.

The College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) at the University of Minnesota complies fully with Title II requirements by submitting data on state-mandated assessments for teacher licensure to the Minnesota Department of Education.

To view CEHD's Title II report, request a copy of the report from the College's Student Services office, 110 Wulling Hall, 86 Pleasant St. S.E., Minneapolis, MN 55455; 612-625-6501; e-mail: cehdgrad@umn.edu or download a PDF copy.

Where do you want to teach?

“On paper the [College] partnership relationships with public schools look impressive; up close they look even better.”
NCATE/BOT report, 2006

State requirements for licensure or certification differ. Details of the licensure process in Minnesota are explained in a Professional Practice Seminar in the fall or spring semester. Not all our students teach in Minnesota. Other states have a greater need for new teachers. The Student Services office will assist you in getting materials to the licensing office in any state in which you are an applicant for a teaching license or certificate.

July 2007