Teacher Education Program (TEP)/ Combined Licensure and Master's Program (CLAMP) FAQs
Last Updated: 9/12/07
What is the difference between TEP and CLAMP?
The Teacher Education Program (TEP) is 40-credit hour certificate program in the Morgridge College of Education. Students who complete the program receive a certificate in teacher education and recommendation for Colorado state licensure.
Students who are interested in completing a master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction, in addition to the licensure, may apply for the Combined Licensure and Master's Program (CLAMP). The first 40 credits are completed as part of TEP. Students then take an additional six credit hours in a concentration area and six credit hours in curriculum leadership, for a minimum of 52 credits.
The concentration is completed through two courses in the summer following TEP. Areas of concentration (strands) include:
- Aesthetic Education
- Literacy Education
- Technology Education
- Urban Education
- Gifted Education
- Content Area Emphasis
The curriculum leadership courses are taken in the following fall and winter quarters. The courses meet one night a week to accommodate a full-time teaching work schedule. Completing the master's degree can increase salary and career options. The four additional courses are billed at regular graduate tuition.
TEP and CLAMP are practice-oriented, integrated educational experiences that prepare individuals to become classroom leaders who help all children learn at high levels.
In what content areas can I receive a license?
Areas of licensure include:
- Elementary (K-6)
- Secondary (7-12: English, math, science, social studies, foreign language)
- Art Education (K-12)
- Music Education (K-12)
How do I apply?
You can download all application materials at http://www.du.edu/education/calls/admission.html. You will need to complete both the Mogridge College of Education On-line Graduate Application and the Supplemental Application Materials for TEP/CLAMP. Please thoroughly read the Supplemental Application Materials to understand all the items that must be submitted for full consideration.
To ensure proper and timely processing of your application, please send all the application materials in ONE packet to:
University of Denver
Office of Graduate Admissions
2197 S. University Blvd.
University Hall, Room 216
Denver, CO 80208
When is the application deadline?
The priority deadline for TEP/CLAMP is April 1. We continue to accept applications after the deadline only if space is available. The program admits students once a year, with classes starting in late August.
When will I hear about my application status?
You will be notified when we have received your application and if there are any missing items. Complete applications are reviewed by an Admissions Committee on a rolling basis. You can expect to hear a decision approximately five to six weeks after your application has been completed.
What exams are required as part of the application to TEP/CLAMP?
All applicants are required to take either the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Miller Analogies Test (MAT). For more information about either of these tests please visit: www.ets.org/gre/ for the GRE and www.milleranalogies.com for the MAT. When registering for the GRE, the institution code for the University of Denver is R4842.
Additionally, all applicants, are required to take and pass the appropriate state licensure exam before beginning the program. Applicants may take the Program for Licensing Assessments for Colorado Educators (PLACE) or Praxis II. Please Note: Candidates for licensure in art, music, and foreign language must take the PLACE exam, not the Praxis II. These exams are assessed and granted a pass or fail rating.
PLACE is a Colorado-wide content assessment test. For more information please visit: www.place.nesinc.com. The PRAXIS II is a subject assessment test which measures knowledge of specific subjects that K-12 educators will teach, as well as general and subject-specific teaching skills and knowledge. This is a nationally recognized exam, and it can make transferring your teaching license from to state to state easier. For more information please visit: www.ets.org/praxis/.
What are the minimum GRE/MAT scores required for admission?
Test scores are only part of a very comprehensive application when evaluating a potential student for the program. We look for target scores of 460 or above on the Verbal Section, 400 or above on the Quantitative Section, and a minimum 3.5 on the writing portion. Lower scores does not automatically eliminate you from consideration.
How much is tuition?
Students receive financial assistance in the form of differentiated tuition. For the 40 credits hours in the Teacher Education Program, students pay only half the regular graduate DU tuition rate. For the 12 credits taken after TEP to complete a master's degree, students pay full tuition. Currently, the half-tuition rate for TEP coursework is $423 per credit hour, plus fees. Undergraduate DU students pay full undergraduate tuition for all TEP courses.
Is financial aid available?
Financial aid for students in TEP/CLAMP is available in the form of student loans (up to $20,500) and the half tuition rate.
The first step in the process of applying for financial aid is filling out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov. For more information, please contact the DU Financial Aid Office at 303.871.4020 or at www.du.edu/finaid.
We highly recommend that applicants research outside funding and grant opportunities. There are many options available for prospective teachers.
Can I hold an outside job while I am in the program?
The Teacher Education Program is an intense, nine-month program. It is possible to work in a part-time position during fall quarter, but during winter and spring quarters, students will be student teaching almost every day during the week, attending several classes each week and completing assignments.
When are classes held?
Please be aware that the Teacher Education Program does not follow the traditional DU calendar.
Fall Quarter (End of August through end of November)
Classes are held on Wednesday evenings (4:30-9:00) and Saturdays (8:00-4:30). In addition to completing course work, TEP students participate in field experiences in diverse, urban public school settings one full-day per week for 12 weeks.
Winter Quarter (Beginning of January to mid-March)
Classes are held on Wednesday evenings (4:30-9:00) and Saturdays (8:00-4:30). During winter quarter students begin their student teaching placement. Students will observe in the classroom four consecutive days per week from the beginning of January to mid-February. Full-time student teaching begins mid-February and continues to the end of May, or until the end of the host school's academic year.
Spring Quarter (Mid-March to the end of May)
Classes are held on Wednesday evenings (4:30-7:30) only. Students continue full-time student teaching through the end of May, or until the end of the host school's academic year. Depending on the host school's schedule, students may not have a spring break.
What is the transcript evaluation?
We require that you a transcript evaluation review before applying to the program. Prior to the review, complete the transcript evaluation chart (included in the Supplemental Application Materials) using a copy of each of your transcripts. Please use an original transcript from each school attended. If you do not have a copy of your transcripts, you will need to order student copies from each school attended. If you are applying from out of state, you may fax your transcripts and the completed transcript evaluation chart with a cover letter that includes the area of licensure you are seeking and your contact information. Fax the required materials to 303-871-6582, attention Enrollment Services Coordinator. The Enrollment Services Coordinator will review the evaluation and respond with any changes during your phone conference or via e-mail. Many students who have already earned a bachelor's degree may need to complete additional coursework in order to meet state licensure requirement. This does not need to be completed by the time you apply to the Teacher Education Program (TEP); however, due to the intensity of our program, all additional coursework should completed by the time you begin in early August. We strongly recommend that you make a transcript evaluation appointment as soon as possible. Call 303-871-2503 for details.
I am an undergraduate, can I apply to TEP or CLAMP?
Highly qualified DU undergraduates are also eligible for the Teacher Education Program. DU students currently have two options.
Option One: DU undergraduates can enter the program their senior year and apply the credits toward a minor in elementary education or secondary education. In order for DU undergraduates to be eligible to enter the program their senior year, they must have completed all of the course work for their major and core curriculum requirements. In some situations, TEP may allow a student to complete a major requirement during the fall quarter. DU undergraduates who enroll in this program to complete a teaching minor during their senior year earn 40-quarter credits that count toward completion of a Bachelor's degree. If completed as an undergraduate, the 40-quarter credits earned in the licensure program do not count toward a master's degree.
Option Two: DU students can also complete a dual degree option. The dual degree program allows for students completing most DU undergraduate majors to combine their Bachelor's degree with a Master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction. The dual degree structure enables students to complete the two degrees and recommendation for a teaching license in five years; a faster and more cost effective way than pursuing the two degrees separately. Students applying to the dual undergraduate and Masters in Curriculum and Instruction must have completed a minimum of 45 quarter hours in undergraduate course work by the end of their third year. Of those 45 credit hours, 30 credit hours must be in the arts and humanities, social/behavioral sciences, mathematics and biological sciences before applying. The state of Colorado has stringent undergraduate course work requirements for licensure. Students wishing to enter into the dual degree program will need advising from both their content area major and the teacher education program to ensure that all state requirements are met before admittance into the program.
If I earn my teaching license in Colorado, can I teach out of state?
Yes. Colorado has reciprocity with more than 40 states. Reciprocity applies to the extent that education programs are equivalent to the standards and guidelines of a state's approved education programs. Reciprocity does not guarantee that all areas of licensure will transfer directly from one state to another, but you will be awarded the closest comparable areas. In some cases, grade levels differ from those on the license you hold from Colorado, and such a difference may be reflected on your license. Many states do have additional testing requirements which are not part of the reciprocity agreement. For further information refer to an individual state's department of education.
Who can I contact for additional information about TEP and CLAMP?
Please contact Megan Kennedy, the Enrollment Services Coordinator at 303-871-2503 or ci@du.edu.