Teacher Education Program (TEP)/Master's Completion Program FAQs
What is the difference between TEP and the Teacher Education/Master's Completion Program?
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 Teacher Education/Master's Completion
Program. 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
- Linguistically Diverse Education (LDE)
- Technology 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 MA courses are billed at regular graduate tuition.
TEP and Teacher Education/Master's Completion Program 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)
- Art Education (K-12)
- Music Education (K-12)
- Foreign Language 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 Morgridge College of Education On-line Graduate
Application and the Supplemental Application Materials for TEP/Master's Completion
Program. Please thoroughly read the Supplemental Application Materials to understand
all the items that must be submitted for full consideration.
When is the application deadline?
The priority deadline for TEP/Master's Completion Program is February 15. 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.
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/.
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. Undergraduate DU students pay full undergraduate tuition for all TEP courses. Current tuition rates can be found at www.du.edu/bursar.
Is financial aid available?
Financial aid for students in TEP/Master's Completion Program 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 December)
Classes are held on Wednesday evenings (4:30-9:00), Thursday evenings (4:00-6:30), and
Saturdays (8:00-3:00). 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), Thursday evenings (4:00-6:30), and
Saturdays (8:00-3:00). 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 (4:30-6:00) 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.
I am an undergraduate, can I apply to TEP or the Teacher Education/Master's Completion
Program?
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 master?s 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 the Master's Completion
program?
Please contact the Office of Admissions and Enrollment Services at the Morgridge College
of Education at 303-871-2509 or tollfree 1-800-853-1607.
