Standard 1
Candidate Minimum GPA
Initial level
The unit expects its candidates both at the initial and advanced levels to have a thorough grounding in the content knowledge of their fields of professional practice consistent with the standards that govern those fields.
As reflected in Table 1.1, nine out of sixteen of the teacher education degree programs in the unit are high demand majors that require separate admissions applications and require minimum GPAs ranging from 2.5 to 2.75; the remaining programs require a 2.5 GPA for admission into the degree program. All candidates are required to maintain a 2.5 grade point average by their programs; the unit has a policy requiring all candidates to earn the grade of “C” or better in their major coursework.
Table 1.1 Minimum GPA and Content Area Selection Criteria for Restricted Majors
Degree Program
Minimum GPA
Content Area GPAs used as Selection Criteria
Art Education
2.5
Completion of two foundation courses (ARST 1050 and ARST 1060) or (ARST 1050 and ARST 1080)
Portfolio review
Early Childhood
2.75
English 1101 and 1102
2 lower division Mathematics
Science with a lab
Science without a lab
English Education
2.6
2 2000-level English classes
EFND 2030
EPSY 2020
Foreign Language Education
2.6 and 3.0 in Area F
EFND 2030
EPSY2030
2 2000 level foreign languages
3000 level foreign language
Speech Communication class
Health and Physical Education
2.5
Health and Wellness class
EPSY 2030
EFND2030
Middle School Education
2.75
ENGL 1101 and 1102
1 lower division math
2 content specialization courses
EFND 2030
EPSY 2020
look at program sheet for remaining
Music Education
2.5
Entrance audition for first year students Passing subsequent music performance skills exam in the first and second years
Recommendations of Music Education faculty through a formal interview at the end of the second year
Social Studies Education
2.5
7 lower division social science classes
EFND2030
EPSY2020
SPED 2000
Special Education
2.7
ENGL 1101 and 1102
2 lower division mathematics courses
Science with lab
Science without lab
4 lower division social science classes
While Table 1.1 shows minimum GPA to be admitted to these programs, often initial candidates in these restricted majors have GPAs that are higher. Successful candidates admitted to the early childhood education, social studies, education, and several other of the unit’s programs typically have GPAs well above 3.0.
Advanced Level
Programs evaluate candidates’ undergraduate grade point averages to ensure content knowledge as part of the admissions process. For example, in fall 2004, the average undergraduate GPA of M.Ed. candidates in the advanced early childhood education and elementary education programs was 3.34; in spring 2005 the average undergraduate GPA was 3.64. In fall 2004, for this same program, the average undergraduate GPA for Ed.S. candidates was 3.41. For social studies advanced M.Ed. candidates in fall 2004, the average undergraduate GPA was 3.75. For middle school advanced M.Ed. candidates, the program assessed the two subject area specializations to determine the average GPA (language arts/reading, mathematics, science, social studies). The average GPA for these candidates ranged between 3.67 and 3.93 for these specializations. In mathematics education, the average number of mathematics content courses taken by masters candidates in spring 2005 was 7.4 with an average GPA for these courses of 3.51. The most recent data reported for Ed.S. candidates in mathematics education was from summer 2004 where the average number of mathematics content courses was 6 with an average GPA of 3.66.
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