Undergraduate and Post-Baccalaureate Program Resources

Academic Advising Syllabus

All first-year students in the College of Education are advised by the Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Advising & Student Services. Second year students, depending on their program and major, are typically assigned to a faculty advisor.

In addition to having an advisor in the College of Education, all students will be assigned an advisor in their content major department. Students should plan to consult with BOTH advisors throughout the year and especially during Registration. As in any good relationship, the relationship between advisor and advisee is most effective when both parties share responsibility for its success.

Advisor Responsibilities:
To be available to advisees during regular office hours and by appointment. 
To be knowledgeable about the policies and procedures of the College of Education and the University as a whole. 
To assist advisees to build on their strengths and develop goals and strategies to address areas needing improvement. 
To monitor the progress of advisees toward fulfilling graduation requirements.

Advisee Responsibilities: 
To know who their advisor is and how to contact that person. 
To be knowledgeable about the policies and procedures of the College of Education and the University as a whole. 
To come prepared to advising meetings by bringing records and other personal information. 
To seek assistance whenever questions and/or concerns arise.

Both the elementary/ middle and middle/ secondary licensure programs are overseen by Wisconsin's Department of Public Instruction. 

Teacher education programs lead to teacher certification in the following content majors/minors:

Biology (secondary) 
Broad Field Science (secondary must minor in biology, chemistry, or physics) Chemistry (secondary) 
Communication Studies 
Economics (secondary) 
English 
French 
German 
History 
Journalism (secondary) 
Latin 
Mathematics 
Physics (secondary) 
Political Science 
Psychology 
Sociology (elementary) 
Spanish 
Theatre Arts

In addition to the previous majors, the following content areas can be added as a minor or area of certification:

Broad Field Social Studies: Candidates seeking an EA-A license in one of the social sciences (History, Political Science, Economics, Psychology, or Sociology) should also plan to obtain the Broad Field Social Studies minor during their course of study. This plan will enhance opportunities for employment as a social studies teacher in Wisconsin.

English as a Second Language: The English as a Second Language minor allows students to deepen their knowledge of teaching English Language Learners. Second language fluency is not a requirement. The ESL minor is available for all Education majors and students in other colleges who are interested in obtaining the knowledge and skills for working with and understanding people who speak English as a second (or third) language.

Details on how to seek certification in other states can be found online and via individual states' websites. 

Students typically declare their major during their sophomore year using the Declaration of Major Form.

In the semester before enrolling in a field placement, students must complete an online Field Placement Request Form. This form generates your placement for the following semester. Students should complete the required fields and click submit on the bottom. A Field Placement Request Form is required each time you register for a course that includes a field experience. Please get in the habit of submitting your request form as soon as you know you’ll need a placement, even if you haven’t officially registered.

Although students may make requests for certain placements, it is not always possible to honor the request being made. It is also important for students to know that typically field placements are made in urban areas, including Milwaukee Public Schools, other Milwaukee area public districts, Milwaukee area charter schools, and urban Catholic schools. All field placements and student teaching assignments are arranged by the Field Placement Office. Under no circumstances are students permitted to initiate contact with a school to arrange a placement independent of this office.

Any concerns regarding placement should be discussed immediately with the Director of Field Placements & Licensure.

Students pursuing licensure as an elementary teacher (grades K-5, EC, EC-MC, MC-EA), a special education teacher, a reading teacher, or reading specialist must receive a passing score of 240 or higher on the Wisconsin Foundations of Reading Test as required by the State of Wisconsin's Department of Public Instruction.

Preparation materials such as a practice test and study guide are available.

Kirsten Lathrop created the Foundations of Reading Test Preparation Handbook materials specifically for elementary education students. 

The Core Academic Skills for Educators Test, also referred to as the Praxis Core test, assesses basic knowledge in the areas of Reading, Writing and Mathematics. The Core test is required for Education students who do not have a minimum 2.75 overall GPA at the time of Professional Program admission and do not have ACT or SAT scores meeting the state of Wisconsin minimum scores. If the Core test is required, it must be taken before formal admission to the Professional Program. Scores on the Core test must meet the minimum scores as set by the state of Wisconsin.

The Archdiocese of Milwaukee requires all volunteers (including students in field placements) to complete the Safe Environment protocol. 

The culminating experience of the licensure component is the student teaching semester. Thus, candidates will apply to student teach during the early part of the semester prior to the student teaching semester. In most cases, this will be during the fall of senior year, but it may also occur in the spring of senior year.