University of West Florida

The Minor in Professional Education is designed to provide non-education majors with the course work that—in conjunction with successful completion of Florida Teacher Certification Examinations, one year of successful teaching experience, and successful completion of a district-approved competence demonstration program for first year teachers—allows for converting a three-year non-renewable temporary certification to a five-year renewable professional certification. Coursework meets the requirement of the Professional Training Option and is consistent with the program requirements of Florida Department of Education Administrative Rule 6A-5.066 (Approval of Educator Preparation Programs) and includes the state required Professional Preparation outlined in Florida Department of Education Administrative Rule 6A-4.006.

Program Requirements

A minimum cumulative GPA of 2.50 is required to enroll in the minor. It is not required but highly recommended that students pass the General Knowledge, Professional Education, and one Subject Area Exam of the Florida Teacher Certification Exam, which are required for Florida Teacher Certification.

Prospective teachers are expected to adhere to the Principles of Professional Conduct for the Education Profession in Florida and national standards of conduct associated with professional, accreditation, and state agencies. Teacher candidates who are struggling to meet content and/or disposition standards and/or competencies may be referred to the Culture of Achievement through a System of Tiered support (CAST) process. Any student who is referred to CAST and does not successfully complete the intervention process may be denied continued enrollment in the minor.

Requirements for teacher education programs may change due to legislative mandates. Therefore, the actual program requirements may differ from those listed in the catalog. Candidates must inquire with the Chair or an advisor in the Department of Teacher Education and Educational Leadership to obtain the most current program requirements.

The Student Affidavit and Fingerprinting Application are required before any student can be placed in a school for Field Experiences or Student Teaching. Forms are available from the local school districts.