Secondary Education Minor Application Information

Current University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign students may apply to the Teaching of Secondary Education Minor for their junior year.  The deadline for submission of the application is February 1st. Applications will be available December 5st.

Eligibility Requirements

1. All applicants must pass the Illinois Certification Testing System Test of Academic Proficiency prior to admission. Scores must be received by the Council on Teacher Education by no later than February 1st of the application semester. Applications will not be considered for anyone who has not taken the Test of Academic Proficiency by the deadline. Register for the test online. To prepare for the test, review the study guides and take the practice test on the Illinois Certification Testing System web site.
2. Students must have a competitive cumulative, major and institutional GPA. Applicants must have at least a 2.5 (A=4.000) University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign , major and cumulative grade point average at the time of application.
3. Complete 50 hours of verified academic tutoring experience with middle school or high school students before the application deadline of February 1st.
4. The courses listed here have been identified as prerequisites for entry into the teaching option of each major. Completion of the courses before entry serves two principal purposes: it provides evidence of an applicant's prospects for success in the advanced portion of the program, and it helps to ensure completion of the entire program in a timely manner. Applicants who have not completed or are not enrolled in the prerequisite courses at the time of application may be at a competitive disadvantage for admission to highly selective programs. NOTE: Priority for admission to secondary areas is given to applicants who can complete the requirements of the LAS Major and the Minor in Secondary School Teaching in 10 semesters, including previous course work.

   English Language Arts	ENGL 200; at least nine hours chosen from ENGL 209, 210, 255, 256 or 301; EPSY 201; EPS 201 (Note: completion of seven courses in major is highly recommended)
   Mathematics	MATH 220 or 221, 231, and 241 and completion of three advanced mathematics courses, one of which must be Math 347 or 348; EPSY 201; EPS 201 or 202(ACP)
   Biology	MATH 220 or 221; CHEM 102 and 103, 104 and 105, 232 and 233; IB 150; MCB 150; one required 200-level IB course; one required 200-level MCB course; EPSY 201, EPS 201
   Chemistry	Select one of the following sequences:
   	MATH 220 or 221 and 231; CHEM 102, 103, 104, 105, 222, 223, 232 and 233; EPSY 201; EPS 201 or 202 (ACP)	OR	MATH 220 or 221 and 231; CHEM 202, 203, 204, 205, 236 and 237; EPSY 201; EPS 201 or 202 (ACP)
   Earth and Space Science	CHEM 102 and 103; MATH 220 or 221 or 234; GEOL 107, 208, and 333 or 432; EPSY 201; EPS 201 or 202(ACP)
   Physics	CHEM 102 and 103 (or CHEM 202 and 203); MATH 220 or 221, 231, 241 and 285; PHYS 211, 212, 213 and 214; EPSY 201; EPS 201 or 202(ACP)
   History	HIST 141, 142, and 171 or 172; one additional history course (HIST 200 recommended); EPSY 201; EPS 201; PS 101; SOC 100; STAT 100; plus one course from ANTH 143, ECON 102, or ECON 103

   
   
5. Additional Requirements:

• Applicants must not have earned a bachelor's degree by the term of entry. (Applicants who have a baccalaureate degree may want to contact the appropriate graduate department about the possibility of pursuing teacher certification.)
• Junior standing (60 hours completed by term of entry), except for Biology, which is a Senior entry program
• Satisfactory completion of Composition I.
• Two years of one language other than English in high school or the second level course in college must be completed by desired term of entry --LAS requires four years in high school or fourth level in college for degree completion.
• Demonstration of high-level written communication (quality of writing, thoughtfulness about education, reflective thinking).

Students interested in applying should:

• Review the FAQs.
• Review the materials needed to complete the application, below:
  • A well organized 2-3 page, typed essay, double spaced with font size no smaller than 10 point. This essay should address both of the following topics. Use your previous learning and teaching experiences, including your required tutoring, to provide concrete examples,
    • Explain why you are interested in teaching your content major to middle school and/or high school students.
    • Discuss and reflect upon how your experiences (or the lack thereof) have influenced your ideas of cultural/racial/ethnic diversity, (language, people with disabilities, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, etc.) and the importance of teacher and student involvement with community service.
  • An up-to date resume that includes name, title, address, phone number and e-mail address of three references, one of which must be a college professor or teaching assistant and one must be from a supervisor of your formal experience with students. The third can be from either another experience or the person of your choosing. (Letters of reference will not be accepted or included in the review process). The Career Center is available for resume building assistance. A sample resume is available online.
  • Hours Verification Form(s). As part of the admission process for the University of Illinois College of Education teacher education programs, verification of a minimum of 50 hours of post high school work with students is required. This form should be filled out, printed, and sent to your supervisor for verification.  You must then scan and upload it into the Application Manager.
• Please note that grades in courses of C- or lower may not be used for State of Illinois Certification, Endorsements, or Approvals.  If you have completed a grade replacement or have a grade replacement in progress, you must scan and upload it into the Application Manager.
• Begin working on your experience with children of a similar age and stage of development for which you will seek certification. 
• E-mail the Secondary Education Academic Advisor, if you have questions.
• Familiarize themselves with how to create a PDF file

To Apply

Applications will be accepted online December 5th through February 1st. Applicants will log in using their net ID and Active Directory password. The online application can be saved before submitting so applications can be completed over a period of time. Applicants are required to upload the essay, resume, hours verification form(s) referenced above.

 

After Admission

1. Students admitted into a teacher education program will be required to attend a mandatory meeting regarding the program and its requirements. Time, date, and location of the mandatory meeting will be provided in your admission letter.
2. All undergraduate students enrolled in the Secondary Education Minor teacher preparation program will be assessed a one-time clinical experience fee to partially cover costs associated with early field and student teaching experiences. This non-refundable fee is based on the approved fee at the time you entered the University per the Illinois Compiled Statue 110 ILCS 305/25. Accepting the offer of admission is an agreement on your part to pay this fee.
3. The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign requires field placement in school districts as part of various educational curricula and certificate programs. Illinois school districts are required by state law to conduct criminal background checks for applicants for certified and non-certified positions with a school district. School districts are requiring that applicants for field placements be subjected to a criminal background check prior to placement in the school districts. Certain convictions are a bar to employment with a school district and are fully set out in the Illinois School Code, 105 ILCS 5/10-21.9, as amended. All convictions will be reviewed for compatibility with placement in a school district. As part of this application, you will be required to consent to a criminal background check including submission of your fingerprints. Failure to consent to the background check will result in your not being able to complete a public school certification program and in the cancellation of any admission to the program. For further information on this requirement, call the Council on Teacher Education at (217) 333-2804.