SECONDARY EDUCATION

Students apply for STEP the fall of their senior year, or fourth year. They enter the program in the winter of their senior year and complete the fall/winter internship in their fifth year.

STEP Application

This may be the education student’s initial exposure to teaching and learning from the classroom teacher’s perspective. This experience supports the introductory courses designed to help the education student understand the system of education and the role and responsibilities of a teacher.

• SED 3000, SED 3001, SED 5000
• Required Hours: 30

This is the education student’s second semester in a classroom, and they are enrolled in coursework relevant to methods in their minor concentration. In this term, education students might assume some instructional responsibilities that are co-planned or co-taught with a mentor teacher.

• SED 4100 and SED 5110
• Required Hours: STEP (30 in minor); Combined and MATSE (50 in major)

Internship A: Final Field Placement
During this semester, interns are enrolled in methods coursework in their area of study and will have multiple opportunities to design and enact short learning experiences and assessments in collaboration with their assigned mentor teacher. These lessons focus on building knowledge of the Core Teaching Practices.

• SED 4951 and SED 5955
• Required Hours:
  • 90 hours agreed upon with mentor
  • Interns will teach 3-5 consecutive days, 1–2 class periods, twice during the semester.
  • Required seminars; schedule to be shared from the Program Coordinator and Field Coordinator

Internship B: Student Teaching
The Student Teaching Internship is the culminating experience for the education program. Interns will work closely with their mentor teacher to take full responsibility of the classroom as they hone their pedagogical skills.

• SED 4952 and SED 5955
• Required seminars; schedule to be shared from the Program Coordinator and Field Coordinator
• Required Schedule: Full time, in accordance with district calendars

Below is the helpful information you will need to effectively complete the requirements of any field placement.

• Suggested Secondary School-Based Experiences may help students while working toward their goals.
• Visit Field Placement Manager to view your current/previous placements.
• VIA Student Learning & Licensure (SL&L) is the assessment platform through which students complete the Professional Behavior Assessment, as well as electronic record of field hours for professional education courses, clinical experiences and student teaching except SED 3000/3001.
  • SED 3000/3001 will be sent a separate self-assessment survey of their professional behaviors at the end of the term and they may use the Field Log Form (for SED Intro Students ONLY).
  • For assistance with VIA (SL&L) please visit the VIA (SL&L) Help Site.

Art Education prepares students to be art teachers in K–12 grades. See Studio Art K-12 program requirements.

To be admitted to major standing you will need to document 35 hours of art experiences with children. Next, you will apply for major standing. When you are approved, you will sign an acknowledgement form stating that you understand the guidelines of the program. The timeline for the art program is approximately two years if you follow the suggested plan.

The culminating course for K–12 Art Education majors is AED 4950, Student Teaching, 12 credits. This experience entails a full semester (15 weeks) assignment to a school district and cooperating teacher. This assignment is full days, every day, for this 15-week period. During this time period, your schedule is determined by the calendar of the district to which you are assigned. You begin when they begin and have vacations when theirs are scheduled. The intent is that you will split your internship between either: a) K–5 and Middle School or b) Middle School and High School.

K–12 Art Education student teachers will be expected to be ready to meet with School and Field Services during the fall semester one year or more ahead of your proposed student teaching semester which is often at the very start of your program. You will be required to interview with a potential teacher or teachers for your internship placement. This interview will be arranged for you during the semester prior to the internship.

AED 4950 must be taken in the final semester of one’s degree program. Admission criteria for the internship are:

• Satisfactory grade point average and minimum required grades.
• Completion of all professional education course work with the minimum 2.8 GPA in each, letter grade of “B” in EED 2000 or SED 3000.
• Completion of a minimum of 4 field placements including urban and suburban placements and documentation completed for all.
• Completion of all required coursework for the teaching major with appropriate grades.
• Students must have successfully completed the MTTC Visual Art test and have scores sent to Oakland University before the internship may commence.

AED 4950 may not be repeated. A minimum grade of 2.0 in AED 4950 is required for graduation, a minimum grade of 2.8 for certification. Students who do not earn the minimum grade will not be recommended for certification.

Be ready to meet with School and Field Services in November, almost one year ahead of your proposed student teaching internship to go over the requirements for student teaching. You will have an interview with your potential cooperating teacher for your student teaching placement. This interview will be arranged for you during the semester prior to your final field placement.

SED 4952 must be taken in the last two semesters of one’s degree program for a total of 12 credits. The credits are split between two semesters (Fall 4 credits, Winter 8 credits). For the first semester, a grade of P for progressing will be given. This grade will be changed to the final grade when the full course is completed.

SED 4952 may not be repeated. A minimum letter grade of “B” in SED 4952 is required for graduation, a minimum letter grade of “B” for certification. Students who do not earn the minimum grade for certification can petition to earn a B.S. without certification.

STEP student teachers must pass their major and minor MTTC before beginning their internship.

Before completing the student teaching internship application, students must be enrolled in the Masters of Arts in Teaching: Secondary Education (MATSE) and attend an application seminar in the first semester to review the internship requirements and application process. The application will be sent directly to eligible students from The Office of School and Field Services during the semester prior to the final field placement. During the winter or summer semester of your first year, an interview will be arranged with a potential cooperating teacher for the student teaching placement. SED 5955 may not be repeated. A minimum letter grade of “B” is required for certification.

Admission criteria for the internship are:

• Minimum letter grade of “B” in all graduate coursework<
• Completion of all Masters of Arts in Teaching: Secondary Education (MATSE) program requirements prior to the student teaching internship. including 3 field placements totaling a minimum of 100 hours
• Students must have completed/passed all coursework within their major area (and minor if applicable and student teaching in this area)
• Students must have passed the MTTC endorsement test for their major (and minor if applicable and student teaching in this area)

Step 1: Attend Application Seminar

Attend the required scheduled student teacher application preparation seminar approximately one year prior to your intended internship semester. This information will come from The Office of School and Field Services.

Step 2: Apply to Year-Long Internship

1. Complete the Internship Application, which will be sent directly to eligible students from The Office of School and Field Services (SFS).
2. By the application deadline, submit a resume or profile (provided from SFS) using Handshake. The body of the resume is not to exceed two pages. Career Services provides this platform at no cost to you while you are an enrolled student. Further support is available from Career Services or in the Guide to Handshake.

Application Deadlines

• K-12 Art, Fall and Winter: Applications for Fall student teaching are due by February 15 and Winter student teaching internships are due by September 30.
• STEP & K-12 Modern Languages: Applications for the next school year's student teaching internships are due by February 15.
• MATSE Winter: Applications for Winter Student Teaching Internships must be submitted by February 15.

Step 3: Interview 

School and Field Services will submit your resume to an interested district.

1. You will be contacted to interview with the teacher and/or principal as districts indicate their readiness to proceed.
2. When you receive the call requesting the scheduling of an interview, respond immediately.
3. As we are informed, School & Field Services will update placements online.

Step 4: Submit Final Forms

Required Forms Due Prior to Student Teaching

• Bloodborne Pathogen Training

Submit forms to School and Field Services at [email protected].

Fall deadline: August 15

Winter deadline: December 15

Our Secondary Seminars are designed to give students the background information and skills needed to successfully complete their final field and student teaching experiences. During the fall term, students will learn about the Core Teaching Practices and other program requirements to practice in their field placement classrooms. The winter term seminars offer professional learning opportunities that cover various educational topics including: Advocating for Special Populations, Building Relationships and Classroom Management, Resources for Landing a Job, etc.

Dates and locations of seminars will be shared from The Office of School and Field Services and The Program Coordinator.

• Syllabus will be made available by the course instructor
• A “One-Stop-Shop” will be made available by the Secondary Field Coordinator

Substitute Teaching: During the first semester of the Year-Long Internship students are working part-time in the classroom and completing coursework. Any free time outside of these two requirements can be spent substituting, as long as a student has been approved by the district's substitute staffing company. (Please inquire with the district about substitute teaching policies and procedures.) Students cannot, however, replace any of their internship requirements with substitute teaching.

During the full time student teaching semester, OU students are permitted to substitute ONLY for their mentor teacher for no more than 7 full days. Should additional days be needed requests can be made to the Secondary Field Coordinator.

Interns can substitute after approval from the mentor teacher, the university supervisor, the staffing company and School and Field Services along with the following paperwork.

• Substitute Packet
• Letter to Districts

Exit and Certification Requirements

Complete these online forms prior to culminating seminar:

• State Survey — The Michigan Department of Education (MDE) will send a survey to your OU email after you’ve completed your student internship semester. This is a program requirement.
• Learn about the Initial Certification Process.