Unit Application / Admission Information

The Ohio Wesleyan Education Department (termed “Unit”) has created a series of Gateways to mark candidate progress through the licensure programs. Candidates must show progress in developing the necessary knowledge, skills, and dispositions to be a competent, committed, professional teacher for a diverse, democratic society in order to progress through the Gateways and eventually licensure. They must also show commitment to students as well as their own progress.

Gateway I: Admission to Licensure Program

All Ohio Wesleyan students are eligible to take the introductory courses: EDUC 110 – Role of the School or EDUC 105 – Introduction to Early Childhood Education, and/or EDUC 115 – Teaching for Equity and Social Justice (depending on licensure program), and EDUC 251 – Psychological Foundations of Education. However, to enter into a specific licensure program and continue taking courses within the Education Department, candidates must formally apply for admission to their licensure program. During the introductory courses, the department faculty observe candidates’ intellectual capacity, communication and interpersonal skills, dispositions toward the profession, commitment, and ability to adjust to the role of educator in various educational settings. Each candidate’s application to the program is reviewed and evaluated based on the candidate’s overall education record, field experience evaluations from EDUC 110 or 100.8 and EDUC 251, dispositional assessment, recommendations from arts and science faculty members, and written application essays.

The following summarizes requirements for admission to the Unit:

Summary of Application Procedures and Requirements

In order to pursue a teaching license at OWU, candidates must be admitted to the teacher education program.

• Education majors (Elementary Education, Inclusive Elementary, Special Education, Middle Childhood, and Integrated Science) must be admitted before taking the junior year courses.
  • Elementary & Inclusive Elementary Programs: EDUC 300.25 and 300.19 sequence
  • Middle Childhood Program: EDUC 341, 349 sequence
  • Special Education Program: EDUC 300.6 and 300.8 sequence
  • Integrated Science for Teachers Program:  EDUC 370
• Education minors (Adolescent to Young Adult and Multi-age programs) must be admitted before taking the following courses.
  • Adolescent to Young Adult Program (Grades 7-12): EDUC 370 sequence
  • Multi-age Program (Grades PK to 12): EDUC 370 or subject-area methods course(s)

Requirements for Admission to the Teacher Education Program

Application for Teacher Education Program (PDF)

• ALL students must have passing ACT, or SAT, or Praxis scores, or have a previously-obtained bachelor’s degree with a cumulative GPA of 2.8:

• Satisfactory completion (C- or higher) of introductory coursework:
  • Elementary and Inclusive Elementary:  EDUC 100.7, EDUC 105, EDUC 115, and EDUC 251
  • Middle Childhood:  EDUC 115 and EDUC 251
  • Adolescence to Young Adult, Multi-Age, and Special Education:  EDUC 110 and EDUC 251
• Satisfactory completion (3 or higher) in EDUC 110, EDUC 100.8, & EDUC 251 field experience
• Adequate or higher score on both application essays (PDF)
• 2.8 GPA overall and in content area
• 2.5 GPA in Education courses
• Two positive faculty evaluations
• Complete self-Dispositional Assessment, including comments and examples
• Removal of any U grades for unsatisfactory writing

Full admission: 

• Admission Criteria for Full Admission:  GPA requirements for admission:  2.8 GPA overall and in content area(s), and a 2.5 GPA in Education courses; two positive faculty evaluations; scores of Adequate or higher on the Application Essays; scores of Average or higher in Field Experiences; and completed self-Dispositional Assessment.  If you are fully admitted, you will receive a formal letter notifying you of your admittance to the Teacher Education Program along with information about declaring your Education major or minor.    Full Admission is required prior to student teaching.

Provisional Admission:

• If you meet most, but not all, of the Admission criteria (such as having a low overall GPA between 2.5 and 2.8) you may be Provisionally Admitted to the Teacher Education Program.  If you are provisionally admitted, you will receive a formal letter notifying you of your Provisional Admittance to the Teacher Education Program along with your Application Feedback Form that specifies the areas in which you partially met the Admission criteria.  Within three weeks of the start of the following semester, you must submit a written Action Plan explaining the steps you will take to earn full admission to the Teacher Education Program.  Upon submission, the Action Plan is reviewed by the Education Department at a department meeting; if the plan is insufficient, you will be asked to revise your Action Plan.  The Action Plan will also be reviewed again at the end of each semester along with your work in the methods courses and field experience for which you were provisionally admitted.  If you have met the Admission criteria and were successful in your methods courses and field experiences, you will be fully admitted to the Teacher Education Program.  If you are making progress, but still only partially meet the criteria, you will remain as provisional.  If you did not make sufficient progress toward the criteria and/or were unsuccessful in your methods courses and field experience, you will be denied admission to the Teacher Education Program.  After each progress check, the Education Department notifies you in writing of your progress toward full admittance.  

Denied Admission:

• If you have not met the majority of the Admission criteria when you apply to the Teacher Education Program, you will be Denied Admittance.  If you are denied admittance, you will receive a formal letter notifying you of the Denied Admittance to the Teacher Education Program along with your Application Feedback Form which specifies the areas in which you did not meet the Admission criteria.  You may reapply at the time when you have met the Admission criteria.

Procedures for Applying to the Teacher Education Program

• Applications are typically submitted at the conclusion of EDUC 251 and considered in the weeks following.
• Applicants will receive a letter of acceptance or rejection.  Rejected applicants will also receive an Application Feedback Report.
• Students who wish to appeal the committee's decision must do so within 14 days of the date on the letter.
• A student must be fully or provisionally admitted to the program prior to taking methods courses, and fully admitted to the program prior to student teaching.
• The application committee consists of all full-time faculty members of the Education Department.

Application Essay, Education Department

(To be submitted during EDUC 251)

Respond to the following essay questions; each essay should be approximately one to two (1-2) pages in length (double spaced with 12 point font).  Essays will be scored by the Education Department faculty, and will be used when considering the candidate's application to the teacher education program.

Candidates seeking licensure in the Elementary, Inclusive Elementary, or Middle Childhood Programs should respond to the following two prompts.

1. Identify an “ism” and explain how “privilege and oppression” (partner concepts) play out in schools on an individual level and on an institutional level. Then provide at least 2 suggestions for how schools can address the identified “ism.”
2. How does a teacher’s belief that “All Students Can Learn” impact his/her behavior in the classroom? Provide at least three different examples to support your position.

Candidates seeking licensure in the Adolescent to Young Adult, Integrated Science for Teachers Major, Multi-age, or Special Education Program should respond to the following two prompts.

1. Citing what you read and learned in EDUC 110, Role of the School, discuss the ways in which society shaped the development of schooling over time. Think about this with regards to what was happening historically and philosophically from the mid-1600s. Then discuss the converse question—how has education changed society over time (i.e. what has been the role of the school on society)? Be sure to provide specific examples throughout.
2. How does a teacher’s belief that “All Students Can Learn” impact his/her behavior in the classroom? Provide at least three different examples to support your position.

EXCELLENT (4)

The central purpose/argument of the essay is clear and readily apparent to the reader, demonstrates well-developed understanding of (EDUC 110 or EDUC 115 and EDUC 251) course content; essay is almost entirely free of spelling, punctuation and grammatical errors.

PROFICIENT (3)

The central purpose/argument is present, but has minor lapses in development; demonstrates a good understanding of (EDUC 110 or EDUC 115 and EDUC 251) course content; essay may contain a few errors; but the errors don't impede understanding.

ADEQUATE (2)

The central purpose/argument is not consistently clear throughout the essay; provides some references to (EDUC 110 or EDUC 115 and EDUC 251) course content; essay has many errors that distract the reader and temporarily impede understanding.

UNSATISFACTORY (1)

Fails to address the essay question; few or inaccurate references to (EDUC 110 or EDUC 115 and EDUC 251) course content; numerous spelling, punctuation and grammatical errors such that the essay's meaning is obscured.