Teacher Education Program

Admission to Concord University and declaration of education as a major does not guarantee admission to the Teacher Education Program  (TEP). Rather, there are specific steps candidates must successfully complete before they can be considered for admission to the program.  In order to take multiple upper level courses in the Department of Education, as well as Student Teach, candidates must be accepted into the Teacher Education Program. Candidates not meeting application deadlines or admission criteria will be denied admission to the Teacher Education Program, but may reapply the following semester.  Candidates may appeal a decision of denial through the Director of Teacher Education.

Application for Admission to the Teacher Education Program

In order to be considered for admission to the Teacher Education Program, candidates are required to satisfy the following requirements: 

• Successful completion of a minimum of 24-25 credit hours, which must include 18-19 hours from the General Education Program, with at least a 2.00 grade point average. The general studies courses must include the following:

• Complete EDUC210,  Diversity, Culture, and Education in a Pluralistic Society, with a grade of “C” or better, and successfully complete the required twenty-five hour field based experience. Candidates transferring EDUC210 from another institution must provide documentation of a completed 25 hour school-based field experience in the form of a course syllabi stating the hours of the field practicum, a copy of the signed field practicum time log(s), or other proof of your participation in a 25 hour field practicum.

• Complete EDSP303, Introduction to Special Education, with a grade of “C” or better.

• Attainment of an overall grade point average of 2.50* or better in all coursework attempted (including transfer credit).
  *Note: A candidate may apply to the Teacher Education Program with an overall GPA of 2.50. However, the GPA of all the candidates who apply during the semester (cohort average) must be 3.00 or above. If the cohort average is not met, individual candidate GPAs of less than 2.75 may be removed from the cohort.

• Successfully complete the Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators Exams. It is highly recommended that this test is taken within the first 24 credit hours of coursework.
  • Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators Combined Computer Delivered Test Code - 5751
  • Reading (Individual Exam):     Minimum score needed: 156          Computer Delivered Test Code – 5712
  • Writing (Individual Exam):      Minimum score needed: 162          Computer Delivered Test Code – 5722
  • Math (Individual Exam):          Minimum score needed: 150           Computer Delivered Test Code – 5732
  ​ A student may obtain a waiver for the Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators Exams by providing an official letter from the Registrar’s Office if one or more of the following criteria have been met. These waivers are accepted only in the state of WV.
  • attained, from a single administration, a qualifying score on the American College Test (ACT®) or Scholastic Achievement Test (SAT®) or Graduate Record Examinations (GRE®) as listed below:
    • A composite ACT test score of 26 or higher
    • A combined score of 1125 on the re-centered SAT(effective for exams taken March 2005-April 2016)
    • A score of 1170 on the revised SAT using the combined Critical Reading and Math score (effective for exams taken May 2016-present)
    • A  GRE combined score of 800 verbal and quantitative (prior to November, 2011), or at least a score of 286 (November, 2011 – the present)
  • hold a valid out-of-state certificate in the content area
  • hold certification through the NBPTS
  • hold or have held a West Virginia Professional Certificate
  • hold a master's degree from an accredited institution of higher education



• Candidates must complete 100 hours of documented experience working with school age children/youth in organized settings prior to admission to the Teacher Education Program. Appropriate experiences might include: Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Energy Express, tutoring in after-school or summer programs, camp counselors, etc. The 100 hours of experience must be documented through letters from teachers, supervisors or leaders and provide a description of what the volunteer hours entailed. All documentation must be included in the candidate’s portfolio when they apply for admission to the Teacher Education Program. The 100 hours are in addition to any required field practicum hours. Candidates are encouraged to check with the Director of Teacher Education to ensure that their volunteer hours will qualify; this is also discussed during the Teacher Education Seminar.

• ​ Candidates must submit a professional portfolio via LiveText to the Department of Education at the time of formal application to the Teacher Education Program.  In some cases, applicants may have to successfully complete an interview with faculty prior to admission.  Portfolios will be due to the Department of Education via LiveText the last working day of September during the fall semester, and the last working day of February during the spring semester. Candidates whose portfolios are not approved will be given recommendations for improving their portfolios, or will be counseled concerning their admission to the teacher education program. For Portfolio requirements, guidelines, and review standards please reference the Application for Admission to the Teacher Education Program.

• ​Declaration of a specific and accurate major and content specialization(s) through the Declaration of Degree/Major Form

• Successful completion of a Teacher Education Program information seminar. These seminars will be available during EDUC210, EDSP303 and EPAT. A section will also be offered for those students not currently enrolled in EDUC210, EDSP303 or EPAT. Class attendance records and a sign-in sheet will serve as proof of attendance.