Program Information

(a minimum of 120 credit hours) Requirements are subject to change.

The goal of the Education Department is to prepare undergraduate students for teacher licensure in one of the following areas: early childhood (PreK-2); elementary (1-6);  moderate disabilities/special education (PreK-8); or secondary (5-8 and/or 8-12) in biology, English, history, or mathematics. Additional teacher licensure programs offered by the College include health/family and consumer sciences (all grades), physical education (PreK-8 and/or 5-12), and visual arts (PreK-8 and/or 5-12). Students seeking teacher licensure should begin their program upon their admission to the College, but in order to be considered teacher candidates and to complete the professional preparation requirements, they must apply for official admission to the teacher preparation program and be accepted. Application to the teacher preparation program typically occurs prior to the junior year. More information about requirements for admittance to the teacher preparation program can be found below.

To comply with Massachusetts Department of Education regulations, students seeking secondary licensure (5-8 and/or 8-12) are required to complete a full major in the subject area in which they seek licensure, as well as coursework to meet the professional standards for all teachers. Students seeking secondary licensure may major in:

• Art / Education / Secondary Teacher Licensure
• Art Therapy / Education / Secondary Teacher Licensure
• Biology / Education / Secondary Teacher Licensure
• English / Education / Secondary Teacher Licensure  
• History / Education / Secondary Teacher Licensure
• Mathematics / Education / Secondary Teacher Licensure

More information about requirements for those majors, including special requirements for students seeking licensure, can be found in the section for each specific major. Professional courses required for licensure are listed below and will ensure the successful completion of the Education major. Secondary licensure students are advised by a faculty member from their major department and by an advisor from the Education Department.

Contact Information

For more information about education programs, contact the Education Department at (413) 748-3295 or the Admissions Office at (800) 343-1257.

Curricular Requirements

General Education Program (40 - 46 credits)

The General Education program at Springfield College is informed by its century-old Humanics tradition of educating the whole person in spirit, mind, and body, for leadership in service to humanity. These requirements have the goal of developing literate, thoughtful, socially responsible students, and instilling in them a spirit of inquiry into the nature of humankind and the universe. Towards those ends, the requirements emphasize and encourage: the acquisition of knowledge, understanding, and competency essential for the improvement of the human condition in a diverse society; a search for personal and spiritual values; and the development of an understanding and appreciation of physical well-being. 

For specific requirements, see the General Education Program (40 - 46 credits)  section.

II. Major Requirements

See the pages below for more information about major requirements.

• Art / Education / Secondary Teacher Licensure
• Art Therapy / Education / Secondary Teacher Licensure
• Biology / Education / Secondary Teacher Licensure 
• English / Education / Secondary Teacher Licensure 
• History / Education / Secondary Teacher Licensure
• Mathematics / Education /Secondary Teacher Licensure  

Electives (to complete a minimum of 120 credits)

Admission to Undergraduate Teacher Preparation Programs

Once admitted to Springfield College, the student must meet the following requirements in order to become an official candidate for licensure and get formally admitted to a specific teacher preparation program.  This typically occurs prior to the student’s junior year or the equivalent for transfer students.

1. Follow the appropriate course of study based on the field the student is interested in teaching. This includes majoring in an acceptable major for that licensure area and taking the required teacher preparation courses. This enables the student to fulfill the prerequisites needed to gain admission to a teacher preparation program. Examples of acceptable majors and licensure areas are psychology for early childhood; American studies, English, or mathematics and computer technology for elementary and/or special education; biology, English, history or mathematics for secondary; movement and sports studies for physical education or dual health & physical education; art or art therapy for art education; and health promotion for health education.
2. Complete, or be in the process of completing, all prerequisites identified for the specific program.
3. Earn a minimum 2.750 (3.250 MOST-PHE) cumulative grade point average for all designated licensure courses. This includes all subject matter knowledge coursework as well as teacher preparation professional coursework.  See educator preparation homepage on our website for specific lists of ‘Prerequisites and Program Requirements’ for each licensure program. [Note: In all programs except physical education and health, the grade point average for the student’s major is calculated separately from the grade point average for professional preparation courses.]
4. Earn a minimum 2.500 (3.250 MOST-PHE) cumulative grade point average and minimum grades specified for designated courses
5. Demonstrate the personal characteristics/professional behaviors needed to become a quality teacher (i.e., responsible, dependable, hard working, professional, committed to the teaching profession, etc.).
6. Be recommended for admission into a teacher licensure program by the appropriate major department and the Education Department.  For students in health and physical education, the only recommendation required is from the Physical Education and Health Education Department.
7. Receive a passing score on the Communication and Literacy Skills Tests (reading and writing) of the Massachusetts Tests for Educator Licensure (MTEL).

Note: Students who have been admitted to a teacher preparation program must maintain all the admissions requirements listed above through the semester preceding the practicum (student teaching) in order to be eligible to begin the practicum experience and must maintain cumulative GPA’s in order to successfully complete the program.

Once all admissions requirements have been met, the student must fill out the application for admission. Applications are available from advisors, departments, or the Educator Preparation Office.

The Director of Educator Preparation & Licensure will review the completed application and notify the candidate of the admission decision. If a student wishes to appeal this decision, a written appeal must be submitted to the Educator Preparation Council.