Initial Teacher Licensure for Middle or Secondary School

Admission Requirements

Students wishing to pursue this track must do the following:

1. Update their “English MA Program Declaration Concentration” form in the MA office and a submit a copy to the College of Education and Human Development Student Services office.
2. Create an Educator Licensure and Recruitment (ELAR) account with the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE).
3. Schedule an initial meeting with the English Department licensure advisor in order to plan a program of study.
4. Schedule an initial meeting with the College of Education and Human Development licensure advisor in order to plan a program of study in education.

Course Requirements

Pre-Practicum Requirements)

Students must complete at least 75 supervised pre-practicum field hours in middle or high school. All hours must be satisfied during EDC G 650 , which requires one full day of field work. To be eligible for pre-practicum, students must have passed the Communication and Literacy MTEL; have taken the English MTEL; and have passed ENGL 610 ,611 , APLING 603 , and EDC G 644 . All students must apply for their pre-practicum through the College of Education and Human Development by March 1 for Fall or October 1 for Spring. Once accepted, the field placement coordinator will make arrangements for your pre-practicum site. In-service public school teachers working with English language learners may apply to meet the pre-practicum field experience requirement through their current teaching.

Required Examinations

The Massachusetts Department of Education requires all candidates for initial license to pass the Massachusetts Test for Educator License (MTEL). This test consists of two parts: the first tests the candidate’s communication and literacy skills through a reading and writing test; the second tests the candidate’s competency in the subject matter specific to the certification area sought (English). Students must successfully complete the Massachusetts Department of Education Communication and Literary Subject Test in English by the semester before student teaching.

Practicum Requirements

The practicum consists of one semester of supervised student teaching in a middle or secondary English classroom (a minimum of 300 hours). It is concurrent with a practicum seminar (totaling six credits for practicum and seminar). Students receive supervision throughout the duration of the practicum from both a university supervisor and a mentor teacher (mentor teachers must hold professional licensure or its equivalent–three years of initial licensure in this field).

Application Procedure for Practicum

Students must apply for the practicum through the CEHD Office of Teacher Education. The following paperwork is required:

• A completed application for student teaching
• A current UMass Boston transcript
• Documentation of 75 hours of field observation (pre-practicum requirement) or equivalent
• Proof of passing the Communications and Literacy section and the English subject area test of the MTEL.

Deadline for submitting applications for student teaching are March 1 for Fall and October 1 for Spring. The application process is completed online by first contacting the Office of Teacher Education.