Secondary Teacher Preparation
Our program is:
- Interdisciplinary
- Completed in 2 semesters (18 credits total, fall-spring))
- Focused on strong subject-area preparation, with 1 semester of supervised student teaching
- Online, with video-based supervision (or local supervision if you reside in Gainesville)
- Fully approved by the Florida Department of Education and leads to eligibility for Professional Educator certification in Florida.
Please note that this is a program approved by the Florida Department of Education. You must be in the state of Florida during the spring semester to complete your internship.
Practicing teachers: If you are teaching in a Florida public school in your certification area, you can complete your student teaching in your own classroom. If you are teaching in a charter or private school, please contact us to see if it is possible to complete student teaching in your context.
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Application Requirements
- Application Deadline: July 1
- A Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution (official transcripts required for applicants new to UF)
- Upper division undergraduate GPA of 2.5 or higher (last 60 hours of undergraduate coursework), and a GPA of 2.5 or higher in your selected Content Area
- Pass the Florida Teacher Certification Examination’s General Knowledge Exam
- Pass the Florida Teacher Certification Exam in your selected Content Area (Math, Science, Social Studies, English)
- Valid Statement of Status of Eligibility from the Florida Department of Education
- Statement of purpose essay explaining the following: Now that you have reviewed our website and the goals for this certificate, please explain in 200-300 words: a) why you want to pursue a career in teaching; b) what experiences have helped to inform that choice; and c) what makes you a stand-out candidate for admission to this program at the University of Florida.
All application requirements must be in by the date listed above, including results from the FTCE.
Admission Terms and Deadlines
- New cohorts are admitted each fall
- Deadline to apply for next fall’s cohort: July 1
Courses
Social Studies, Science, and Math Education students
- ESE 6345 Effective Teaching and Classroom Management in the Secondary Classroom
- ESE 5426 Data-Driven Decision-Making in Secondary Teaching
- EDG 5666 Knowing and Learning in Secondary Education
- TSL 5335 ESOL and Reading for Secondary Teachers
- Methods course in your subject area
- ESE 6945 Student Teaching in the Secondary School
English Education students
- EDG 5666 Knowing and Learning in Secondary Education
- TSL 5335 ESOL and Reading for Secondary Teachers
- ESE 6345 Effective Teaching and Classroom Management in the Secondary Classroom
- RED 6448 Diagnosing and Remediating Reading Difficulties
- RED 6843 – Reading Practicum
- LAE 6339 English Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment
- ESE 6945 Student Teaching in the Secondary School
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the program exactly, and who is it for?
The program is called an Educator Preparation Institute (EPI). It is fully approved by the Florida Department of Education as a route to Professional Certification in your content area. We have Certificate Programs in Social Studies Education, English Education, Science Education, and Math Education. The program is designed both for students who have not previously taught and want a Professional Certificate, and for practicing teachers seeking a Professional Certificate.
Is the program face-to-face or online?
All coursework is online except for your student teaching, which must be completed during the Spring term for 10 weeks in a Florida public school classroom. For your student teaching, we will do video supervision of your classroom via GoReact technology. We are unable to accommodate out-of-state or international students who are unable to do student teaching in a Florida public school.
What is required for my application to the program?
- A Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution (official transcripts required)
- Upper division undergraduate GPA of 2.5 or higher (last 60 hours of undergraduate coursework), and a GPA of 2.5 or higher in your selected content area
- Passing scores on the Florida Teacher Certification Examination’s General Knowledge Exam (note: this can be waived with acceptable scores on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE)
- Passing score on the Florida Teacher Certification Exam in your selected content area (Math, Science, Social Studies, English)
- Statement of purpose essay explaining why this certificate program is a good fit for you
- A Statement of Status of Eligibility from the Florida Department of Education
What is the application deadline?
How long does it take to complete the program?
Will I get a degree upon completion of this program?
You would be granted a UF Graduate Certificate in Secondary Teaching Preparation, which is an approved Florida Department of Education (FDOE) pathway toward Professional Teaching Certificate in your chosen content area. This certificate is not a degree program.
Does the program include student teaching?
Yes, in the spring semester of the program. If you are a pre-service teacher, we would arrange for you to have a school placement with a mentor teacher in the Florida school district where you live. If you are a practicing teacher in Florida, you would have a mentor teacher from your own school as agreed upon by your school principal. All placements will be in Florida public schools.
How much does the program cost?
Follow this link to calculate the tuition for University of Florida College of Education online coursework. You will see tuition rates for in-state students on the top half of the page. If you intend to move to Florida for the program but are classified as an out-of-state student, scroll down to the bottom of that page to see those rates. Either way, you will see the bottom line for what you will pay per credit hour. This certification program comprises 18 credit hours, so multiply that number by 18 to get the total cost.
Can I complete the program from another state?
No, at this time we cannot accommodate out of state students, because Florida Department of Education guidelines specify that the student teaching experience be completed in a Florida public school.
What are the requirements for successful completion of the program?
- Maintaining a 3.0 GPA in all coursework
- Completion of the Florida Teacher Certification Examination Professional Education Exam
- A rating of “Accomplished” on the Florida Educator Accomplished Practices
Will I have an academic adviser in the program?
Is there an opportunity to earn a graduate degree?
Yes, we have a Master of Arts in Education program in Science, Math, Social Studies, and English Education. If you think you want an MAE degree, we encourage you to apply for that first.
As long as you are admitted by the spring term of your Certificate program, all 18 credits of your Certificate Program courses (with grades of B and higher) will count toward the MAE program of study. You would then be able to complete your MAE with 12 additional credit hours the following summer and/or fall semesters (depending on the program of study you and your adviser work out) following completion of your Certificate Program in the spring. However, if you are admitted to a Master’s program with us after the spring term of your certificate program, then only 15 credits will transfer in, due to a SACS accreditation requirement that half your credits in a Master’s degree must be earned AFTER admission to that program.
NOTE: The GRE is no longer a requirement for admission to our MAE programs in these subject areas.