A Professional Training Option is an alternative certification program approved by the Florida Department of Education. Students receive pre-professional level training in the Florida Educator Accomplished Practices and participate in an integrated school-based observation. A PTO is meant to prepare students majoring in a content area for temporary teacher certification in Florida for that content area. Professional teacher certification in Florida is attainable after a year of successful teaching in a Florida public school, passing scores on relevant exams in the Florida Teacher Certification Examination series, and other requirements.
Three separate PTOs are available as minors at UF.
Students pursuing a mathematics or mathematics-intensive major may pursue the UFTeach Mathematics Teaching Minor.
Students pursuing a science or science-intensive major may pursue the UFTeach Science Teaching Minor.
Students pursuing a major other than mathematics or science may pursue the Florida Teaching Minor.
