5 Year BA to MAEd Program

Admission Criteria and Procedures

So you are in the last semester of your junior year and just realized you want to enter the teaching profession? Then the Five Year program is a great option for you. You can choose:

Application to the 5th Year Track

Complete the Five Year program application [pdf] as early as March 1 of your social junior year, but no later than August 1, prior to the social senior year. (DO NOT complete the online application for graduate programs.)  Attach an essay that describes your career aspirations and why you have chosen to apply to the School of Education, and to the particular endorsement area you have selected. You should describe your past experiences, both academic and volunteer or work-related, that are relevant to teaching, and detail the impact you hope to have on the field of education. Also include a copy of your unofficial William & Mary transcript, which you can print from Banner self-service. You must have a 3.0 cum GPA or higher to be eligible to apply to this program. 

Application forms should be turned into room 1071 in the School of Education.  Admission is rolling, so decisions for the 5th year program will go out approximately 3 weeks after you submit your application. Once all spots are filled, we will stop accepting applications.

You will not be able to register for education courses until you have been admitted to the 5th year program.  Letters of recommendation are not required for this application.

Continuation during the Senior Year

After admission to the 5th year track, you should complete your program of studies, maintain a 3.0 undergraduate GPA and be in good standing with the College,  and take the required professional education courses as part of your undergraduate studies:

All three courses are offered in both fall and spring semesters.  You will not be able to register for these courses until you have been admitted to the 5th year program.

Elevation to the Master's Portion of the Program

In order to elevate to the Master's level portion of the program, you must:

  1. Take or be enrolled in the required professional courses;
  2. Earn a 3.0 GPA or higher in the professional education courses taken as an undergraduate;
  3. Graduate with a Bachelor's degree from William & Mary with a 3.0 GPA or higher;
  4. Submit GRE (Graduate Record Exam) that meet the admission requirements for the School of Education. The scores must be submitted prior to January 15 of the senior year; however applicants are strongly encouraged to submit scores as early as the spring of their junior year. (Students admitted to the Special Education program can substitute MAT - Miller Analogies Test scores for the GRE.)  GRE scores should be in the 40th percentile or higher.

Failure to complete any of the requirements listed above may result in removal from the 5th year program.

The Master's Portion of the Program

Once elevated to the Master's portion of the program, you will enroll as a full-time student and follow the continuation and program rules of the Master of Arts in Education (M.A.Ed.) in Curriculum and Instruction. You will complete the regular sequence of courses except for those taken as part of your undergraduate program. You should complete your program 12 months later.

Program of Studies for the 5th Year Program
Student Advisement & Licensure Exam Requirements

Upon admission to the 5th year track, students are assigned academic advisors who are faculty members in the School of Education. Before registering for education courses, students meet with their advisors to discuss academic, personal and professional goals; to review both the academic regulations of the College and the specific course requirements for teacher certification; and to plan a program of studies in Education. Education advisors work with the students throughout the senior year and throughout the graduate program. The Program of Studies form should be turned into the Office of Academic Programs before a student begins education coursework.

In addition to coursework and field experiences there are exams required for program completion and licensure. The following is a list of the required exams:

 

Academic Skills Assessment

Virginia Communication and Literacy Assessment (VCLA)

Students seeking initial licensure in elementary, secondary, special education, and foreign language are required to pass the VCLA.  For information regarding registration, test administration, fees, etc., please visit the VCLA website.
Content Assessment

Praxis II

A Subject Assessment Test is required for licensure in Virginia.  It must be taken in your teaching endorsement area and is content specific. At William and Mary a passing score on Praxis II is required prior to program completion in the elementary, secondary, and foreign language programs. For information regarding registration, test administration, fees, etc., please visit the ETS website. Sample questions and information about each Praxis Series Test are also made available at the ETS website.

Follow the links to Tests at a Glance.  More in-depth test preparation materials are also available online and can be ordered using most credit cards
Reading Instruction
(if applicable)

Reading for Virginia Educators(RVE)

This test is required for individuals seeking an endorsement as a Reading Specialist or individuals seeking initial licensure in Elementary Education PreK-6 or Special Education PreK-12. For information regarding registration, test administration, fees, etc., please visit the ETS website.

Praxis I

The Praxis I, Academic Skills Assessment (Reading, Writing, and Mathematics) assessment continues to be required as the prescribed test for entry into a Virginia teacher preparation program. At William and Mary a passing score on Praxis I is required prior to student teaching in the elementary, secondary, and foreign language. For special education a passing score on Praxis I is required prior to the second student teaching experience. The Computerized-PPST (Praxis I) provides year-round testing by appointment through Prometric Testing Centers. The phone number for the Prometric Testing Center in Newport News is (757) 873-0208

 


Meeting the Praxis I Requirement

There are three alternate means by which a teacher candidate may meet the Praxis I requirement in lieu of taking the full battery of Praxis I subtests (i.e., reading, writing, and math).

  • SAT Qualifying Score Option: A composite score of 1100 on the SAT, taken after April 1, 1995, with at least a 530 on the critical reading and a 530 on the mathematics tests or a score of 1000 on the SAT, taken prior to April 1, 1995, with at least a 450 on the critical reading and a 510 on the mathematics tests may be used as a substitute for Praxis I.
  • ACT Qualifying Score Option: A composite score of 24 on the ACT may be substituted for Praxis I if taken after April 1, 1995, with the ACT mathematics score no less than 22 and the ACT English plus Reading scores no less than 46, or a composite score of 21 may be substituted, if taken prior to April 1, 1995, with the ACT mathematics score no less than 21 and the ACT English plus Reading scores no less than 37.
  • VCLA Qualifying Score combined with a Qualifying Score on the Mathematics Subtest of Praxis I or SAT or ACT:  A composite score of 470 on the VCLA with subtest scores of at least 235 on writing and 235 on reading may be combined with a qualifying score on the mathematics portion of the Praxis I mathematics subtest (minimum 178) or the SAT mathematics subtest (530 after April 1, 1995, or 510 prior to that date) or the ACT mathematics  subtest (22 after April 1, 1995, or 21 prior to that date).