Education as a Second Major

Elementary and Secondary Education Programs

Admission Criteria and Procedures

NOTE: You must have at least 54 credit hours (Junior status) at William and Mary by the time you start taking education classes in order to be admitted to the School of Education. Application should be made in the Spring semester of the Sophomore year, or before the Fall semester of the Junior year.  Complete the application, attach the essay, and an unofficial transcript.

Elementary Education

Secondary Education

Admission to baccalaureate study at the College of William and Mary does not automatically include admission to the Elementary or Secondary Education programs in the School of Education. Undergraduate students interested in Elementary or Secondary Education programs of study, must apply for admission to the School of Education [pdf] during the spring semester of the sophomore year or no later than the first day of classes of the fall semester of the junior year.

Admission to the program requires an overall grade point average of at least 2.0 in course wo rk completed to date. After the application form is submitted, the Director of Admission verifies the applicant's prior course work and grade point average and then reviews the file. Questions pertaining to the admissions process should be directed to the Office of Academic Programs in the School of Education- telephone: 221-2308; or [[dot.osborne, email]]. Students will be notified in writing of their admission status.

The State of Virginia suggests that students major in an Arts & Sciences discpline in order to be certified to teach. For Elementary Education students, this means that the student may choose any Arts & Sciences discipline (English, Biology, French, Psychology, Math, etc.) as the primary major, and then add education as a second major in order to obtain certification to teach.  A Secondary Education student must major in the subject he or she wishes to teach. Students cannot have a primary major in education in the state of Virginia.

NOTE: A student cannot register for an education class without first being admitted to the School of Education.

Student Advisement & Licensure Exam requirements

Students are urged to take full advantage of the advisement services in the School of Education. During their freshman and sophomore years, they are encouraged to talk with faculty in the School about potential careers in teaching. Upon admission to the Education program, 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 their junior and senior years. A 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
(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).
Undergraduate Requirements

Please see our forms page to download the appropriate [pdf] files to complete.