Post-baccalaureate Program Leading to an Initial Teaching License

Westfield State University has a history and abiding commitment of preparing educators who serve the educational needs of prekindergarten through secondary school students in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The shared vision of  Westfield’s education programs is articulated as “Educators as Leaders Building Learning Communities.”  Themes that support this vision are community building, reflective practice, diversity, and social justice.

Westfield is fully accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), and all licensure programs are approved by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

Post-baccalaureate programs leading to teaching licensure are offered through the Department of Graduate and Continuing Education, and are designed for individuals holding a baccalaureate degree who wish to obtain an initial teaching license, without obtaining an additional degree.  Post-baccalaureate initial licensure programs are offered in

Biology 8-12, Initial Post-baccalaureate Licensure  
Early Childhood PreK-2, Initial, Post-baccalaureate Licensure  
Elementary 1-6, Initial, Post-baccalaureate Licensure  
English 5-8, 8-12, Initial, Post-baccalaureate Licensure  
General Science, 5-8, Initial, Post-Baccalaureate Licensure   *
History 5-8*, 8-12, Initial, Post-baccalaureate Licensure  
Mathematics 5-8 or 8-12, Initial, Post-baccalaureate Licensure  
Moderate Disabilities PreK-8, Initial, Post-baccalaureate Licensure   
Moderate Disabilities 5-12, Initial, Post-baccalaureate Licensure  
Music Education, All Levels, Initial, Post-baccalaureate Licensure  
Physical Education PreK-8 and 5-12, Initial, Post-baccalureate Licensure  
Visual Arts Education, Initial PreK-8 or 5-12, Post-baccalaureate Licensure   *

*Programs marked with an asterisk are not accepting new candidates as of spring 2016.

Applicants may be required to take additional courses and/or document professional experiences in the cognate area of the license, in addition to the pedagogical and professional courses required for licensure. See Programs of Study for individual programs.

Students who satisfactorily complete program requirements leading to a teaching license are recommended for licensure to the Massachusetts Department of Education. Program requirements include completion of all coursework, passage of Massachusetts Tests for Educator Licensure (MTELs) and completion of a practicum experience.

Program Description

The post-baccalaureate Elementary Education program leads to initial licensure to teach grades 1-6, but does not confer a degree. Applicants to this program must have:

• a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college of university with a GPA of 2.6 or greater;
• passed the MTEL Communications and Literacy test; and
• a 2.7 GPA in undergraduate English courses, including English Composition I & 2 or equivalent.

Program of Study

A. Prerequisite coursework or experience

Content knowledge in the following areas must be documented in the student’s undergraduate academic record. Any gaps in coverage must be fulfilled as determined by the student’s graduate advisor.  Courses referenced below are from the Westfield undergraduate program, but equivalent coursework from another institution will be accepted.

Coursework meeting subject matter outcomes:

• ART 0106 Art Survey OR
  ART 0104 Design Fundamentals
• MUSC 0101 Music Appreciation OR
  MUSC 0110 Basic Music Theory
  (ENGL 0104 Intro to Theatre may be substituted for art or music course)
• HIST 0131 US History & Government to 1865
• PHYS 0101 Physical Science
• PSYC 0101 Intro to Psychology (prerequisite to PSYC 0202)  
• BIOL 0102 Environmental Biology OR
  BIOL 0104 Human Biology OR
  BIOL 0106 Biology Today
• MATH 0153 Foundations: Number Systems OR
  MATH 0251 Foundations: Geometry OR
  MATH 0252 Foundations: Data Analysis & Probability
• GARP 0210 Cultural Geography OR
  GARP 0101 World Regional Geography
• HIST 0213 World History to 1600
• Mathematics or Science Elective
• ENGL 0215 Major American Writers
• ENGL 0221 World Lit. to 1750 OR
  ENGL 0222 World Lit. since 1750 OR
  Other World Lit. course that includes British Lit.

ECON 0101 Principles of Macroeconomics OR
ECON 0102 Principles of Microeconomics

B. Required Courses for Licensure

• EDUC 0220 Schools in American Culture OR
  EDUC 0633 Social Cultural Theories
• EDUC 0201 Learning and Assessment
• EDUC 0303/0503 Early Literacy & Reading
• EDUC 0305/0505 Literature and the Language Arts
• EDUC 0306/0506 Elementary Curriculum & Instruction
• EDUC 0311/0511 Social Studies in the Elementary School
• EDUC 0314/0514 Classroom Management
• EDUC 0319/0519 Principles of Teaching & Learning
• EDUC 0380/0580 Critical Multicultural Education
• EDUC 0363/0631 Sheltered English Immersion
• PSYC 0202 Child Development
• GNSC 0360/0560 Methods of Science
• EDUC 0302/0515 Methods of Teaching Mathematics PreK-6  Credits: 2 (replaces MATH 0332/0552 as of fall 2016)
• MOVP 0212 Concepts of Nutrition OR

• MOVP 0301 Physical Education in the Elementary School OR

  MOVP 0303 Health Education in the Elementary School

• EDUC 0396/0596 Seminar: Recent Developments: Computers in Education OR Other ISTE standards-based technology course
• EDUC 0538 Practicum: Elementary *

* Seminar hours will be required during practicum

Additional Requirements

A 30-hour diversity experience is required before or during practicum.

Students must pass the required MTEL subject matter tests (General Curriculum and Foundations of Reading) and have a GPA of 2.8 for admission to practicum.

Practicum placements are generally within a 30-mile radius of the university unless otherwise specified and approved.