College of Education

Degrees and Programs Offered

The College of Education offers undergraduate programs leading to the Bachelor of Science in Education. A Bachelor of Science in Educational Neuroscience and a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology are also offered. The Kinesiology, BS has two concentration options: Physical Education or Exercise Science. (The concentration in Exercise Science does not lead to teacher certification.)

The College of Education offers the following teacher education programs [NOTE: P refers to "pre-school" (any level prior to kindergarten) and K to "kindergarten"]:

• Elementary education (K-6) and early childhood (P-3)
• Music education (P-12), instrumental or choral music
• Physical Education (P-12)
• Secondary education (6-12), with majors in English language arts, mathematics, general science, general social science, and the following foreign languages (6-12 or P-12): French, German, Latin, or Spanish
• Special education, with K-6 and K-12 certification in collaborative education; early childhood special education (P-3) and early childhood (P-3); and multiple abilities program with certification in four areas: elementary (K-6), collaborative (K-6), early childhood (P-3), and early childhood special education (P-3).

A minor in Educational Policy and Reform is offered by the Department of Educational Leadership, Policy, and Technology Studies.

The College of Education, in conjunction with the Honors College, offers a minor in Educational Studies. 

General Degree Requirements 

Bachelor's degree programs in the College of Education require the completion of a minimum of 120 semester hours in prescribed courses, as set forth in this catalog (most programs require the completion of more than 120 hours). Graduates will also have met the prescribed minimum standards of scholarship.

A minimum of 32 semester hours, including nine of the last 18 hours required for a degree, must be earned in residence at The University of Alabama as an enrolled student in the College of Education.

If a student does not complete requirements for the undergraduate degree within a period of seven years from the date of admission, the College of Education will modify the student's program to bring it into compliance with current degree and certification requirements. In addition, a student in a teacher education program must complete that program's requirements within four years from the date of formal admission to the program, or he or she must reapply for admission.

Upon re-entering, any student with a break in his or her enrollment at The University of Alabama (fall or spring semesters) will be placed in the program required of newly admitted students. Exceptions may be made by personnel in the Office of Student Services and Certification.

Because of the number of educational options available to students in the College, sample programs of study for all education majors cannot be provided here. Instead, detailed program outlines are available from academic advisers in the various program offices. In general, students take 100-level courses during the first year of college, 200-level courses during the second year and 300- and 400-level courses during the third and fourth years.

Each undergraduate program contains a group of courses classified as General Education. These courses must be taken in the proper prescribed sequence during the freshman and sophomore years, until they are completed. Required studies in English are part of the general studies requirement; a student must enroll each semester in the prescribed composition and literature courses until the English requirement is completed.

General Education Requirements

Students must meet University of Alabama General Education requirements and should consult an advisor for requirements in a specific major. In some majors, additional courses may need to be taken to complete a total of 120 hours or to fulfill prerequisites for required courses.

NOTE: Some teaching fields require additional coursework above the minimum Foundational Core requirements. To avoid taking extra courses, students should select, whenever possible, courses that may be utilized in their teaching field or major.

Upper and Lower Divisions

Students enrolling in a teacher education program (a program leading to Alabama Class B certification) enter the upper division of the College of Education at the time of their admission to a Teacher Education Program (TEP).

Changes in Certification Requirements

The programs listed in this catalog that lead to Alabama Class B professional educator certification for service in the public schools may be altered to meet certification standards adopted by the Alabama State Board of Education. The Undergraduate Catalog is published annually; however, requirements for State-approved programs are subject to change between publications. Current students, as well as prospective students, should check with the specific program for the most up-to-date information.

Retention in the College of Education

To continue to be eligible for enrollment in the upper division of the College of Education, a student must successfully complete any remaining courses in the teaching field(s) or major, and, for certification programs, the professional education courses, including successful clinical placements. UA and overall GPAs of 2.50 are required. The GPA in the teaching field — and, if transfer work, the overall GPA — must remain at least 2.50. In professional education courses, the GPA must be at least 2.50, with no grade lower than C-. For students in non-certification programs, required minimum GPAs vary from program to program. All students should be aware of and monitor their GPAs and should project when they will be able to enroll in required courses. All students are expected to become familiar with the regulations discussed in Academic Records and General Academic Policies section of this catalog.

Examinations

Individuals who apply to the Alabama Department of Education for initial Alabama professional educator certificates or alternative certificates must meet the requirements of the Alabama Educator Certification Assessment Program (AECAP) as a precondition for certification. The AECAP consists of Praxis subject assessments, Foundations of Reading 190 (if applicable), and edTPA. Information regarding test dates, test codes and testing sites may be obtained from the Praxis website and from the Alabama Foundations of Reading website (if applicable). Information is also available through the College of Education's Office of Student Services in 104 Carmichael Hall.

Each student in a certification program must also show proof of mastery of all Alabama Core Teaching Standards, Professional Standards and Content Standards prior to program completion. In addition, College Dispositions, student portfolio, and other required assessments will be evaluated throughout.

In addition, edTPA (a performance based assessment) is required prior to program completion and graduation.

Clinical Field Experiences and Internships

An instrumental aspect of preparing future teachers is to afford candidates with a gradual release of classroom responsibilities. Our initial teacher education programs provide candidates with substantial field experiences prior to internship spanning the program grade levels in which certification is sought. Field experiences and internship placements for each candidate are systematically tracked ensuring state requirements are met, which include diverse school settings with diverse student populations. To accommodate this, candidates can expect to be placed up to 50-70 miles from campus.                   

All Class B programs require extensive field experiences in diverse settings. The majority of upper-division education courses require clinical placements in the schools. The majority of field experiences must occur in P-12 schools, with significant experiences in the candidate's teaching field. For Early Childhood Special Education and Early Childhood programs, field experiences shall include placements in at least two of the three main types of early education settings: P-3 classrooms, child care centers and homes, and Office of School Readiness programs. On-campus practicum experiences may include the Children's Program, the Rural Infant Stimulation Environment (RISE) Program, and Early Intervention at The University of Alabama (EI@UA). These programs provide opportunities for students to work with infants, toddlers, pre-K children, and their families.

All clinical placements in the College of Education are coordinated through the Office of Clinical Experiences. These placements are in the greater Tuscaloosa area or surrounding counties in order to facilitate supervision of students.

Professional Liability

Students enrolled in College of Education courses that require a clinical placement should have professional liability insurance. Professional liability insurance may be purchased through an independent insurer or is available to students who are members of the Student Alabama Education Association (SAEA).

Student Responsibility

College of Education students are expected to register for appropriate courses necessary to make reasonable progress toward completing program requirements by the expected date of graduation. Students must familiarize themselves with the requirements contained in this catalog and are expected to make full use of DegreeWorks throughout their programs.

Local Mailing and Email Addresses

Students are expected to maintain mailing addresses and monitor their Crimson e-mail addresses at which communications from the College of Education will, with reasonable certainty, reach them. The University of Alabama utilizes myBama as the official means of recording address information. It is the student’s responsibility to update addresses as needed under the Self-Service tab on myBama.

All students have a Crimson e-mail account created for them when they first enter The University. This is considered the official University of Alabama e-mail address for each student, and it will be used by University departments to disseminate information. This means all communication from The University concerning registration, financial aid, events, notifications, etc., will be sent to the Crimson e-mail exclusively. Students are responsible for checking their Crimson e-mail accounts on a regular basis.

Class Hour Load

The normal class hour load for College of Education students is 15–17 hours per semester. Seniors who need 18 hours during the final semester to complete degree requirements may register for those hours without special permission. In all other cases, each student must have at least a B average to receive permission from the College’s Office of Student Services to register for more than 18 hours. The maximum class hour load with a B average permit is 21 hours. During the summer/Interim session, the maximum load without a B average permit is 17 hours (seven hours per term/three hours during Interim). A student with a B average permit may carry a maximum of 18 hours (nine hours during one summer term, six hours during the other summer term and three hours during Interim term). Additional tuition costs are associated with enrollment greater than 16 credit hours and for summer terms.

Class Attendance

Students are expected to pursue successful completion of all courses for which they are registered, including regular class attendance. The dean may withdraw a student from courses and/or may assign failing grades at any time during a semester when excessive absences have accumulated or when the student is disenrolled from a course.

Academic Bankruptcy

The College of Education observes the general University policies governing academic bankruptcy and also maintains a committee to review all petitions for academic bankruptcy. The petitioning process begins in the College’s Office of Student Services and Certification.

Auditing Courses

With approval from the dean, an education student may audit one course. No tests or final examinations may be taken when a course is audited. An audited course is counted as if it were a credit course in the determination of the class hour load. Normally, an audited course may not be repeated for credit.

Repeating Courses for Higher Grades

With written permission from the dean, education students may repeat certain courses in which a grade of D was received. The dean’s written permission must be filed with the registrar of the College of Education. When the cumulative grade point average is computed, each enrollment in the course will count as hours attempted. However, only the most recent enrollment may count toward degree requirements.

Transfer Between Divisions

Before transferring into the College of Education from another division of The University of Alabama, a student should schedule an appointment with an academic advisor in the College of Education. Students must have a minimum GPA (UA and overall) of 2.0.

Transfer Equivalencies

Professional education courses transferred from other institutions may not be used to meet requirements in a state-approved program of study within the College of Education.

Second Bachelor’s Degree

If a student wishes to earn a second bachelor’s degree in the College of Education, a minimum of 32 semester hours of additional credit must be earned in residence in the College of Education. These 32 hours must be over and above all credit earned for the previous degree. All quantitative and qualitative requirements for the second degree program must be met in full, according to standards in effect on the date of enrollment in the second program. Students seeking a second bachelor's degree must have a transcript evaluation from the Office of Student Services in 104 Carmichael Hall.

Admission to a Teacher Education Program (TEP)

Admission to The University of Alabama does not qualify an individual for admission to the teacher education program (TEP) in the College of Education. Students must be formally admitted to the TEP. A formal, written application is required for admission to a specific teaching field program. Students who meet the following minimum criteria as outlined below may apply for admission to the teacher education program in their respective teaching fields.

1. A minimum grade point average of 2.50 is required in each of the following areas: (1) overall, (2) teaching field, and (3) professional studies. A minimum grade of C- must be earned in all professional studies coursework.
2. Students must successfully complete the pre-professional lab experience in their teaching field with a grade of at least a C-.
3. The Alabama State Department of Education and the College of Education require all students to be fingerprinted and receive background clearance prior to admission to TEP. 
4. Each candidate for admission must successfully complete an interview with at least two faculty members. Speaking skills and knowledge and abilities based on previous coursework will be among the attributes assessed in the interview. The interview evaluation will become part of the application to a TEP.
5. Appropriate faculty/departmental and administrative signatures are required once all criteria have been met.

Internship Requirements

After successfully completing all required coursework, each student is reviewed for placement in an internship. The teaching internship is one of the most important experiences a College of Education student has. It is generally regarded as the culminating activity of one's preparation to become a teacher. At The University of Alabama, the internship is a full-semester, full-time assignment.

Both undergraduate and nontraditional students must file internship applications with the Office of Clinical Experiences during the semester preceding the semester of the planned internships. The application process begins by attending a mandatory application session.

A student may apply to enroll for an internship if the following criteria have been met:

1. The student must have been admitted to the teacher education program or a nontraditional program. Internship applications will not be processed until admission is verified.
2. The student must have completed all courses in the major or majors prior to the internship or have approval from the faculty adviser and/or Department Chair to intern.
3. The student must have earned a minimum grade point average of 2.50 overall.
4. The student must have earned a minimum grade point average of 2.50 in the teaching field.
5. The student must have earned a minimum grade point average of 2.50 in professional studies coursework, with no grade below a C- in any professional studies coursework.
6. The student must have completed all methods courses and appropriate professional coursework with grades of C- or higher.
7. The student must have removed from the transcript any grade of incomplete (I) recorded in required courses; grades of incomplete are treated as grades of F.
8. The student must show mastery of required standards in all courses completed prior to internship, as indicated on the Individualized Standards Assessment Report.
9. The student must have earned passing scores on the appropriate Praxis subject assessment(s) for the teaching field and, if applicable, Foundations of Reading 190.
10. Portfolio requirements must be met.

Registration for Internship Credit Hours

Undergraduate students are required to register for the number of internship credit hours specified by their programs. In some programs, an undergraduate student may be allowed to choose a nine-hour registration or a 12-hour registration; course requirements are the same whether nine hours or 12 hours are taken. Students in programs requiring two different internship placements are required to register for two different sections of internship. A student enrolled for an internship must not expect to be enrolled in other courses while interning unless special permission is granted by the department head. If approved, courses must  not be taken during school hours.

Policy on Internship Placements

All internship placements are coordinated by the College of Education Office of Clinical Experiences. A placement site will be selected in a manner to ensure the quality of the internship experience and of the supervision provided by the cooperating teacher. All internship placements (except for music education) are in the greater Tuscaloosa area or surrounding counties in order to facilitate supervision of students by University of Alabama faculty or other designee of the department heads. Placement outside the greater Tuscaloosa area is made only if the Office of Clinical Experiences and/or a department head determine(s) that appropriate local placement is unavailable.

A student may apply for an overseas internship if he or she meets certain criteria and if appropriate placement can be coordinated by the Consortium for Overseas Student Teaching (COST) and/or The University of Alabama. Applications for overseas internships are taken during January for placements for the next fall semester and in June for placements the succeeding spring semester. Contact the Office of Clinical Experiences in 101 Autherine Lucy Hall for additional information.

Internship Placements

Internship placements for each candidate are systematically tracked ensuring state requirements are met, which include diverse school settings with diverse student populations. To accommodate this, candidates can expect to be placed up to 50-70 miles from campus.                  

Professional Licensure (Certification)

The curricula offered by the College of Education are designed to prepare teachers and school administrative and supervisory officials for the appropriate certificates. Students graduating with a bachelor of science degree in education, who have successfully completed a certification program and have met all state educator certification requirements (including testing), are eligible to apply for the Alabama Class B professional educator certificate. The College of Education, in accordance with the regulations of the Alabama State Board of Education, also provides assistance to individuals who need courses for the renewal of a certificate.

The associate dean for student services in the College of Education has been designated the teacher certification officer for the University. Students who need information about or assistance with certification should consult the associate dean for student services.

Students planning to teach outside the state of Alabama are held personally responsible for knowledge of professional licensure requirements in those states.

Alabama Educator Code of Ethics

The Alabama Educator Code of Ethics defines the professional behavior of educators in Alabama and serves as a guide to ethical conduct. The code protects the health, safety and general welfare of students and educators; outlines objective standards of conduct for professional educators; and clearly defines actions of an unethical nature for which disciplinary sanctions are justified.

Application for Certification

All students must complete the proper application form for Alabama certification. Forms are available through the Alabama Department of Education. Applications should be submitted to Student Services in 104 Carmichael Hall. A student who does not apply for professional licensure within 60 months after completing the state-approved program will be required to meet the current program. Students who plan to teach in other states must secure the proper professional licensure application forms from those states' departments of education after obtaining Alabama certification.

Teacher Warranty

According to regulations mandated by the Alabama State Board of Education, the College of Education ensures that "a candidate's competency to begin his or her professional role in schools is assessed prior to completion of the program and/or recommendation for certification" and establishes, publishes and implements "policies to guarantee the success of individuals who complete its approved programs and are employed in their area(s) of specialization." The College of Education provides "remediation at no cost to such individuals who are recommended . . . and are deemed to be unsatisfactory based on performance evaluations established by the State Board of Education and within two years after program completion."

History and Objectives

The University of Alabama has long been concerned with programs for the preparation of public school personnel. In 1844, just 13 years after the University’s establishment, a Normal Department was provided for those who wished to prepare for teaching careers. By 1872, the Normal Department had become the Normal School. By 1899, the trustees had replaced the Normal School with the School of Pedagogy and Psychology, which in 1902 became the School of Philosophy and Education. In 1908, the school was reorganized as the Department of Education; further organizational changes resulted in the name being changed to the School of Education one year later. The present College of Education was established in 1928. Until 1924, the University’s offerings in teacher education were almost entirely limited to undergraduate programs for elementary and high school teachers. Graduate work in school administration was added in 1924, and all programs — undergraduate and graduate — were greatly expanded from 1927–1928. Doctoral programs were authorized in 1951.

The College of Education is the division of The University of Alabama that has the responsibility for administering all professional programs and courses designed for the preparation of teachers and other educational professionals. Experiences in academic programs are devoted to developing individuals’ understanding of knowledge construction, learning, pedagogy and responsible professional practice in the contexts of education. The University of Alabama’s College of Education seeks to prepare professionals who demonstrate and value reflective practice and ethical decision making through respecting diversity, honoring difference and promoting social justice.