Department of Teacher Development and Educational Studies

485B Pawley Hall (248) 370-2613
Fax: (248) 370-2639

Department Website: oakland.edu/sehs/tdes

Chairperson: Nancy A. Melamed Brown

Professors emeriti: James W. Hughes, M. Sharon P. Muir

Professors: Dyanne M. Tracy, Mary T. Stein, Robert A. Wiggins

Associate professors: Karen Bolak, Nancy A. Melamed Brown, Timothy Larrabee, Ji-Eun Lee, Michael MacDonald, Carolyn O’Mahony, Thomas Pedroni, Dawn M. Pickard, Richard C. Pipan

Assistant professors: Mark Olson, Michael Weiss

Visiting Assistant professor: Mohammad Basir

Special instructors: Linda Tyson

General Information

The Department of Teacher Development and Educational Studies offers programs designed to prepare students for careers in elementary and secondary school teaching. Both programs are approved by the Teacher Education Accreditation Council (TEAC) and the Michigan Department of Education.

In conjunction with the Departments of Human Development and Child Studies, and Reading and Language Arts, the Department of Teacher Development and Educational Studies offers programs that enable students to earn concurrently a Bachelor of Science degree from Oakland University and recommendation for a Michigan elementary provisional certificate (see Michigan Teacher Certification).

The Department offers a fifth-year program that prepares students majoring in selected academic fields in the College of Arts and Sciences for recommendation for a Michigan secondary provisional certificate. Students interested in secondary education programs should consult the College of Arts and Sciences section of the catalog.

Students who already hold a four-year degree from an accredited college or university will complete the Bachelor degree requirements, excluding the general education requirements.

Admission to the Major

Meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission to the major. Qualitative criteria may be required as well. The program seeks students who are committed to teaching in a multicultural school or district. Underrepresented students are especially encouraged to apply.

Minimum criteria for admission to the major are:

Passing the Michigan Test for Teacher Certification (MTTC) Basic Skills Exam. Please note: students must request that MTTC send the student’s scores to OU.
Completion of STA 225 and 12 credits of General Education coursework with a 2.0 minimum grade (or “C”) in each course.
A minimum of 70 documented clock hours experience working with children in noncustodial activities, 50 hours within the last three years and 20 hours during the calendar year prior to application. Field experience in EED 312 /EED313 does not meet this requirement.
Examples of activities and documentation forms are available on the website (oakland.edu/sehs/advising).
Minimum grade of 3.0 (or “B”) in
EED 310
/
EED 311
. (New transfer students who have taken an approved “Introduction to Education” course at their previous institution, as well as first-year undergraduates who have participated in an approved teacher cadet program with which OU has an articulation agreement, may be approved to take EED 313 in lieu of EED 312 . Previously enrolled OU students must take EED 312 at OU.)
Achieve a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.80.
Submission of a completed application to the SEHS Advising Office.

Advising

The SEHS Advising Office is located in 363 Pawley Hall, (248) 370-4182. All first year and transfer students are required to attend an orientation to plan their first semester courses. During the first semester at Oakland, students should schedule an advising appointment to review the program plan and degree requirements. In subsequent semesters, students should schedule advising appointments far in advance of early registration time so that the staff may adequately serve their needs. The adviser’s role is to audit, assist and advise. Ultimately the student is responsible for meeting all degree and graduation requirements.

Professional Program

Upon being admitted to the elementary education program, students are expected to maintain continuous enrollment during the fall and winter semesters in at least one (1) and no more than four (4) professional education courses. Any waiver to this policy must be approved by the Elementary Education Petition of Exception Committee before the semester for which the waiver is requested. Students must follow the required sequence of courses provided at the time of admission to major. Prerequisites are required for some professional education courses. See course offerings for prerequisites and corequisites. All General Education courses must be completed prior to student teaching. Retention in the program is based on student demonstration of the characteristics and conduct of members of the teaching profession.

Retention in the SEHS Professional Education Programs

Retention in the SEHS professional education programs is based on the expectation that students will demonstrate the characteristics of and conduct themselves as members of the profession as described in the Expected Competencies. Students may be removed from a program, removed from a field placement or may not be recommended for certification: (i) if they fail to fulfill any such expectations to Oakland University’s satisfaction, including without limitation the expectation that they demonstrate adequate and appropriate communication ability and character and develop, maintain and fulfill their professional relationships, responsibilities and competencies: (ii) academic misconduct; (iii) violations of the Michigan Code of Ethics for Teachers; (iv) failure to fulfill any Oakland University academic or conduct requirements; or (v) violations of any other program or Oakland University’s policies, rules, regulations or ordinances.

Students may also be removed from field placements: (i) upon request of a building administrator; (ii) for a failure to comply with the requirements of this Competency and Retention Statement; (iii) if Oakland University determines that removal is in the best interests of the student, Oakland University, the professional education programs or the schools where the student is placed; (iv) inadequate planning, classroom management, and/or discipline; (v) lack of content knowledge; (vi) deficiency in oral or written communication skills; (vii) inappropriate personal or professional behavior; (viii) ethical impropriety; (ix) violation(s) or community standards or policies; or (x) failure to exercise appropriate; professional judgments.

Field placements: Participation in field placements is required during EED 312 /EED 313 and each semester during which students enroll in a professional education class. The Office of School and Field Services arranges placements that ensure a variety of experiences, including two in urban school districts. Students may be required to be fingerprinted and have a state police and FBI background check, at their expense, before beginning a field placement depending on school district requirements. Internship:

EED 455

must be taken in the final semester of the degree program.

Application for the internship, EED 455 , must be made one full academic year in advance of the intended enrollment. Students must check the web page for the date of the required orientation meeting (held in fall semester for both fall and winter student teacher applicants) at which application is made. Admission criteria for the internship are: a) satisfactory grade point average and minimum required grades; b) completion of all professional education course work and field placements; and c) completion of all required course work for the teaching major and/or minors; and d) students placed in K-5 classrooms must have passed the MTTC (Michigan Test for Teacher Certification) Elementary Education test (83); students placed in a middle school must have passed the MTTC Elementary Education test (83) and the MTTC Endorsement tests for their major and/or minors, prior to beginning the internship semester. Students will be required to be fingerprinted and have a state police and FBI background check at their own expense.

EED 455 may not be repeated.

Students must obtain an approved petition from the Petition of Exception Committee to enroll in more than 12 credits during the internship semester. A minimum grade of 2.0 in EED 455 is required for graduation, a minimum grade of 2.8 for recommendation for certification. Students who do not earn the minimum grade for certification can earn a B.S. without certification with an approved petition of exception.

Michigan Teacher Certification

To be recommended for a provisional elementary certificate, elementary education majors must successfully complete requirements for the B.S., complete all courses as listed in either Option 1 or Option 2, earn a minimum grade of 2.8 in EED 455, and successfully pass the elementary education MTTC #83 exam. To be recommended for content area endorsements to the elementary education certificate, students must also successfully pass the subject area tests required by the state. Oakland University requires that the candidate additionally document successful completion of one subject area MTTC test in order to be recommended from this university for certification. The State also requires a certificate in first aid and adult/child CPR before certification may be recommended. Successful completion of our program and internship does not guarantee certification by the State of Michigan.

Applicants should be aware that a conviction for a felony or misdemeanor may constitute grounds for denial of a certificate by the State of Michigan. (See complete policy on the School and Field Services web site.)

Teaching Certification for Elementary Education Option 1: The Michigan Elementary Provisional Certificate is valid for teaching all subjects in grades K-5, all subjects in self-contained classrooms for grades 6-8 in which one teacher provides a majority of the instruction, and in teaching majors and minors in departmentalized programs for grades 6-8.

Teaching Certification for Elementary Education Option 2: The Michigan Elementary Provisional Certificate is valid for teaching all subjects in grades K-5 and all subjects in self-contained classrooms for grade 6 in which one teacher provides a majority of the instruction.

Students who complete the ESL endorsement in Option 1 or Option 2 earn K-12 certification in this content area.

Programs & Cores

Elementary Education, B.S.

Secondary Education (OU STEP)

Course Descriptions

For FE and SE course descriptions, see the Department of Human Development and Child Studies; for RDG and IST courses, see the Department of Reading and Language Arts. The department offers courses from this catalog as warranted by student needs and availability of faculty. Specific offerings for each term may be found in SAIL (see link below). All professional courses may be retaken only once.

Courses: Department of Teacher Development and Educational Studies .

Schedule of Classes

Specific offerings for each semester may be found in the Schedule of Classes: sail.oakland.edu.