Undergraduate School of Education

The School of Education (SOE) offers programs grounded in the values of scholarship, leadership, and service.University courses and early field experiences at school sites provide opportunities are designed to enable the undergraduate student to acquire the requisite knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary for effective teaching in today’s diverse classrooms.

Undergraduate School of Education BA Programs:

• Educational Studies BA
• Elementary Education BA with Early Childhood Education Minor
• K-12 Education and Graphic Design/Art
• K-12 Education and Italian Studies
• K-12 Education and Spanish Language and Transcultural Studies
• Secondary Education and Biology
• Secondary Education and Chemistry
• Secondary Education and English
• Secondary Education and History
• Secondary Education and Mathematics
• Special Education

Minors and Endorsement Programs​

• Education Minor
• Language Learning Minor and ESL and/or Bilingual Endorsement Program
• Mathematics Education Minor and Endorsement
• Special Education Minor and LBS1 Endorsement

Combined Program

• Special Education- B.A./M.S. or B.S/M.S.with Licensure

 All undergraduate programs meet the licensure requirements of the Illinois State Board of Education. Students who plan to teach in other states should consult the licensure requirements for those states and should elect courses within their undergraduate program that meet the special requirements of those states.

Requirements, regulations, and procedures outlined in this Bulletin govern teacher licensure programs at Dominican University. Candidates wishing to work toward teacher licensure should study this Bulletin and consult with advisors from the School of Education early in their college careers.

The undergraduate teacher education programs are designed to foster a commitment to research, reflection, and inquiry in the classroom; collaboration among individuals, institutions, and communities; a blending of theory and practice; consideration of multiple perspectives; and the effective use of technology as a teaching and learning tool. The overarching aim of the program is to cultivate teachers who share a set of core values that includes a commitment to social justice, an understanding of the strengths and needs of a diverse student population, and a dedication to equity, inclusion, and excellence for all students.

Dominican teacher education program graduates have the unique opportunity to experience a comprehensive program that includes the liberal arts and sciences core curriculum courses, content courses in the various liberal arts disciplines, professional and pedagogical education courses, and extensive supervised clinical experiences that focus on the development of practices essential to beginning teachers. As our graduates become successful educators, their work reflects the mission of the university, and their responsibility as educators to provide compassionate service, and promote a more just and humane world.

Field experiences begin in the first year of the program. The Secondary and K-12 majors are co-requisites majors. They are completed in conjunction with an academic major in an area of licensure. Students pursuing a secondary education major complete one of the following co-requisite majors: biology, chemistry, English, history, or mathematics. Students pursuing a K-12 major select a co-requisite major in Art, Italian, or Spanish.

Education Program Requirements

Teacher candidates must pass IL State Board of Education (ISBE) required assessments for the IL Professional Educator License:

1. IL Content Area Test(s)-all candidates must earn a passing score on the applicable Content Test by the following dates:

• September 30 for Spring Student Teaching
• June 30 for Fall Student Teaching

2. edTPA Teacher Performance Assessment (submitted during student teaching semester)

All education courses presented for licensure must be passed with a C- or better and an overall GPA of 2.75 is required.

Teacher candidates must apply to the Teacher Education Program (TEP). Admission to the Teacher Education Program is on a rolling basis. While students may apply all year-round, applications are specifically due by:  March 15, July 15, October 15.

Criteria for Teacher Education Program Acceptance:

1. Currently enrolled in or have completed EDUC 200/CRWS 101, SEDU 302 or equivalent transfer course

2. Cumulative GPA of 2.75 or above

3. Clear fingerprint and background check following the CPS Approval for Field Experience application following the steps in the CPS Field Experience Registration. At the link https://www.teach.cps.edu/student-teacher, scroll down to the left side purple box for the section titled CPS Field Experience Registration and follow steps 1, 2, 3. Click here to review the CPS Field Experience Approval Guide. The CPS Field Experience Registration requests the following information:

• Field Placement Coordinator name:  Bridget Burns
• Field Placement Coordinator contact number:  708-524-6806
• Field Placement Coordinator email address:  brburns@dom.edu
• Name of CPS Placement School:  unknown

4. You must obtain and submit an Approval Notice from CPS (the result of applying to CPS Field Experience Registration). CPS will send the Approval Notice to your email after you apply and upon approval. Please save that email for submission to the Teacher Education Program application.  

5. Take a screenshot of the CPS Approval Notice. Upload the saved screenshot of the CPS Approval Notice as indicated on the Online Teacher Education Program Application

6. Save the CPS Approval Notice because when you do field experience at a CPS school, you might need to show your CPS Approval Notice. 

Applying to the Teacher Education Program:

1. Set up a licensure account (ELIS) at the Illinois State Board of Education to obtain an Illinois Educator Identification Number (IEIN).

2. After acquiring all relevant documents and numbers, complete the Online Teacher Education Program Application. After your application is submitted, it will be reviewed and an email confirmation or notice about what is missing will be sent to you. 

3. After receiving notification of your acceptance into the TEP, the Office of Student Success and Engagement will officially declare your major. 

If you have any questions about your TEP application, please email Monica Halloran at mhallora@dom.edu

Continuation in Teacher Education Program

The following criteria are required in order to continue as a candidate in the Teacher Education Program:

• Cumulative GPA of 2.75; Education GPA of 2.75
• A minimum grade of C- in all courses presented for licensure
• Acceptable dispositions ratings

A candidate who does not meet the above requirements is subject to the School of Education’s candidate intervention/remediation process. As part of that process, candidates and their advisors will develop an intervention/remediation plan for the candidate. The plan is designed to support candidates in addressing the criteria above that are not satisfied. If the plan is not successfully met, the candidate may be withdrawn from the program.

Criteria for Admission to Student Teaching

• IL Content Area Test(s): all candidates must earn a passing score by September 30 for spring student teaching and by June 30 for fall student teaching. You can register and get more information at ICTS Testing Service: http://www.icts.nesinc.com/

In addition to the passing score by the required date on the state-required Content Test(s), the following prerequisites for student teaching placement are necessary:

• Completion of education courses specified in your program
• Minimum grade of C- in all courses presented for licensure and clear background check
• At least 75 field experience hours are completed and no more than 25 hours are in process during the term in which you are applying
• Cumulative GPA of 2.75; Education GPA of 2.75
• Approval of your education advisor

Programs

• Educational Studies - B.A.
• Elementary Education - B.A. with Early Childhood Education Minor
• Secondary and K-12 Education- BA
• Special Education - B.A.

• Special Education - B.A./M.S. or B.S./M.S. with Licensure

• Education Minor
• Language Learning Minor and/or ESL and Bilingual Endorsement Program
• Mathematics Education Minor and Endorsement
• Minors and Endorsement Programs
• Special Education Minor and LBS1 Endorsement