Education Degrees Minor Other
Art (K-12)   Checkmark  
Elementary Education (K-8) BS   ONLINE
English (5-12) BS    
General Science (5-12) BS    
Health & Physical Education (K-12) BS    
Industrial Technology (5-12)   
Traditional Track   
Apprenticeship Track
BS    
Reading Specialist (K-12)   Checkmark  
Social Science Broadfield (5-12) BS    
Traffic Education (5-12)   Checkmark  

 Initial Education Program Mission Statement

The mission of the Initial Education Program is to prepare teachers with comprehensive Pedagogical content knowledge and skills to meet the learning needs of the diverse K-12 population and to impact society as a whole.

Advising Information

You are encouraged to meet with your advisor at the beginning of each semester to confirm a plan of study and make any necessary adjustments. Due to unforeseen circumstances, it may not always be possible to follow suggested plans exactly. Meeting with an advisor before registering for classes each semester will allow you to plan a schedule that meets your needs and assists you to complete requirements in an efficient manner.

Undergraduate Teacher Education

The undergraduate Teacher Education Program contains four broad areas of emphasis:

  1. Providing a comprehensive general education background;
  2. Developing an in-depth background in one or more academic areas commonly taught in the public schools;
  3. Completing professional preparation focusing on pedagogy, consisting of consisting of online (Elementary Education program) and on-campus courses and K-12 school practicum's that lead to a recommendation for educator licensure;
  4. Participating in experiences community and campus wide extra-curricular experiences and/or elective courses that will enhance the prospective teacher's personal and professional development.

Requirements for Admission to the Teacher Education Program

Upon declaring an education major students will be classified as a pre-education majors, and is assigned an education advisor. With the advisor's assistance, students should plan a program of study and work toward Level One Admission to Teacher Education.

All students seeking admission to the undergraduate education program for initial educator license are required to apply to the Education Department.

Student Teaching
Candidates seeking to be recommended for an educator license through the Teacher Education Program at Montana State University-Northern must successfully complete a Student Teaching in their senior year. The candidate must apply and have acquired Final Admission to Level Two of the Teacher Education Program prior to enrolling in EDU 495 Student Teaching. In addition, the candidate must have completed all professional education courses. The Student Teaching is a full-time responsibility; therefore, the candidate will not be allowed to enroll in additional courses during this time. Candidates wishing to student teach must apply by mid-term the semester before they plan to student teach.

Teacher Education Prerequisites
Credits identified as Teacher Education Program prerequisites should be completed during the freshman and sophomore years. Additionally, program prerequisites should also be completed before  making application for Level One Admission to Teacher Education and enrollment in specific upper division teacher education courses.

Professional Education
Professional education courses are designed to prepare students to apply their academic training to their interactions with students, parents, colleagues, and administrators in the K-12 schools and may be taken after receiving Admission to Teacher Education. This portion of the degree requirement is designed to help students plan and prepare instructional experiences, develop insight into how children learn and grow, and provide actual experience with the manner in which K-12 schools are organized and operated.

Licensure Requirements

Teacher Education graduates who complete an approved program of study and maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.5 and a content GPA of 3.0 are eligible to apply for an educator's license. The process is completed online through the Office of Public Instruction. Once all required documentation has been uploaded, the MSU-Northern Certification/Licensure Officer will complete the University Recommendation form to verify eligibility. All applications for licensure will be reviewed on the basis of the rules under which the license is issued.