Gwynedd Mercy University
2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog
the time that is specified in the district ’ s teacher contract or professional agreement . While the student is not required to attend any activities beyond the hours of the contracted teacher workday , such experiences will help with professional growth , i . e . School Board meeting , PTA meeting .
Academic Progress , Probation and Program Dismissal :
• The student must have a minimum GPA of 3.0
• Any grade below a C + in a course within the major must be repeated .
• The student must have completed at least six semester credits in college level mathematics and at least three semester credits in college level composition and three credits in English .
• Secondary education students must apply to the School of their discipline , as well as the School of Business and Education ( certification ) by the 48-60 credit mark .
• If the above criteria are not met by the 48-60 credit mark , students will either remain in or move to the BS in Education Studies or choose to change their major . Secondary students will change their major to their content area only .
Course Withdrawal Policies : Course withdrawal policies follow those of the University .
Experiential Learning : Teacher Apprentice Program ( TAP ); Pre-Student Teaching and Student Teaching Students are responsible for their own transportation to and from off campus experiential learning opportunities .
Application : Applications for Pre-Student and Student Teaching are due on February 1 st of the year prior to Pre-Student Teaching . Students rank their placement choices on the Application using # 1 as first choice , # 2 as second choice and so forth . Applications are submitted to student advisers who approve and pass them on to the Coordinator . The Field Placement Coordinator will attempt to secure the student ’ s first choice of placement . In some cases , the first- choice school is unavailable and the Placement Coordinator will move on to the second placement choice . Once a placement request has been submitted to a school district , placement requests may not be altered . Only when a school district cannot supply a placement will a placement request be altered . Students should carefully rank their placement choices from the list of approved schools on the back of the Application before submitting , as application placements cannot be changed once submitted by the Field Placement Coordinator .
Pre-Student and Student Teaching : Approval to pre-student or student teach is not automatically granted upon completion of academic requirements . If weakness or deficiencies are noted in subject matter , knowledge , pedagogy , communications , or interpersonal skills , the Dean may require the student to take corrective action , such as , additional coursework , additional practicum , personal counseling , or pursue another major .
The Privilege of Pre-Student Teaching : The student will be granted the privilege of entering into prestudent teaching only if the following requirements are met :
• Formal acceptance into the relevant certification programs ;
• Have on record official notification of qualifying in all Basic Skills areas ( while the Education program respects the student who repeatedly takes the exam , this effort does not replace passing the exam ) ( Act 55 of 2022 : Basic Skills waived until July 7 , 2025 );
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