Secondary: A full-time student enrolled in three courses per semester who follows the required course sequence can complete this program in four semesters.

Elementary: A full-time student enrolled in three courses per semester who follows the required course sequence can complete this program in four semesters. The elementary education program is an accelerated program designed to have a Spring start date and continue to the end of the next Spring semester.

Courses for the program are offered at Loyola's Water Tower and Lake Shore campuses. Courses are offered in the late afternoon and early evening to accommodate working students, except for the elementary education program. This program requires a year-long full-time weekday commitment.

Please note: Several courses have labs during the mornings or afternoons of school hours. They normally meet once per week for three hours.

Yes.

No, you must have a teachable area completed before being admitted to the program.

Secondary: Applicants must also complete the general education courses prior to earning a Type 09 standard secondary certificate.

Elementary: Applicants must also complete the general education courses prior to earning a Type 03 standard elementary certificate.

Clinical experiences are designed to give students an opportunity to become involved in off-campus educational experiences. Clinical experiences include guided observations such as tutoring, attending school board meetings, observing classroom activities, conducting small group or whole class instruction, and judging academic contests. The professional education classes provide clinical experience hours for students.

Please refer to the Master of Education - Elementary Education or Secondary Education site for more information on clinical experiences for the program.

We encourage early testing of the content area if you have already completed the coursework for your teachable subject.

The content area should be taken no later than the semester prior to student teaching. A passing score is required for admission to student teaching. Registration and Study Guide materials are available online.

International students can complete the program but may not be eligible for an Illinois certificate. The state of Illinois only grants certification to U.S. citizens and those with permanent residency status.

Students need to complete a student teaching application. To complete the application, the student needs to provide:

• General information
• Advisement sheet
• Student teaching health certificate
• A personal statement
• Transcript release form
• A passing score on the Illinois Content Area Test

Completed applications will be filed in each student's record. Deadlines for submission are March 1 for Spring and October 1 for Fall.

The applications must be submitted one year in advance of your student teaching assignment. The application is available for download.

Student teaching occurs from Monday thru Friday for full school days for 16 weeks during the Fall or Spring semester.

The coordinator of student teaching interviews students to assess their readiness for student teaching and to review their transcripts.

When you apply for student teaching, it is not guaranteed that you will get the school that you request. The placement decision is the responsibility of the University and is made by the coordinator of student teaching. Elementary education students will be placed for student teaching at their clinical site.

When you are student teaching, you are expected to abide by your school's schedule and not by Loyola's schedule.

Yes, you must attend all seminars. Seminars serve to provide students with vital information regarding the academic program, certification requirements and an opportunity for professional growth.

Yes, you must register for your program's specific student teaching.

The university supervisor visits the student teacher five times during the semester. The university supervisor and the cooperating teacher submit written evaluations of the student's teaching performance and lesson plans.

No. After you receive your application, signed and sealed by Loyola University Chicago, the Office of Student Academic Services (OSAS) sends your name to the Certification Section of the Illinois State Board of Education. The OSAS is located in room 1123 at the Water Tower Campus. (The student teaching handbook provides a checklist guide you can use for the certification process.)

Secondary: You will receive a Type 09 Curriculum & Instruction with a Secondary Certification teaching certificate for grades 6 - 12 in your subject area.

Elementary: You will receive a Type 03 Curriculum & Instruction with an Elementary Certification teaching certificate for grades K - 9. To teach grades 5 - 9 there must be an additional endorsement on your certificate. Your program of studies at Loyola qualifies you for a middle grade endorsement if you have completed an approved area.

To apply for state certification, click here.

The Illinois State Board of Education joined the Interstate Compact Agreement. As a result of this, your certificate allows to receive a compatible initial certificate in most states. You must apply to each state where you are interested in teaching.

A passing score on the APT is required by the Illinois State Board of Education prior to their issuing the LSBI certificate.