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Transfer Information for Teacher Education
Welcome to UCO! We are glad you have chosen to become a Broncho and to complete your undergraduate coursework in Teacher Education here! We know that transferring from one institution to another can be a confusing process. This webpage includes a number of Frequently Asked Questions and the answers to help make your transition to UCO a smooth one.
What is the must-have resource for all Teacher Education majors?
That’s easy... The Teacher Education Handbook will likely answer many of your questions regarding the Teacher Education program.
What is the first Teacher Education class I should take at UCO?
PTE 3023: Foundations of American Education in the Department of Educational Sciences, Foundations & Research (formerly named Professional Teacher Education) focuses on the historical, philosophical, political and social influences on education in the United States.
Additionally, this course is the introductory class for Teacher Education and will help familiarize you with the requirements for the program. It has a 30-hour field experience requirement in addition to the scheduled class times. Field experience hours must be completed during week days, typically between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m school hours. You may concurrently take other courses in your major as long as you meet the prerequisites.
To whom should I talk regarding transferring credit from another university to UCO?
You will need to talk to ALL of the following: (1) your undergraduate advisor needs to review the University Core classes, (2) education department chairs need to review the education courses and (3) your program coordinator needs to review your content area courses. See the next four bolded questions and their responses (below) to find out with whom you need to schedule an appointment.
To whom should I talk regarding general education transfer and substitution courses (University Core classes), as well as major advisement?
Please see UCO’s Academic Advisement website for the most current list of advisors.
- Declaring a major
- Discussing the processes of academic repeat or reprieve
- Completing a degree check
- Answering other degree completion questions
What are the required 4x12 general courses that ALL early childhood, elementary and special education majors must complete?
The following classes are required by UCO to meet the State Regents’ 4x12 requirements for Early Childhood, Elementary Education and Special Education Majors. Only courses completed with a grade of "C" or better will satisfy the requirements for Admission to Teacher Education and/or to Student Teaching. Talk to your major advisor at UCO to see if courses from other institutions will transfer for 4x12 courses.
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English
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Math
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History
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Science
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What if I completed education courses at another university?
For the classes you will request we substitute in place of our Teacher Education courses, please gather the following documents:
- a copy of your transcript(s)
- a copy of the course descriptions from the transferring university’s course catalog when you completed the course
- documentation of field experience hours completed for clinical courses
- artifacts/assignments completed as part of the transferring university’s Teacher Education portfolio
Please note UCO’s Teacher Education protocol for approving course substitutions requires the following:
- Courses must be from a nationally accredited (and/or state-approved) Teacher Education program and/or university.
- Courses must be within one course/grade level of UCO’s course offerings.
- Courses must be similar in content and assessments (based on course catalog descriptions)
- Grades for the courses must demonstrate successful performance (Note: Teacher Education will accept no more than two program courses at the “C” level. Teacher Education course grades below a "C" are unacceptable for our programs whether the grades were earned at UCO or another university.)
Additionally, please note:
- Although a Teacher Education course may be substituted, students may be required to complete and submit for scoring the artifact(s) required in UCO’s electronic portfolio.
- Although some field experience hours may have been completed through the transferring university, UCO’s Teacher Education programs may require additional field experience hours to satisfy our program requirements.
To whom should I talk regarding Teacher Education course substitutions?
Please look at the degree sheet for your major as listed in UCO’s most current catalog.
Determine which UCO course(s) you are requesting to be substituted with your past university’s work.
| For courses beginning with... | Make an appointment with... |
| FACS, OCTE | Dr. Candy Sebert |
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IME, READ |
Dr. Pat Couts |
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SPED |
Dr. Barbara Green |
| ECED, ELED | Dr. Paulette Shreck |
| PTE | Dr. Diane H. Jackson |
| HLTH, KINS, PHED | Dr. Debra Traywick |
| ENG, HIST, MATH, BIO, ART, MUS, etc. (programs outside of the College of Education and Professional Studies) |
the program coordinator listed in the next section |
Additionally, to whom should I talk regarding the transfer of major (typically, 3000- or 4000-level) content area coursework and specific information about my program of study?
Please contact the appropriate program coordinator who can best provide current information about your major coursework and initial preparation as a teacher.
What are essential deadlines for me to follow in the Teacher Education program?
Please see the next round of deadlines for relevant Teacher Education applications:
- Application for Admission to Teacher Education
- Application for Admission to Student Teaching
- Application for Graduation
When am I eligible to apply for Admission to Teacher Education?
You should apply to Admission to Teacher Education as soon as you have completed (or will complete by the end of the current semester) ALL of the following requirements:
- Completed/will complete 40 hours of college credit with a 2.75 GPA or higher OR with the last 30 hours at UCO at a 3.00 GPA.
- Passed/will pass all 4x12 and attempted PTE courses with a "C" or better
- Completed/will complete ENG 1113 & 1213 with grade of “C” or better
- Completed/will complete PTE 3123: Foundations of American Education
- Passed the Oklahoma General Education Test (OGET)
To whom should I talk regarding Teacher Education requirements, procedures, applications, deadlines, clinical experiences, etc.?
A comprehensive guide to our Teacher Education program, the Teacher Education Handbook, and the most current deadlines are provided online:
For additional information, please contact the appropriate UCO professional:
| If your questions, concern, and/or needs are regarding... | Speak to/make an appointment with... | Department |
| General Information—Certification Test Dates, Deadlines, Background Check Information, etc. | Ms. Sarah Moore or Ms. Kristy Elkins, Administrative Assistants | Teacher Education Services |
| Field Experiences, Admission to Teacher Education or Teacher Certification & Testing | Ms. Karen Davis, Coordinator | Teacher Education Services |
| Admission to Student Teaching, Student Teaching or the Urban Teacher Preparation Academy | Ms. Karyn Hutchens, Coordinator | Teacher Education Services |
| Pass-Port, the Teacher Education Electronic Portfolio | Mr. Brett King, Coordinator | Teacher Education Services |
How many hours of field experience, prior to student teaching, are required?
Programs differ in the number of hours they require due to practica and/or service learning activities. The program coordinator for your major can provide the details of field experience expectations. However, the following list provides the minimal field experience hours required of all UCO Teacher Education majors:
- PTE 3023: Foundations of American Education (& Field Experience) = 30 hours
- PTE 4533: Educational Psychology & Field Experience = 30 hours
Whom do I contact to find out if my field experience hours will transfer to UCO?
Please contact Dr. Diane H. Jackson, Chair of Educational Sciences, Foundations & Research. To substitute for PTE 3023 or 4533 hours, the field experiences must have been completed in the P-12 school setting in conjunction with coursework similar to what is provided in either/both of these PTE courses. Other requirements for substitutions may exist, as well. Field hours completed as part of a service project outside the P-12 school setting, such as at a summer camp, etc., are not eligible for substitution.
Does participation in field experiences and student teaching require a national background check?
Yes! In order for you to be placed in a field experience, you must clear a national certified background check with no felonies, period, and with no misdemeanors that are a cause of concern for working with children. Before being cleared to visit any school site as a part of UCO teacher training, you must “pass” the background check, print off the first four pages of your score report and submit it to Teacher Education Services in the Education Building, Room 207. Please ask your program coordinator and/or course professors when you should complete the background check process. Contact the Teacher Education Services Office (405-974-5710) for more details.
What is the foreign language requirement for Teacher Education majors?
All students who are entering freshmen, transferring to an Oklahoma institution from out of state, or enrolling in a certification program beginning fall 1997 and thereafter are required to meet the foreign language competency. The foreign language competency must be met prior to Admission to Student Teaching.
The competency requirement is limited to speaking and listening only. The foreign language competency at the novice-high level can be met in the following ways:
- High School Course Work -- Complete two or more years of the same foreign language in high school with an average of B or higher.
- Testing – Pass the CLEP test in a foreign language.
- Native Speaker – Demonstrate this competency through a free interview in the Modern Languages department. (See Dr. Rudy Nollert, hnollert@uco.edu – Thatcher Hall, Room 202)
- UCO College Course Work – Complete a course in a foreign language (e.g., FRNCH 1114, GERMN 1114, SPAN 1114, etc.) and attain a grade of C or better.
- Transfer College Course Work – Complete foreign language course work at another institution and submit a transcript and a course syllabus indicating that a grade of C or higher indicates novice-high level competency.
- Sign Language – Complete SLPTH 4912 – Sign Language for the Classroom or a comparable college level course with a grade of C or better. Students who wish to demonstrate competency in Sign Language should see the Chair of the Advanced Professional & Special Services Department in LIB 145 or call extension 5437 for additional information.
- Native American Language – See the Chair of the Modern Languages Department for additional information regarding how to demonstrate competency in a Native American language. Candidates may be referred to another institution for competency testing in these languages.
Does UCO’s Teacher Education program have a portfolio requirement?
Yes! The Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation requires that all State Teacher Education programs have an electronic portfolio.
How do I purchase and learn how to use the required electronic portfolio system (Pass-Port) for undergraduate Teacher Education majors (with the exception of Speech Language Pathology)?
One of the first things to do after transferring to UCO will be to talk to the program coordinator who oversees your major. Ask when you need to purchase the Pass-Port electronic portfolio account.
To acquire your Pass-Port account, you will need to visit the UCO website. You will login using your UCONNECT as the username and passport as the password. If you experience problems or are unable to create an account, please visit the Education Building Room 112. You will be required to purchase a subscription and your receipt will be sent to your university email account. Currently, the cost is $38 per year with discounts for purchasing multiple-year subscriptions.
Once you have successfully purchased your account and changed your password, you are advised to visit the Computer Lab located in the Education 112 for training. If you need additional assistance, please visit the Pass-Port support site.
[Note: Typically, Pass-Port licenses must be purchased during PTE 3023: Foundations of American Education OR, for those substituting the Foundations course from another university, the Pass-Port license must be purchased during your first Teacher Education courses at UCO. Again, talk to your program coordinator.]
What Teacher Certification Exams will I be required to take to complete the program?
The following exams are required by the deadlines noted:
- The Oklahoma General Education Test (OGET) [must be passed prior to or within the semester you are applying to Admission to Teacher Education]
- The Oklahoma Subject Area Test(s) (OSAT) [should be taken when most of the major coursework has been completed successfully (such as the semester prior to student teaching) and must be passed prior to the start of the student teaching semester]
- The Oklahoma Professional Teaching Exam (OPTE) [must be passed prior to applying for teacher certification]
- The Oklahoma Reading Test (ORT) [must be passed by early childhood, elementary and special education majors only prior to being cleared for graduation]
For more information regarding testing requirements, time frames and constraints, competencies and study guides, cost and locations, etc., see this website.
[Note: Students must make sure to save their test results on a computer hard drive, flash drive, etc. There is a minimal charge for replacing lost test results.]
What scholarships and tuition waivers might be available for Teacher Education majors?
- Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education
- Future Teachers
- Teacher Shortage Employment Incentive Program
- Departmental Tuition fee waivers [Contact your major department.]
- UCO Tuition Fee Waivers
- UCO Foundation Scholarships
[Note: Scholarships are available to all students starting in the first semester that they are enrolled in and taking classes at UCO. Scholarships are not given to transfer students prior to their first full semester. Students who apply for and receive scholarships must be returning to classes at UCO the following fall semester. Please visit this page for more information.]
How will Career Services assist me in finding employment when I graduate?
- Career Services offers resources and counseling regarding interview skills, resume writing, business etiquette, and much more.
- Every Spring semester Career Services offers a Teacher Job Fair to UCO students.
- Career Services also offers assistance for securing full-time employment including resume posting, electronic resume referrals, access to applications for interviews, maintenance of teacher credential files, an online e-portfolio and more.
- For more information, please contact Ms. Beth Adele, Director of Career Services, (405) 974-3346
What University-sponsored organizations are specifically for Teacher Education majors?
Please contact the appropriate sponsor(s) who can best provide current information about opportunities with these organizations.
| Teacher Education-Related Organizations | Get more information from... | Department |
| Student Oklahoma Education Association (SOEA) | Dr. Susan Scott | Educational Sciences, Foundations & Research |
| Kappa Delta Pi (KDP) | Dr. Diane Jackson Dr. Kathy Brown Dr. Carol Lucas Ms. Karen Davis |
Educational Sciences, Foundations & Research (Drs. Jackson & Brown), Math (Dr. Lucas) & TES (Ms. Davis) |
| Phi Upsilon Omicron | Dr. Susan Miller Dr. Darlene Kness |
Human Environmental Sciences |
| Physical Education Major's Club | Ms. Susan McLemore | Kinesiology & Health Studies |
| Student Association of Family & Consumer Sciences | Dr. Candy Sebert | Adult Education & Safety Sciences |
| Student Council for Exceptional Children (SCEC) | Dr. Donna Kearns | Psychology |
| National Student Speech-Language-Hearing Association | Dr. Scott McLaughlin | Advanced Professional & Special Services |
100 North University Drive, Edmond, OK 73034 | (405) 974-2000