Accelerated Certification for Teaching – A.C.T. 1, A.C.T. 2
The College of Saint Elizabeth believes in a strong liberal arts background for teachers, and in a developmental approach to teacher preparation. Accordingly, the College offers an accelerated program of teacher preparation, A.C.T. 1, leading to certification as K-12 Secondary Teacher and K-6 Elementary Teacher for individuals who hold a baccalaureate degree or higher, but who have not yet pursued a program in teacher education.
Upon completion of A.C.T. 1, students may elect to continue with studies in Special Education or Early Childhood to obtain an M.A. in Education from the College. The College offers a second program, A.C.T. 2, for certified teachers who wish to earn additional endorsement as Teacher of Students with Disabilities.
Admission Criteria for A.C.T. 1
An individual who is seeking K-12 certification must have a major in the certification area for which they are applying: e.g. teacher of English must have a major in English; teacher of Biology must have a major in Biology. In addition, a passing score on the Praxis II Subject Assessment Tests and a minimum grade point average of 3.00 are required before admission. An individual who is seeking elementary teacher K-6 certification must have earned a degree in liberal arts or sciences, or have successfully completed at least 60 liberal arts credits. In addition, the individual must have a minimum grade point average of 3.00 and have passed the state-required Praxis exams before admission.
Requirements for A.C.T. 1
Individuals enrolling in the A.C.T. 1 will enroll in the following sequence of courses for 22 credits which is designed to comply with the curricular and student teaching requirements for a New Jersey instructional certificate, K-12 Secondary Teacher of major area, and Elementary Teacher K-6:
| ED510 | Ling & Sec Lang Acqu | 3 |
| ED601 | Education & Human Services Settings | 3 |
| ED603 | Curriculum Theory & Practice | 3 |
| PSY606 | Early Child,Child & Adolescent Dev & Beh | 3 |
| ED605 | Reading & Language Arts:Theory & Practic | 3 |
| ED607 | Practicum | 1 |
| ED651 | Math & Science:Curriculum & Instruction | 3 |
| ED681 | Field Experience in Educational Technol | 3 |
| ED608 | Practice Teach Sem | 1 |
| ED609 | Practice Teaching | 5 |
ED607 is required semester before student teaching
ED651 for K-6 only
ED681 for K-12 only
A student must be in good academic standing with a cumulative grade point average of 3.00 or better in order to apply for certification in all classes
Admissions Criteria for A.C.T. 2
Individuals seeking admission to A.C.T. 2 must be teachers who are currently certified or have completed A.C.T.1 to be eligible to enroll in A.C.T. 2 for an additional certificate, Teacher of Students with Disabilities. Certified teachers applying for additional endorsement in Teacher of Students with Disabilities must submit a copy of their initial certification.
Requirements for A.C.T 2
Individuals enrolling in the A.C.T. 2 will enroll in the following sequence of courses for 21 credits:
| ED620 | Intro to Assistive Technology | 3 |
| ED659 | Behav Mgt of Students w/ Sev Specl Needs | 3 |
| ED665 | Nature & Needs of Students w/ Educ Disa | 3 |
| ED671 | Curriculum,Instruction & Special Materia | 3 |
| ED675 | Community Agencies | 3 |
| ED677 | Action Research in Special Education | 3 |
| PSY619 | Psych Issues for Special Needs Populat | 3 |