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 advanced program of teacher preparation, A.C.T. 1, leading to certification as K-12 Secondary Teacher or 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 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 appropriate Praxis II Subject Assessment as well as the Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators Combined Test 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 25 credits which is designed to comply with the curricular and clinical experience and practice requirements for a New Jersey instructional certificate, K-12 Secondary Teacher of major area, and Elementary Teacher K-6:
Required Courses
| ED510 | Linguistics & Second Language Acquisition | 3 |
| ED601 | Education & Human Services Settings | 3 |
| ED603 | Curriculum Theory & Practice | 3 |
| ED605 | Reading & Language Arts: Theory & Practice | 3 |
| ED607 | Clinical Practice Seminar I | 2 |
| ED608 | Clinical Practice Seminar II | 2 |
| ED609 | Clinical Practice | 4 |
| ED651 | Math & Science: Curriculum & Instruction | 3 |
| ED665 | Nature & Needs of Students with Educational Disabilities | 3 |
| ED681 | Field Experience in Educational Technology | 3 |
| PSY606 | Early Childhood, Childhood & Adolescent Development & Behavior | 3 |
ED607 is required before Clinical Practice semester
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:
Required Courses
| ED620 | Introduction to Assistive Technology | 3 |
| ED659 | Behavioral Management of Students with Severe Special Needs | 3 |
| ED665 | Nature & Needs of Students with Educational Disabilities | 3 |
| ED671 | Curriculum, Instruction & Special Materials | 3 |
| ED675 | Community Agencies | 3 |
| ED677 | Action Research in Special Education | 3 |
| PSY619 | Psychological Issues for Special Needs Population | 3 |