Teacher Licensure and Pathway to the Master of Arts in Teaching
All teaching candidates are advised that completion of the licensure program within a four-year time frame requires careful planning. Interested students should seek early advising from the Teacher Education program faculty to plan their program.
Requirements for licensure include pedagogy and methodology coursework at the graduate level (GED 7000-level courses). Education students are eligible to apply these credits toward Hamline’s Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program. This program allows for a seamless transition from undergraduate to graduate study. Students may complete their undergraduate degree requirements and graduate with a Bachelor’s degree before completing licensure requirements, then finish licensure work through the MAT program. Once all licensure requirements (including student teaching) have been completed, students are eligible to earn their Master’s degree by completing the 8-credit capstone sequence.
To pursue a licensure program, and to be eligible for the Pathway to MAT, students must be admitted to Teacher Education. Please see the School of Education section for more information.
Grade Policy
The cumulative GPA for all education coursework (EDU and GED) must be 3.0 or above. The cumulative GPA for content area coursework (life science, math, Spanish, etc.) must be 3.0 or above. Grades in GED courses must be B- or better to count toward the licensure program. Exceptions to the grading policy will be considered on a case by case basis.
Initial Licensure Requirements
State Testing Requirements
- MTLE: NES Essential Academic Skills Test (see your advisor for equivalents)
- MTLE: Elementary K-6 or Secondary Pedagogy 5-12 (sub test 1 and sub test 2)
- MTLE: World Language and Culture German K-12 (sub test 1 and sub test 2)
- Assessment of Language Proficiency Test (OPI)
Note: All Hamline K-12 World Language candidates (German and Spanish) are expected to have a proficiency level on the ACTFL scale of at least advanced low. To ensure that language proficiency does not become a barrier toward licensure and program-completion, incoming teacher candidates must take the ACTFL oral proficiency interview (OPI) by the end of Semester 1. Candidates who score intermediate high may be given opportunities to acquire language proficiency through alternative means, and will work with their academic adviser to discuss the merits of a petition request. Candidates who score intermediate high or below may be advised to exit the program or pursue other career options.
