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 and Leadership  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, 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) - not required for Tier 3 license
• MTLE: Secondary Pedagogy 5-12 (sub test 1 and 2)
• MTLE: Communication Arts and Literature 5-12 (sub test 1 and 2)

Pedagogy Requirements: 5-12 Licensure

• EDU 1150 - Schools and Society (with Lab)
• EDU 1250 - Educational Psychology
• EDU 3260 - Theory to Practice (with Lab)
• EDU 3500 - Diversity and Education (with Lab)
• GED 7801 - Introduction to Advanced Teacher Thinking
• GED 7872 - Exceptionality
• GED 7888 - English Learners in the Mainstream
• GED 7802 - Preparing to Student Teach: Advising and Reflection
• GED 7050 - Student Teaching Seminar
• GED 7895 - Student Teaching Secondary 5-12

Methods Requirements - Communication Arts and Literature

• GED 7857 - Teaching Communication Arts and Literature in the Middle and Secondary School Part 1
• GED 7870 - Teaching Communication Arts and Literature in the Middle and Secondary School Part II

Content Requirements - Communication Arts and Literature

Students pursuing this license area should complete an English major. The requirements for licensure are not identical to the major requirements, please see the specific content course requirements listed below.

• ENG 3020 - Literary and Cultural Theory
• ENG 3720 - Teaching Writing: Theory and Practice
• 8 credits of literature-based courses that represent a range of diverse authors, genres, time periods, and perspectives (e.g., ENG 1200, ENG 1900, ENG 3450, ENG 3530, ENG 3540, ENG 3570)  
• COMM 1110 - Public Speaking
• COMM 1320 - Introduction to Critical Media Studies or COMM 3320 - Media in the Digital Age  
• ESL 8100 - Linguistics for Language Teachers