Our Preliminary Credential Program is designed for students who are interested in pursuing a California Teaching Credential with EL Authorization. The EL Authorization prepares candidates to teach students who are English Language Learners (ELL).

Admission Requirements

• A Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution
• A graduate program application with the corresponding fee
• Official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate courses
• Three letters of recommendation addressing potential success in a teacher education program
• An interview with Graduate Education personnel
• Official acceptance into the program

(NOTE: It is strongly recommended that students have taken a statistics course before beginning the MA Core component - the last 12 units of any of the M.A. options)

California Preliminary Teaching Credential

The requirements listed below must be satisfied by April 1 prior to beginning the Fall term and by October 1 prior to beginning the Spring term to qualify for Clinical Practice classroom assignments.

Grade Point Average Requirement

A cumulative 2.7 Grade Point Average (GPA) in undergraduate work is required for regular status admission into the credential program (for MA in Education, see requirements below).

- or -

• Students with a 2.5-2.69 GPA may be admitted with provisional status. The provisional status student will be eligible for regular status in the credential program upon completing all the following 3 conditions:
  1. Student must complete an additional 6-15 units of post-baccalaureate course work with a minimum 3.0 GPA. All coursework must be pre-approved and completed at VU prior to enrolling in the credential program.
  2. Student must complete the first required 12 graduate units of the program with a 3.5 GPA or higher.
  3. Student will meet with the Coordinator and/or Director for a progress evaluation conference.

(Note: the B.A. GPA requirement is waived for a candidate with a Master’s degree from an accredited institution)

Basic Skills Requirement (BSR)

The Basic Skills Requirement may be satisfied in a variety of ways, as explained on the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) Web site here: Basic Skills Requirement

1. Pass the California Basic Educational Skills Test (CBEST)

2. Pass the California Subject Examination for Teachers (CSET) Multiple Subjects plus Writing Skills examination

3. Pass the CSU Early Assessment Program or the CSU Placement examinations

4. Achieve qualifying score on the SAT or ACT

      SAT – Mathematics score 550 or above and Critical Reading score of 500 or above

      ACT – Mathematics score of 23 or above and English score of 22 or above

5. Achieve qualifying score on College Board Advanced Placement (AP) examinations

      Scores of 3 or above in AP English and AP Calculus or AP Statistics

6. Pass a Basic Skills examination from another state

      Further information here: Out-of-State BSR

7. Meet the Basic Skills Requirement by coursework

      Further information here: BSR Options

8. Meet the Basic Skills Requirement by coursework and examination

      Further information here: BSR Options

Subject Matter Competency Requirement (SMR)

The Subject Matter Competency Requirement may be satisfied in a variety of ways, as explained on the (CTC) Web site here: Subject Matter Requirement

1. Completion of a CTC approved Subject Matter Preparation Program

Vanguard University offers Subject Matter Preparation Programs in: English, Mathematics, and Music; and an Elementary Subject Matter Preparation Program through the Liberal Studies undergraduate program.

2. Passage of California Subject Examination for Teachers (CSET).

3. Completion of a baccalaureate or higher degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher education in the same content area as the desired credential.

4. Completion of coursework at one or more regionally accredited institutions of higher education that addresses each of the subject matter domains adopted by the CTC in the specific credential content area. Access the Domain information here: CTC Domains

 

Beginning Student Teachers must complete a clearance process prior to entering the classroom. Detailed information about this process is available here

First Semester: 15 units

• EDUG 508 Language Culture in Context: 2 units
  (may be satisfied by Vanguard undergraduate course ENG/ANTH 453: Language, Culture and Linguistics)

• EDUG 509 Foundations in Teaching: 2 units
• EDUG 519 English Language Arts in Elementary Classrooms: 3 units
• EDUG 523 Instructional Design & Subject Specific Pedagogy: 4 units
• EDUG 525 Early Supervised Fieldwork: 4 units*
• Teaching Performance Assessment Cycle 1

Second Semester: 12 units

• EDUG 537 Curriculum Unit Planning: 2 units
• EDUG 586 Clinical Practice Seminar: 2 units
• EDUG 587 Clinical Practice Fieldwork: 8 units*
• Teaching Performance Assessment Cycle 2

*Minimum of 600 hours of student teaching throughout the whole Teaching Credential Program

First Semester: 7 units

• EDUG 508 Language Culture in Context: 2 units

(may be satisfied by Vanguard undergraduate course ENG/ANTH 453: Language, Culture and Linguistics)

• EDUG 509 Foundations in Teaching: 2 units
• EDUG 519 English Language Arts in Elementary Classrooms: 3 units

Second Semester: 8 units
Requires CSET before May 20 for fall semester and November 1 for spring semester

• EDUG 523 Instructional Design & Subject Specific Pedagogy: 4 units
• EDUG 525 Early Supervised Fieldwork: 4 units*
• Teaching Performance Assessment Cycle 1

Third Semester: 12 units

• EDUG 537 Curriculum Unit Planning: 2 units
• EDUG 586 Clinical Practice Seminar: 2 units
• EDUG 587 Clinical Practice Fieldwork: 8 units*
• Teaching Performance Assessment Cycle 2

*Minimum of 600 hours of student teaching throughout the whole Teaching Credential Program

Required by the California Commission on Teaching Credentialing (CTC) for all Multiple Subject Preliminary Credentials; and recommended to be taken immediately after EDUG 543: English Language Arts in Elementary Classrooms.

Student teaching placements will be made by the department in local partner schools to satisfy the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) requirements. Once classes have begun and arrangements have been made for student teaching placement, changes in placement are not logistically feasible. Any placement outside a 12-mile radius of the Vanguard University campus requires a minimum payment of $150 to cover additional mileage for the University Supervisor. See the Student Teaching Coordinator for additional information.

Multiple Subject candidates will complete their student teaching experience in grades K-6. Student teaching is a full day experience, five days per week. The Preliminary Credential requires that the candidate complete a student teaching experience in a multicultural, multilingual environment. All assignments must be completed under the supervision of a credentialed master teacher and in the subject matter area that will appear on the student’s credential. A University Supervisor will be assigned to each student teacher for supervision and support. It is important to remember that student teaching is a full-time experience and requires focus and attention. An additional student teacher fee per unit is charged at the time of registration.

All work for the preliminary credential must be completed in 5 years. Time spent on leave of absence is included in the 5-year time limit for the credential. A credential student who interrupts the sequence of study may be subject to changes in requirements when returning, particularly for CTC credentialing modifications.

Credential requirements may change at any time during a student’s program based on CTC changes and/or legislative action.

Following the completion of the 27 units of coursework in the Preliminary Credential Program, VU teaching credential students may continue in the Program to pursue a Master of Arts in Education degree by completing an additional 12 units of graduate education coursework. The student must initiate and finish this MA degree within 7 years after beginning the teaching credential program.

A minimum 3.0 GPA in undergraduate work is required for regular standing.

First Semester

• EDUG 605 Current Issues in Education: 2 units

• EDUG 606 Introduction to Educational Research: 4 units

Second Semester

• EDUG 609 Curriculum Design and Teaching: 2 units
• EDUG 610 Educational Assessment and Evaluation: 4 units

EDUG 605 must be taken as the first course of MA Core. EDUG 605 may be taken concurrently with EDUG 606. EDUG 610 must be taken as the final course of the MA Core. EDUG 609 may be taken concurrently with EDUG 610.