Teacher Candidacy

The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) requires that undergraduate students in teacher certification programs meet specific requirements in order to take upper-level education courses. At Kutztown University, we refer to these requirements as teacher candidacy or candidacy.

Each semester prior to course registration and again after grades are posted, the COE Dean’s office reviews candidacy for all education students.

Requirements for Teacher Candidacy

All of the following requirements must be met for candidacy:

  • Minimum 48 credits completed. Can be KU credits and/or transfer credits. 
  • Minimum 3.0 GPA. The KU GPA is used if a student has been at KU for at least one semester. The GPA from a previous institution is used for students transferring in 48+ credits who do not have an established KU GPA.
  • A grade of C or higher in the following courses (more details below):
    • 1 English composition (CMP) course
    • 1 English (ENG) literature course
    • 2 Math (MAT) courses
  • Passing scores for Basic Skills Tests (suspended from July 2022 to July 2025)
  • English Composition Course Requirements

    This must be a course that counts for the Kutztown University general education requirement for CMP 100 level or CMP 200 level courses (A1 or A2 of the general education curriculum).

    Students under the previous General Education curriculum can count ENG 23 or ENG 24.

  • English Literature Course Requirements

    Meets the requirement:

    • Any course with a subject of ENG and the word "literature" in the title.
      • Examples: ENG 101 World Literature, ENG 349 Teaching of Adolescent Literature
    • ENG 144 Comics Studies
    • ENG 171 Friendship in Western Cultural Texts
    • ENG 224 American Modernism
    • ENG 145 The Fairy Tale
    • ENG 108 Poetry and Poetics

     

    Does not meet the requirement:

    • Composition courses such as CMP 100 and CMP 200
    • ENG 021 English as a Second Language
    • ENG 100 Reading & Writing in Professions
    • ENG 200 History of the English Language
    • ENG 020 Intro to Film
    • ENG 319 Culture and Media
    • ENG 119 American Genre Film
  • Math Course Requirements

    Any two math courses that count for college-level credit at Kutztown University meet this requirement.

    Please note that MAT 45 Women in Math and WST 45 Women in Math are the same course and both count. Education students should register for the MAT 45 section if possible to make verification of meeting the math requirement clearer to PDE.

  • Basic Skills Tests (suspended from July 2022 to July 2025)

    The Basic Skills Tests have been suspended by PDE's Act 55 until July 2025. Students eligible for teacher candidacy between July 2022 through July 2025 will not need to fulfill the Basic Skills Tests as a prerequisite for candidacy or to apply for initial certification.

    Students eligible for candidacy after July 8, 2025 must pass tests specified by PDE showing competency in Reading, Writing, and Math. Four different tests may be used: SAT, ACT, PAPA, and ETS Praxis Core. Students may meet the requirement by combining scores from different tests. PDE updates these requirements; the most current information should be accessed from PDE here. It is recommended that students use PDE's Composite Score Calculator to input their scores to determine testing status.

    CMP 200 or CMP 201 fulfill both Reading and Writing tests

    Starting with the Spring 2021 semester, PDE recognizes Kutztown University’s CMP 200 or CMP 201 as equivalent to the Basic Skills Reading and Writing tests. Because the competencies in either course align with the competencies of the Reading and Writing tests, students are considered to have passed both tests if they earn a B or higher in CMP 200 or 201. This is specific to CMP 200 or 201 and does not apply to other CMP level courses. The grade must be a B or higher; a “B-“ (B minus) would not count. Students who transfer in a course that is transcripted at Kutztown University as CMP 200 or CMP 201 and who earned a B or better at their transfer institution will also meet the requirement. A student using this option also needs to fulfill the Math requirement.

    MAT 103 and MAT 104 together fulfill Math test

    As of December 2021, PDE recognizes Kutztown University’s MAT 103 and MAT 104 together as equivalent to the Basic Skills Math tests. Because the competencies in these two courses together align with the competencies on the math tests, students are considered to have passed their math test requirement if they earn a B or better in both MAT 103 and MAT 104. The grades must be a B or better; a “B-“ (B minus) would not count. Students who transfer in a course that is transcripted at KU as MAT 103 and MAT 104 and who earned a B or better in both classes at their transfer institution will also be considered to have met the Math test requirement. A student using this option also needs to fulfill the Reading and Writing requirements.

  • Courses that Require Candidacy (as of Spring 2021)

    Students will not be able to register for these courses until they have achieved candidacy:

    • ARU 310 Learning in the Visual Arts: Adolescence
    • ARU 330 Studio Thinking
    • ARU 390 & 391 Student Teaching

    • EEU 300 Early Literacy Development and Acquisition Pre-K 1
    • EEU 301 Teaching Literacy in Grades 2-4
    • EEU 303 Language Development and Teaching Language Arts In Prek-4
    • EEU 304 Teaching Social Studies for Pre-K 4
    • EEU 306 Integrating Principles of Learning for Pre-K 4
    • EEU 309 Teaching Mathematics in Grades 2-4
    • EEU 325 Assessment Methods II
    • EEU 390 & 391 Student Teaching

    • ELU 342 Teaching Writing at the Middle Level
    • ELU 353 Language Development, Reading Assessment and Interventions
    • ELU 344 Teaching and Assessing Social Studies for Middle Level Learners
    • ELU 347 Teaching and Assessing Mathematics for Middle Level Learners
    • ELU 349 Teaching and Assessing Science for Middle Level Learners
    • ELU 392 & 393 Student Teaching

    • LLT 340 Management of Information and Technology Centers
    • LLT 350 Collecting and Curating Print and Digital Collections
    • LLT 360 Organization of Information, Metadata and Library Technologies
    • LLT 370 Educational Program of the Library
    • LLT 385 Digital Portfolios
    • LLT 398 & 399 Student Teaching

    • MUU 320 Instrumental Music Methods
    • MUU 322 Choral Music Methods
    • MUU 390 & 391 Student Teaching

    • SEU 312 Principles of Learning
    • SEU 313 Principles of Learning Lab
    • SEU 342 Principles of Teaching
    • SEU 343 Principles of Teaching Lab
    • SEU 410 Sci Inst Methods: Middle & HS
    • SEU 422 World Lang Instruct Methods: Middle & HS
    • SEU 425 English Inst Methods: Middle & HS
    • SEU 426 Soc Stu Methods: Middle & HS
    • SEU 430 Math Inst Methods: Middle & HS
    • SEU 390 & 391 Student Teaching

    • SPU 302 Adapt Materials /Methods of Inst Vi
    • SPU 317 Read Writing & Math Intervention
    • SPU 320 Special Education Process & IEP Development
    • SPU 322 High Incidence Disabilities
    • SPU 328 Pos Behavior Intervention +Support
    • SPU 330 Low Incidence Disabilities
    • SPU 390, 391, 392, 393 Student Teaching