The CU Masters Teacher Licensure Program offers two routes to a Tennessee Teacher's License: a traditional route that includes the Professional Student Teaching semester, and Tennessee's alternative route to licensure, that Transitional License (Track III). Requirements for both programs are described below.

 

Cumberland University is approved to offer licensure in several, but not all possible licensure areas. MAE candidates must read this Handbook carefully; to see the list of licensure types you may be approved for through CU programs, go to the University website.

 

Licensure requirements may change during the time between when you enroll in the MAE and the time when your application is submitted to the state.

 

It is the Candidates' responsibility to ensure that they are qualified for licensure when they complete the program and to keep up with any potential changes in state regulations regulating teacher licensure. MAE candidates should inform themselves of state licensure requirements and understand the difference between CU's program requirements and state licensure requirements.

 

Please review the Teacher Education Handbook for requirements for all initial licensure candidates.

Candidates seeking Initial Licensure must student teach in their final semester of enrollment in the MAE program. To be eligible to student teach, candidates must have passed all required courses with a 'B' or better, participate in a Teacher Education Progression Phase II (TEP II) interview -- the semester before student teaching -- and be accepted into the MAE Teacher Licensure Progression (TEP). Candidates must meet the criteria for all initial licensure candidates described in the TEP Handbook, and at the time of the TEP II interview:

 

·

Every candidate for licensure must have passed the Praxis II content area exam required for the type of license they are pursuing. Evidence of passing scores must be on file in the School of Education office. For a list of the Content exams required by licensure type, go to the University website, or navigate to the "Praxis Content Area exams for Track II" webpage of this site.

·

Candidates must register for all other Praxis II exams required for the type of license they seek (and show evidence of having registered at their TEP II interview the semester prior to student teaching). MAE candidates should visit www.ets.org/praxis to find the schedule of the Praxis Exam dates and information on each test, including content and sample questions);

 

Note: The School of Education recommends that candidates take all Praxis II exams prior to or during student teaching. MAE licensure candidates must be aware that they are not eligible for licensure by the State of Tennessee until all required Praxis II exams are passed;

 

*These and all other evaluations, assessments, and rubrics for this interview and others can be viewed in the Assessments page of this Handbook

 

IMPORTANT: The formal TEP II interviews with the Teacher Education Committee are held in September and March the semester prior to enrollment in one of the Enhanced Student Teaching courses: MAE 5286, MAE 5287 or MAE 5288.

Candidates who seek eligibility for a Transitional License must complete all of the following requirements in order to enroll in Cumberland University's program:

 

·	Provide verification of intent to hire from a school or district;

·	Submit a transcript for review to the Dean or Associate Dean (additional coursework may be required by Cumberland University);

·	Enroll in MAE 5285, Practicum, in addition to any other required courses;

·	Purchase LiveText (see above).

 

IMPORTANT: Transitional Licensure candidates must be clear on the differences between state requirements for licensure (for example, pass all required Praxis II specialty area tests required for their license code) and Cumberland's requirements for becoming and staying enrolled in the program.