Acceptance to the Teacher Education Program is divided into two distinct levels and is the result of action by the Council on Teacher Education related to the Missouri of Elementary and Secondary Education requirements of initial teacher certification.

The council, broadly representative of all Schools at Lindenwood University, considers applications after the student has completed the first benchmark. This requires a majority of general education requirements, not more than 15 hours of education coursework, with a minimum GPA of 2.5, and a passing score on the C-Base test of at least 235.

The second benchmark of acceptance into the Teacher Education Program requires the student to pass the subject area exit assessment (PRAXIS II) prior to student teaching. Passage of PRAXIS II before student teaching demonstrates the student has mastered the subject area that he/she will teach. In addition, an electronic portfolio approved by the School of Education must be completed before a grade for the student teaching is recorded. This portfolio relates to the 11 beginning teacher standards as outlined by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

An Educational Studies Degree is designed for those students who want to work in an educational field that does not require certification. Those students would meet the same admissions criteria and would complete the same requirements as those admitted to the Teacher Education Programs with the exception of students teaching and passage of the state-mandated exit assessment.

The university degree does not serve as a license to teach. Each state issues its own teaching certificates, based on its own requirements. Upon passing the state-mandated exit assessment and successfully completing the planned degree program, each student applies for certification to teach in Missouri. Please contact the Certification Officer for more information about how certifications articulate from state to state.


Teacher Education

For more information about the Teacher Education Program please contact Dr. Cynthia Bice, Dean of the School of Education at 636-949-4618 or email cbice@lindenwood.edu for more information about the Education Programs at Lindenwood.

Changing careers? Prospective Teacher Education Candidate who already have an undergraduate degree and desire to learn more about the teacher certification process should contact Dr. Frank Thouvenot, Director of the Master of Arts in Teaching at 636-949-4157 or email fthouvenot@lindenwood.edu for more information.