The University of Wisconsin-Platteville has been preparing teachers since 1866 and was the first normal school in the state. The school takes great pride in this tradition and is committed to the continuation of quality in its educational offerings and programs.

The School of Education provides the professional education components required for all teacher candidates. Graduates of the programs teach in preschool, elementary, middle or secondary schools. Students may also pursue graduate work leading to a Master of Science in Education (MSE) degree.

The school administers a graduate counselor education program, which is primarily responsible for preparing students for a Master’s degree in school counseling. Course offerings also support the teacher education curricula. Additional graduate programs are offered in adult education, educational administration, cross-categorical special education, and reading.

The University of Wisconsin System recognizes high-quality programs offering unique services to the community by designating them as “centers of excellence.” UW-Platteville is proud to have a designated center of excellence, the Center of Education for the Young Adolescent (CEYA), which serves as a valuable resource for those interested in middle level education.

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville offers comprehensive licensure alternatives for students pursuing a career in teaching.

This option is designed for those wishing to teach children from birth to age 11.

This option focuses on the young adolescent, ages 10-14.

This option focuses on education at the middle and secondary levels and is designed for those who wish to teach students in the age range of 10-21. It requires completion of a comprehensive academic major or an academic major and minor.

In this category, licensure spans all ages from birth to 21 for special fields such as foreign language, music, art, physical education, technology education, and agriculture education.

Physical Education and Health is a teaching licensure program. Coaching and a health promotion program are also offered.

Students completing degree requirements at UW-Platteville must take courses in the following general education categories: written and oral communication; foreign language (unless at least two years of same language completed in high school with grades of C or better); mathematics; physical education; humanities, fine arts, and historical perspective; social sciences; natural sciences, including biological and physical sciences; international education; and ethnic and gender studies.

To be licensed as a teacher, one needs a Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts degree. UW-Platteville offers programs that lead to licensure to teach in a major and minor or a comprehensive major.

Comprehensive majors include art, general science, social science, choral music, general music, instrumental music, agriculture education, and technology education. Academic majors leading to licensure include biology, chemistry, English, geography, German, history, mathematics, physical education, Spanish, speech communication, and theater.

Minors include biology, chemistry, computer science, economics, English, English/language arts, English as a second language, French, geography, German, health, history, journalism, mathematics, natural science, physics, psychology, social science, Spanish, special education/inclusion, speech communication, and theater.

Additionally, anyone with a license to teach any subject in Wisconsin is eligible to coach in Wisconsin. A teacher candidate planning to coach may take coaching courses on an elective basis.

A person seeking to be a teacher should have a good high school academic record, preferably including four years of English, and three years of mathematics, science, and social science. Study of a foreign language is advised since competency in foreign language is required for graduation from UW-Platteville. Involvement in extracurricular activities (such as athletics, drama, journalism, and music) provides a well-rounded background important to the beginning teacher.

The School of Education prepares teachers who can demonstrate the knowledge, skill, and dispositions to be effective, reflective practitioners. Education programs are designed to develop communication skills including technology/media, knowledge of content and how to teach that content, and human relations. To complete the program, candidates must demonstrate that they have these competencies.

Teacher candidates study under the tutelage of faculty who represent a diversity of ideas, cultures, and academic backgrounds. All faculty have had experience teaching in public schools. Faculty challenge teacher candidates to examine their values and beliefs about teaching and provide them with the experiences and knowledge necessary to be effective professional educators.

The School of Education classrooms and laboratories are located in Doudna Hall, Williams Fieldhouse, and other academic buildings. Doudna Hall also houses the Center of Education for the Young Adolescent resource center. Educational experiences at UW-Platteville are more challenging and exciting because of these excellent, contemporary resources.

Students intending to become teachers must file an application for admission to the School of Education. To be eligible for admission, students must a) meet the current minimum grade point average; b) satisfactorily complete the general education communications courses (composition and speech) and entry-level education and computer skills courses; c) demonstrate proficiency in mathematics, reading, and writing by successfully passing the Pre-Professional Skills Test (PPST); d) be recommended by university faculty; e) complete an admission portfolio; and f) meet any additional specified requirements. At the beginning of their senior year, teacher candidates file for admission to student teaching. To be eligible, candidates must a) have been admitted to the School of Education; b) meet the current grade point average in major, minor, and professional education courses; and c) be recommended by faculty in major, minor, and professional education.

Faculty advisors track current opportunities and employment trends in all teaching areas. Graduating students with good credentials who are willing to relocate should find a number of suitable teaching positions.

Amendments to the Higher Education Act signed into law October 1998 require that institutions of higher education and state departments of education supply data to the United States Secretary of Education to be used in an annual report card on teacher preparation. In compliance with reporting requirements, UW-Platteville provides the following information:

UW-Platteville offers teacher education programs leading to certification in Early Childhood/Middle Childhood (Birth- age 11), Early Adolescence (ages 10-14), Early Adolescence through Adolescence (Ages 10-21), as well as Wide Range (Birth - age 21) in special fields. During the 2000-2001 academic year, 308 students who had been admitted to the School of Education were enrolled in education programs at the university. Of these 308 teacher candidates, 129 participated in supervised practice teaching, which required an average of 700 hours to complete. The 129 teacher candidates were supervised by 43 faculty (7.17 FTE), which resulted in a student to faculty ratio of 17.99 to 1.

For more information, write to the School of Education, University of Wisconsin-Platteville, 1 University Plaza, Platteville, Wisconsin 53818-3099, call 608.342.1131 or check out the School of Education website at www.uwplatt.edu/education/

For general information on the university and its programs, consult our website at http://www.uwplatt.edu or contact the UWP Visitor Center, University of Wisconsin-Platteville, 1 University Plaza, Platteville, WI 53818-3099, or call toll-free 1.877.897.5288 or locally 608.342.1068.

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, creed, color, handicap, sex, sexual orientation, developmental disability, national origin, ancestry, marital status, arrest record or conviction record.