2017-2018 Catalog

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General Information


Application to Undergraduate Teacher Preparation Programs

Students who are in good standing at Rhode Island College may apply for admission to a teacher preparation program. For more information on the Admissions Portfolio requirements for all undergraduate teacher preparation programs, see www.ric.edu/feinsteinschooleducationhumandevelopment/Pages/Unit-Assessment-System.aspx.


The instructions for the online application for early childhood, elementary, secondary, special education, and all PK/K–12 programs are updated twice each year. See Admission Application Instructions at www.ric.edu/feinsteinSchoolEducationHumanDevelopment/Pages/Admission-Requirements.aspx. Further information may be obtained from the office of the dean of the Feinstein School of Education and Human Development (Horace Mann 105) and from the Office of Academic Support and Information Services (OASIS) or from the appropriate department.

Students interested in the art education or music education program should contact the department chair as soon as they are admitted to the college for information about the required courses in the program and the requirements for admission to the program. 

Most applicants acquire and complete the application materials while they are enrolled in FNED 346: Schooling in a Democratic Society. This course is a prerequisite for admission to teacher preparation programs. Basic skills tests are required for admission and should be completed before or during enrollment in FNED 346. Transfer students must complete these tests as soon as possible. See #5 for information about test requirements. 

Admission Requirements to Undergraduate Teacher Preparation Programs

The applicant’s academic performance and related experiences that indicate potential for success as a teacher are reviewed in the admission process. The application materials submitted by the student must provide evidence of the following (can be also see found in the Admissions Portfolio section of the FSEHD Assessment System at www.ric.edu/feinsteinschooleducationhumandevelopment/Pages/Unit-Assessment-System.aspx):

  1. Completion of at least 24 credit hours at a nationally or regionally accredited college or university by the end of the semester in which the candidate applies for admission to a teacher preparation program.
  2. A minimum GPA of 2.75 in all college courses taken at RIC prior to admission to a teacher preparation program.
  3. Completion of the college mathematics competency.
  4. Completion of FSEHD writing requirement: FYW 100 or FYW 100P, with a minimum grade of B. This requirement may also be satisfied by (1) passing the equivalent of a First Year Writing 100 course, with a minimum grade of B; (2) earning a minimum score of 59 on the College Level Examination Program/College Composition Exam (CLEP); or (3) earning a score of 4 or 5 on the Advanced Placement Test for English Language and Composition.
  5. Completion of the assessment of basic skills tests as described at www.ric.edu/feinsteinschooleducationhumandevelopment/Pages/Assessment-of-Basic-Skills-Test-Requirement.aspx. Test registration information and test preparation is available at OASIS. Additional information and registration can be found on the ETS website at www.ets.org/praxis. Individuals with disabilities and nonnative speakers of English should read the Special Registration Options section on the ETS Web site for information on requesting alternative test administration.
  6. Completion of FNED 346: Schooling in a Democratic Society, with a minimum grade of B-. The minimum grade requirement applies even if an equivalent course from another institution is transferred to Rhode Island College.
  7. Submission of the FNED 346 Faculty Reference Form, a Disposition Reference Form that instructor submits through MyRIC. Refer to Admissions Portfolio section of the FSEHD Assessment System.
  8. Submission of the FNED 346 Service Learning Supervisor Reference Form, a Disposition Reference Form submitted through online link or as hard copy. Refer to Admissions Portfolio section of the FSEHD Assessment System.
  9. Fulfillment of all additional requirements that a department may have for admission to a particular teacher preparation program. Information about these requirements is available in the teacher education department to which the candidate is applying.
  10. A Background Criminal Investigation (BCI) is required of each FSEHD applicant. Because of RI General Law 16-12-3, “Every teacher shall aim to implant and cultivate in the minds of all children committed to his care the principles of morality and virtue,” each applicant must respond to a series of questions in the application. While answering yes to any of the questions may not bar a student from acceptance and subsequent field experiences, FSEHD cannot guarantee placements in school settings; a school has the right to prevent a student from entering. The Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) also has the right to refuse a request for a student-teaching permit and/or teacher certification. How any school and RIDE choose to address the charges on a BCI is beyond the control of FSEHD.

Admission Procedures to Undergraduate Teacher Preparation Programs

The Admission Committee in the respective departments evaluates the information provided in the application and makes a recommendation to the associate dean about the applicant’s admission to a teacher preparation program.

The associate dean reviews the recommendation of the department. If the associate dean and the department committee concur, an email is sent to the applicant's RIC email address, regarding the decision. If the associate dean does not concur with the recommendation of the department, the associate dean and the departmental committee confer to resolve the disagreement, and the applicant is then informed of the result.

Students accepted to a teacher preparation program are called teacher candidates. A teacher candidate who wishes to transfer to, or add another program within the school must inform the advisor or department chair of the decision and apply for admission to the new program. Information used in the original application may be used in the new application when appropriate.

Appeal Process

The applicant may appeal a decision for admission or re-admission to a teacher preparation program within 60 days of receiving the denial letter. The appeal may be based on policy or procedure and should be sent to the associate dean of the Feinstein School of Education and Human Development. Any applicant initiating an appeal must provide additional and substantiating evidence to support the appeal. Subsequent appeals should follow Rhode Island College policy for student appeals (see the Rhode Island College Student Handbook at www.ric.edu/studentlife/Pages/handbook.aspx).

Community Service Requirement

The Feinstein School of Education and Human Development requires all teacher candidates in undergraduate teacher preparation programs (undergraduate, second degree) to participate in 25 hours of documented community service experience. This requirement may be completed on an individual basis or through one or more of the courses in the program and must be completed prior to student teaching. See www.ric.edu/communityservice/Pages/default.aspx.

Portfolio Requirement

The Feinstein School of Education and Human Development requires all students in teacher preparation programs (undergraduate, second degree, RITE, and M.A.T.) to successfully complete a Preparing to Teach Portfolio prior to student teaching and to successfully complete the Teacher Candidate Work Sample and other Student Teaching portfolio requirements prior to graduation. Both portfolios must be rated as meeting standard or better for a student to progress in and graduate from any teacher preparation program. Scroll down to the Preparing to Teach Portfolio section: www.ric.edu/feinsteinSchoolEducationHumanDevelopment/Pages/Unit-Assessment-Systems.aspx.

Retention Requirement

All FSEHD candidates are required to maintain an overall GPA of 2.75 throughout their chosen program.

Admission Requirements to Graduate (M.A., M.S., M.Ed., C.A.G.S., and C.G.S.) Programs

Learning Goals (Advanced Degree)

Admission to the Feinstein School of Education and Human Development master’s level programs is determined by the quality of the total application. Applicants must submit the materials listed below to the associate dean of graduate studies as a measure of their potential for success in graduate-level studies.

  1. A completed online application form accompanied by a $50 nonrefundable application fee. Graduate school information and the application are available online at www.ric.edu/graduatestudies/Pages/default.aspx.
  2. Official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate records.
  3. A bachelor’s degree with a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.00 on a 4.00 scale in all undergraduate course work. Applicants with undergraduate GPAs less than 3.00 may be admitted to degree candidacy upon submission of other evidence of academic potential.
  4. A teaching certificate (for all school-related programs, except school psychology and health education).
  5. An official report of scores on the Graduate Record Examination or the Miller Analogies Test, except C.G.S. candidates and C.A.G.S. in mental health counseling candidates.
  6. Three Candidate Reference Forms accompanied by three letters of recommendation.
  7. A Professional Goals Essay.
  8. A Performance-Based Evaluation.

See individual programs for additional program-specific requirements.