General Information

The Teacher Education Program at Gettysburg College has been carefully designed to ensure that students who wish to enter the teaching profession do so with adequate preparation in programs defined by clarity, simplicity, and rigor. The Education Department is accredited by the Pennsylvania Department of Education to offer programs leading to certification in the following areas:

• English (7-12)
• Mathematics (7-12)
• Science: Biology (7-12), Chemistry (7-12), Physics (7-12), and General Science (7-12)
• Social Studies (7-12)
• Environmental Education (K-12)
• World Languages: French (K-12), German (K-12), and Spanish (K-12)

Certification is also available in Music Education in a program administered by the Sunderman Conservatory in conjunction with the Education Department. The Bachelor of Arts in Music Education is the only degree in professional education offered at Gettysburg College; other students completing certification programs are required to earn a Bachelor's degree in a content area other than Education. Contact Dr. Brent Talbot in the Conservatory for more information on the Music Education program.

Gettysburg College does not actually certify teachers; only the Pennsylvania Department of Education can do that. Students seeking initial licensure must complete one of the approved programs listed above, meeting all requirements of the program, in order to be recommended for certification by the Education Department. It should also be noted that teaching certificates earned at Gettysburg College are only valid in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Students wishing to be certified in other states or territories will need to apply for licensure in those places after leaving Gettysburg. The Education Department will happily assist any student seeking certification elsewhere.

Click through the menu at left for more information about individual program offerings leading to certification. In general, all candidates for certification must meet each of the following guidelines:

1. Complete an approved sequence of certification coursework, which includes: Education 209, Education 201, Education 299, Education 340, a content-area methods course (Education 306, Education 331, or Education 350), and a two-course sequence completed during the Student Teaching semester: Education 405 and Education 476.
2. Earn passing scores on all required examinations, including the Preservice Academic Performance Assessment (PAPA) (which must be taken before the start of the junior year) and relevant Praxis II content-area exams, which may be taken any time before the completion of the student teaching semester. Many students choose to take their Praxis II exams between semesters of their senior year.
3. Complete all requirements outlined in the Education Department Curriculum & Portfolio Guide by uploading artifacts and reflections into our portfolio system, which is managed by Foliotek.
4. Successfully complete a student teaching internship in a local school setting under the supervision of the Education Department. Additional information about student teaching can be found by following the link in the menu bar above.

Students who complete a certification program are currently not eligible to also earn a minor, though the minor in Educational Studies is an option for students who would like to explore a career in teaching or in education after leaving Gettysburg without earning a certificate here. Students who would like to be certified in a field that is not offered here (such as elementary or middle school education, school counseling, or administration) might also find that the Educational Studies minor can be a bridge between their studies at Gettysburg and graduate work. These students are encouraged to consider pursuing certification in graduate school or through alternative routes into teaching, which may include teaching fellowship opportunities and teaching in independent schools. More information on alternative routes into teaching can be found by visiting the Careers tab in the menu bar above.

You've Got Questions? We've Got Answers!

 Additional information about certification requirements can be found by visiting our Frequently Asked Questions page, or by contacting any faculty member in the Education Department. We are here to help!