Teacher Certification Program for Post-Baccalaureate Students with an Option to Earn a Master's Degree in Curriculum and Instruction

The Teacher Certification Program for Post-Baccalaureate Students with an Option to Earn a Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Instruction was established to provide an alternative certification route through Wyoming's Professional Teaching Standards Board for individuals who have already completed a bachelor’s degree. This on campus program is not a degree program; rather, it is an alternative avenue toward initial Wyoming teacher certification, with the bonus that it provides up to 12 hours of graduate credit that can be applied to a master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction. The master’s degree requires a separate application and admittance. The actual certification courses encompass three full-time semesters: one summer and the following fall and spring semesters, including student teaching. However, there are prerequisite professional education courses, as well as possible content courses that must be completed prior to beginning the summer-fall-spring sequence. A transcript evaluation completed by the Office of Teacher Education (see Step 1, How and When do I Apply) will determine how much additional course work is required.

What Initial Teacher Certification is Available through the Post-Baccalaureate Program?

Certification is available in the following areas. Click on the program area to view/download the program sheet for it.

• Agriculture Education
• Art Education
• Elementary Education
• English Education
• Mathematics Education

• Modern Languages Education
  • French
  • German
  • Spanish
• Secondary Science Education
  • Biology
  • Chemistry
  • Physics
  • Earth/Space Sciences:
    • Earth System Science
    • Geology
• Social Studies Education
  • Geography
  • History
  • Political Science

Who is Eligible for the Post-Baccalaureate Program?

Successful applicants for this program will have:

• Completed a Bachelor's degree prior to application, with a minimum 2.50 grade point average in content course work. A minimum UW Total Institution grade point average of 2.75 must be achieved and maintained through the summer-fall-spring sequence of classes.

• Completed additional content courses, as required for the area in which certification is sought (i.e., Elementary, Secondary English, etc.). Specific course requirements for each certification area can be found in program sheets for each area, above.

• Completed prerequisite undergraduate courses, as follows:

  • EDST 2450: Human Lifespan Development (3 credits)

  • ITEC 2360: Teaching with Technology (3 credits)

• A current Wyoming Substitute Teaching Certificate. Contact the Wyoming Professional Teaching Standards Board for information.

How and When do I Apply for the Post-Baccalaureate Program?

Step 1: Review the programs and decide which program you are interested in. Identify your program area of interest to the Office of Teacher Education when you move to step 2 for pre-admission transcript evaluation.

Step 2: Prior to admission, a transcript evaluation completed by the Office of Teacher Education will determine how much content area course work is necessary prior to entering the sequence of courses for the Post-Baccalaureate Program. In order to allow sufficient time for completion of any identified prerequisites, it is best to begin this process as early as possible understanding that it can take 2-3 semesters to complete the prerequisites depending on the credits you have and the program you choose. See the transcript evaluation page for more information.

Step 3: Meet with an advisor if you have questions. Call the Office of Teacher Education (307-766-2230) to schedule an appointment.

Step 4: Apply for admission to the University of Wyoming as a Second Bachelor's Degree student in the College of Education. Application for admission can be found on the Admissions website.

Step 5: Receive advising to complete your Education prerequisites and remaining elementary or secondary content. Call the Office of Teacher Education (307-766-2230) to schedule an appointment.

Step 6: Post-baccalaureate students should apply for Phase III: Methods and Residency by the 1st week of December to enter the program in the following May (summer semester). Application materials are available on the forms and applications page. Late applications will be considered, but options for Residency placement locations will be extremely limited.

What Coursework will I Take in the Post-Baccalaureate Program?

The post-baccalaureate program is designed to be completed in one academic year, beginning with foundations courses taken during the summer, followed by methods courses taken during the fall semester and residency (student teaching) completed during the spring semester. The actual certification courses encompass three full-time semesters: one summer and the following fall and spring semesters, including student teaching. However, there are prerequisite professional education courses, as well as possible content courses that must be completed prior to beginning the summer-fall-spring sequence. A transcript evaluation completed by the Office of Teacher Education will determine how much additional course work is required. A complete listing of all courses is available on program sheets for individual content areas which are included on this page, above. The table below indicates courses required for secondary and for elementary certification, when courses are offered, and whether they are designated as undergraduate (U) or graduate (G) credit.

* Course numbers for methods courses vary by level and by content area. Specific course numbers for each level and content area can be found on program sheets, available on this page above.

** Candidates in the Post-Baccalaureate program will complete the residency semester in one of the designated partner districts.

What about the Option to Earn a Master's Degree?

The Post-Baccalaureate Teacher Certification Program includes an option to earn a Master of Arts degree in Curriculum & Instruction. Post-Baccalaureate Program candidates will complete up to 12 hours of graduate coursework, which MUST be RESERVED AND CAN THEN BE applied to a Master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Wyoming. The twelve graduate-level credits included in the sequence of courses leading to certification are as follows: EDCI 5550 (4 credit hours), EDCI 5250 (3 credit hours), EDCI 5560 (1 credit hour), EDCI 5590 (4 credit hours).Those wishing to complete the Master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction must meet the acceptance criteria for the Master's program and must apply to and be admitted separately from the Post-Baccalaureate Program. Students may apply for graduate program admission during their student teaching/residency semester. For more information about the Master's program in Curriculum and Instruction, as well as application information, please see the Curriculum and Instruction website.

Subject to requirements at time of graduate admission:

• EDCI 5270 (3G) Seminar for Early Career Teachers

• EDCI 5650 (3G) Early Childhood, Elementary, Middle and Secondary School Curriculum

• EDCI 5790 (3G) Advanced Instructional Strategies

• EDRE 5550 (3G) Action Research

• EDCI 5400 (1G) Midpoint Portfolio Reflection

• 5XXX Course # (3G) Elective (To be determined in consultation with advisor and committee)

• EDCI 5890 (4G) Directed Professional Study/ Plan B Project

Total semester hours: 20

NOTE: Master’s candidates have six calendar years to complete their degrees from the beginning of the first course taken and listed on the program of study (normally EDCI 5550).

What if I Currently Have Teaching Certification?

Endorsement programs for teachers who already hold initial Wyoming certification are available in the following areas:

Early Childhood Education (Birth-5)

Literacy (K-6, 7-12, & K-12)

English as a Second Language

Middle Level Mathematics

Middle Level Science

Teachers of American Indian Children

Who Can I Contact with More Questions?

If you have further questions, contact the Office of Teacher Education: 307-766-2230; Department of Elementary Education: 307-766-6366; or Department of Secondary Education: 307-766-3275.