Dr. Sam Evans, Dean
Tate C. Page Hall
Office 201, Phone (270) 745-4662, Fax (270) 745-6474
e-mail: Sam.Evans@wku.edu

Dr. Retta E. Poe, Associate Dean for Academic Programs
Tate C. Page Hall
Office 207, Phone (270) 745-4662, Fax (270) 745-6474
email: Retta.Poe@wku.edu

Dr. Antony D. Norman, Associate Dean for Accountability and Research
Tate C. Page Hall
Office 209, Phone (270) 745-4662, Fax (270) 745-6474
e-mail: Tony.Norman@wku.edu

The College of Education and Behavioral Sciences is composed of the School of Teacher Education and the Departments of Counseling and Student Affairs; Educational Administration, Leadership, and Research; Military Science and Leadership; and Psychology. In addition, the College provides services to the community through the Green River Regional Educational Cooperative; the Center for Excellence in School Reform; the Center for Gifted Studies; Training and Technical Assistance Services; the Center for Mathematics, Science, and Environmental Education, which is jointly governed with Ogden College of Science and Engineering; and the Kelly Autism Program and the Family Counseling Clinic, both housed in the Suzanne Vitale Clinical Education Complex. The College also houses the Center for the Study of Lifespan Development.

Within the College undergraduate and/or graduate programs are offered in school counseling, mental health counseling, marriage and family therapy, student affairs, educational administration, elementary education, business and marketing education, gifted studies, middle grades education, secondary education, environmental education, interdisciplinary early childhood education, exceptional education, library media education, literacy, adult education, military science, general psychology, clinical psychology, industrial/organizational psychology, experimental psychology, and school psychology. The College’s programs are designed to prepare graduates for roles as teachers and school leaders, as well as for roles in business, clinical agencies, government, and industry. In conjunction with the ROTC program, the College provides well-educated commissioned officers to serve in the Regular Army, the Army National Guard, and the U.S. Army Reserves.

Baccalaureate programs (undergraduate majors and minors) in these areas are described in this catalog, while information about master’s, education specialist, and doctoral degree programs is provided in the Graduate Studies catalog. Those interested in any of these programs should contact the head of the appropriate department or the College of Education and Behavioral Sciences Dean’s Office. In addition, information about each department and program may be found on the College’s website: http://edtech.wku.edu/.

Teacher Education Programs
The College of Education and Behavioral Sciences offers programs that are specifically designed for the professional growth of teachers and school leaders. These programs encompass the pre-service, in-service, and continuing education aspects of teachers’ professional preparation. Within this framework the programs serve to develop positive attitudes toward the profession of teaching, skills in specific areas, and skills and techniques necessary for continuous professional growth.

While the College of Education and Behavioral Sciences assumes primary responsibility for the professional preparation of teachers, the opportunity to educate teachers for the schools of the Commonwealth and the nation is shared by the University as a whole. Western Kentucky University is a charter member of the Renaissance Group for Teacher Education, which reflects its total campus commitment to quality teacher education programs.

The College’s teacher preparation programs are designed to meet the University’s standards for baccalaureate degrees and the Kentucky standards for the designated teaching certificate. If the requirements for certification are changed at the state level, students seeking certification may be required to modify their programs of study to meet the new requirements. All teacher certification programs are accredited by Kentucky’s Education Professional Standards Board and the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education.

All professional education courses require completion of field experiences in appropriate off-campus settings. Details about the field placement policy, including the requirements for approval to be placed in a field setting, are provided on the website for the School of Teacher Education (http://edtech.wku.edu/ste).

For the most current information on teacher education and certification, admission to professional education, and admission to student teaching, consult the website for the Office of Teacher Services: http://edtech.wku.edu/~teachsvs/. Other policies applicable to students in teacher education programs may be found here: http://edtech.wku.edu/programs/undergraduate/policies/index.htm.

WKU is approved to offer the following programs:

1. Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education (grades P-5) leading to certification.
2. Bachelor of Science in Middle Grades Education (grades 5-9) leading to certification in English/Communications and Social Studies.
3. Bachelor of Science in Science and Mathematics Education, leading to certification for middle school (grades 5-9) or secondary (grades 8-12) mathematics or science certification when combined with one of the following majors:
• Middle School Mathematics Education
• Middle School Science Education
• Biological Science
• Mathematics
• Chemistry
• Earth and Space Science
• Physics
4. Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education (birth to primary age), leading to certification.
5. Program of study in Secondary Education (grades 8-12) leading to certification with the following academic majors:
• English and Allied Language Arts
•  Social Studies, including Economics, Geography, Government, History, Psychology, Sociology
6. Program of study in Middle/Secondary Education (grades 5-12) leading to certification with the following academic majors:
• Agriculture Education
• Business and Marketing Education
• Family and Consumer Sciences Education
• Technology Education
• Industrial (Vocational, Career, and Technical) Education
7. Program of study in Comprehensive Education (grades P-12) leading to certification with the following academic majors:
• Art Education
• Modern Languages Education, including French, German, Spanish
• Music Education
• Physical Education
• Exceptional Education, Learning and Behavior Disorders and Moderate and Severe Disabilities
8. Program of study in Comprehensive Education (grades P-12) leading to certification with the following academic minor (also requires completion of a teacher certifiable major):
• Health Education
9. Endorsements may be obtained in the following areas:
• Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL)
• Computer Science
10. Bachelor of Science in Communication Disorders with academic preparation for graduate study.

Expiration of Courses and Programs Leading to Teacher Certification
Undergraduate certification-only programs: A student who entered WKU as a beginning freshman or transfer student Fall 2005 and thereafter (i.e., iCAP-eligible students) will be allowed seven consecutive years from the student’s catalog term (initial term of entry) to complete teacher certification requirements.  The Dean of the College of Education and Behavioral Sciences may grant an extension to this deadline.

Undergraduate courses used to satisfy requirements in programs leading to teacher certification : Approved courses for programs leading to teacher certification must be aligned with current standards.  Some older courses are not aligned with current standards, and thus it may not be appropriate to count them in a student’s program.  Generally speaking, professional education and “content” courses used to satisfy program requirements in programs leading to professional education certification should be no more than 10 years old.  Decisions about whether older courses may be used will be made on a case-by-case basis by the department head of the student’s major.  Students who wish to use courses taken more than 10 years ago to satisfy program requirements may be required to demonstrate proficiency related to current course content and learning outcomes.

Advising for Teacher Education Programs
Elementary Education majors, Middle Grades Education majors, and Business and Marketing Education majors are advised in the Office of Teacher Services (408 Tate Page Hall, 745-4897). Majors in secondary education programs are advised in the departments of their content areas as well as in the Office of Teacher Services. Majors in Science and Mathematics Education are advised in the SKyTeach Office (Hardin Planetarium, 270 745-3900). Majors in Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education and Exceptional Education are advised in the School of Teacher Education, and Communication Disorders majors are advised in the Department of Communication Disorders.

GPA Requirements for Certification-Only Students
In order to be admitted to professional education, “certification-only” students must have earned a minimum GPA of 2.5 in all course work, in addition to other requirements for admission. To be recommended for certification upon completion of baccalaureate course work, students must have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5 in all courses, or a GPA of at least 3.0 in the last 60 hours. Other requirements may apply; contact the Office of Teacher Services for further information.

Recommendation for Initial Teacher Certification
To be recommended for initial certification at the baccalaureate level (including post-baccalaureate certification-only programs), an applicant must document:

• Completion of approved teacher preparation program in each desired certification area(s);
• Passing score(s) on the PRAXIS II exam(s) or other assessments required for each desired teaching area(s) (see http://www.kyepsb.net/assessment/teachertests.asp for the most current list of required assessments);
• Achievement of at least a 2.5 GPA overall, in each major(s) and minor(s), and in professional education courses; and
• Attainment of at least a “C” in all professional education courses, including EDU 489 and student teaching.

Transfer Credit for Teacher Education
Professional education courses completed at another institution may be accepted for transfer to Western Kentucky University teacher preparation programs provided that a minimum grade of “C” was earned in each course accepted for transfer.

Professional Education Requirements
Professional education requirements for Elementary Education and Middle Grades Education majors are described in the sections below, while the discussion of professional education requirements for majors in Exceptional Education and Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education majors may be found in the catalog section for the School of Teacher Education. Professional education requirements for 8-12, P-12, and 5-12 programs may be found in the following table: