Page 285 - BSU Undergraduate-Catalog-2017-2019

focusing on the following:
a. Work experience
b. Special interests
c. Direct experience with children
d. Out-of-state travel experience
e. Philosophy of education
8. Submission of evaluation forms from two faculty members.
9. Successful formal interview with the Admission and Retention Committee for Teacher
Education.
10. A letter of approval from the Chair of the Admission and Retention Committee.

English Proficiency Examination, PRAXIS CORE and PRAXIS (New Content Assessments)
All degree-seeking undergraduate teacher education majors must pass the Bowie State University
English Proficiency Examination. Students are required to take this examination after the completion of
ENGL 101 Composition and Literature I and ENGL 102 Argument and Research. The English Proficiency
Examination is a prerequisite for several courses and a graduation requirement.

The PRAXIS CORE is a requirement for all candidates who declare education as a major. Scores from the
PRAXIS CORE will be compared to the criterion set by the Maryland State Department of Education.
Students not scoring at the acceptable criterion will be required to seek additional assistance. These
students, under the direction of an advisor, will sign a contract to attend appropriate learning laboratories
on campus and submit a work folio containing total hours and assignments completed.

Candidates must successfully complete the PRAXIS CORE exams, as well as the content-based PRAXIS
Subject Assessment exams, as required for graduation. They must achieve the required passing score set
by the Maryland State Department of Education in order to be certified by the State of Maryland. All
students must take the designated PRAXIS Subject Assessment: Principles of Learning and Teaching for
their Program. EC/SPED takes a Content test in Early Childhood as well as a Special Education Core
Knowledge and Application test. Elementary Education majors will take the Praxis Subject Assessment:
Elementary Content exam. Secondary Education majors will take the PRAXIS Subject Assessment exam
in their specific major. Secondary English majors will take the PRAXIS Subject Assessment: English
Language Arts Content Analysis. Secondary History majors are required to complete the PRAXIS Subject
Assessment: World and US History Content Knowledge. Secondary Math majors are required to
complete the PRAXIS Subject Assessment: Math Content Knowledge. Secondary biology students take
the PRAXIS Subject Assessment in Biology-Content Knowledge, and Secondary Chemistry are required
to take the PRAXIS Subject Assessment: Chemistry Content Knowledge.

Passing scores on the PRAXIS CORE are prerequisites for several courses in the professional sequence,
including methods courses and student teaching. Passing scores on all PRAXIS CORE related to the declared
major are required for graduation.

Students have the option of taking EDUC 220, Test Criterion for Certification, and participating in the
Student Teacher Education Preparation Program (STEPP) Laboratory. Both experiences are designed to
maximize students’ success on the PRAXIS CORE, however, students who take the PRAXIS CORE test
and fail to pass the test must take EDUC 220 as a required course.

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