College of Education

Academic Policies

Admission Requirements

Freshman applicants who have a 21 ACT with writing or 1450 SAT (minimum 1010 critical reading and math; minimum 440 each on three sections: critical reading, math and writing) will be admitted to the College of Education when they declare a major in unified elementary/special education or unified early childhood education. These students maintain the ED (College of Education) classification in a pre-education status as long as they meet the critical-tracking standards set by the college and UF.

Education majors must be on track at the 60-credit level to continue in the unified elementary/special education or unified early childhood education majors and to be considered competitive for admission to the three-year teacher preparation program (ProTeach).

Students who wish to change their major to education are required to have a 21 ACT with writing or 1450 SAT (minimum 1010 critical reading and math; minimum 440 each on 3 sections: critical reading, math and writing) along with a 2.3 GPA for freshmen and a 2.6 GPA for sophomores and above.

Transfer Admission Requirements

Undergraduate majors in the College of Education are limited access programs. Transfer applicants must meet the following requirements for admission consideration on a space-available basis:

• 2.6 cumulative GPA; 3.0 upper-division GPA
• 21 ACT with writing or 1450 SAT (minimum 1010 critical reading and math; minimum 440 each on three sections: critical reading, math and writing)
• Passing scores on all sections of the general knowledge portion of the Florida Teacher Certification Exam (FTCE)
• Completing the university’s writing (24,000 words) requirement
• Completing the three preprofessional courses (EDF 1005, EDF 2085 and EME 2040) with 3.0 GPA and no grade below C; one repeat is allowed
• Completing the common course prerequisites as established by the state of Florida's Articulation Coordinating Committee. Common course prerequisites must be completed with minimum grades of C.
• A course in human growth and development is a college requirement. 

State college transfer students must document completion of the A.A. Other transfer students are evaluated individually upon application for admission. No change of major will be approved for transfer students admitted to another college at UF.

Critical-Tracking Program

All undergraduates are monitored for progress toward the bachelor’s degree by the critical-tracking program. Students who fall below the tracking requirements at any stage must see an academic advisor for approval to continue in the major.

Students must make satisfactory academic progress to continue to enroll in the College of Education. ProTeach is a limited-access major with competitive admission. Due to space limitations, meeting minimum admission requirements does not guarantee selection for admission. Minimum requirements for ProTeach admission for UF students and transfer students at the completion of 60 semester credits:

• Complete the university's writing (24,000 words) requirement
• FTCE General Knowledge Requirement. All students must pass all sections of the general knowledge portion of the Florida Teacher Certification Examination (FTCE) before ProTeach admission at the junior level.
• Education core prerequisites (9 credits: EDF 1005, EDF 2085, EME 2040) completed with no grade below C and a 3.0 GPA; one repeat allowed
• Completion of common course prerequisites as established by the State of Florida Articulation Coordinating Committee; common course prerequisites must be completed with minimum grades of C.
• Cumulative UF and transfer GPA of 2.6 and an upper-division GPA of 3.0

The college admissions committee will consider an applicant’s entire record, including educational objectives, quality of courses completed and test data.

College Requirements

Career Placement

The UF Career Resource Center offers a Careers in Education recruitment event annually (usually in April) where representatives from school districts in Florida and several other states meet with students who are completing teacher education programs and others interested in teaching.

Criminal Background Check

Classroom field experience is a vital component to any teacher preparation program. To have access to classrooms, students in a ProTeach program or in an UFTeach minor must submit to a Level 2 background screening. Individuals who are not cleared will not be permitted to continue in or graduate from a teacher preparation program. After clearance, it is the student's responsibility to report immediately any new criminal charges to the university's certification officer in G416 Norman Hall.

Dean’s List

Financial Responsibility

Students are responsible for all costs associated with the criminal background check, transportation to and from field placements and relevant examinations required for the program.

Overseas Study

Students are encouraged to complete any overseas studies before reaching junior status or in a summer term.

Program Plan

Before the end of the first term of enrollment in ProTeach, the student will plan a program of courses for the degree. The program coordinator must approve all programs. Each student is responsible for registering for the appropriate courses and fulfilling all requirements for the degree, including test requirements.

Satisfactory Progress

Students in undergraduate ProTeach programs are expected to maintain a minimum junior/senior-level 3.0 GPA. Academic progress is reviewed each semester. If requirements are not met, the student must be approved for continuation by the program coordinator before further registration. Undergraduate ProTeach majors must earn a minimum grade of C in all courses required for the bachelor’s degree.

Probation: The department and the college monitor students for academic progress. Students with unsatisfactory academic progress may be placed on probation. College probation may be removed if it is determined that satisfactory progress has been demonstrated.

Dismissal: If the department or the college determines that a student has not met probationary terms or is not progressing academically, the student may be prohibited from continuing in the College of Education. Students on probation, as well as students who are unable to meet degree requirements, are encouraged to investigate alternatives in other areas of study.

Students dismissed by the university may not register for courses. Courses taken at other universities under these conditions will not count toward a UF degree.

Student Responsibility

Students are expected to review the information in the undergraduate catalog as a guide to planning their academic careers at UF. Failure to read, understand and follow the guidelines may cause significant delays in academic progress. Clarification of college requirements is available in G416 Norman Hall.

Student Teaching Assignment

Student teaching assignments are fulfilled at various sites in Florida, in accordance with program objectives and the student's professional goals. Department approval is required for placements outside Alachua County. In addition to regular tuition expenses, students are responsible for transportation to and/or housing in the community where student teaching is to occur. Fees imposed by school districts relating to requirements for personnel screening (e.g., fingerprinting, background checks and substance abuse testing) are also the student's responsibility.

S-U Option

The S-U option may be used for elective courses only. It does not apply to the university's writing requirement courses or to general education course requirements. The deadline for declaring the S-U option is published in the academic calendars in this catalog.

Transient Student Status

With approval of the College of Education, students may take a limited number of credits at another accredited institution. Before registration as a transient student at another institution, the student must complete a transient student form and obtain approval in G416 Norman Hall. No transient courses will be permitted during the last 30 credits of enrollment.

Undergraduate Registration for Graduate Courses

With department approval, an undergraduate student with senior standing may enroll in 5000/6000-level courses. After a student has been admitted to the Graduate School, up to 15 credits of graduate-level courses with grades of A, A-, B+ or B may be applied toward a graduate degree at the university, provided the credit was not used toward an undergraduate degree.