In the State of NJ, all teachers are required to complete a BA or BS in a content area. Education is not considered to be a major. At Fairleigh Dickinson, it is considered to be a “concentration”.

Candidates in the QUEST program may major in a variety of different areas including:

Art History Psychology
Biology Humanities Science (BS – Metro only)
Chemistry International Studies Theatre (Florham only)
Creative Writing Mathematics (BA or BS)  
English Language and Literature Government and Politics
  

For those interested in our Dual Certification Program, Special Education is a “second certificate” in the State of NJ.  Teachers must first (or concurrently) earn their elementary certificate.

Admission Requirements

For up-to-date information about admission requirements for teacher education programs, please contact Dr. Melissa Smith at m.smith1@fdu.edu

Freshmen entering the QUEST Program are required to have a high school GPA of 3.0 or greater. Sophomores and juniors requesting admission to the QUEST Program must have a college/university CGPA of 3.0 or greater.

Students entering the QUEST program are not formally matriculated into QUEST until they have 60 credits and met the following requirements:

  • 60 earned credits
  • CGPA 3.0 or greater

Praxis II Requirement (for licensure)

The correct Praxis II exams for Elementary Education are shown below.  There are 4 subtests (content area exams) These licensure exams must all be passed before the candidate does his/her student teaching.  We require candidates to take this exam at the beginning of their fourth year, prior to Field Experience IV.

For further information on the exam, please go to ets.org

Reading/Language Arts Subtest #5002

Mathematics Subtest #5003

Social Studies Subtest #5004

Science Subtest  #5005

[To pass the Elementary Education: Multiple Subjects test you must receive a passing score on each subtest. If you wish to take all four subtests (5002, 5003, 5004, 5005) at the same time, select Elementary Education: Multiple Subjects (5001) when registering. If you wish to take or retake an individual subtest, you may register to take just that subtest.]

At this time, there is no required Praxis II for Special Education.

QUEST Program Elementary (K-6) Education

Students must complete 120 credits (FOR STUDENTS ENTERING FALL 2015)  for a B.A. or B.S. in a liberal arts or science major appropriate for the area of teacher certification. This includes at least 30 credits in education courses required for elementary or secondary certification — of which a maximum of 15 credits may be applied as dual undergraduate and graduate credit to both the B.A./B.S. and M.A.T. degrees  — plus 15 credits in graduate-level educational methodology courses.

Candidates who complete the required 120 credits for the BA/BS and the required education courses and pass the PRAXIS in their area of certification become eligible to take their 2-semester student teaching (Advanced Clinical Practice and  Apprenticeship Teaching). After completing their apprenticeships, candidates become eligible for their NJ State Teaching Certificate. The candidate becomes eligible for the M.A.T. degree upon completion of the required 36 graduate credits.

NOTE: Both campuses currently offer the Dual Certification (Elementary and Special Education) program for all Elementary majors.  The Dual Certification program requires 6 more total credits than the Elementary Certification program. For details on this program, the students should meet with the Director of the QUEST Program.  

Candidates can simultaneously earn an elementary teaching certificate and a second certification in special education through the QUEST dual certification program.  The Dual Certification Program must be started no later than the Sophomore (2nd) year of the QUEST Program.

Program Outline, effective through the academic year.

Program Outline

  1. Candidates in the QUEST program must major in a liberal arts/science discipline. Candidates in the QUEST program must satisfy all general education requirements and specific departmental requirements for their liberal arts/science major in order to be eligible for a B.A. or B.S. degree in their area of specialization. They must also complete the requirements for the School of Education.  No more than 15 credits in education courses, taken at the graduate level in the junior and senior years, may be applied as dual undergraduate and graduate credit.
  2. At the end of four years, students who have met all requirements will be eligible for a B.A. or B.S. degree and will have up to 15 credits toward their Master of Arts in Teaching degree (which requires a total of 36 graduate credits). Student Teaching occurs in the fifth year.  
  3. The State of NJ requires two (2) semesters of student teaching:  the first semester is part-time and is called Advanced Clinical Practice; the second semester is full-time and is called Apprenticeship Teaching. Upon completion of the Apprenticeship Teaching, students will have met the eligibility requirements for teacher certification. Completion of the master’s degree is not required for certification in New Jersey.
  4. New Jersey teacher certification requires that 6 credits be taken in behavioral sciences (sociology, anthropology, or psychology); and 3 credits be taken in biology, physiology, or health. The courses also may be taken to satisfy college core requirements (foundations and disciplinary perspectives) or the liberal arts /science required courses or electives.
  5. Eligibility for entrance to the QUEST program requires a 3.00 cumulative grade point ratio (CGPR).  The 3.0 GPA must be maintained throughout the program. Additionally, all candidates must pass the Core Academic Skills for Educators exams by the time they complete 60 credits in their program.
  6. In order to complete the Master of Arts in Teaching program in five years, students may need to take courses in summer and winter sessions in years three through five, depending upon their particular liberal arts/science program requirements.

Degree Plan

General Education Requirements – as per University Requirements

Major Requirements – as per requirements for specific major

QUEST (EDUC) Requirements 

Year 1

  • EDUC1108  Seminar in Professional Practice I
  • EDUC2401  Field Experience I
  • EDUC2202  Child & Adolescent Development (Dual Certification ONLY)

Year 2

  • EDUC2209  Seminar in Professional Practice II
  • EDUC2402  Field Experience II
  • EDUC3309  Seminar in Professional Practice III
  • EDUC2207  Intro to Special Education Including Autism  (Dual Certification ONLY)
  • EDUC2208  Classroom Management / Positive Behavior  (Dual Certification ONLY)

Year 3

  • EDUC3403  Field Experience III
  • EDUC6818  Language Dev & Literacy I (course given credit for both undergraduate and graduate degrees)
  • EDUC6819  Language Dev & Literacy II (course given credit for both undergraduate and graduate degrees)
  • EDUC6931  Diversity, Equity, and Justice in Schools and Society I (course given credit for both undergraduate and graduate degrees)

Year 4

  • EDUC3404  Field Experience IV
  • EDUC6821  Early Elementary Math Content and Pedagogy (course given credit for both undergraduate and graduate degrees)
  • EDUC6822  Upper Elementary Math Content and Pedagogy (course given credit for both undergraduate and graduate degrees
  • EDUC6792  Assistive Technology in the Inclusive Classroom (course for Dual Certification ONLY)(course only used toward the MAT degree)
  • EDUC6797  Multisensory Math Instruction for Students with Disabilities (course for Dual Certification ONLY)(course only used toward the MAT degree)

Year 5

  • EDUC6583  Advanced Clinical Practice
  • EDUC6575  Apprenticeship Teaching
  • EDUC6825  Apprenticeship Teaching Seminar
  • EDUC7812  Final Project
  • EDUC5501  Educational Technologies (course for candidates NOT in Dual Certification)(K-6 only certification)
  • EDUC5502 or EDUC5503 Digital Literacies or Special Topics in Technology (course for candidates NOT in Dual Certification)(K-6 only certification)
  • EDUC5510/EDUC5511/EDUC5512/EDUC5513  Special Topics Course – (course for candidates NOT in Dual Certification)(K-6 only certification)
  • EDUC6740  Intro to Students with Disabilities including Autism (course for candidates NOT in Dual Certification)(K-6 only certification)
  • EDUC XXXX  Approved Graduate Elective (course for candidates NOT in Dual Certification)(K-6 only certification)
  • EDUC6747  Multisensory Reading  (Dual Certification ONLY)
  • EDUC6750  Teaching in the Inclusive Classroom  (Dual Certification ONLY
  • EDUC6793  Education of Students with Moderate to Severe Disabilities  (Dual Certification ONLY)

Contact Information

For more information about this program, contact QUEST/Post-Bac Director, Dr. Melissa Smith m.smith1@fdu.edu