Education Majors and Certification Programs
Students may enter certification programs as undergraduates majoring in early childhood education (ECE) or elementary/special education (ELSP). Secondary, world languages, and art education are not education majors. Rather, students seeking secondary certification major in an academic field and concurrently complete the secondary program requirements leading to certification eligibility. Multidisciplinary breadth for all students is demonstrated through completion of additional general education courses beyond Hood College’s Core Curriculum.
Hood College’s Department of Education also offers teacher certification programs for holders of a baccalaureate degree. Post-Baccalaureate students may become certified to teach in early childhood education, elementary/special education or secondary education in the subject areas of art (preK-12), biology, chemistry, English, French (preK-12), history, mathematics and Spanish (preK-12). Students who select this option must meet certification requirements through satisfactory completion of their program’s required content and professional education courses.
Program Advisory Councils
All education programs at Hood College have a Program Advisor Council (PAC) that reviews each student's progress each semester. The Early Childhood Education and Elementary/Special Education PACs are comprised of education department faculty and staff. The Secondary Education PAC is comprised of education faculty and the department chairs of our partner departments (Art, English, History, Math, Biology, Chemistry, World Languages). The department chairs are able to supply important information about candidates' performance, dispositions, and accomplishments within their majors.
The PACs meet each semester to review quantitative (grades, GPA) and qualitative (mentor evaluations, academic alerts, instructor feedback, etc.) for every education candidate enrolled in the program (Phase I, II, or II) or entering the program (moving from pre-requisite to Phase I). The guiding criteria for PAC decisions are outlined in the catalog.
The PAC decided whether each student will continue with no concerns, continue with concerns, or be dismissed from the program. This decision is communicated to students via email letters.
Certification Eligibility
Upon successful completion of one of the teacher education programs and attainment of the minimum scores on all Maryland State Department of Education required exams, teacher candidates are eligible for certification to teach in Maryland with reciprocal certification to teach in nearly all other states. It is the teacher candidate's responsibility to contact individual states other than Maryland for information regarding certification requirements for specific programs. Teacher candidates should also be aware that local school systems may impose additional requirements beyond state certification.
Internships are essential components of teacher education programs. Background checks are required for internships and are conducted by local school systems. If you are concerned about your ability to pass a background check, please consult with the Chair of the Education Department. Inability to pass a background check may result in dismissal from the program. Interns are responsible for their own transportation to and from field experiences. Variation from Hood’s holiday and vacation schedules may be required to accommodate local school system calendars. It is strongly advised that interns not have outside employment during Phases II and III. Teaching interns have one year from the completion of the Phase III teaching internship to pass the MSDE Subject and Pedagogy Assessments and to complete all other certification requirements in order to be designated an official program completer. It is the responsibility of the intern to inform the Hood College Education Department upon completion of all requirements and to apply for certification through the Maryland State Department of Education.