Education

Admission to Education Programs

If you’re interested in a teaching career, you’ll have to go through a series of admission procedures and tests before you can be certified—and even before you’ll be admitted to a teacher certification program. Remember: admission to Elmhurst College does not guarantee admission to a teacher certification program.

Admission to a specific teacher certification program requires:

• Passing the Illinois Basic Skills test (For more information on the Illinois Basic Skills Test, including study guides, students may call 800-239-8107 or 413-256-2870, or visit the Illinois Certification Testing System web site.)
• Sophomore status (32 earned semester hours)
• Attainment of C or better in a minimum of six semester hours of English composition
• A cumulative grade-point average of 2.75 or above from all institutions of higher education
• A major grade-point average of 3.0 for art, foreign language, history, or physical education
• A major grade-point average of 2.75 for biology, early childhood education, elementary education, English, geography and environmental geosciences, music education, political science, psychology, special education, sociology, and theatre arts
• A major grade-point average of 2.5 for chemistry, mathematics, and physics
• A completed application with recommendations, a personal statement, and copies of current transcripts.
• Evidence of an Illinois State Police criminal background fingerprint check (information is available in the Education Office, at the Regional Office of Education, or for certified and non-certified school personnel from the Illinois State Board of Education's Guidance Document.

All courses taken to meet certification requirements, including general education courses, must be completed for a grade of C (2.0) or higher. Only one course with an earned C (2.0) may be repeated to improve a grade-point average for teacher certification requirements. Education courses must be completed within 10 years of admission to a program.

Students who wish to change teacher education programs after they have been admitted must file a request with the director of teacher education admissons. Admission is program specific.

For admission information and applications, contact Mr. William Slodki.