Academic Policies and Regulations for Undergraduate and PBTL
SOE undergraduate and Post-Baccalaureate Teacher Licensure (PBTL) students are under the same academic policies and regulations as university undergraduate students. These can be found in the General Information section of the catalog, under Academic Policy And Regulations for Undergraduate Programs. The following are instances where policy slightly differs:
- SOE students are allowed one grade below C- or P (pass) to count toward licensure requirements (Gen Ed or Professional Studies).
- CLEP and AP credit shall count as CR (credit), not P (pass) for the purposes of the SOE policy toward licensure content requirements and co-requisite courses outside their primary discipline.
- Undergraduate and PBTL students must be at least a second semester sophomore with a minimum MBU GPA of 2.5 in order to take graduate level education courses, this includes the ELLC students.
- In the event of a contested grade, the student will follow the University's undergraduate policy in the section noted above; however, the hearing committee will consist of the following from the SOE:
- the associate dean, the director of academic and student services, the student’s advisor, and two faculty members
Prior Learning Portfolios for PBTL students
Students in the PBTL program may submit a Prior Learning Portfolio (PLP) for requirements for ED 112. The PLP should include a minimum of 60 hours in the field, must have been carried out in the endorsement area for which a license is sought and must have taken place prior to or in addition to practicums taken at MBU; day-to-day substitute teaching does not count for PLP hours. PLP’s must be completed either while the student is enrolled in ED 115 through MBU or in their first semester in the Teacher Education Program. There is a one-credit hour fee associated with submitting a portfolio. For more information on the PBTL program or PLP’s, please contact the School of Education.
Requirement for Coursework, Continuous Enrollment for PBTL Students
Undergraduate students admitted to the Teacher Education Program who plan to apply to the PBTL program to complete coursework and/or student teaching must begin and complete the coursework or student teaching within one calendar year from their Bachelor’s graduation. If incomplete within one calendar year, students will be exited from the Teacher Education Program and will need to reapply for program entry and meet any new licensure requirements put into place by the Virginia Department of Education.
PBTL students must take at least two courses (six semester hours) in the PBTL program, one of which must be a methods/instructional strategies course, prior to applying for student teaching. Students are expected to remain enrolled continuously from the date of their initial registration for courses until completion of the degree. However, because of family emergencies or special situations, students may need to stop registering for new coursework for a semester or two. The decision to do so should be made by the student in consultation with the advisor. Students who do not enroll in education courses for three consecutive sessions (or one calendar year) are changed to “inactive” status and given an exit date. Inactive students who wish to re-enter the program must reapply and must pay a re-enrollment fee of $50 if accepted. Records of inactive students who wish to re-enter the program are reviewed for reactivation. Certain conditions may be set for re-entry into the program: e.g., if program requirements have changed during the time students were on inactive status, they may have to meet the new requirements. Students may also request a Leave of Absence. Additional information on the undergraduate Leave of Absence policy may be found in the General Information, Academic Policy and Regulations for Undergraduate Programs, Academic Procedures section of the catalog.
Professional Qualities and Dispositional Traits
Evaluation of student dispositions has been an aspect of MBU’s SOE program since its inception. It is also a requirement of our national accrediting agent, CAEP. In the SOE, we refer to these as Professional Qualities and Dispositional Traits and focus on those characteristics, attitudes, and behaviors that are relevant to serving as or becoming an effective educator -- but that are not necessarily included in traditional academic evaluation and individual course grades.
Faculty, advisors, the director of academic and student services, the director of teacher education, and the associate dean of the School of Education review all students’ professional qualities and dispositional traits throughout the program and at admission, during practica, after the methods course, and after student teaching. The SOE reserves the right to collect and review dispositional traits at any point in time for matters of grave concern. If in their judgment a pattern of concern about professional qualities from either the course performance or practicum evaluations is evident, both the students and their academic advisors are notified in writing. In an effort to address or remediate any concerns, students may be placed on warning or probation with conditions or stipulations. Ongoing or grave concerns may result in dismissal from the Teacher Education Program.