Please familiarize yourself with this important information about starting and completing the internship year successfully. If you are no longer planning to pursue the teacher certification program at Michigan State University or you are delaying your teaching internship for one year, please communicate this intention to your teacher preparation team and the Student Affairs Office in 134 Erickson Hall. For a review of the standards that must be met prior to starting the internship, see a member of our Certification team.
Admission for the Internship Year
- You must apply for admission to MSU (Fall Semester) as a “Graduate Certification –Teacher Certification Intern Year” student. Graduate Certification (GC) students receive a special enrollment code that identifies them as teaching interns. Graduate Certification applications are available in 134 Erickson Hall or through your teacher preparation team. Return the completed application to 134 Erickson for timely processing. You will not be able to enroll in your internship courses without GC status.
Enrollment and Grading Policies for the Internship Year
- Students may enroll in the internship courses after their degrees have been conferred. They should enroll for both fall semester (TE 501, TE 801 and TE 802) and spring semester (TE 502, TE 803 and TE 804) courses.
- Successful completion of the fall semester courses is a requirement for progression to the spring semester courses. A student who fails a fall semester course may not enroll in the spring semester of the internship. A student who receives an Incomplete grade in a fall semester course must complete all requirements for the course before the first day of spring semester to continue in the internship.
- The fall semester internship courses and spring semester internship courses combine to support the intern’s development and are considered co-requisites. Students must be enrolled in all three required courses each semester (this does not apply to music education and CSD students).
- Special Education students should enroll in TE 501, CEP 802A and CEP 803A for the fall semester and CEP 502A, CEP 801A and CEP 804A for the spring semester.
Tuition Rates for the Internship Year
- Students with GC status pay at a blended tuition rate established by the Board of Trustees. The rate blends the upper level undergraduate tuition rate with the graduate tuition rates, plus fees (but no taxes). For rates see the MSU Tuition, Fees and Housing Calculator. Students who have been admitted to graduate (master’s degree) programs and are dually enrolled as GC/GR students pay the GC tuition rate and the fees established for the internship year rather than the graduate rate.
Internship year and graduate credits
- The internship year involves classroom observation and teaching experience (TE 501 and 502), as well as graduate-level seminar courses (TE 801, 802, 803 and 804). With faculty approval, some of the 12 graduate credits earned during the internship can be applied to master’s degree programs offered by (and beyond) the College of Education. In general, there is a five-year time limit on completing any master’s degree program at MSU, beginning with the first class applied to the degree (often taken during the internship).
Financial Aid during the Internship Year
- Interns with GC status are eligible for financial aid as post-baccalaureate, graduate-professional students, utilizing the graduate level financial aid limits. Interns are not eligible for federal and state grants that are restricted to first time undergraduates. Interns may qualify for the unsubsidized Stafford Loan up to the graduate level maximum and the Graduate PLUS program, depending on their creditworthiness.
- Interns do not qualify for Federal Pell grants, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity grants, Michigan Competitive Scholarships or Spartan Advantage. See the financial aid for the internship year website for detailed information. Note that students must be coded at the graduate (master’s degree) level to receive graduate assistantships or fellowships.
- Students with financial need are encouraged to meet with staff members in the Office of Financial Aid, Room 259 Student Services Building, (517-353-5940) to determine the impact of GC status on financial aid eligibility.
Gainful Employment Disclosure
For more information please see the MSU Office of Financial Aid’s Teaching Certificate Internship Year gainful employment disclosure.
For more information please see the MSU Office of Financial Aid’s Graduate Teacher Certification gainful employment disclosure.
Academic Standards
- The University holds students with Graduate Certification status to graduate academic standards. Specifically, students must earn a grade of 2.0 or higher to receive credit for a course. A grade below 2.0 is a failing grade. Further, Graduate Certification students must maintain a GPA of at least 3.0 to remain in good standing with the University and to be eligible for Financial Aid.
- Contact an advisor in 134 Erickson Hall if you have questions about any of these requirements.
After the Internship
- Students who have completed the internship must submit an application for the Michigan Provisional Certificate to the MSU Certification Office in 134 Erickson Hall. Instructions for completing the application package are included with the application. Call 517-353-5146 for additional information.