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Admission for Post Bachelor's Teacher Certification Candidates
Applying to the Post Bachelor's Teacher Certification Program
Applicants must apply separately to (1) Michigan State University and (2) the teacher preparation program in the College of Education.(1) Admission to Michigan State University
Post Bachelor’s applicants typically apply to MSU as undergraduate students pursuing a second degree (although degree completion is not necessary for certification). Applicants not previously admitted to MSU as undergraduate students should apply for undergraduate admission as transfer students. Applicants who have already earned undergraduate degrees from MSU should apply for readmission to MSU. Whether applying for admission or readmission, Post Bachelor’s applicants should not list Education as their major. This major is available only to traditional undergraduate students in Elementary Education. Instead, a degree major related to the teaching major or teaching minor should be selected (again, it is not necessary to complete the degree for certification purposes). Questions about what to declare as a major should be discussed with a Post Bachelor’s Advisor in 134 Erickson Hall. Applicants should answer “no” to the question on the application that asks whether credits will be applied toward certification (answering “yes” routes the application to our office for review; this step is unnecessary because our office will review the separate application that will be submitted to the College of Education; see below). Applicants who apply as second degree undergraduate students will pay the undergraduate tuition rate (see the Tuition, Fees and Housing Calculator for more information).In some cases, Post Bachelor’s applicants apply as Lifelong Education (non-degree) students. These applicants should also answer “no” to the question on the application that asks whether credits will be applied toward certification. Lifelong Education students are assessed at the Lifelong Education tuition rate. There are no additional fees associated with this status, which minimizes cost (note that out-of-state rates still apply and international students still pay an additional fee); however, Lifelong Education students are not eligible for most sources of financial assistance (the Mildred B. Erickson Scholarship is an exception). A Post Bachelor’s Advisor in 134 Erickson Hall can advise applicants about the most appropriate application and enrollment status.
(2) Admission to the College of Education
Applicants must also apply to the College of Education for admission to the Post Bachelor’s Teacher Certification Program. Admission criteria include (but are not limited to) GPA, experiences related to teaching and diversity, a written essay and passing scores on all three parts of the Michigan Test for Teacher Certification Basic Skills test.Online Application
A portion of the College of Education application is completed online and includes a timed and proctored essay. An active email address is required to log on to the site. After logging on, a unique password for the application will be sent to your email address. The password is necessary to complete the application process, so please treat it carefully.There is a $50 nonrefundable application fee and a $20 essay fee. Applicants who are not offered admission the first time they apply may submit one additional application within the following 12 months without paying another application fee. The $50 application fee must be paid online using a credit card, debit card or checking account. The $20 essay fee is required with each application and must be paid separately as part as the online application.
Choosing Majors/Minors and a Certification Level
Applicants pursuing elementary certification must choose one of four elementary teaching majors. The Special Education and Child Development majors are elementary certification options that require completion of the full elementary certification program, including the teaching major. Applicants pursuing elementary certification can add elementary minors but they are considered extra and optional.Applicants pursuing secondary certification must choose at least one of the secondary teaching majors and one of the secondary teaching minors offered at MSU.
Timed and Proctored Essay
At the end of the online application, you will be given information about how to schedule a timed and proctored essay. Scheduling the essay requires online payment of a $20 essay fee. After online payment, instructions for scheduling the essay will be sent to you by email. You must bring picture identification, your application login and password, and your essay fee receipt to the testing site. Please arrive at the assigned testing site at least 20 minutes early. You will need this time for instructions and pre-test paperwork. You will not be permitted to enter a session late. Do not bring a dictionary, thesaurus, backpack, books, computer disk, computer software, food, or drink to the testing site. You will be given one hour to complete the essay using word-processing software; spelling/grammar check features can be used within that time. You will not be permitted to print or save copies of your essay, except as directed at the testing site. Software used to detect cheating is applied to all essays. Evidence of plagiarism, cheating or falsification will result in denial of admission.Michigan Test for Teacher Certification (MTTC) Basic Skills Test
Prior to admission, MSU must receive official notification that all three parts (Reading, Writing, Mathematics) of the MTTC Basic Skills test have been passed. The paper-based version is administered five times each year: January, April, July, October and November. The (more expensive) computer-based version is offered during one week of each of the remaining months. If you have taken and failed one or two subparts of the test, you may retake just those portions of the test. Taking the MTTC Basic Skills test requires separate registration and fee payment. Additional information about MTTC registration is available at the MTTC website.Application Deadlines
Applications for admission to the Post-Bachelor’s program are reviewed on a rolling basis. To be considered, applications must be complete by the following deadlines (or the closest business day when the 15th falls on a weekend). Incomplete applications cannot be considered. Admission decisions will be communicated approximately four to six weeks prior to the start of the admission semester. Please contact the Student Affairs Office at (517) 353-9680 with questions.
- May 15 for Fall Semester
- November 15 for Spring Semester
- March 15 for Summer Semester
The Application Package
A complete application package for the teacher preparation program includes the items listed below. Paper materials (Personal Information Page, Pre-admission Experience Forms for admission to Special Education, and unofficial copies of transcripts) must be sent to 620 Farm Lane, 134 Erickson Hall, East Lansing, MI 48824. Official transcripts should be sent to the MSU Office of Admissions and Scholarships. You must submit the following:- Online payment of the $50 application fee
- A complete online application
- A timed and proctored essay (scheduled and paid for online within the online application)
- Passing scores on the MTTC Basic Skills test with official scores sent to MSU
- A Personal Information Page
- For Special Education applicants, Special Education Pre-Admission Experience Forms
- Unofficial copies of transcripts from all colleges and universities attended (sent to 620 Farm Lane,134 Erickson Hall, East Lansing, MI 48824)
- Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended sent directly from the issuing institution to the MSU Office of Admissions and Scholarships, Room 250 Hannah Administration Building, East Lansing, Michigan, 48824.
