Global and Urban Education

If interested, and after obtaining admission to MSU, submit a supplemental application to the Urban Educators Cohort Program or Global Educators Cohort Program. This supplemental application includes an essay regarding your commitment and interest in teaching in urban/global settings respectively, as well as a description of your experiences and/or qualities that make you a strong candidate for the program in which you are interested.

WHEN: During your application process to MSU – must begin with Freshman cohort

Applying to Our Programs

Prospective Undergraduates

Interested in coming to MSU to become a teacher?

It may be one of the best decisions you could ever make. The College of Education at MSU is considered one of the best in the nation, and school superintendents from across the country regularly contact us about sending more of our graduates their way. If you are interested in becoming a teacher, we encourage you read the materials that describe our program carefully. For instance, you will need to spend a year after college graduation in an internship in order to complete our Teacher Preparation program, which makes it quite different from those at other colleges and universities. Our teacher certification candidates are granted Michigan teaching certificates upon completion of all University and State of Michigan requirements. Recruiters from school districts throughout the nation and the world seek our graduates, and we regularly sponsor recruitment fairs so that our students can meet potential employers.

Here we provide step-by-step information about the application process for high school seniors and individuals who are post-high school but have never attended another college or university (prospective transfer students, please visit the transfer admissions page. All applicants must be admitted to the University first (see Step 1), and then apply to the College of Education during their sophomore year (see Steps 3-7). We also have two special programs for freshmen who are interested in becoming urban educators or global educators (see information on left).

Application Process for High School Seniors

Step 1:

Apply to MSU

WHEN:

Senior year of high school

Applications for admission to Michigan State University are available at high school guidance offices, by writing to the Office of Admissions and Scholarships, or going to the online admissions application. MSU has a selective admissions policy and accepts only applicants whose credentials indicate probable success at the university. Academic grades, trend in those grades, quality of program, test scores (ACT or SAT), and counselor comments are all used in making individual decisions for a freshman candidates.

When applying, be sure to indicate your intention to complete a teaching certificate in elementary or secondary education on the application.

Eligibility

WHEN:

Sophomore Year
(Juniors may also apply; see below)

The undergraduate application to the Teacher Preparation Program is open to MSU undergraduates who:

are currently enrolled
have reached sophomore status
have an overall grade point average of 2.75 or higher at MSU
have passed all three subparts of the MTTC Basic Skills Test (see below)
will have completed all remedial and developmental coursework in mathematics and writing by the end of the Fall Semester in which the application is submitted (e.g., WRA 1004/0102 and Math 1825)
will have 56 credits by the beginning of the following Fall Semester when they are fully admitted (typically as juniors)

Step 2:

MTTC Basic Skills Test

WHEN:

Summer before sophomore year recommended

Before you can be admitted to the Teacher Preparation program, MSU must receive official notification that you have passed all three parts of the MTTC Basic Skills Test (Reading, Writing, and Mathematics). The MTTC Basic Skills Test is administered five times each year: January, April, July, October and November. Applicants are encouraged to take the July or October test (the November test is acceptable, but not recommended). Additional information about MTTC registration is available on the MTTC website. Registration deadlines are approximately six weeks prior to test dates although late registration is possible with a late fee (late fees increase as the test date approaches).

Step 3:

Online Application

WHEN:

Fall of Sophomore Year
(Juniors may also apply)

The online application is available each Fall Semester. Students typically apply in the Fall of their sophomore year; however, some students apply as juniors. Applicants who apply as juniors may be eligible to accelerate their programs with approval from their advisor.

Step 4:

Timed and Proctored Essay

WHEN:

Fall of Sophomore Year

As part of the online application, all applicants must write a timed, proctored essay at a testing site on campus.

For More Information

Please contact:

Student Affairs Office
134 Erickson Hall
College of Education
Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan 48824-1034
Telephone: (517) 353-9680