Teacher Preparation Program

What is GECP?

The Global Educators Cohort Program (GECP) gives future educators the tools they need to teach with a global view and to make an impact in today’s classrooms, which are increasingly culturally diverse. Through social and educational experiences, MSU’s Global Educators are prepared to help young people think about themselves as citizens and stewards of the world around them.

Who can join GECP?

Incoming freshman at Michigan State University interested in learning about education in a global context at the elementary or secondary level.

We invite students from any background, especially those interested in bringing the world into their classroom and those who want to make an impact in linguistically and culturally diverse classrooms.

Do you offer specialized classes?

GECP students move through freshman and sophomore coursework as a cohesive group. The GECP program is specifically designed to help students explore what it means to be an educator in today’s global context.

Students engage with others from around the world:

• in their cohort classes,
• through work with young people in the local community,
• and in international contexts.

Global educators work together to become the best educators they can be and make an impact in their classrooms, their communities and the world.

Message from the Director

Welcome to the Global Educators Cohort Program website. The College of Education at Michigan State University recognizes the need to prepare future educators for a rapidly changing classroom environment. New teachers can expect to enter classrooms that are increasingly culturally diverse, whose students not only need a strong foundation in core academic subjects, but also need to acquire the knowledge, skills and points of view necessary to interact successfully across a variety of cultural groups as well as grapple with issues and problems whose causes and foundation are more complex than ever before, that cross local, national, and international boundaries, and whose solutions require new approaches to problem-solving.

To meet the challenge of preparing future educators for personal and professional success in the global context of the 21st century, the College of Education (COE) at Michigan State University has launched The Global Educators Cohort Program (GECP). The GECP is a specialized teacher preparation program focused on global and international perspectives. Cohort participants enjoy all the benefits of a nationally ranked teacher preparation program but also have the opportunity to study, socialize, and engage in hands-on, practical learning activities with a small group of fellow students. GECP students enjoy many advantages, such as individualized mentorship by faculty, practicing teachers, and administrators with expertise and experience in global and international education; opportunities to participate in special seminars, undergraduate research opportunities, and special, smaller, faculty-led, course sections designed specifically for members of GECP.

GECP students learn to teach in a wide range of settings both in US K-12 classrooms and abroad. GECP graduates are prepared to bring the world to their students and educate for global citizenship in both elementary and secondary settings in all subject areas. Students in our program pursue teaching certification in a variety of areas; majors that GECP students have pursued include: all elementary majors, special education, music education, physical education, as well as secondary biology, history, social studies and Spanish.

As you explore our website, you will have a chance to learn more about our program, meet some of our GECP students and graduates, and get information about how you can apply to be a part of GECP. I hope you will find our site useful. Please do not hesitate to contact us directly if any of your questions are not answered here. We are excited about and proud of this unique and exciting new program!

Best,
Margo Glew

Freshman Year

• TE 101 (GECP section): Social Foundations of Justice and Equity in Education – 3 credits
• TE 102 (GECP section): Pedagogy and Politics of Justice and Equity in Education – 3 credits

Sophomore Year

• TE 352: Immigrant Language and Culture – 3 credits
• TE 353: International Education – 3 credits

Apply to MSU

Apply to MSU from your senior year of high school and on.

Obtain admission to Michigan State University and indicate your intention to complete a teacher certificate in elementary or secondary education. Information on financial aid for students can be found on the Office of Financial Aid homepage.

Apply to the Global Educators Cohort Program

After acceptance to MSU, submit a supplemental application to the Global Educators Cohort Program.

GECP Application

Send your completed application and application essay to:

MSU College of Education
attn. Robin Lenkart
Erickson Hall
620 Farm Lane
Room 134
East Lansing, MI 48824

Application Review

Begins 2-4 weeks after submitting a completed application.

Student essay, grade point average, SAT or ACT scores, high school work and work activities, and written communication skills will be considered in the selection process.

The application review committee reviews applications on a rolling basis. Applicants can expect to hear from the application review committee within 2-4 weeks of submission of an application.

Teacher Preparation

The Global Educators Cohort Program is a specialized program within the Teacher Preparation Program at Michigan State University. GECP students must therefore complete the same requirements as any Teacher Education student at Michigan State University. GECP simply provides added special emphasis in international/global themes.

When you complete GECP, you will graduate from Michigan State University with a degree in Teacher Education and you will be eligible for teacher certification both in Michigan and, often with little or no extra requirements, in many other U.S. States.

For more information on the Teacher Preparation Program, start here.