Education Division Admission

Education Program admission is open to students who demonstrate that they have the intellectual ability, emotional stability, and dispositional and professional skills needed to be a professional teacher. Students desiring to apply to the Education Program must first be admitted to the College through the regular Admissions Office application process. Students planning to major in Education will be classified as pre-education until their formal acceptance into the Education program. Formal application should be submitted to the Division during ED 205. Students in the Educational Studies (non-licensure) program do not need to formally apply to the Division of Professional Education.

To apply to the division, students need to access the online document by going to My.NDC and clicking on Academics, then Division of Professional Education Forms, then Application to the Division. When applying to the division, candidates must submit the formal application document, a copy of their disposition assessment, and a letter of recommendation from a cooperating teacher from one of their field experiences or from a teacher who has observed them working with children in any capacity.

Prerequisites needed for admission to the Division of Professional Education are:

ED 202/203 Introduction to Education/Field Experience

ED 204 Educational Psychology

ED 205/206 Psychology of Special Needs/Field Experience

PY  201 General Psychology 

The pre-education courses should be taken in sequence.

Candidates will be required to undergo an Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) background check before being allowed to participate in field experiences in ED 202/203 and subsequent education courses.  The state of Ohio will require another BCI and FBI background check before applying for licensure.  Candidates are responsible for the cost of the background check, and the outcome may impact the candidate’s ability to remain in the program.  See the following website for more information:  http://education.ohio.gov/Topics/Teaching/Licensure/Additional-Information/Background-CheckFAQs#FAQ681. 

Applicants must achieve a 2.75 GPA in the professional education prerequisite coursework AND in their cumulative coursework/overall GPA.   Applicants must also display competency in oral and written communication and mathematics through the successful completion with a grade of “B-” or better in the appropriate freshman English sequence and mathematics course beyond the developmental level (see course catalog for further information). Students who have not met this benchmark must work with the Division of Professional Education, The Dwyer Learning Center, the Writing Lab, or The Thrive Learning Center to strengthen their math and composition skills.  

All teacher candidates must give evidence of the physical, emotional, and dispositional abilities required of teachers that include (but are not limited to) the following:

• Ability to communicate effectively in verbal and written form
• Emotional stability to function in stressful situations and to accept personal responsibility and accountability for his/her actions and the safety of students in his/her charge
• Demonstration of initiative and the ability to complete assignments independently
• Responsiveness to constructive feedback/supervision as evident in behavioral changes that manifest elements of the feedback.
• Positive rapport with peers and faculty
• Evidence of high ethical and professional standards exhibited by honesty with and respect for others.

Educational Studies (Non-Licensure) Program 

The Educational Studies (non-licensure) education program prepares students to work in a variety of educational settings that do not require PK-12 licensure. Students will complete a combination of professional education, general content, Notre Dame College Core, and elective courses that will prepare them to work in educational settings with children of all ages.  Students in this program do not apply for admission to the division.

This program is designed for those students who already hold a baccalaureate degree and wish to pursue a career in teaching. For further information, please contact Admissions Office at 216.373.5173.  Candidates must meet the licensure requirements as outlined for their licensure area (see above). The following courses are waived for Post-Baccalaureate Teaching License Certificate students: ED 202 and ED 203.

Admission Process:

1. Complete the application to Notre Dame College.
2. The candidate will be contacted by and work with a member of the Admissions staff after their application has been received. This interview includes a discussion of the various initial licensure programs, schedule of classes, and financial aid.
3. During the admissions process, transcripts will be reviewed for potential transfer of credits and an evaluation sheet will be provided. All students pursuing licensure are permitted only (1) C-level letter grade in their Education coursework. Candidates may transfer in (1) C-level letter grade; should they earn a C-level letter grade in an ED course while in the program, it will need to be retaken.
4. Acceptance to any post-baccalaureate program is made with a 2.75 GPA. If the GPA is between 2.5 and 2.75, candidates will be given an Action Plan that will allow for them to have two semesters to earn a 2.75+ GPA. If, at the end of those two semesters, candidates have not earned a GPA of 2.75+, they may be counseled out of the program.
5. Upon acceptance to the post-baccalaureate program, candidates must complete the application to the Division of Professional Education on MyNDC.
6. All candidates must have access to a computer, an active NDC email account, Microsoft Office software, and a TK20 subscription.

• Earn a B- average or better in education core classes. Any grade lower than a C- must be repeated.
• Earn no more than 1 C-, C, or C+ in any education course; if a second C is earned, the candidate must retake one of the courses.
• Give evidence of continuing growth in the knowledge, skills and dispositions of the program.
• Maintain the 2.75 GPA and other qualifications required for admission to the program.
• Maintain work in TK 20.
• Comply with college-wide academic policies and procedures:
  • Candidates are expected to attendevery class session. Candidates may not be excused for fulfilling field experiences for another course without special permission from the course instructor.
  • Instructors can determine penalties for absences.  Every syllabus must contain an attendance policy.
  • For online courses, candidates may NOT miss the first class unless the instructor has approved the absence before the class meeting time.