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Student Success Center

        College of Education FAQs



What are the Education Advisor's hours?

The Education Advisor is located in the Student Success Help Center (Main Hall, 2nd Floor) and is available during the hours listed here. To schedule an appointment please contact the front desk of the Student Success Center at 262-3260.

I am a prospective Teacher. How can I obtain further specific information about the Education Program?

The College of Education offers group advising sessions throughout the semester. You do not need to sign up for these sessions and must attend one before making an individual advising appointment. There are separate group advising sessions for the undergraduate and graduate programs, so be sure to attend the appropriate session. If you are not a current student be sure to park in the Visitor's Parking Lot. Dates, locations and times can be found below. For a campus map please visit www.uccs.edu/map.html.

What is the best way to contact the Education Advisor?

The best way to contact the Education Advisor, Bill Bannister, is via e-mail at bbannist@uccs.edu, or by phone at 262-3069. 

What is an LAS Education Option Major? 

An LAS Education Option Major refers to a major in one of the approved LAS disciplines and completion of the TEP as part of their BA.

What does TEP stand for?

TEP stands for Teacher Education Program, a teaching licensure program of approximately 40 credit hours, offered by the College of Education.  TEP is available as part of a BA or an MA.

Can I receive a BA in Education?

No, not from UCCS.  You must choose an approved LAS major with an education option.

What majors with an education option are available to me? 

If you would like to teach Elementary Education (K-6) or Special Education, your major must be one of the following:  Biology, English, Geography and Environmental Studies, History, or Spanish.  If you would like to teach at the secondary level (7-12), your choices of major would be:  Biology, Chemistry, English, History, Mathematics, Physics, or Spanish.  For specific requirements and courses, you may  see them from our website, Major Requirements

How do I know which major and education option are appropriate for me?

Any of the five approved majors can be selected if you would like to teach at the elementary level or teach special education as these teachers are more generalists. 
However, the major selected from the secondary education list must correspond to the subject you’d like to teach at that level.  Furthermore, the College of Education licenses at the secondary level in these five areas only:  natural science, English, social studies, mathematics, and Spanish.  Therefore, if you’d like to teach natural science at the secondary level, choose biology, chemistry or physics as your major.  If you’d like to teach English, choose the English major.  Those interested in teaching social studies must select history as their major.  To teach mathematics, select the mathematics major, and those wanting to teach Spanish must choose Spanish as their major.

How do I declare a major with an education option?

Declare your major and option in the Student Success Center, Main Hall, 2nd floor. Or, contact the Education Advisor, Bill Bannister, via e-mail at bbannist@uccs.edu .

Once I’ve selected a major and education option, how can I find out what the specific requirements are?

 Several avenues designed to provide information about the requirements of your chosen major are available to you.
One method of obtaining information concerning the specifics of your major is through the Student Success Help Center, 2nd floor of Main Hall. Specific major informational sheets are available upon request, and an advisor is almost always available to go over
those with you if desired. You also can see them from our website, Major Requirements.
Additionally, a detailed progress report, which is an analysis of academic progress, may be ordered in-person, by phone, or via the Online Student Center. A progress report details hours remaining to be completed as well as requirements already completed and
is a handy tool for tracking your academic progress.
Finally, attend a group advising session early in your sophomore year, presented by the College of Education, to discuss admission criteria and deadlines for the various teaching programs.  Call (719) 262-4996 for days and times or obtain a group advising schedule from the Student Success Center in Main Hall, 2nd floor.

Do I have “room” for general elective courses in my education option major?

No.  The hours normally available in an LAS major for general electives are used for TEP courses instead.  Therefore, it is very important that a student with an education option major stay on track with his or her requirements.

When and how am I actually admitted to the Teacher Education Program (TEP)?

During your sophomore year, complete T Ed300, Introduction to Contemporary American Education, and T Ed301, Early School Experience Practicum.  (T ED 301 may be waived by teaching experience.)  Special education teachers should complete SPED 300 (renumbered to SPED 3001) Introduction to Special Education and SPED 3002 Professional Seminar in Special Education.  These courses will help you decide whether teaching is a good career choice for you, and the T Ed courses are required for application into the Teacher Education Program. 
Apply to the first tier of the Teacher Education Program while in your sophomore year.  If you are accepted, you’ll continue taking courses in general education and your major, plus teaching courses.
In your junior year, you’ll apply to the second tier of the TEP.  When you are accepted, you’ll be taking the rest of your teaching courses, including student teaching.

Will I be ready to teach as soon as I graduate?

When you graduate, you’ll have a bachelor’s degree with one of the majors in LAS plus provisional licensure.

If I already have numerous courses completed or in transfer that do not apply to the undergraduate TEP, is there another licensure program at UCCS?

Yes.  You would want to consider completing the TEP as a graduate program.  Contact the College of Education at (719) 262-4996 for more information.

This page was last updated: 1/09/06