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FIRST YEAR

If you are a first  year student, you start off by studying the area you wish to teach through the major you select. We have many majors with education concentrations! You select the one that aligns with what you hope to teach. For preschool or elementary, liberal studies (LIBA) or psychology (PSYC) are the best choices. For high school, choose the major that matches your subject: Biology, English Literature, Math, Spanish, etc. Social Studies teachers choose either History or Political Science. To be sure you are on the appropriate track, review the Welcome Letter!

1. Check Degree Works for the First Year Studies Section for possible required courses such as FRST 1100, FRST 1103/1703, FRST 1101, FRST 1002. If these courses have a green check next to them please move to #2.
2. 1 first year seminar - education specific ones we suggest include GSS 1072 Pathways to Learning, GSS 1062 Disabilities and Dignity or GSS 1044 Diversity Issues.
3. A Q1 (math) and W1 (writing) must also be taken your first year. Even though you may chose to take them either term, it is recommended you take these in your first term. Look for these next.
4. 1 course in your major (look for section of Degree Works “Major in XXX”) especially if you wish to be a teacher of a single subject area in high school like mathematics, biology, etc. If you are undeclared as a major, consider a course in an area that you have an interest!
5. OR  1 professional requirement such as EDUC 1515 (same as GSS 1044), EDUC 2241 or EDUC 2231.  Ideally you should end up with 16 credits for your first semester.
6. One more thing before you leave Degree Works:  Please check to see if you met the basic skills test requirements (look under “Prerequisite to entry for Education Fieldwork”). If you have not met this requirement, you should plan to take Praxis Core soon! We offer EDUC 1141 Praxis Reading & Writing and EDUC 1151 Praxis Math courses to help you prepare. We also offer EDUC 1161 Praxis Social Studies and EDUC 1171 Praxis Science to help you prepare for the Praxis II licensure exam. 
7. Have questions? See the links at right, or click here to set up a personal appointment with our team of experienced staff or faculty members who can help guide you along the way. 

TRANSFER STUDENTS

If you are a transfer student, you are coming to ������Ƶ with credits from another two- or four-year institution. We are one of the most transfer-friendly institutions in the state! You will begin by studying the area you wish to teach through a selected major. To help you get started, we prepared a welcome letter that explains how majors work at ������Ƶ so you can check that you are on the appropriate degree path.

It’s best to start by looking at what you already have credit for on your Degree Works audit in your student portal. Your Degree Works will provide you with details on what you need and have been credited as taking! If you’re not sure where to find that check the main orientation materials that describe the Student Services tab in your go portal.

To help you select your first set of courses, please watch the brief video here. In general, you’ll take about 4 to 5 courses (or 16-20 credits) your first semester if you plan to attend full-time. If you are balancing work/family responsibilities and don't mind completing your degree at a slightly slower pace, 12 credits (three courses) qualifies as full-time status. 

1. 1 transfer seminar- education specific courses we suggest include GAH 2361 Migration and Immigration or GSS 2642 Contemporary American Education.
2. 1 to 2 major courses if needed (see Degree Works under “Major in XXX” for a list).
3. 1 to 2 general studies courses (GEN, GAH, GSS, GNM & GIS are the categories) - to be efficient with your selections consider ones that can help with attributes (A,H,V,I), writing (W1/W2), quantitative reasoning requirements (Q1/Q2) or Race Education (R1/R2) if you need them (see the bottom of your Degree Works to check how many of these you might still need to earn).
4. EDUC 2000 Gateway to the NJ Teaching Profession if you enter with 33+ credits, which is required before you begin professional education courses. Check the Professional Education section of Degree Works to see if you need EDUC 2231, EDUC 2241, EDUC 1515 (or GSS 3360), or INTC 2610 (GEN 2108 also accepted for this course). 
5. A final item is not a course but necessary for entry into the professional education courses. Please check your Degree Works to see if you met the basic skills test requirements (look under “Prerequisite to entry for Education Fieldwork”). If you have not met this requirement, you should plan to take Praxis Core! We offer EDUC 1141 Praxis Reading & Writing and EDUC 1151 Praxis Math courses to help you prepare.
6. You can also prepare for the Praxis II licensure exam by taking EDUC 1161 Praxis Social Studies or EDUC 1171 Praxis Science.
7. Have questions? Have questions? See the links at right, or click here to set up a personal appointment with our team of experienced staff or faculty members who can help guide you along the way.