School of Education
Admission and Application Information: World Language Education
Admission to the School of Education as a Pre-Professional Student
New freshmen and transfer students are admitted directly to the School of Education with a “pre” classification of some sort—Pre-Secondary, Pre-Elementary, Pre-Kinesiology, etc. Pre-World Language students receive a classification of PRS. This classification indicates that a student is interested in a particular program area, but hasn't completed the eligibility requirements for admission into the professional program.
On-campus students wishing to be admitted to the School of Education while working on a program’s eligibility requirements can apply for admission to the School of Education by completing a pre-professional application form. However, it is not necessary to be a "pre" before applying to any of the School of Education's professional programs.
It is strongly recommended that students interested in a School of Education program meet with an academic advisor in Education Academic Services (EAS), 139 Education Building, 1000 Bascom Mall, 608-262-1651.
Admission to the Professional Program
Resources limit the number of students who can be served by the UW-Madison World Language Education teacher preparation programs. Thus, admission to the program is limited and may be competitive. Obtaining or exceeding the minimum criteria for eligibility does not guarantee admission. Requirements and admission criteria may change from one admission period to the next.
Applicants to these programs will be admitted once a year, during the spring semester. Admission decisions will be based on course work completed through the preceding fall semester. Admission is provisional until spring semester work has been completed and posted and Education Academic Services staff have verified that students have submitted PPST/Praxis I scores, met minimum grade point averages, and earned minimum credits in their major. Admitted students will begin the sequence the following fall semester.
Eligibility for Admission for Fall 2013
To be considered for admission, students must meet the following criteria by the end of spring semester 2013:
- Total Credits: Earn 54 or more transferable semester credits (junior standing).
- Major Credits: Complete all but six credits of the World Language major.
- Major Grade Point Average: Earn a minimum 2.75 grade point average on all major course work completed. See below for possible changes.
- Cumulative Grade Point Average: Earn a cumulative GPA of at least 2.75 (on a 4.00 scale), and see below for possible changes. Note: Both the cumulative GPA and the cumulative GPA based on the last 60 credits will be calculated. The higher of the two will be used for program selection. See Last 60 Credits Rule below. Grade point averages are based on all transferable college level course work attempted.
- Take all three sections of the Pre-Professional Skills Test (PPST) and submit scores to Education Academic Services by March 1, 2013. Also known as the Praxis I: Academic Skills Assessments, the PPST is a basic skills test offered by Educational Testing Service (ETS) and required for admission to all state teacher preparation programs by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI). The test is designed to measure reading, writing, and mathematics skills. State-mandated minimum scores are Reading, 175; Writing, 174; and Mathematics, 173. Students may be considered who have not earned minimum scores. See the ETS website for more detailed information. Important note: The UW-Madison School of Education's institutional recipient code is 1846; use of another code will prevent Education Academic Services from receiving scores.
- Submit application materials by February 1, 2013. These are expected to include the following:
- Application form.
- Resume.
- Immersion experience verification.
- Recommendations. Two letters of recommendation attesting to experience with children or adolescents or experience related to the mission of the program.
- Videotape or audiotape in the target language. Applicants will be asked to describe, in five to seven minutes, the experiences that led to choosing language teaching as a profession. Students who apply for certification in two languages are required to present two videos or audiotapes in the two languages.
- Additional materials. Other documentation or material that applicants believe distinctly demonstrates qualification for admission to the program.
Last 60 Credits Rule
Two grade point averages will be calculated to determine candidates' eligibility and selection to programs. GPAs will be calculated using (1) all transferable college level course work attempted, and (2) the last 60 credits attempted. The higher GPA of these two will be used for purposes of admission. If fewer than 60 credits have been attempted, all credits will be used to calculate the GPA. Graded graduate course work will also be used in all GPA calculations. ("Attempted" course work indicates course work for which a grade has been earned.) For more information on this rule, click here.
Applying for Certification in More than One Subject Area
Students may apply to two certification programs. Eligibility requirements must be met and separate applications must be filed for each area of interest. Students must be admitted as a major in at least one of the program areas as it is not possible to be admitted only in a minor program area. For this reason, some students apply as majors in each area of interest, thus maximizing the chances of admission. Certification in two subjects requires the consent and cooperation of the faculty coordinators of both subject areas. While multiple majors or major-minor combinations are feasible and may be advantageous as a career strategy, the additional subject area course work may require extra time beyond the sequence to complete course work. Students are encouraged to work closely with their EAS academic advisor to coordinate the requirements of multiple certifications.
Transfer Students
Applicants who are not already enrolled on the UW-Madison campus must be admissible to the University to enroll in a School of Education program. Admission to UW-Madison requires a separate application and admission process. See UW-Madison Undergraduate Admissions for application information. Find more detailed information for prospective transfer students at this link. Prospective transfer students are strongly advised to meet with an Education Academic Services advisor in advance of their application.
Selection Procedures for Fall 2013
The files of all applicants will be individually and holistically reviewed by a panel of world language professionals. The criteria used for admission include the following:
- Academic Qualifications: The applicant demonstrates mastery of the target language and knowledge of its literature, civilization and culture.
- Career Maturity: The applicant demonstrates commitment to teaching the target language to Elementary, Middle, and High School students, including consideration of his or her own strengths and limitations as a potential teacher.
- Ability to Relate to Youth: The applicant demonstrates the ability to work effectively with young people.
- Commitment to All Students: The applicant demonstrates commitment to working with all students including those of different racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds, and students with disabilities, not just the economically privileged or highly motivated.
- Interpersonal Skills: The applicant demonstrates the ability to work effectively with peers, other professionals, and members of the community outside of school settings.
The application files, including immersion experiences and oral proficiency, are rated according to the above criteria for each language. A final cohort is selected along with rank-ordered alternates, based on a combination of ratings made by the WLE review committee and judgement by the faculty program coordinator about optimal cohort characteristics for each language. Admission procedures are reviewed every other year to ensure fairness and effectiveness.
Criminal Background Investigation and Disclosure Statement
Criminal background checks will be run on all students at admission. Applicants must also complete a disclosure statement. See this link for more detailed information.
Students with a Previous Degree
Persons who already hold an undergraduate degree are admitted to the School of Education as either an Education Special student or a Second Degree student, depending on their interests and academic background. The term Special student indicates that the student has an interest in pursuing certification in a subject area studied during the initial degree; the student does not receive a degree for this "certification only" course work. Second Degree students are seeking a second, unrelated degree from the School of Education, which may, or may not, include teacher certification. Candidates for limited enrollment programs must meet all admission eligibility requirements for the program and must compete with the eligible applicants for program admission. See this link for more details.
This page was updated 1/13/12; 10/17/12.