K-8 with Special Education Certification: How to apply

Admission requirements

Because the program of study must be completed in sequence, Teacher Certification admits students for Summer Quarter only. Complete applications received by the Application Date will be assured of a review; complete applications received after the Application Date will be reviewed on a space-available basis. Remember, several items are required to complete your application. Transcripts often take several weeks to arrive. Your application will not be reviewed for admission until all materials have been received.

Important immunization information

All enrolled students are required to provide proof of measles (rubeola) immunity. Students will not be allowed to register for any classes until the UW Tacoma Registrar's Office confirms that they have satisfied this requirement. Students born before 01/01/57 are considered to be immune to measles and therefore do NOT need to submit proof of immunity.

Bachelor's degree

from a regionally-accredited university or college. Applicants who are in the final quarter or semester of their undergraduate work may apply for provisional admission, but must hold a bachelor's degree before beginning the Teacher Certification Program.

3.0 grade-point average

calculated from the applicant's final 90 graded quarter credits or 60 graded semester credits. Applicants who do not meet this requirement may be eligible for admission depending on the quality of their complete application file.

Signed, Printed Copy of UW Graduate School Application

One Official Transcript

from every college or university you have attended.

Courses in the following Subject Areas

All courses, unless otherwise stipulated, must be 100-level or above, and the applicant must have earned a grade of 2.0 or better.

Take a look at our Community College Prerequisite Guide

Program Selection Document

Requires that you indicate the certification option that you will pursue.

Personal Goal Statement

The mission and values of the University of Washington-Tacoma Education Program underscore our primary goal of building teacher capacity to understand and meet P-12 student needs. In this context, please include the following in your two page goal statement:

• A discussion of: 1) Your experiences in seeking to understand and meet the needs of children and youth; 2) and how those experiences shape your professional ambitions.
• A discussion of how UWT graduate studies in the education program will help meet your professional goals.

Holistic criteria will be used for goal statement evaluation and will include attention to clarity and quality of discussion, example specificity, and mechanics.

You may wish to review UWT education program mission/values for guidance.

Resume

of professional experience, educational background and other relevant information including volunteer experience.

Two Confidential, Sealed, Letters of Recommendation

submitted on behalf of the applicant from individuals who can speak about the candidate's commitment, academic ability, and potential as a teacher. You must use the letter of recommendation form on our website.

40 Hours of Documented Experience

(minimum) within the last 5 years in a public school classroom.

Washington Educator Skills Test-Basic (WEST-B) scores

Required of all applicants to the Teacher Certification Program. Applicants must take the test no later than April 14, 2012 to be considered for admission to the Summer 2012 class. Visit the WEST-B website for a Study Guide, registration details, and other information about the test.

Personal Interview

Be prepared for a March interview which will be conducted in a group format. You should prepare as you would for a job interview. This means you should dress as you would for teaching. In addition to responses to interview questions, faculty will be considering communication skills, professional behavior and your current perspective regarding teaching. This is an opportunity for you to shine as a prospective member of the cohort and to demonstrate professional skills. Please consider this in your planning and preparation for the interviews. The interview is required as part of the admissions process

Application Procedures

Applicants must apply online to the UW Graduate Admissions and also submit required documents to the UWT Education Program. The application checklist is a helpful document to ensure that all items are complete. No action can be taken until all materials are received.

Application Forms

When you are prompted to "Select a graduate program", be sure to select "Education- at Tacoma Campus" from the drop-down menu. All other Education listings refer to Seattle-campus programs.

Application Checklist
Graduate School application
K-8 Prerequisite Worksheet
Program Selection document
Request for Confidential Recommendation form
Documentation of Classroom Experience form

Questions?

Contact the Pre-Admission Adviser: Carla Van Rossum (carlavr@uw.edu; 253-692-4437)