GRADUATION AND AFTER

In the fall of your senior year you will file an “Intent to Graduate” form which informs the Registrar’s Office that you are intending to complete your requirements in order to participate in the May graduation ceremony.  This will trigger an academic audit that compares your coursework completed with the degree requirements you have designated on your Declaration of Major form.  The resulting audit will confirm that you have met these degree requirements or will list what is missing.  You should have been working with your academic plan and your advisor(s) to ensure that you have completed all requirements for Integrative Studies, education, liberal arts content area, and certification.  MyKSC will also allow you to check your progress toward a particular program, so there should be no surprises from this audit! 

One thing that confuses people is the difference between a double major and two degrees.  Most future teachers (ALL at KSC except for those seeking the K-12 certifications in Physical Education and Music Education) complete a double major – that means you complete the Integrative Studies requirements of the college, and the major requirements for two areas (Elementary Education and English, for example), and earn a minimum of 124 credits for your Bachelor of Science in Education degree. 

In order to earn two degrees (a B.S. in Secondary Education and a B.A. in English, for example) you need to have earned a minimum of 144 credits.  In some cases a student earns these extra credits because of transferring, changing majors mid-stream, or some other situation; in these cases earning two degrees is a clear option to discuss with your advisor.  

APPLICATION FOR CERTIFICATION

During your Student Teaching experience, the TEGS Office will provide forms for you to complete to apply for your initial certification.  These completed forms will stay in your file until you have completed all requirements for graduation and the Registrar and the Bursar have cleared you.  That means that all financial obligations (e.g. financial aid, library fines or parking tickets) must be taken care of prior to being recommended for certification.  At this point your application will either be mailed to the Department of Education in Concord, NH with your check for the required fee or sent to you so you may present it to NH or another state. You will also receive a letter during student teaching that confirms your eligibility for certification; that letter is for use during your job search.  If you choose not to be certified in New Hampshire it is your responsibility to obtain the necessary information and forms required by the other state.  The TEGS Office can assist you in finding the appropriate contact information for other states.

It is important that you pay attention to the cut-off levels for the PRAXIS I (Reading, Writing, Mathematics) tests as each state sets its own levels.  You will be expected to meet the passing scores in place at the time of certification; if New Hampshire raises its passing scores, a notice will be sent to all students currently seeking certification so that they may take the test again if necessary.  These changes, when they occur, are part of the on-going effort in each state to ensure that teachers meet high academic standards.

If your particular certification requires PRAXIS II or any other standardized testing, you will be responsible for arranging to take the appropriate tests and submitting those scores to the appropriate State Department of Education.  Consult with your advisor or the TEGS Office about PRAXIS II and other testing expectations. Other states have their own teacher certification tests.  If you plan to be certified in a state other than New Hampshire, it is your responsibility to consult with that state about testing requirements. 

MAINTAINING CERTIFICATION

When you receive your state certification be sure to pay attention to how to maintain it.  All states require a certain number of professional development hours in order to stay certified.  Some will require earning a Master’s degree in a certain amount of time; some will issue a permanent certificate after a certain number of years.  Most school districts include your professional development hours as part of the formal evaluation process and provide professional development opportunities for their employees.  However if you are employed in a non-public or non-formal educational setting, or if you decide to do something other than teach for a few years, you will need to be more involved in establishing your own guidelines and ensuring that your own needs are met in this area.  Keep on top of this – it’s much easier to maintain than to reinstate your certification. 

FOLLOW UP SURVEY

Within the first year after you graduate, we will be contacting you to find out where you are working and how your first year of teaching is proceeding. We hope you will keep in touch and come back to campus to share your experiences with future preservice teachers.