2017-2018 Johnstown Campus Catalog [Archived Catalog]
Education
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Chair: Gerald Zahorchak, DEd
Faculty: Natalie Conrad Barnyak, Nina Girard, Elizabeth Harkins, Donna Kowalczyk, Mark Previte, Bethany McConnell, Malcolm Van Blerkom.
Adjunct Faculty: Francine Endler, Douglas Ledney, Keli Williams and Donald Yokitis.
Division Policies and Requirements
The Division of Education provides complete information on all programs and related policies in its Program Handbook, which may be obtained in 153 Biddle Hall or viewed in an abridged version on the Pitt-Johnstown Web site, www.upj.pitt.edu/education. Prospective students interested in majoring in education should read the Program Handbook prior to enrolling at Pitt-Johnstown. The Program Handbook is updated every year and is therefore more current and explanatory than this bulletin. In all cases, policies described in the Program Handbook take precedence over policies described in the bulletin.
Freshmen who plan to major in early childhood, middle level or secondary education as undergraduate students first enroll at Pitt-Johnstown as pre-education majors. To be eligible to declare pre-education as a major, incoming freshmen must have been granted admission status by the Pitt-Johnstown Office of Admissions.
Students who plan to relocate from another University of Pittsburgh campus to major in education at Pitt-Johnstown must meet minimum GPA requirements in order to declare pre-education as a major. While a 2.50 GPA is a minimum standard for students who have earned 12 or fewer credits, a higher GPA is required for students who have earned more than 12 credits.
Students who plan to transfer from another college or university to major in education at Pitt-Johnstown must meet minimum GPA requirements in order to declare pre-education as a major. This minimum GPA is based on all courses taken at another college, whether or not the credits are accepted by Pitt-Johnstown. (While a 2.50 GPA is a minimum standard for students who have earned 12 or fewer credits, a higher GPA is required for students who have earned more than 12 credits.) Students interested in transferring should request a transcript review from the Division of Education prior to applying for admission at Pitt-Johnstown. This transcript review will inform potential students of remaining course work needed to complete an education program at Pitt-Johnstown. Interested students should send a copy of all college transcripts, along with a cover letter stating the intended program and the potential term for enrollment in a program at Pitt-Johnstown, to Division Chair at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown, 153 Biddle Hall, Johnstown, PA 15904.
Post-baccalaureate students who plan to seek Commonwealth of Pennsylvania certification in either elementary or secondary education at Pitt-Johnstown must also meet minimum GPA requirements in order to declare pre-education as a major. This minimum GPA is based on all courses taken at any college within the past five years and any course taken longer than five years ago that would be applied to the program. (While a 2.50 GPA is a minimum standard for students, a higher GPA is required for students for whom 12 or fewer credits will apply to their intended program.) Eligible post-baccalaureate students may choose one of two options: certification while earning a second bachelor’s degree or certification without earning a second bachelor’s degree. Students interested in seeking post-baccalaureate certification should request a transcript review from the Division of Education prior to applying for admission at Pitt-Johnstown. This transcript review will inform potential students of remaining course work needed to complete an education program at Pitt-Johnstown. Interested students should send a copy of all college transcripts, along with a cover letter stating the intended program and the potential term for enrollment in a program at Pitt-Johnstown, to Division Chair at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown, 153 Biddle Hall, Johnstown, PA 15904.
Students already enrolled in another major at Pitt-Johnstown must gain the approval of the Chairperson of the Division of Education in order to change their major to pre-education. The student’s current academic grade point average is the basis upon which approval will or will not be granted. (While a 2.50 GPA is a minimum standard for students who have earned 12 or fewer credits, a higher GPA is required for students who have earned more than 12 credits.) Once enrolled in pre-education, students must meet specific requirements to gain admission to the upper-level early childhood, middle level or secondary education programs. Criteria for admission include 48 earned credits, a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00, satisfactory letters of recommendation, minimum C grades in several designated courses, one English composition and one English literature course, two math courses, successful passing of all Basic Skills requirements (reading, writing, and mathematics) either by way of PAPA or CORE exam or qualifying ACT or SAT scores. Post-baccalaureate and transfer students also must have earned a minimum combined GPA of 3.00 (combination of all courses taken in the past five years at any institution, courses taken more than five years from the date of admission that are applied to the program, and credits taken-minimum of 15-as a pre-education student). Policies related to admission to the upper-level program are described fully in the Program Handbook.
The upper-level program is structured as a sequence of experiences. Upper-level early childhood students complete a set of courses during a four-term period, with student teaching comprising the major part of the fourth-term component. The middle level and secondary education program is structured somewhat more flexibly, but interested students should gain an understanding of the sequential nature of the upper-level curriculum prior to declaring pre-education as a major. Upper-level students must meet specific requirements to be admitted to student teaching, and all students who complete student teaching also must pass all required Praxis and/or PECT certification tests to be eligible for Pennsylvania certification.
In addition, all pre-education majors must submit copies of a criminal background clearance, a child abuse history clearance, and fingerprinting at an approved state site prior to enrolling in the pre-education course History and Philosophy of Education, which must be taken at Pitt-Johnstown. NOTE: Prospective students who have failed any Basic Skills requirements are not eligible to declare pre-education as a major at Pitt-Johnstown until they have passed the failed test. NOTE: Most pre-education courses are open only to those students who are enrolled in pre-education. All upper-level education courses are open only to students admitted to the upper-level program, and all upper-level courses must be taken at Pitt-Johnstown.
Academic Programs Offered
Major
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Early Childhood Education, BS
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Early Childhood with Special Education, BA
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Middle-Level Education - English Concentration, BS
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Middle-Level Education - Mathematics Concentration, BS
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Middle-Level Education - Science Concentration, BS
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Middle-Level Education - Social Studies Concentration, BS
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Secondary Education Biology, BS
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Secondary Education Chemistry, BS
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Secondary Education Earth and Space Sciences, BS
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Secondary Education English, BA
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Secondary Education Mathematics, BS
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Secondary Education Social Studies, BA
Early Childhood Education
Educational Psychology
Elementary Education
Foundations of Education
Instruction and Learning
Instructional Technology
Middle Level Education
Secondary Education
Special Education
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