Students who are interested in majoring in education must officially declare the education major with your Education College faculty advisor, the Dean of the College of Education and the Office of the Registrar.

Declaration of Education as Major

Fill out a major declaration card (available online).

For secondary (Biology, Chemistry, Communication, English, Math, Social Studies) or language (Spanish) certification, declare your academic major as your first major and secondary education or language certification as your second major.

For early childhood and middle level education, declare early childhood or middle level education as your first major and add other certification or concentration.

Get the signature of your faculty advisor and the Dean of Education. You must include evidence of passing your Basic Skills requirements and have a GPA at or above 3.0. in order for the Dean to approve your declaration of education as a major*. The Dean will forward the form to the Registrar once it is approved.

*NOTE: From the period of July 8th 2022 to July 8th 2025, The Pennsylvania Department of Education waived the requirement to complete the assessment of Basic Skills. This includes all students that enter preparation programs during this period as well as other qualified candidates for licensure who make an application during this period.

Formal Application to the Certification Track

(usually by the end of the sophomore year)

Fulfill the following requirements before formally applying to the certification track in early childhood, middle level or secondary education:

  • Complete 48 credits
  • Complete 2 math courses successfully (C- grade or above is required)
  • Complete 2 English courses (one in composition and the other in literature) (C- grade or above is required)
  • Pass basic skills test or submit passing scores on SAT or ACT (NOTE: From the period of July 8th 2022 to July 8th 2025, The Pennsylvania Department of Education waived the requirement to complete the assessment of Basic Skills. This includes all students that enter preparation programs during this period as well as other qualified candidates for licensure who make an application during this period).
  • Maintain a GPA for 3.0 or above

When you complete these requirements, visit with your faculty advisor and complete the form with them, which will be kept in your Education College and Registrar’s electronic record.