All majors only offered on the Crete campus

Mission of the College of Education:

Learn.Challenge.Empower.Transform.

Belief Statements:

The College of Education of Doane University is a community that pursues and celebrates excellence. In this pursuit:

• We foster a vibrant intellectual community that values learning, collaboration, curiosity, inquiry and scholarship.
• We create connections and meaningful relationships.
• We cultivate a culture where all individuals are affirmed, challenged, and empowered.
• We advocate for diversity, equity and service through the support of socially just policies and practices.
• We promote the process of development and honor the journey that is individually and systemically transformative. 

Teacher Education Program Guiding Principles:

• The teacher education programs utilize historical, philosophical and practical knowledge as the foundation for understanding educational purposes and values.
• All teacher education students have a strong foundation in pedagogical knowledge, skills, and dispositions.  Emphasis is placed on learning content in context through collaboration and reflection.  
• The teacher education faculty engages key stakeholders in intentional processes and reflection on data and practices that lead to continuous improvement of the programs. 
• The teacher education programs design and revise certification areas based on current theory, research, applied practice, state and national requirements and program review.  
• The teacher education programs provide leadership opportunities for students to engage in meaningful dialogue and experiences concerning issues of diversity, equity and inclusion.
• The teacher education program makes intentional its commitment to the principles of diversity, equity and inclusion by encouraging all stakeholders in continual growth and reflection. This is evident in the growth of personal and professional understanding and practical application in all aspects of teaching and learning.
• The teacher education faculty and pre-service and in-service teachers engage in meaningful exploration and dialogue about the world of practice to enhance contextual understanding.  
• The teacher education faculty utilizes authentic forms of assessment, including performance assessment, and traditional forms of assessment to evaluate students and programs.  
• All early childhood, elementary, ESL, middle school, secondary and special education pre-service teachers demonstrate competency in their respective academic areas and complete practica in their certification area(s).
• The teacher education programs integrate practicums and internships throughout the student experience designed to participate in the real world of teaching.  Simultaneously and with intentionality, students analyze local and global issues through on campus course work designed to intersect with the varied real world experiences of Pre K-12 students, families and communities.
• The teacher education programs pledge the competence of their program completers to the employing school.  This pledge assures that beginning teachers enter the professional work force with adequate knowledge, skills and dispositions to successfully fulfill responsibilities of the teaching profession or the teacher education programs will provide in-service education for the graduate.  
• The teacher education program continues to support program completers through their first year of teaching with mentoring efforts in the schools, along with optional guided seminar sessions.

ADMISSION and RETENTION in Teacher Education

GPA Preliminary Program Requirements:

Students intending to work toward certification must have a 2.30 Cumulative grade point average to enter the initial teacher education course, EDU 211 .

Teacher Education Committee and Admission Processes

Program Admission Information

Admission and retention in the Teacher Education program are determined by the Teacher Education Committee.  The Voting membership stated in the Doane University faculty handbook(section 8.3.3.6) consists of:  one representative from each major teaching endorsement area, member of academic affairs committee, Dean of COE, registrar, and two students.  This Committee reviews each application.

The admission components identified in Nebraska Department of Education, NAC 92, Rule 20, 004.06G are the minimum requirements considered by the Teacher Education Committee. The additional requirements for admittance are determined by the institution.  The requirements are included in the chart following the next section.

Application to Teacher Education Program

Students who select elementary education or special education as a major, or early childhood, middle school, English as a Second Language endorsements or PreK-12 endorsements, or a major leading to certification in a secondary subject area must make a formal application to the Teacher Education Program.  See Appendix I. (Nebraska Department of Education, NAC 92, Rule 20, 004.06G)

1. Requirements for admission to the Teacher Education Program:
INITIAL PROGRAM

• Application:  Sophomore - Spring semester (Nebraska Department of Education, NAC 92, Rule 20, 004.06G)
• Declare a Major
• GPA requirements
  • Cumulative GPA in all courses of 2.60
  • Cumulative GPA in education courses of 2.8
  • Cumulative GPA in major courses of 2.5
    (Nebraska Department of Education, NAC 92, Rule 20, 004.06E1, 004.06E2 ,004.06G)
• Positive Background check
• Satisfactory Recommendations from:
  • Cooperating teachers of field experiences
  • Faculty of student’s major
  • Faculty in teacher education
• Completed and on file: Personal and Professional Fitness Self-Disclosure Form (See Appendix G)
  (NAC 92, Rule 20, 004.06)  

2. Decisions by Teacher Education Committee

Decisions are determined by the Teacher Education Committee to the Teacher Education Program can be one of the following:

• full admission, 
• admission with concerns,
• provisional admission,  
• denial of admission.

The student will be informed by letter within a week of the Teacher Education Committee’s decision about the application to the Teacher Education Program. 

3. Appeal Decision Process

The student has the right of an appeal to any of the decisions and can request a personal review to seek changes of the decisions.

The procedure is as follows:

• The student meets for a personal interview with the Dean of College of Education.
• A date is set for the Teacher Education Committee to meet as a whole for reconsideration.
• The student has a personal appearance before the Committee, with another faculty member as consul if desired, for the purpose of presenting additional data and answering questions prior to Committee vote.

4. Determinations and Options of Decisions

 Denial reasons may include, but are not limited to the following:

1. Grades:  Denied admission to the program due to a grade below a C-:
   • The student with any grade in a cognate that is below C- will have that grade reviewed and may be required to repeat the course.
   • After completion of the cognate course and meeting the GPA requirements, the student may reapply for admission to the Teacher Education Program.
2.  Cumulative GPAs:  Denied admission to the program due to not meeting GPA requirements
   • The student may be advised out of the program until meeting the required GPA.  After GPA requirements are met, the student may reapply for admission to the Teacher Education Program.
   • Initial Program: The student may be advised to change academic major.
   • The student may have another semester to bring GPA up to continue in the teacher education program. At the end of the semester student may reapply for admission to the Teacher Education Program. 
3. Negative comments/Dispositions:  Denied admission due to negative recommendations.
   • The student is denied by cooperating teacher selecting “deny” to the teacher education program on the practicum final evaluation with comments indicating concerns.
   • The student is denied by faculty selecting “deny” to the teacher education program on the recommendation form with comments indicating concerns.
4. Background check:  Denied admission due to convictions. (NAC 92, Rule 20, 004.06B)
   • The student with a conviction may request approval by the Nebraska Department of Education.
   • The student can follow the procedures set forth in NAC 92, Rule 21, sections 009.02 through 009.04.

Application to Student Teaching

Students anticipating the student teaching experience must make a formal application to the Teacher Education Program prior to student teaching.  See Appendix I.  (Nebraska Department of Education, NAC 92, Rule 20, 004.06G)

1. Requirements for admission to Student Teaching:
INITIAL PROGRAM

• Application:  Junior - Spring semester
  (Nebraska Department of Education, NAC 92, Rule 20, 004.06G)
• GPA requirements
  • Cumulative GPA in all courses of 2.75
  • Cumulative GPA in education courses of 3.00
  • Cumulative GPA in major courses of 2.60
    (Nebraska Department of Education, NAC 92, Rule 20, 004.06E1, 004.06E2 ,004.06G)
• Positive Background check
• Satisfactory Recommendations from:
  • Cooperating teachers of field experiences
  • Faculty of student’s major
  • Faculty in teacher education
• Completed and on file: Personal and Professional Fitness Self-Disclosure Form  (See Appendix G)
  (NAC 92, Rule 20, 004.06)  
• Successfully complete the practicum(s)

2. Decisions by Teacher Education Committee

Decisions are determined by the Teacher Education Committee to Student Teaching can be one of the following:   

• full admission, 
• admission with concerns,
• provisional admission, 
• denial of admission.

The student will be informed by letter within a week of the Teacher Education Committee’s decision about the application to Student Teaching. 

3. Appeal Decision Process

The student has the right of an appeal to any of the decisions and can request a personal review to seek changes of the decisions.

The procedure is as follows:

• The student meets for a personal interview with the Dean of College of Education.
• A date is set for the Teacher Education Committee to meet as a whole for reconsideration.
• The student has a personal appearance before the Committee, with another faculty member as consul if desired, for the purpose of presenting additional data and answering questions prior to Committee vote.

4. Determinations and Options of Decisions

Denial reasons may include, but are not limited to the following:

1. Cognate Grades:  Denied admission to the program due to a grade below a C-:
   • The student with any grade in a cognate that is below C- will have that grade reviewed and may be required to repeat the course.
   • After completion of the cognate course and meeting the GPA requirements, the student may reapply for admission to the Teacher Education Program.
     Note:  Even though the guidelines for GPAs are met by the student, such a grade may be used as part of the criteria for not admitting the student into student teaching.)
2. Methods Grades:  Denied admission to the program due to a grade below a B-:
   • The student with any grade in a methods course that is below B- will have that grade reviewed and additional work may be required.
   • After completion of the methods course and meeting the GPA requirements, the student may reapply for admission to the Teacher Education Program.
     ​Note:  Even though the guidelines for GPAs are met by the student, such a grade may be used as part of the criteria for not admitting the student into student teaching.)
3. Cumulative GPAs:  Denied admission to student teaching due to not meeting GPA requirements
   • The student may be advised out of the program until meeting the required GPA.  After GPA requirements are met, the student may reapply for admission to student teach.
   • The student may be advised to change academic major.
4. Negative comments/Dispositions:  Denied admission due to negative recommendations/comments.
   • The student is denied by cooperating teacher selecting “deny” to student teaching on the practicum final evaluation with comments indicating concerns.
   • The student is denied by faculty selecting “deny” to student teaching on the recommendation form with comments indicating concerns.
5. Background check:  Denied admission due to convictions. (NAC 92, Rule 20, 004.06B)
   • The student with a conviction may request approval by the Nebraska Department of Education.
   • The student can follow the procedures set forth in NAC 92, Rule 21, sections 009.02 through 009.04.

Certification Approval

Students are recommended for certification when the following requirements have been met:

1. Requirements for certification:
INITIAL PROGRAM

• GPA requirements
  • Cumulative GPA in all courses of 3.00
  • Cumulative GPA in education courses of 3.00
  • Cumulative GPA in major courses of 2.80
    ​(Nebraska Department of Education, NAC 92, Rule 20, 004.06E1, 004.06E2 ,004.06G)
• Successful completion of student teaching experience 
• Satisfactory Recommendations from:
  • Cooperating teachers of student teaching
  • Supervisors of student teaching
• Completion of the 12 graduate credits in the summer following graduation successfully

Nebraska Department of Education Certification Requirements

In addition to completing the Doane College of Education program, the Nebraska Department of Education requires successful completion of the following exams to receive licensure:

a) CORE Academic Skills for Educators:  Reading, Writing and Math

b) Required content test(s) in endorsement area(s)

2. Appeal Decision Process 

The student has the right of an appeal to any of the decisions and can request a personal review to seek changes of the decisions.

The procedure is as follows:

• The student meets for a personal interview with the Dean of College of Education.
• A date is set for the Teacher Education Committee to meet as a whole for reconsideration.
• The student has a personal appearance before the Committee, with another faculty member as consul or one of the cooperating teachers if desired, for the purpose of presenting additional data and answering questions prior to Committee vote.

Programs

• Educational Studies
• Elementary Education
• Physical Education / Physical & Health Education
• Special Education
• Special Education & Elementary Education Double Major

• Coaching Endorsement
• Early Childhood Endorsement
• English as a Second Language Endorsement
• Middle School Endorsement
• Secondary or K-12 Endorsements

Courses

• EDU 620 - Social Media in the Classroom (3)
• EDU 626 - Secondary Methods (3)
• EDU 628 - Reading & Writing Instruction for Second Language Learners (3)