2023-2024 Academic Catalog and Student Handbook with Summer Addendum [Archived Catalog]
Preliminary Multiple Subject Teaching Credential
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Return to: Academic Programs Offered at Pacific Oaks College
37 Credits
Locations
Pasadena, Online
Program Overview
The postgraduate Preliminary Multiple Subject Teaching Credential (California) program provides students with a fundamental knowledge base for educating and developing learning environments for children from TK to eigth grade in self-contained classrooms. The curriculum is based on a constructivist framework that is responsive to multiple sources of diversity in the education of children. As actively engaged participants, candidates in this program learn about essential principles and theories of pedagogy and child development and engage in supervised learning experiences to integrate and apply their knowledge. Learning experiences throughout the curriculum are characterized by inquiry, self- reflection, collaboration with others, and problem- solving. Acknowledging multiple influences on child development and learning, the program emphasizes the importance of developing respectful and reciprocal relationships to create supportive and challenging learning environments. All Pasadena courses have an online component; either blended with face to face instruction on campus, or fully online.
Coursework focuses on strategies of inclusion, issues of equity, social justice, and cultural competence. In addition, the principles of development theory and the standards of the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing are incorporated into the program.
Program Learning Outcomes
- Examine and demonstrate research-based practices through the use of technology, instructional strategies, and standards-aligned curriculum to construct comprehensible subject-matter content for the teaching and learning of our diverse student populations.
- Identify, formulate, and apply formative and summative assessments to monitor and assess the learning of students through direct and indirect evidence.
- Examine and integrate a culturally responsive pedagogy through best practices for the connecting, engaging and supporting of students’ cognitive, emotional, social, and physical aspect for the sustainment of educational equity with our diverse student populations.
- Design curricula and plan instruction through the immersion of a culture-centered learning framework utilizing the students’ background knowledge to teach, adapt, and support the teaching and learning of all student learners.
- Demonstrate the use of effective strategies to create and maintain effective environments to connect meaningful subject-matter and promote students’ life experiences for teaching and learning of diverse student populations.
- Reflect and articulate through effective communication, collaboration, and engagement with parents/caregivers, teachers, administrators, and community members for the continued development as a professional educator.
- Conduct and design a pedagogical research project through a theoretical framework in the investigation and implementation of educational theories with diverse student populations.
- Collect, analyze and examine research data to interpret the current research-based practices with diverse populations within our educational and societal structure.
- Synthesize and summarize research findings to critically and concisely explain a supportively cohesive relationship between theory and practice within a research project.
- Demonstrate current research-based practices and articulate pedagogical and foundational theories in education.
Number of Admit Terms per Year:
Ground (3)
- Fall Session I
- Spring Session I
- Summer Session I
*Dependent upon enrollment
Online (6)
- Fall Session I and II*
- Spring Session I and II*
- Summer Session I and II*
*Dependent upon enrollment
Credential Program Admissions Process
In addition to the Admission requirements listed in the Admissions sections of this catalog, applicants to all of Pacific Oaks’ Credential programs must comply with the following Admissions procedures by the end of the first semester of enrollment in order to be fully admitted to the program and be able to register for subsequent classes:
- Candidates must obtain and submit verification of a Certificate of Clearance, or hold a valid CTC-issued permit or Credential. The Certificate of Clearance is a document that verifies the candidate has completed the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing fingerprint, character, and identification process. [Candidates are required to obtain a Certificate of Clearance prior to scheduling any coursework with a field experience component and/or prior to clinical practice (Practicum and Student Teaching).]
- Candidates are also required to submit a negative TB test (valid within four years) prior to scheduling any coursework with a field experience component and/or prior to clinical practice (Practicum and Student Teaching).
- Candidates who have coursework from other colleges/universities that may meet coursework requirements at Pacific Oaks should contact their faculty advisor for transcript review and approval by the Dean of the College.
- Candidates with international degrees who do not hold a U.S.-approved bachelor’s degree or higher except in professional education must receive an evaluation from a CTC-approved international evaluation agency before being admitted to the College and starting the first course.
*Students whose admissions files are incomplete (e.g., exam registrations, missing test scores, transcripts, etc.) may be provisionally admitted and must take steps to ensure that their files are completed within one term. The time limit may be extended with the approval of the Dean.
Subject matter proficiency may be demonstrated through one of the following options:
- Passing subject matter examinations (Subtests I, II, III) on the CSET (California Subject Examinations for Teachers).
- Completion of Subject Matter Review (i.e. Degree completion in the approved academic subject areas, Completion of a combination of coursework and examination(s) that meets or exceeds the subject matter domains).
- Successful completion of coursework at one or more regionally accredited institutions of higher education that address each of the domains of the subject matter requirements.
- Show proof of CSET Registration with test dates.
Program Requirements
Candidates in this program will complete an e-Portfolio in a designated platform Portfolium. The portfolio is comprised of Signature Assignments and other assignments completed and or collected by the candidate throughout their credential program coursework.
All 37 credits of Pacific Oaks coursework must be taken to fulfill the requirements for the Preliminary Multiple Subject Teaching Credential. Credential coursework taken at other accredited institutions may be considered for transfer however no more than 6 credits.
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Curriculum - 37 credits
Students still requiring further coursework to complete bachelor’s degree requirements will work with their faculty advisor to add further electives to their coursework to complete requirements.
Program Advising
Every student has an assigned faculty advisor who is available to provide program specific advisement related to a specific program field. These advisors are a resource for specific questions candidates may have about classes and curriculum.
Every student has access to the Credential Analyst to help navigate the specifics of the state Credentialing requirements. These requirements can vary and are in constant flux due to changing legislation and the dynamic nature of public Education. It is very important for candidates to work closely with the Credential Analyst to understand and educate themselves on the specifics of their particular Credentialing requirements.
Portfolio
Candidates in Credential programs will complete an electronic portfolio on a designated platform Portfolium. The portfolio is comprised of signature assignments and other assignments completed by the candidate throughout their program coursework. Satisfactory evaluation of the portfolio is required in order for degree conferral. A bachelor’s degree is a requirement for the Preliminary Multiple Subject Teaching Credential.
The Student Agreement
To ensure that graduates of Pacific Oaks’ teaching Credential programs are able to meet the legal requirements of the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC), all applicants for Admission to Credential programs must enter into a student agreement.
The student agreement gives Pacific Oaks the right to suspend or terminate the candidate’s participation in the Credential program upon showing that the candidate has:
- Committed acts or engaged in conduct that could constitute Grounds for denial of a Credential;
- Failed to demonstrate the requisite skills and qualifications to satisfy the requirements for a Credential;
or
- Demonstrated other qualities or behaviors enumerated in the student agreement inconsistent with Pacific Oaks’ recommendation of the candidate for an Education Credential. The student agreement also authorizes Pacific Oaks to release to the Commission all pertinent information pertaining to the candidate’s qualification or fitness for a Credential.
Student Assistance, Notice of Need to Improve, And Dismissal from School of Human Development and Education Programs
Pacific Oaks is committed to maintaining quality Standards throughout its Credential programs and to graduating competent professional educators. As required by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC), Pacific Oaks identifies and assists candidates who need special assistance and retains in its programs only those candidates who are suited for entry to or advancement in the Education profession. The CTC is charged by the state with evaluating the moral character and fitness of all persons who wish to teach or perform certified services in California public schools. Every person who is an applicant for, or who now holds any Credential, certificate, permit, or license authorizing service in California public schools is answerable to the CTC and the Committee on Credentials for his or her fitness-related conduct. California’s Laws and Rules Pertaining to the Discipline of Professional Certificated Personnel (2002), available on the CTC website at www.ctc.ca.gov, address legal, ethical, and behavioral Standards to which all such persons must adhere.
If a candidate is identified as being deficient or needing assistance to meet program standards at any point during his or her program, the candidate’s instructor of record during coursework or fieldwork supervisor during a fieldwork assignment will issue the candidate a Need for Improvement Plan. The plan will indicate one of three possible actions that the instructor/supervisor intends to recommend to the lead faculty in the program:
- The candidate is identified as needing improvement in designated areas. A plan of improvement, with an expected date of completion, is attached to the form. The candidate will be permitted to continue taking classes or continue in their fieldwork assignment while completing the plan.
- The candidate is identified as needing improvement in designated areas. A plan of improvement, with an expected date of completion, is attached to the form.
- The candidate receives a failing grade in the class or an unsatisfactory grade in the fieldwork assignment. The candidate will not be permitted to continue taking classes or continue in their fieldwork assignment until the plan is completed and the class or fieldwork assignment is re-taken, at the candidate’s expense.
- The candidate is identified as being unsuited for the Education profession and is recommended for dismissal from the program.
- Upon receiving a Candidate Assistance Plan, the candidate will meet with their instructor of record, fieldwork supervisor, and/or other faculty or administration. This Candidate Assistance Team will discuss any recommended plan of improvement with the candidate and will later meet with the candidate to evaluate the candidate’s performance of the expectations listed on the plan.
If the candidate is allowed to continue in the program and receives a second unsatisfactory grade in a practicum or student teaching assignment, the candidate will be recommended for dismissal from the program. The process for a hearing and appeal, upon recommendation for dismissal from a program, is outlined in the Policies and Procedures section of this catalog.
Graduation Requirements
By the end of the third week of the semester in which a student expects to meet the program requirements for the Master of Arts degree, they are required to submit a Graduation Application to the Office of the Registrar. Students must submit the application, settle fees with the Business Office, satisfy deficiencies, and be in good standing in their program for the Master’s degree to be awarded. Degree will be conferred upon successful completion of academic coursework. Recommendation for credential will be submitted to CTC upon completion of all credential requirements.
Please Note: A cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or above in credential coursework is required for the credential.
Fieldwork and Clinical Practice
Fieldwork consists of practicum observation and supervised clinical practice/student teaching. A negative TB test and Certificate of Clearance or other CTC-issued permit are requirements for both experiences. Credential candidates must complete 75 hours of practicum prior to student teaching. These hours are distributed in five to fifteen hour increments across seven core credential courses.
Student teaching is the culminating clinical practice experience and is undertaken during a candidate’s final semester. Student teaching is full-time, typically unpaid, and performed under the guidance of a seasoned mentor teacher. The Credentials Office coordinates all student teaching placements and mentor teacher assignments in conjunction with districts and/or school sites. The following prerequisites must be met by March 1 for fall semester placement or October 1 for spring semester placement:
- receive faculty advisor approval to student teach;
- satisfy the Basic Skills Requirement (e.g., CBEST);
- obtain a valid Certificate of Clearance or any other California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC)-issued permit;
- obtain a valid negative TB Test;
- demonstrate subject matter competence with passing CSET: Multiple Subjects scores (Subtest I, II, III);
- maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.00 or above in credential coursework;
- submit a Student Teaching Application by the appropriate deadline; and
- complete a Student Teaching Interview.
The above requirements will be verified by the Credentials Office prior to approving a candidate’s Student Teaching application for fall or spring. Once a candidate’s placement is confirmed, the candidate and mentor teacher will be required to attend a mandatory Student Teaching Orientation.
Intern Credential
The Intern Credential is an alternative route for candidates in graduate-level programs to obtain a Preliminary Teaching Credential. The Intern Credential allows candidates to complete their teacher preparation coursework concurrent with their first year or two in a paid teaching position. If the district has a teaching vacancy they cannot fill with a credentialed teacher, then a qualified preliminary credential candidate may be hired as an intern teacher. Intern teachers receive a full salary and benefits. In order to become eligible for an intern credential, candidates must meet the following pre-requisites and have a pending job offer at a public, charter, or nonpublic school. Nonpublic schools are private, nonsectarian and certified by the state of California to provide special education services to students based on their Individualized Education Plan (IEP). Intern credentials are site specific and cannot be issued for intern placements at private schools, unless they fall in the nonpublic category. The Credentials Office recommends candidates for intern credentials on a rolling basis throughout the academic year.
Candidates must have met all of the following pre-requisites in order to become intern eligible:
- hold a bachelor’s degree or higher from an Institutionally accredited institution with official transcript on file;
- satisfy the Basic Skills Requirement;
- submit a valid Certificate of Clearance or any other valid California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC)‐issued permit;
- verify completion of U.S. Constitution requirement;
- fulfill 120-hour pre‐service requirement through the following coursework:
- ED 530 - Methods of Teaching Language and Literacy in a Diverse Classroom
- ED 531 - Teaching and Learning Methodologies for English Language Development
- SPED 563 - Teaching Students with Mild to Moderate support needs: Creating Inclusive Learning Environments
- demonstrate subject matter competence with passing CSET scores (#101, #102/214, 103);
- maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 in credential coursework (grades of “D” and “X” are not accepted);
- submit a valid TB Test (skin tests are valid for 4 years, chest x-rays are valid for 8 years);
- complete an interview with faculty advisor, dean, and credential analyst.
Candidates should connect with the Credential Analyst as soon as possible to express their intent to become intern eligible. The Credential Analyst will work closely with the candidate to ensure they are meeting their intern pre-requisites.
Intern Seminar Course: Intern Candidates who do not complete credential requirements after completing the Directed Teaching Intern courses, will be required to enroll in a 0-credit Pass/Fail Intern Seminar course until they have completed all credential requirements or at the expiration of the Intern Credential.
California Teaching Performance Assessment (CalTPA)
The California Teaching Performance Assessment (CalTPA) is one of several assessments required for earning a Preliminary Multiple or Single Subject Teaching Credential, and is designed to measure a candidate’s knowledge, skills and ability in relation to the TPEs. As of July 1, 2008, all candidates in a Commission-approved multiple and single subject teacher preparation program must meet the TPA requirement.
Beginning fall 2018, the state will use a revised Teaching Performance Assessment model that meets the revised Teaching Performance Expectations (TPE) adopted in June 2016. Per the CTC, any candidate starting a program after July 1, 2018 will be required to take the revised CalTPA.
The revised CalTPA is structured around two instructional cycles based on the pedagogical sequence of plan, teach and assess, reflect, and apply. Candidates are expected to respond to the instructional cycles within the context of their teaching assignments; therefore, both TPA Cycles must be completed during student teaching.
Recommendation for a Preliminary Teaching Credential
The following credential items must be completed and on file with the Credentials Office in order to be recommended to the state of California for a Preliminary Teaching Credential:
- bachelor’s degree or higher from an Institutionally accredited institution with official transcript on file;
- completion of Basic Skills Requirement;
- Certificate of Clearance or any other valid California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC)‐issued permit;
- valid negative TB test;
- completion of U.S. Constitution requirement;
- passing CSET: Multiple Subjects scores;
- passing scores for CalTPA Instructional Cycle 1: Learning About Students and Planning Instruction and CalTPA Instructional Cycle 2: Assessment-Driven Instruction;
- certification of infant, child, and adult CPR training; and
- passing RICA scores.
All credential items must be valid at the time of credential recommendation.
At the end of the student teaching semester, the teacher candidate’s faculty advisor and the credential analyst will evaluate the candidate’s degree and credential requirements. If all requirements have been met, the credential analyst will recommend the candidate to the CTC for their credential. If there are outstanding credential requirements that have not been met, the credential analyst will notify the teacher candidate. Upon credential recommendation, the CTC will send the teacher candidate an email prompting payment. Payments are made directly to the CTC. Teacher candidates cannot receive their credential until they have paid for it on the CTC website. Once completed, candidates will be in the CTC database and listed publicly as a preliminary credential holder. All initial California teaching credentials are known as “preliminary.” Candidates have five years to “clear” their credential. Some school districts will provide support but it is the candidate’s responsibility to fulfill the requirements to clear their credential within the allotted timeframe.
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Return to: Academic Programs Offered at Pacific Oaks College
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