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Licensure ONLY Middle Education 6-8

For individuals have a non-teaching B.S. or B.A. and wish to qualify for a Virginia teaching license in grades 6-8. You must maintain a minimum 2.75 GPA in course work for continuance and exit. Up to 12 credits can be taken as a non-degree graduate student.

Area A: Prerequisite Program [no credit in this program]

Individuals entering this graduate program must already possess a degree in the liberal arts and sciences (or equivalent) with a GPA of at least 2.75, pass the professional teacher's assessment requirement (currently PRAXIS I) prescribed by the Virginia Board of Eudcation, meet the admission requirements of the ECI Department, must have completed a minimum of 21 semester hours in two areas of concentration which will be listed on the license; must have completed minimum requirements for those areas (English, mathematics, science, and history/social science) in which the individual is not seeking an area of concentration. Liberal arts and sciences course work must meet the Virginia stated competencies for 6-8 with a grade of C- or better, and must fulfill the requirements listed below. CLEP, ACE, and Dantes scores as per the University standards may be used as 3 credit hours in some areas. To meet the requirement by gaining university credit for a class, a student should contact the office of Experiential Learning. A fee does apply.

Select two concentration areas from the following:

I. English
(1) English concentration 21 semester hours
  • Language (history, structure, grammar)
  • Literature
  • Advanced composition
  • Interpersonal com./speech
(2) Individuals without an English concentration - 12 semester hours
Note: 12 credits may be met by passing PRAXIS II for English (#0041) with a score of 172
II. Mathematics
(1) Mathematics concentration: 21 semester hours.
  • Algebra
  • Geometry
  • Probability and statistics
  • Applications of mathematics
(2) Individuals without a mathematics concentration - 6 semester hours in math.
Note: 12 credits may be met by passing PRAXIS II for Mathematics (# 0061) with a score of 147

III. Science

(1) Science concentration: 21 semester hours - laboratory course is required in two of the four.
  • Biology or Praxis II Biology (0235) score 155
  • Chemistry or Praxis II Chemistry (0245) score 153
  • Physics or Praxis II Physics (0265) score 147
  • Earth and space science or Praxis II for Earth Science (0571) score 156
(2) Individuals without a science concentration 15 hours in semester hours in mathematics and science.
3 credits may be met by passing scores on any of the following PRAXIS II tests: Biology (0235) score 155, Chemistry (0245) score153, Physics (0265) score 147, Earth Science (0571) score 156.
IV. History/social science
(1) History/social science concentration: 21 semester hours
  • American history
  • World history...or PRAXIS II (0081) score 161
  • Economics
  • Geography...or PRAXIS II (0081) score 161
  • International affairs
  • Current events
2) Individuals without a history/social science concentration: minimum of 6 semester hours in history and a minimum of 6 semester hours in social science for a total of 15 semester hours
  • History...or PRAXIS II (0081) score 161
  • History
  • Social Science....or PRAXIS II (0081) score 161
  • Social Science


Prerequisite Core Classes: 15 credits

ECI 301

Foundations of Education w/observation

3 credits

ECI 304

Educational Applications of Computers

3 credits

ESSE 413/513

Fund. Human Growth & Development

3 credits

ESSE 468

Language Acquisition/Reading -diverse learners

3 credits

ECI 680

Reading to Learn across the curriculum

3 credits

Instructional Strategies and Classroom Experiences (12 credits):

Take two of the following to correspond with two areas of concentration: (4 credits each)

Total 8 credits

  • ECI 551 IS Teaching English in Secondary Schools.
  • ECI 553 IS Teaching Mathematics in Secondary Schools.
  • ECI 554 IS Teaching Science in Secondary Schools.
  • ECI 555 IS Teaching Social Studies in Secondary Schools

ECI 615 Teaching in the Middle School

4 credits

(Passing PRAXIS I scores required!)

Supervised Classroom Experience (9 credits):

ECI 666 Teacher candidate Internship: 6-8 grades

  9 credits

Program Director: Dr. Leigh L. Butler, 683-3348, Education Bldg., Room 152
Program Advisor: Nola Nicholson, (757) 683-3348, Education Bldg., Room 152
Distance Learning Prospective Students: Please contact the Office of Distance Learning, 1-800-968-2638 or the website at: http://www.odu.edu/oduhome/distance.shtml