FAQ
The Hanover College Education Department offers an Elementary Education Major, Certification for Elementary Education Teacher Certification for grades K - 6, nearly twenty Secondary Education Certification programs for Grades 5 - 12 and an optional Secondary Education Major, along with Dual Certification in Special Education for grades K-12 that can be completed along with either Elementary Ed or Secondary Ed.
WE ENCOURAGE ANY STUDENT INTERESTED IN TEACHER CERTIFICATION TO REQUEST A CHANGE OF ADVISOR TO ONE OF THE EDUCATION PROFESSORS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE - GOOD PLANNING IS CRUCIAL!
Change of Advisor Form (Registrar's Office Handouts)
FAQ #1 - When can I start taking Education courses?
EDU 172 - Exploring the Arts (for Elementary Ed students who have not taken EDU 171 or EDU 216)
EDU 221- Education & the American Culture
EDU 231 - Education Law & Ethics
EDU 240 - Children's Literature
EDU 226 - Technology in Education
EDU 252 is recommended to the first of the special education courses - the others, EDU 253, EDU 254, EDU 255, EDU 256 may then be taken in any order and without Program admission. Even if students do not plan to get the Mild Interventions dual certification, these courses are quite valuable as electives for any future teacher!
Other 300/400 level EDU courses may not be taken until admission to the Educator Preparation Program.
FAQ #2 - How and when do I apply to the Education program at Hanover College?
- Students should enroll in EDU 221 during the first year at Hanover if at all possible. 221 is usually offered in both Fall and Winter terms. Completion is required prior to admission. Check with the instructor if the course shows it is full.
- Students need to meet the admission exam score requirement required by CAEP prior to their sophomore year. Those whose high school SAT and/or ACT do not meet the score cutoff are required to use ETS Praxis CORE exam to demonstrate basic skills in Reading, Writing, and Mathematics. The combined exam is number #5752 and is currently $150. Individual exams (5713/5723/5733) are available for $90 each. Use institution code 1290 so that the Hanover College Educator Preparation Program receives your scores. Additional information regarding Praxis registration, fee waivers, financial assistance, disability accommodations, and more is available from the Education Student Services Office in Newby Hall as well as under the APPLYING tab at left.
- Minimum GPA is 2.67 or above for admission. Furthermore, admitted candidates must achieve a 3.0 GPA in their major prior to student teaching in the senior year.
- All interested students should apply by the November 15 deadline during the Sophomore year. While only applications that meet all the admission requirement go to TEC, the Education Faculty will have the data to advise you on your next steps to meet all requirement(s).
- The applicant will complete the online Education Program Application Form which is found under the Academics tab on MY HANOVER. The essay is uploaded into the application and students chose two of their current or past professors to write recommendations for admission based on previous academic and personal qualities.
- The Teacher Education Committee will conduct a Decision Point 1 interview with all applicants.
*Students can be admitted after the deadline if they reach the admission exam score requirements and/or attain the required GPA of 2.67. Late applications are allowed with permission of an Education faculty member. Please meet with them to discuss your personal situation.
FAQ #3 - How early in Education coursework am I exposed to a real classroom?
Our entry level courses, EDU 221 as well as EDU 252, have required field experience in real classrooms with real children/adolescents. Students will have at least 100 hours of classroom experience within their course of study before going into 14 full weeks of student teaching for certification completion. Student teaching is a four unit course and is the only course taken in that particular semester.
4 - Do I have an opportunity to be in urban school setting?
Our teacher candidates can choose to do their 14 weeks of student teaching in an urban school in Indiana (Indianapolis, Southern Indiana near Louisville, KY, or southeastern Indiana near Cincinnati. Programs are also available to complete a student teaching assignment through The Philadelphia Center or through Wartburg College West in Denver, Colorado. Ask your EDU faculty advisor about these options.
5 - What is the Special Education (Teaching All Learners) Program?
Hanover now offers a dual certification program for P-12 Special Education (Mild Intervention) that is completed in conjunction with K-6, 5-12, P-12 teacher certifications. Indiana licensed teachers may also complete this coursework as classes are held in the evening during the academic year and online in Hanover's two summer sessions.
Note: Special Education certification can substitute for the minor requirement for Elementary Education majors.
6 - What is the placement rate for Hanover's certified graduates?
Of the licensed graduates from 2004-2019, more than 99% were hired to teach in public or private schools beginning the fall after their graduation. Other graduates have chosen graduate school or to work for entities like the Boys and Girls Clubs, Campus Crusade for Christ, our national parks, teaching abroad, working in education curriculum at museums and camps, teaching preschool, as well as a host of other opportunities.
7 - If I decide classroom teaching is not for me, do I have to get a teacher's license?
We very strongly urge that all our certified program completers obtain Indiana licensing immediately following graduation. Licensing requirements do change frequently and at the time of your program completion you are qualified to obtain an Indiana teaching license after passing the Indiana CORE exams in Pedagogy and the Content Area. We have numerous grads who found licensing much more difficult to do later when their plans changed. However, those who do not become licensed will still have their Elementary Education, Secondary Education, and content area degrees.
8 - Can I teach outside of Indiana?
Most states have some form of license reciprocity with Indiana. Many require a license from the state in which one completed their training first, some require some additional coursework, and some require another set of licensing tests. Please discuss your concerns with our licensing advisors early in your time at Hanover so that we can best guide you for
a particular state's licensing requirements.
Please contact any Education faculty member for more information. Even if you are not sure that you want to teach or if you meet the requirements, our faculty and staff members will work with you to guide you through keeping your options open as well as the decision-making process and meeting admissions requirements!