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ITL Post-Baccalaureate Graduate Certificate Program

The Initial Teacher Licensure (ITL) Graduate Program is a one-year intensive program designed for individuals who desire to pursue teaching and have a bachelor's degree (or higher) from an accredited college or university. This program develops expertise in educational best practices, state content standards and knowledge of pedagogy through intensive coursework and field experience to meet Colorado licensure requirements.


Leads to Licensure

⇒A bachelor's degree and a transcript evaluation are required prior to admission.*

⇒This program is available for elementary, physical education, and secondary licensure.** Secondary licensure is offered in English, Math, Science, Social Studies or Spanish.

⇒1-Year Licensure Program: students start in late May and apply for licensure in May of the following year.

⇒The ITL program may be delivered to students anywhere in the 14-county region served by Colorado Mesa University. The Elementary licensure program is offered primarily online.

*A transcript evaluation is required prior to admission to determine if students may have content-leveling courses or testing to complete prior to full acceptance to the ITL program.
**The CMU ITL program is NOT an alternative licensure program. For information on alternative licensure in Colorado, see http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdeprof/altteacheroverview.

Intensive Summer Session Leads to Intensive Two-Semester Field Placement

⇒The intensive cohort begins each year in May and runs for 12 months. Students begin with 2 online courses and 1 on-campus course during the summer.***

⇒Fall and spring semesters are spent onsite at an elementary or a secondary school in the region. During this time, students also participate in coursework, seminars and colloquia. Fall and spring coursework for the Elementary program is offered entirely online. Secondary and K12 PE programs complete courses online and on campus and online. An integral part of this program is a full, academic year of mentored, intensive classroom experience.

⇒The ITL program culminates in an internship experience where the ITL teacher candidate steps into the lead teaching role for 8 weeks of the spring semester.

***The ITL program ONLY offers summer admission; after May 15th, program admission is closed until January of the following year.

Graduate Certificate Basis for Master of Arts in Education

After obtaining licensure and the ITL Graduate Certificate, ITL students may pursue the additional graduate requirements needed to complete the Master of Arts in Education degree.

⇒The additional 12 graduate credit hours required include four MAEd core graduate courses and an ITL content-specific capstone project.****

⇒The MA coursework is structured to work around a teacher's schedule and can be completed while being employed as a teacher.

⇒Admission to the ITL Master of Arts in Education program requires additional application steps after completion of the ITL Graduate Certificate.

****An extra summer and fall semester are required to complete the MA. See the ITL Field Resources Page for more information.

The Graduate Certificate in Education, ITL - Elementary is designed as a dynamic program to meet the needs of education professionals as they seek initial state licensure. The degree is awarded after successful completion of 30 semester hours.

Academic Requirements for Graduate Certificate in Initial Teacher Licensure - Elementary

The Graduate Certificate in Education, ITL - Secondary degree is designed as a dynamic program to meet the needs of education professionals as they seek initial state licensure. The degree is awarded after successful completion of 30 semester hours.

Academic Requirements for Graduate Certificate in Initial Teacher Licensure - Secondary

The Graduate Certificate in Education, ITL – K-12 Physical Education degree is designed as a dynamic program to meet the needs of education professionals as they seek initial state licensure. The degree is awarded after successful completion of 30 semester hours.

Academic Requirements for Graduate Certificate in Initial Teacher Licensure - K-12 Physical Education

The Master of Arts in Education is designed as a dynamic program to meet the needs of education professionals as they gain additional expertise in one or more state endorsement areas or seek initial licensure. The degree is awarded after successful completion of 49 semester hours. The program is designed to provide the student with 12 hours of core courses in theory of curriculum design and assessment, educational technology, culture and pedagogy, research, and a capstone project. The additional coursework concentrates on Initial Teacher Licensure – Elementary concentration.

Academic Requirements for Master of Arts in Education in Initial Teacher Licensure – Elementary

The Master of Arts in Education is designed as a dynamic program to meet the needs of education professionals as they gain additional expertise in one or more state endorsement areas or seek initial licensure. The degree is awarded after successful completion of 49 semester hours. The program is designed to provide the student with 12 hours of core courses in theory of curriculum design and assessment, educational technology, culture and pedagogy, research, and a capstone project. The additional coursework allows the student to focus on a Post Baccalaureate Licensure Program – Secondary education concentration.

Academic Requirements for Master of Arts in Education in Initial Teacher Licensure – Secondary

The Master of Arts in Education is designed as a dynamic program to meet the needs of education professionals as they gain additional expertise in one or more state endorsement areas or seek initial licensure. The degree is awarded after successful completion of 49 semester hours. The program is designed to provide the student with 12 hours of core courses in theory of curriculum design and assessment, educational technology, culture and pedagogy, research, and a capstone project. The additional coursework allows the student to focus on a Post Baccalaureate Licensure Program – K-12 education concentration.

Academic Requirements for Master of Arts in Education in Initial Teacher Licensure K-12 Physical Education

Career Links:

⇒What can I do with a major in education? http://whatcanidowiththismajor.com/major/education/

⇒Colorado Department of Education Current Educators Page: http://www.cde.state.co.us/educatortalent/currenteducators

⇒Colorado Teaching Jobs: http://colorado.teachers-teachers.com/

⇒Colorado Department of Education Future Educators Page: http://www.cde.state.co.us/educatortalent/futureeducators

⇒Nationwide Career, Salary, and Licensure Information at Teacher.org: http://www.teacher.org/

⇒Scholarship Resources: http://www.teacher.org/scholarships-grants/

⇒Mesa County School District Teacher Pay Schedules:

  • Note: the MA degree is required to qualify for the additional compensation schedule.
  • Available at www.d51schools.org → Employment → JobOpportunities → SalarySchedules

Program Goals

Prepare post-baccalaureate teacher licensure candidates for the profession at large [locally] across our service region

Design and deliver a program of instruction that is consistent, yet adaptive, across time, location and instructors

Develop candidate planning, instructional and assessment competence and expertise from those of a teaching novice to those of an entry-level professional, in 12 months

Develop professional competence, expertise and a passion for innovation

Cohort Schedules

2024 ITL Cohort Schedule - Elementary

2024 ITL Cohort Schedule - Secondary

2024 ITL Cohort Schedule - K12 PE

(English, Science, Social Studies, Math or Spanish, & K12 Kinesiology)

Contact

To explore the option of ITL post baccalaureate licensure, please contact the Initial Teacher Licensure (ITL) Program Coordinator, Dr. Cynthia Chovich.