Cumberland University is approved to offer licensure in several, but not all possible licensure areas. MAE candidates must read this page carefully; to see the list of licensure types you may be approved for through CU programs, click here.

Licensure requirements may change during the time between when you enroll in the MAE and the time when your application is submitted to the state.

It is the Candidates' responsibility to ensure that they are qualified for licensure when they complete the program and to keep up with any potential changes in state regulations regulating teacher licensure. MAE candidates should inform themselves of state licensure requirements and understand the difference between CU's program requirements and state licensure requirements.

The CU MAE Teacher Licensure Program offers two routes to a Tennessee Teacher's License. Track II prepares candidates for initial licensure, including the Professional Student Teaching semester; Track III prepares candidates for, and supports them through, Tennessee's Transitional teacher licensure program. Requirements for both programs are described below.

Rubrics, dispositions ratings sheets and interview ratings sheets used in this progression may all be viewed under "Assessments" on the Student Resources page.

Track II Candidates seeking Initial Licensure must student teach in their final semester of enrollment in the MAE program. To be eligible to student teach, candidates must have passed all required courses with a 'B' or better, participate in a Teacher Education Progression Phase II (TEP II) interview -- the semester before student teaching -- and be accepted into the MAE Teacher Licensure Progression (TEP). Candidates must meet all of the following criteria at the time of the TEP II interview:

• Before they can student teach, every candidate for licensure must have passed the Praxis II content area exam required for the type of license they are pursuing. Evidence of passing scores must be on file in the School of Education office. For a list of the Content exams required by licensure type, click here, or navigate to the "Praxis Content Area exams for Track II" webpage of this site.
  • Candidates must register for all other Praxis II exams required for the type of license they seek (and show evidence of having registered at their TEP II interview the semester prior to student teaching). MAE candidates should visit www.ets.org/praxis to find the schedule of the Praxis Exam dates and information on each test, including content and sample questions);
    • Note: The School of Education recommends that candidates take all Praxis II exams prior to or during student teaching. MAE licensure candidates must be aware that they are not eligible for licensure by the State of Tennessee until all required Praxis II exams are passed;
• Send for review (not share) their LiveText portfolio to the members of the interview committee AT LEAST TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO THE FORMAL INTERVIEW (see more on LiveText here), and receive a passing score on the evaluation of that portfolio by three members of the Teacher Education Committee (What goes in your portfolio? Click here and look for the "What goes in my portfolio" document under the student resources heading);
• Have two dispositions rating sheets* completed and on file. At least one should be completed by an educator with which you have completed field experiences (this is different from the field experiences evaluation); the other may be by a CU faculty member - ask those individuals to email cmartin@cumberland.edu from a school-based email account to get the link to the form sent to them;
• Complete a background check and be fingerprinted, and have the results on file in the School of Education office; and
• Have evidence of tort liability insurance through membership in STEA on file in the School of Education office. (There is a fee for membership in either STEA or PET. Membership must be maintained annually.)

*These and all other evaluations, assessments, and rubrics for this interview and others can be viewed by clicking here, or navigating to the Academics - Undergraduate > School of Education & Public Service > Student Resources page, and looking under the "Assessments" section. IMPORTANT: The formal TEP II interviews with the Teacher Education Committee are held in September and March the semester prior to enrollment in one of the Enhanced Student Teaching courses: MAE 5286, MAE 5287 or MAE 5288.

FORMAL INTERVIEW
Candidates must complete a formal interview with a committee of School of Education faculty to be accepted into the TEP Phase II  and to complete the Professional Student Teaching semester. Committee members will complete a rating sheet* for each candidate. Written and oral performance will be evaluated. Everything should be complete and submitted in a timely manner. Professional dress is also expected for the interview. STUDENTS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ENSURING THAT ALL VERIFICATION FOR EACH REQUIREMENT IS SUBMITTED TO Courtney Martin PRIOR TO THE INTERVIEW. Interview dates and the due dates for documents are posted in Bone Hall each semester. Please come by Bone Hall to sign up for an interview time and to be aware of paperwork requirements and submission dates. NOTE: Be aware that portfolios for TEP II interviews must be posted TWO WEEKS PRIOR to the interview in order to give faculty time to adequately review them. Students who do not have proof of meeting certain requirements may still interview, but their acceptance into TEP Phase II will be deferred until proof is provided to the School of Education.

Track III Candidates who seek eligibility for a Transitional License must complete all of the following requirements in order to enroll in Cumberland University's program:

• Provide verification of intent to hire from a school or district;
• Submit a transcript for review to the Dean or Associate Dean (additional coursework may be required by Cumberland University);
• Enroll in MAE 5285, Practicum, in addition to any other required courses;
• Purchase LiveText (see above).

IMPORTANT: Transitional Licensure candidates must be clear on the differences between state requirements for licensure (for example, pass all required Praxis II specialty area tests required for their license code) and Cumberland's requirements for becoming and staying enrolled in the program.