Students must meet the following requirements before being recommended for admission to TEP I: Professional Education Coursework:

• Complete ENG 101, ENG 102, ED 201, MATH 111 and SPEE 220 with a grade of "C" or better;
• Pass the Praxis I: Academic Skills Assessment (PPST) and meet the minimum required scores. Students who have obtained a composite of 22 on the ACT or a 1020 on the SAT before enrollment at Cumberland University are exempt from this requirement;
• Have 40 cumulative hours earned (a minimum of 12 Cumberland University hours) and have a minimum 2.75 GPA (Cumberland University and cumulative);
• Pass a background check with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigations (Click here for information, and click here to register);
• Submit a completed faculty recommendation letter from any member of the faculty from whom you have taken a class;
• Show evidence of tort liability insurance coverage (through membership in STEA) for the student teaching period and submit verification to the Teacher Education Committee;
• Submit for review (not share) their LiveText portfolio to the members of the interview committee (members' names can be seen on the sign-up sheet in Bone Hall); and
• Successfully completed a formal interview with the Teacher Education Committee.

Upon completion of the above requirements, the student will be recommended for admission to the TEP I. Admission must be approved by a majority vote of the Teacher Education Committee.

Successful Program Progression
Students will successfully complete the TEP I if they:

• Complete ED 301 with a grade of "B" or better;
• Successfully complete benchmark courses in the professional education core and in the teaching content area with a grade of "C" or better; and
• Maintain a minimum 2.75 GPA (Cumberland University and cumulative)

Candidates must complete a formal interview with a committee of School of Education faculty to be accepted into the TEP I and TEP II programs and to complete the Professional Student Teaching semester.

STUDENTS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ENSURING THAT ALL VERIFICATION FOR EACH REQUIREMENT IS SUBMITTED TO KAREN HOBSON 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. Please CLICK HERE to download additional TEP I Interview Requirements.

Students who do not have proof of meeting certain requirements may still interview, but their acceptance into the program will be deferred until proof is provided to the School of Education.