College of Education and Human Sciences

College of Education and Human Sciences Degrees and Curricula

Bachelor of Arts

  • English and Language Arts-Teaching
  • French-Teaching
  • Social Studies Teaching All - History Emphasis
  • Spanish-Teaching
  • Spanish-TESOL Teaching
  •  

Bachelor of Science

  • Communication Sciences and Disorders
  • Elementary-Middle Education 4K-9
  • Exercise Science
  • Rehabilitation Science
  • Physical Education - Teaching
  • Mathematics-Teaching
  • Science Teaching - Biology Emphasis
  • Science Teaching - Chemistry Emphasis
  • Science Teaching - Earth/Space Science Emphasis
  • Science Teaching - Physics Emphasis
  • Special Education, Unified Special Education K-12 & Elementary/Middle

Bachelor of Music Education

Bachelor of Social Work

Minors in Human Sciences Department

  • Adaptive Physical Education - Teaching
  • Science of Coaching - Liberal Arts
  • Science of Coaching - Teaching
  • Kinesiology - Liberal Arts
  • Topical Minor-Liberal Arts

Certificate Programs

  • Communication Sciences and Disorders-American Sign Language (ASL) Certificate
  • Communication Sciences and Disorders-SLPA Certificate
  • Social Work-Child Welfare Certificate 
  • Social Work-Gerontology Certificate 
  • Social Work-Mental Health and Well-Being Certificate
  • Special Education-Interprofessional Early Intervention Certificate
  • Adaptive Music K-12 Certificate
  • Director of Special Education & Pupil Services (Graduate Certificate)

Teacher Education Requirements

Program and Degree Requirements

University Requirements

All candidates for teacher education baccalaureate degrees in the College of Education and Human Sciences must fulfill the minimum requirements for credits, curriculum, GPA, and University residency as specified in the section of this catalog titled University Graduation Requirements.

College Requirements for Teacher Education

All candidates for teacher education baccalaureate degrees must also meet the following:

  1. Liberal Education requirements in the College of Education and Human Sciences.
  2. Grade point requirements:
    Resident 2.75 average
    Total 2.75 average
    Major 2.75 average
    Minor (for certification only) 2.75 average
  3. Residency requirements:
    Minimum Total 30 credits
    Senior Year 23 credits
    Major, in upper division courses 12 credits
    Comprehensive Major, in upper division courses 21 credits
  4. Criteria and requirements for Professional Programs and for Admission to the Professional Semester.
  5. Specific requirements of programs offered in the College of Education and Human Sciences. (See the departmental sections of this catalog.)

Degree Planning

A degree plan indicates how a student expects to meet the curricular requirements for a degree. Degree plan forms for the various programs offered in the College may be obtained in department offices or from the ARCC. These plans are for students’ use in planning programs with their advisors. Degree Review uses the Degree Audit for official evaluation of academic plans and official evaluation of academic progress.

Human Relations/Cultural Diversity/Design for Diversity Service-Learning Requirements

Students in teacher education majors shall meet the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction’s Human Relations Requirement and the UW-Eau Claire Cultural Diversity Requirement by completing ES 385/ES 585, Social Foundations: Human Relations, which includes completion of a minimum of 30 hours of direct contact fieldwork with racial/ethnic/cultural minorities different from themselves, people from low-income backgrounds, and people with disabilities. This fieldwork satisfies the University Service-Learning Requirement. Students are expected to accrue 15 of the 30 hours of volunteer/fieldwork prior to the semester they are enrolled in ES 385/ES 585.

Transfer and Special Students

No transfer or special student can enter the professional semester until after a full semester of residence and after earning a minimum of 15 credits at UW-Eau Claire. Senior transfer students enrolling in September must file an application for admission to the professional semester by December 1 for the following fall.

Licensure to Teach

Criteria for Recommendation for Licensure:

  1. Completion of a baccalaureate degree.
  2. Completion of an approved teacher education major and passing scores on required tests if those are required for the major.
  3. A 2.75 or higher GPA in the major and minor (where certifiable) and in the combination of all course work in the major, minor (where certifiable), and professional education courses exclusive of student teaching. All college-level courses attempted by the student except student teaching are included when major, minor, and professional education GPAs are determined for recommendation for licensure.
  4. Completion of student teaching courses with a mark of S.
  5. Content area proficiency through:

    Earning a minimum 3.0/4.0 GPA in content courses OR through obtaining a passing score on the appropriate Praxis II/ACTFL exam.

    For students who neither meet the minimum GPA requirement nor pass the appropriate Praxis II/ACTFL exam after at least two attempts, a content portfolio can be submitted which parallels the content evaluated on the Praxis II/ACTFL exam. The portfolio may only be submitted once. Foreign language majors and minors must earn passing scores on the ACTFL. The standardized examination and passing score shall be determined by the State Superintendent. All Elementary-Middle, Special Education majors and minors, and Early Childhood majors must earn a passing score on the FORT. 

Wisconsin Application

College of Education and Human Sciences graduates who desire to teach in Wisconsin will apply for licensure using the WI Department of Public Instruction’s (DPI), ELO (Electronic Licensing Online) by following all steps listed on the site including fingerprinting if applicable.

Upon completion of all program requirements and University and WI Department of Public Instruction teaching requirements, information will be forwarded to WI DPI verifying this completion (including the completion of all required tests), a degree and any add-on certifications that have been awarded, and certifications the teaching candidates are eligible for with licensure. Candidates will then apply for their Initial License.

Out-of-state Applications

It is recommended that graduates seeking licensure to teach in states other than Wisconsin request application forms and instructions from the Department of Education of the state in which licensure is desired. Certification requirements vary by state. Inquiry early in the period of professional preparation is advisable. In most cases, an official transcript of credits must accompany the completed application form; additional tests or course work may be required. Therefore, it is imperative to check requirements of other states.  Wisconsin and most other states require institutional endorsement. In general, candidates will be able to obtain licenses in other states; however, these licenses may be issued with stipulations. It is the student’s responsibility to understand the licensing requirements of other states. UW-Eau Claire programs are designed to meet the requirements in Wisconsin only.

Human Sciences Requirements

Program and Degree Requirements

Specific requirements for some human science degrees are published in conjunction with the Catalog description of the major leading to the degree, with specific courses required in several Liberal Education outcomes.

Bachelor of Science Degree in the College of Education and Human Sciences

Candidates for the degree of Bachelor of Science from a human sciences department must fulfill the requirements for credits, curriculum, GPA, and University residency as specified in the section of this catalog titled University Graduation Requirements.(see University Graduation Requirements)

General Information

Placement Tests. The mathematics/foreign language placement tests are given during the orientation periods for new freshmen and transfers. Further information about the foreign language or the mathematics tests is available from the chair of the appropriate department.

Degree Requirements

University Graduation Requirements. All candidates for degrees must fulfill the requirements for credits, curriculum, GPA, and University residency as specified in the section of this catalog titled University Graduation Requirements.

Human Sciences Graduation Requirements: Grade Point Averages. All degree candidates must earn minimum resident and total GPAs of 2.00 or higher in both the major and the second program if one is required. The resident and total GPAs for the major are computed using all attempted credits applicable to the major including those offered by departments other than the major department. The resident and total GPAs for the second program are computed similarly.

Major-Minor and Major-Certificate Requirements.  Each candidate for a baccalaureate degree must present one of the following:

  • Comprehensive major (at least 60 credits)
  • Standard major (at least 36 credits) plus one of the following:
    • Another standard major (at least 36 credits), or
    • A minor (at least 24 credits), or
    • A certificate (12-18 credits)

No minor or certificate is required with a Comprehensive Major or with two majors of 36 credits each.

Certain degree programs which include Comprehensive Majors may require more than the minimum of 120 credits for graduation.

Planning a Degree Program

Declaring a Major/Minor Program or Changing a Major/Minor Program

Students are assigned an academic advisor in the Advising, Retention, and Career Center and that is the contact for declaring and changing a major.

If students are changing their major they are encouraged to obtain a new degree audit during this process. A new advisor will be assigned in the department or academic cluster of the new major or minor to help the student plan their pathway for the newly declared program. Any approved petitions/waivers for the old major or minor will not be carried over to the new major or minor. Students should work with their academic and faculty advisors to resubmit previous petitions.

A topical minor is available and the requirements are listed below.

Education (Code 610-453) 

A Topical Minor is an interdisciplinary minor composed of 24 semester credits selected by the student to meet the student’s own interests and scholarly objectives. Courses for the minor may be chosen on the basis of a coherent theme, an historical period, a definable professional need, or a complementary relationship to the student’s major. Most students who propose a topical minor do so after earning 30 credits but before earning 90 credits. Students must meet all prerequisite course work requirements and other prior eligibility benchmarks, such as achieving an appropriate grade point average. In the case of courses offered in one of the professional colleges, students must meet college admission requirements or students must obtain written permission from the College before enrollment is possible. The Topical Minor is not intended to be used to duplicate any major or minor offered as a regular program within the UW System. 

The student who wishes to develop a Topical Minor must adhere to the following requirements.

  • Interdisciplinary Breadth Requirement: ​A Topical Minor consists of 24 credits.There must be at least two course prefixes present among these credits and no more than 15 credits from any single prefix.
  • Unique Credit Requirement 1: ​A student may not apply a course that counts toward credits in his/her major to the Topical Minor.
  • Unique Credit Requirement 2: ​No more than six credits from a student's major prefix may be used in the Topical Minor.
  • Depth Requirement: ​At least 12 of the 24 credits must be from courses numbered 300 or above.
  • College Home: ​For a Topical Minor to reside in the College of Education and Human Sciences, prefixes from at least 12 of the 24 credits must be earned in the College of Education and Human Sciences.
  • Submission Requirement: ​To propose a Topical minor, a student should work with a faculty advisor and complete an e-form located on the College of Education and Human Sciences website and route that form to the College for approval.

Special Curricular Offerings

Special Topics Courses

The Departments of Kinesiology and Social Work offer courses in which the topic for study may vary from semester to semester, often focusing on a contemporary issue or taking an innovative approach to a traditional subject. Students and faculty members are invited to recommend topics to the department. Topics are announced in the Class Schedule for the semester. There may also be prerequisites for these special topics courses.

Restrictions: A total of no more than nine credits in Special Topics courses may be applied toward graduation. Special Topics courses may not be applied toward completion of the Liberal Education requirements. The Department of Social Work may further restrict the application of such credits to their majors.

Directed Study Courses

Courses numbered 395 or 495, offered by several departments under various titles, are designed to permit individual students or groups of students to undertake special projects related to their educational interests and goals.

Eligibility: Registration for a Directed Study course requires the permission of the faculty member who agrees to supervise the project and of the department offering the course. Any further conditions of eligibility are established by the department and published as part of the course description.

Restrictions: A total of no more than six credits of Directed Study courses may be counted toward graduation. Directed Study courses may not be applied toward completion of the Liberal Education requirements. Departments also may restrict the application of such credits to their majors and minors.

Procedures: Permission to register for a directed studies learning opportunity may be obtained from department offices. 

Independent Studies

Under the course numbers 399 and 499, each department in the human sciences cluster of the College provides advanced students with opportunities for independent study in fields where they have already demonstrated their competence.

Eligibility: Independent Study courses are open only to juniors and seniors. A student with a departmental major and/or minor may elect an Independent Study in the department of the major or of the minor, provided the student has at least 3.00 resident and total GPAs in that department. A student with a multidisciplinary major may elect an Independent Study in any department which has courses required in the major, provided the student has at least 3.00 resident and total GPAs in the major and has earned a minimum of six credits with resident and total GPAs of at least 3.00 in the department in which the Independent Study is elected.

Restrictions: Only three credits of Independent Study (399 or 499) may be elected during any semester. A total of no more than six independent study credits may be counted toward graduation. Independent Study courses may not be applied toward completion of the Liberal Education requirements.

Procedures: The student shall outline an Independent Study proposal to a professor willing to direct the study. The department chair and the professor directing the study must give permission in order for the student to register for a 399 or 499 course. An electronic Independent/Directed Study Approval Form should be submitted and approved by the end of the fourth week of the semester (second week of Summer Session). Forms are available on the College of Education and Human Sciences website in the Blugold Insider.

Internships and Field Practicum Courses

Some type of internship or clinical experience is an integral part of programs in Communication Sciences and Disorders, Kinesiology: Exercise Science, Rehabilitation Science, and Social Work. Therefore, students in these programs must provide their own transportation to and from field experiences and internships. Many field experiences may require travel to other communities outside of Eau Claire. All costs associated with transportation to and from field experiences are the responsibility of the student.

Departmental Honors Programs

The Department of Social Work and the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders have established a Departmental Honors Program for their majors. See the departmental listings for requirements.

Admission to  Education Programs

Admission to the Major

Formal application to the professional education program must be made by October 1 for spring admission or March 1 for fall admission. In order to submit an application to an Education Program, students must satisfy all of the requirements listed below:

  1. Approval by the appropriate department in the College of Education and Human Sciences. See Department of Education for Equity and Justice and Special Education and Inclusive Practices sections of this catalog for criteria to be considered in making these recommendations.
  2. Pre-education status.
  3. Students must have attained at least Sophomore Status
  4. Minimum total GPA of 2.5.  Admission is competitive; thus the minimum GPA does not assure admission to a professional program in education.
  5. Met the University Writing Requirement (complete WRIT 114WRIT 116WRIT 118, or WRIT 120 or the equivalent earning a C or better)
  6. Met the University Mathematics requirements (complete one college-level math course earning C or better)
  7. Good academic standing.
  8. Complete an introductory education course with a field placement (eg.  SEIP 208,  ES 212 or the equivalent) with a grade of C or better.
  9. Specific department criteria are found under the Department of Education for Equity and Justice and Special Education and Inclusive Practices Department Overview Pages.

Application Procedure

Students must formally apply to the professional program. The number of students admitted to a program is often limited by resources available and not everyone who applies can be guaranteed admission. See the appropriate section of this catalog for criteria upon which the departmental recommendation will be based. Note that minimum criteria for a department may exceed the minimum criteria listed above.

Students who do not meet all the criteria listed above or who do not receive a favorable departmental recommendation may reapply during a later application period.

Special or Transfer Students

Special students and transfer students who desire to be admitted to the College of Education and Human Sciences should inform the Admissions Office upon application for admission to the University. They should indicate their area of interest and what teaching major they wish to pursue. These students are expected to have a minimum GPA of 2.5.

 

Admission to the Professional Education Semester

The “professional semester” is defined as the senior semester in which a student is enrolled in the field experience of student teaching or internship.

Filing Notice of Intent to Student Teach Applications

Students who plan to enter the professional semester during the fall semester of the next academic year must file a Notice of Intent to Student Teach with the Teacher Education Program office in the fall. Students who plan to enter the professional semester during the spring semester of the next academic year must file a Notice of Intent to Student Teach with the Teacher Education Program office in the spring. Information concerning the Notice of Intent to Student Teach will be advertised widely and posted across campus each semester with an associated due date.

Students are encouraged to submit their Notice of Intent to Student Teach by the announced due date. Considerable time is required to process each notice—that is, to determine eligibility, to make arrangements with schools for an appropriate field experience assignment, and to allow for introductions, orientations, and, in some cases, interviews. Students who file on time will benefit by the careful consideration that can be given to their requests; the later a notice is received, the fewer the placement assignments and choices still available will be. Failure to file a Notice of Intent to Student Teach on time may result in a delay of the professional semester.

Transfer and Special Students

No transfer or special student can enter the professional semester until after a full semester of residence and after earning a minimum of 15 credits at UW-Eau Claire. Senior transfer students enrolling in September must file an application for admission to the professional semester by December 1 for the following fall.

Criteria for Admission

No application for admission to the professional semester will be processed in the case of transfer and special students unless a full semester of residence and a minimum of 15 credits have been earned at UW-Eau Claire.

Factors to be considered in the application for admission to the professional semester are:

  1. Criteria for admission to a professional program have been met.
  2. Good academic standing, as defined in the catalog section on Academic Standing and Progress.
  3. A minimum of 90 credits completed prior to the professional semester.
  4. Approval of the major and minor department(s). Departments may have separate criteria they use to determine approval.
  5. Resident and total GPAs of at least 2.75; GPAs of at least 2.75 in the major(s) and minor(s) intended for certification. All college-level courses attempted by the student are included when major, minor, and total GPAs are determined for admission to the professional semester and for graduation.
  6. Completion of the 30 hour Human Relations Fieldwork requirement.
  7. Evidence of freedom from tuberculosis. Tests are provided by Student Health Services or results of tests must be provided by the student when filing for the professional semester.
  8. Approval by the appropriate departments in the Colleges of Education and Human Sciences and Arts and Sciences.
  9. Completion of required criminal background check.

Deadline for Meeting Criteria

For placements in the fall semester, criteria for which the student is responsible (GPA, TB test, and criminal background check) must be met by March 1 of the preceding semester.

For placements in the spring semester, these criteria must be met by October 1 of the preceding semester.

For placements in the summer session, these criteria must be met by February 1 of the preceding semester.

Failure to meet criteria on time may result in a delay of the professional semester.

Licensure to Teach

Criteria for Recommendation for Licensure:

  1. Completion of a baccalaureate degree.
  2. Completion of an approved teacher education major, minor, or certificate.
  3. A 2.75 or higher GPA in the major and minor (where certifiable) and in the combination of all course work in the major, minor (where certifiable), and professional education courses exclusive of student teaching. All college-level courses attempted by the student except student teaching are included when major, minor, and professional education GPAs are determined for recommendation for licensure.
  4. Completion of student teaching courses with a mark of S.
  5. Content area proficiency through one of the following:

    Students will earn a minimum 3.0/4.0 GPA in content courses OR through obtaining a passing score on the appropriate Praxis II or ACTFL written portion (WPT) exam for Languages candidates. All Languages candidates must pass the OPI/OPIc within three years prior to the start of student teaching. 

    For students who neither meet the minimum GPA requirement nor pass the appropriate Praxis II/ACTFL exam after at least two attempts, a content portfolio may be submitted which parallels the content evaluated on the Praxis II exam. Portfolio artifacts will be approved in consultation with the Coordinator of the Teacher Education Program. The portfolio may only be submitted once. No portfolio option will be allowed for the WPT exam. The standardized examination and passing score shall be determined by the State Superintendent. All Elementary-Middle and Special Education majors and minors, and Early Childhood majors must earn a passing score on the FORT. 

Wisconsin Application

College of Education and Human Sciences graduates who desire to teach in Wisconsin, will apply for licensure using the WI Department of Public Instruction’s (DPI), ELO (Electronic Licensing Online) by following all steps listed on the site including fingerprinting if applicable.

Upon completion of all program requirements and University and WI Department of Public Instruction teaching requirements, information will be forwarded to WI DPI verifying this completion (including the completion of all required tests), a degree and any add-on certifications that have been awarded, and certifications the teaching candidates are eligible for with licensure. Candidates will then apply for their Initial License.

Out-of-state Applications

It is recommended that graduates seeking licensure to teach in states other than Wisconsin request application forms and instructions from the Department of Education of the state in which licensure is desired. Certification requirements vary by state. Inquiry early in the period of professional preparation is advisable. In most cases, an official transcript of credits must accompany the completed application form; additional tests or course work may be required. Therefore, it is imperative to check requirements of other states.  Wisconsin and most other states require institutional endorsement. In general, candidates will be able to obtain licenses in other states; however, these licenses may be issued with stipulations. It is the student’s responsibility to understand the licensing requirements of other states. UW-Eau Claire programs are designed to meet the requirements in Wisconsin only.