We welcome your interest in English and Communications Teacher Certification program at Robert Morris University. The following information should prove helpful as you consider pursuing certification:

1. If you'd like specific answers as to which classes you will need to take in order to complete Pennsylvania's secondary teacher certification requirements, the Coordinator of Secondary English and Communications Education, can complete an evaluation of your transcripts for English Education (please see contact information below). To receive this evaluation, however, you must first apply to our teacher certification program and send transcripts. Susan Campbell or Diane Fatigati in Graduate Admissions can help you. An on-line application is free and quite easy to complete.

   To apply online, go to Graduate Degrees and Programs and click on Secondary Teacher Certification (under Special Programs) for application procedures.

   You are not bound to enter the program, but the admission application is the first step in giving you specific information about the program and the courses you will need.

2. Good news! We have a rolling admissions process, so you have not missed any deadlines.

3. In addition to completing academic course work, Pennsylvania requires that certification applicants pass a number of national examinations: the PRAXIS I exams in Reading, Writing, and Mathematics, and a content-area exam or PRAXIS II (in English Language and Literature and/or in Communications). You can find out more about these exams at the ETS website (www.ets.org/praxis/index.html). Most students do not attempt the tests until enrolled in our program; we offer free review sessions to assist students with test preparation.

4. Pennsylvania also requires all secondary teacher applicants to complete six hours of course work in college math, three hours in college writing, and three hours in English or American literature (also satisfied by Young Adult or Coming of Age literature). Applicants must complete a student-teaching internship as well and demonstrate a GPA of 3.0 or higher before student teaching.

5. Robert Morris's program is unique in that our students take the methods class (pedagogy specific to the discipline) during the same semester they are student teaching. While it is challenging to complete both the methods course and student teaching in one semester, our students appreciate the accelerated course work and find there is a synergy between theory and classroom practice.

Finally, once you've applied and had your transcripts evaluated, the Coordinator of English and Communications Education will be happy to discuss other requirements and questions.