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Certification/Licensure

Education programs at our university have additional specific admission and program requirements, which are listed in the tables below. Please find the appropriate degree program in the left column and identify the requirements for that degree in the boxes on the same row. The instructions for each requirement are listed below the table. The student must satisfy each starred admission requirement before registering for classes. Please send all documents required for admission to your degree program to APUS using the document submission instructions below.

Certification/Licensure Information: Due to the nature of evolving state policies regarding online educator preparation programs, it is strongly encouraged that prospective students contact their state department of education to inquire about reciprocity and whether online preparation programs are recognized/accepted.  APUS is not responsible to advise on any state certification/licensure policies other than West Virginia. The Director of Education Internships and Certification is available as a resource to students regarding certification questions, but it remains the responsibility of the student to research their particular state certification requirements and to periodically check with the state to see if requirements have changed.

For all licensure/certification programs students are required to work FULL time during their culminating clinical experience. This means most students will not be able to work during the day. Students will need to be away from their day time commitments to complete the culminating student teaching and/or clinical supervision.

Note: International students may apply but students must be US citizens to become certified to teach in WV. Students located in Connecticut, Indiana, and Kentucky are advised not to apply to the APUS School of Education at this time.  Additionally, students seeking administrator certification who reside in Arkansas or Georgia will have additional coursework requirements which must be completed through a local college or institution approved by the state department of education.  For further information, contact the Director of Education Internships and Certification at edadmissions@apus.edu.

Admissions Requirements

Program Requirements

* required before student may register for courses

Admissions Requirements

* Official Undergraduate Transcript

An official undergraduate transcript is required for admission into a graduate program. Transcripts can be sent by mail to:

APUS
Attention: Student Records
10110 Battleview Parkway, Ste 114
Manassas, VA 20109

* Writing Sample
Prepare a short essay of approximately 300 words (one page) describing why you are interested in this particular degree program.  Your sample should preferably be written in Word® and double-spaced.  The Education degree coordinator will use your writing sample to assess your written communications skills. 

* Character References
Two character references are required from people who can attest to your moral and ethical character.  Examples of such people include supervisors, religious leaders, military commanders, school officials, or others who know you well and can provide credible information about you. Forms will be provided to you by your admissions representative. Once forms are completed and signed by the references, send them to APUS following the document submission instructions below.

* Resume/CV (Curriculum Vitae)
Please e-mail a copy of your resume or CV to documents@apus.edu  Make sure that you have included job titles, dates, and organizations as appropriate.

* Documentation of Experience
Students in the Administration and Supervision degree must provide evidence to show that they have 3 years experience in teaching or management.  Examples of documentation may include such items as letters from supervisors, Human Resources departments or school districts, teacher evaluation reports, etc. 

* Document Submission
Documents can be sent via e-mail to documents@apus.edu OR via fax to 304-724-3788 OR by mail to APUS 10110 Battleview Parkway Suite 114 Manassas, VA 20109.

Note: All students in certification programs (M.Ed.-Administration and Supervision, M.Ed.-Guidance and Counseling, M.Ed.: Teaching-Elementary Education, M.Ed.: Teaching-Secondary Social Studies and the Post-Baccalaureate Teacher Preparation Program) must have access to an accredited, public K-12 school site throughout their entire program. While coursework is completely online, there are assignments and observations required for certification which must be completed by physical presence in a classroom. Students should expect approximately ten (10) hours of onsite observations in a K-12 school per course.

Program Requirements

Co-requisites and Undergraduate Transcript Review
Students must complete specific undergraduate courses before they graduate from the degree program. Courses may be completed at APUS or another institution and transferred into APUS. A list of these courses will provided in a separate document.

e-folio (Foliotek)
Students should be aware that a portfolio of their work will be assembled as they complete their degree program.  An electronic portfolio product will be used and purchased through Foliotek. Students will be required to pay a one-time fee of $125 for the software and set it up on their computer. Specific details and instructions will be provided during the first course.

First Course
Students are required to take the course indicated in the table above (EDUC502/ED502 or EDUC503/ED503) as the first course in their degree program.  Other courses may be taken in conjunction with the first course, but the students must complete the first required course during their initial class term at APUS.

LabPaq
Please be aware that students in the M.ED Teaching Elementary Education program will need to purchase a classroom science lab pack for EDUC 542: Elementary School Science. The set contains items that can be used in your elementary classrooms and is an investment for you and your future students. The lab materials will be ordered from a company called “LabPaq” at www.LabPaq.com. The item is #SM-1 and the cost is $289.00. Students must have their LabPaq before EDUC 542 begins, therefore please plan ahead and order 1 – 3 months prior to the start of the course.

Praxis I
All students in the Post Baccalaureate certification program are required to successfully complete the PRAXIS I (PPST). Please note that individuals eligible for exemption from the Praxis I exams are those students who hold a Master's degree from a regionally-accredited institution of higher education, or who have completed a state approved educational personnel preparation program, or can provide documentation from a single administration of an American College Testing Program (ACT) composite score of 25, a composite ACT (enhanced) score of 26, or Scholastic Achievement Test (SAT) composite score of 1035 (1125 on the re-centered scale). The university can accept scores earned within the last 10 years.

The APUS School of Education will no longer be requiring students in our Masters of Education Programs  to complete the Praxis I Exam. The West Virginia State Department of Education states that all students who graduate from a state approved, regionally accredited Masters of Education program are exempt from taking the Praxis I as a certification requirement. This means that if you successfully complete your Masters of Education program here at APUS, then you may waive the Praxis I requirement. Please be aware that the School of Education strongly encourages students to take the Praxis I assessment. This assessment is often required for certification in other states and serves as proof that a prospective educator is prepared to be in today's educational settings. Additionally, the Praxis II assessment and in some cases, the ETS Principles of Teaching and Learning Assessments are still required for certification in the West Virginia. If you have further questions about this information, please email edadmissions@apus.edu.

For more information about the Praxis series or exemptions, please use this link which contains the West Virginia Praxis Test Requirements: http://www.ets.org/portal/site/ets/menuitem.fab2360b1645a1de9b3a0779f1751509/?vgnextoid=48c05ee3d74f4010VgnVCM10000022f95190RCRD&WT.ac=Praxis+Brochure+and+Front+Door

Post-Baccalaureate Teacher Preparation Certification Program
Participants are required to have the access and ability to participate in a secondary classroom during EDUC697 Clinical Supervision. They will work closely with a mentor teacher whether or not they are actually employed in that classroom. Individuals working on a permit and currently employed as teachers may participate in this program as a means to obtain their license. The employment location may be used as for the supervised teaching experience in the clinical supervision course. Individuals not employed by a school during participation in this program are required to have the half time access to the classroom as described in the first sentence of this paragraph.

Prior to the clinical supervision course, participants will complete assignments for other AMU/APU courses that necessitate on-site classroom participation in a secondary school classroom.  These assignments require 10 or more hours of observation or other activities per AMU/APU course and will be supervised as described above.  Ideally the participant will work in the same classroom for the observation assignments and the clinical supervision, but this is not required.