University of Nebraska Kearney

Transitional Certification - Track One 

UNK offers an online program for secondary education (primarily high school) teacher certification to Nebraska residents who have earned a baccalaureate (bachelor's) degree or higher.  This program is designed to allow participants the opportunity to maintain their current employment while pursuing a teaching position and completing the coursework needed to obtain an initial Nebraska Teaching Certificate.^

The following endorsements are available through UNK’s Transitional Certification Program:  

• Art K-12 
• Basic Business 6-12 
• Biology 7-12 
• BMIT (Business, Marketing, Information Technology) 6-12 
• Chemistry 7-12 
• English 7-12 
• French 7-12 
• Geography 7-12 
• German 7-12 
• Health 7-12 
• Health & PE K-12 
• History 7-12 
• Language Arts 7-12 
• Mathematics 7-12 
• Music K-12 
• Physical Ed. 7-12 (PE K-6 may be earned with PE 7-12) 
• Physics 7-12 
• Political Science 7-12 
• Psychology  7-12 
• Social Science 7-12 
• Sociology 7-12 
• Spanish 7-12 
• Speech Communication  7-12   
• Theatre 7-12  

Additional endorsement areas may be considered upon request of a hiring school district - see Track Two if you are being offered a teaching position under a Transitional Certificate. 

The program consists of: 

• Three 6-credit hour classes, taken in sequence one per semester, for a total of 18 graduate credit hours of online study (includes 100 minimum total clock hours of field experience* to be completed across the three semesters) 
• One 6-credit hour semester of student teaching 
• Total equals 24 graduate credit hours of professional education coursework** 

 Depending on previous academic work completed, there may be additional coursework required in the specific endorsement subject area of choice. 

 **The online professional education coursework sequence consists of the following: 

• TE831: Professional Knowledge and Skills I - 6 credit hours 
• TE832: Professional Knowledge and Skills II -  6 credit hours 
• TE833: Context of Education - 6 credit hours 
• TE836: Post-Baccalaureate Student Teaching - 6 credit hours 

*Arrangements will be made for participants to complete their field experience hours in their local or nearby school districts. Service Learning hours are included in the total number of field experience hours required, where participants may work with adolescents outside of the classroom setting.  Because field experience arrangements are made with participating school districts and communities across the state, UNK’s Transitional Certification Program is available to Nebraska residents only.    

Potential candidates for this program must complete the following steps in this order:

 STEP ONE: 
 
Contact Program Coordinator Chilene Black, P. 308-865-8056, E. blackc@unk.edu to review your qualifications to proceed. 

Note:  Please be aware that some misdemeanor and felony convictions can prevent applicants from participating in a UNK Teacher Education program and obtaining a Nebraska teaching certificate.  If you have a misdemeanor or felony conviction, even if it occurred many years ago or has been set aside, please contact Jenny Jansky, Assistant Director, KASE, (P:  308-865-8266, or E:  JanskyJL@unk.edu) for more information. 

STEP TWO:  Request that your transcripts be evaluated in an Academic Department Review

Submit the ONLINE REQUEST FOR ACADEMIC DEPARTMENT REVIEW 


Send official transcripts to:  

Chilene Black, Coordinator
Transitional Certification Program
College of Education Building, B186 

University of Nebraska – Kearney 

1615 W. 24th Street
Kearney, NE 68849
Office Telephone: 308-865-8056
Office Fax: 308-865-8097  
Email:  blackc@unk.edu  


Seventy-five percent of the content coursework required for the selected teaching endorsement area(s) must be completed prior to beginning the professional education coursework sequence, along with a 2.75 minimum GPA in that coursework.  
Once you qualify, you would be eligible to enroll in the next available section. Do not apply at UNK until you have received the completed Academic Department Review and have spoken with the the program coordinator to confirm the status of your qualification. 
   

STEP THREE: Apply to UNK at www.unk.edu when your qualification has been verified.  Select “Admissions” from the menu on the left side of the UNK main webpage.  You will apply as a graduate student seeking initial certification.  This is a non-degree program, so you do not need to take the GRE, but it is a post-baccalaureate program, so it qualifies as graduate school. 
Beginning Fall 2013 the hours earned in the TCP may be applied to the requirements for a Masters Degree in Curriculum and Instruction;  contact the program director for more information regarding this option.
  

PRAXIS I REQUIREMENTS:  

Passing scores on the Praxis I exam need to be submitted to UNK for full acceptance into Teacher Education. While this exam is not required prior to enrolling in the Transitional Certification Program, it is highly recommended. You must complete the PRAXIS Exam before you can enroll in the third course of the professional education course sequence. Official testing centers are located across the state. More information about the Praxis exam and testing guidelines can be found at: www.ets.org or call the UNK Testing Center at 308-865-8054. 



ONLINE REQUEST FOR ACADEMIC REVIEW  

If you have any other questions or need more information, please contact: 


Chilene Black, Coordinator 

Transitional Certification Program 

College of Education Building, B186 

University of Nebraska – Kearney 

Kearney, NE 68849 

Office Telephone:  308-865-8056 

Office Fax:  308-865-8097 
 
Email:  blackc@unk.edu
 

Dr. Wendy McCarty, Ed.D, Director 

Transitional Certification Program 

College of Education Building, B159 

University of Nebraska – Kearney 

Kearney, NE 68849 

Office Telephone:  308-865-8074 

Office Fax:  308-865-8097 

Email:  mccartywl@unk.edu