The College of Education represents the Educator Preparation Provider (EPP) at Southern Connecticut State University. The College of Education, alone and in partnership with other colleges, is responsible for preparing teachers, school administrators, other school professionals, and community mental health counselors. The EPP offers the following State Approved Certification Programs: undergraduate programs (leading to Bachelor of Science degrees), Post Baccalaureate programs and Graduate programs (MAT, MS, Sixth year Certificates SYC, Graduate Certificates and EdD) preparing students for the Connecticut teacher certification.
Aligned with Connecticut State Department of Education requirements, students seeking admission to any professional teacher education program may take no more than two professional education courses before they are accepted. Therefore, it is necessary to meet all admission requirements in a timely manner in order to continue taking certification-related course work. Failure to comply with this policy may invalidate the courses taken outside of this policy. These requirements apply to all students seeking admission to any teacher preparation program.
Candidates must maintain good standing throughout the teacher education program in order to qualify for our recommendation for certification to the State Department of Education. Students are responsible for familiarizing themselves with Connecticut's teacher certification regulations and keeping abreast of changes to those regulations. If state regulations change before completion of a certification program, students will be required to meet these new regulations in order to receive the University's recommendation for certification to the State Department of Education.
Initial Certification programs prepare candidates for the first license to teach.
Advanced certification programs are programs for (1) the continuing education of teachers who have previously competed initial preparation or (2) the preparation of other school professionals.
| Remedial Reading & Language Arts (PK-12) | MS / SYC / Graduate Certificate |
| Reading & Language Arts Consultant (PK-12) | SYC / Post Masters Certificate |
| School Library Media (PK-12) | Graduate Certificate (with or without MLIS) |
| School Counseling (PK-12) | MS / Graduate Certificate |
| School Psychologist (PK-12) | SYC |
| Intermediate Administration (PK-12) | SYC / PMC (option available for students pursing EdD) |
| Speech & Language Pathologist (PK-12) | MS |
i. Undergraduate programs applications are submitted to the College of Education using this link, after consultation with a program coordinator.
ii. Graduate applications are submitted through the SCSU admission portal - Graduate programs.
- UG: Please refer to the Academic Standards section in the UG catalog under “Teacher Certification Programs.”
- MAT and Graduate Programs: Please refer to the Academic Standards section in the Graduate catalog under "Teacher/Educator Certification Program."
Durational Shortage Area Permit (DSAP)
Candidates matriculated into a Graduate teacher preparation program or an advanced educator program, designated as a shortage area program by the state, may be eligible to use their teaching/work experience under a DSAP to apply to their program requirement if supported by their program. To qualify, a candidate must be able to serve under the DSAP permit for a minimum of ten (10) full months.
Proof of enrollment – ED 177 Form
- Candidates need to be enrolled in a Certification program in the College of Education and should have successfully completed at least 12 CR in the program as per CSDE guidelines.
- The DSAP position must be in the same content area for which the candidate's plan of study for state certification has been approved.
In order to become certified by the Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE), students must be recommended by the Certification Officer in the Dean’s Office. The Certification Officer’s recommendation ensures the CSDE you have completed an approved program in order to be eligible for certification.
Candidates must maintain good standing throughout the teacher education program in order to qualify for our recommendation for certification. Students are responsible for familiarizing themselves with Connecticut’s teacher certification regulations and keeping abreast of changes to those regulations. If state regulations change before completion of a certification program, students will be required to meet these new regulations in order to receive the University’s recommendation for certification to the CSDE.
Eligibility for certification is based on successful completion of the program as indicated on your transcript, experiential requirements, and assessments. Current assessments, passing scores, and test registration information can be found here.
The College of Education and CSDE are currently accepting applications for certification electronically. Please do not fax, mail, or drop off certification paperwork to the Dean’s Office as the process has been modified to be completed online.
Depending on which type of certification you seek, please follow the appropriate directions below:
- Undergraduate, MAT, Post-Baccalaureate Teacher Candidates, & School Library
- Advanced Candidates: Educational Leadership, Reading, School Counseling, School Psychology, School Library, Speech & Language Pathology
For general inquiries, or questions, or to schedule a call, please email certification@southernct.edu or call (203)-392-5902.
Verification Requests for Obtaining Out-of-State Certification
Those seeking certification in another state may be required to submit verification that they completed the College of Education’s “approved program.”
Please do not fax, mail, or drop off verification paperwork to the Dean’s Office as campus access is limited at this time.
Requests for out-of-state verification should be directed to certification@southernct.edu.
If possible, please attach the completed form. For your security, DO NOT include your Social Security Number or other sensitive information on any forms. In the email, include the following information: Name (including former names), SCSU ID number, Program completed, and date of completion. If the state requesting verification will not accept a PDF version of the form, please send an email to make other arrangements.