Bachelor of Science in Education Frequently Asked Questions
What is a “degree completion program?”
A degree completion program is a transfer program for students who have earned some college level credit, but have not earned a Bachelor's degree. Applicants must have earned at least twenty-four college credits with a grade of C or better in courses taken within the last ten years, or a B or better in courses taken more than ten years ago, prior to applying, and have a college cumulative GPA of at least 2.5. Note that you will need to earn a minimum Drexel GPA of 3.0 or better upon completion of the program in order to be eligible for a Pennsylvania teaching certification (transfer credits do not count toward your Drexel GPA).
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Is this a part-time program?
Yes. The maximum credits a student can take a term is 11.5 quarter credits. We expect students in this program will take their required Education courses, plus one or two additional content/elective courses per term. The number of courses students take per term is determined on a student-by-student basis, but the average is between two and three courses per term.
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How long will it take to finish my degree?
It will take you at least ten terms (2.5 years) to finish, as that is how long it takes to progress through the Education courses. You may need additional terms to complete your content and elective coursework, depending on what previous college coursework credits transferred and how many content/elective courses you take during the first ten terms.
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How soon can I begin teaching?
Once a student successfully completes all certification requirements (i.e., cumulative 3.0 GPA, successful completion all undergraduate content courses, PRAXIS exams, and core pedagogy courses) a student is eligible to apply for their Pennsylvania Instructional I Teacher Certification. Drexel approves the application or contacts the candidate if there is an issue. When approved, Drexel forwards the candidate's application to the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) which, in turn, will issue/forward the appropriate teaching certificate to the address the candidate lists on their General Application for Pennsylvania Certificate (PDE 338G) form. The candidate should receive their teaching certificate from the PDE four to six weeks after the date Drexel approves the application.
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Do I have to take the Praxis I before I can start the program?
No, you do not need to take the Praxis I exam before you start the program. You will have to pass it prior formal admittance to the teacher certification program (usually during a student's sixth or seventh term).
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I have a Bachelor’s Degree already but it’s not in education. Is this the program I should pursue to become a teacher?
Most states do not require an undergraduate degree in education, but rather a teaching certificate. If you already have a Bachelor’s (or Master’s) degree and wish to become a teacher, you will want to pursue Drexel’s online Post-Bachelor’s Teaching Certificate Program (see http://www.drexel.com/online-degrees/education-degrees/cert-pbt/index.aspx) rather than the BS program. Even if you did not study Education as an undergraduate, you can become certified to teach at the elementary or secondary level through the Post-Bachelor's Teaching Certificate Program.
In very rare cases, a state requires teachers to have an undergraduate degree in education. If for some reason you decide to pursue a second Bachelor’s degree, please note that courses taken in pursuit of your first degree may not be transferred toward a second degree; you will have to start from scratch.
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Are online students eligible for financial aid?
Yes! There are a number of different kinds of aid (federal grants and loans, state grants, Drexel loans) for which you may be eligible, depending on your financial situation. For assistance call 1-877-215-0009; choose option 1, and then option 5, visit our financial assitance page, or email info@drexel.com.
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How do I know what transfer credits I’ll get?
Upon acceptance, your transcript will be evaluated by your academic advisor who will provide you with a list of transfer credits you will receive and the specific program requirements they satisfy. Note that with very few exceptions, Education courses cannot be transferred into your program at Drexel. Also, except in special cases (evaluated individually), additional courses cannot be taken elsewhere and transferred to your program at Drexel once you have started the program.
Please contact Naima Hall, Program Manager for the Blended Bachelor in Education Degree Completion Program (215.895.1034; naj26@drexel.edu), if you are interested in having an informal transfer evaluation completed to determine which credits may be eligible for transfer into the program.
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What is student teaching and how does it work?
Student Teaching requires the student to spend five days per week for twelve consecutive weeks with a cooperating teacher in an appropriate elementary school classroom. Drexel's School of Education's Field Placement Coordinator will work with you to arrange a school-based, field placement related to your area of certification in your local area. Once you find an acceptable site, Drexel will work with the school's principal and cooperating teacher regarding meeting the course's objectives/goals. You will also videotape yourself teaching and periodically send the tapes to the the Field Experience Coordinator tapes for evaluation.
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What are Field Experiences?
Field Experiences are defined as a range of formal, required school and community activities participated in by students who are enrolled in teacher preparation programs. The experiences take place in collaborative, educational settings to give candidates an understanding of the values, cultures and working styles of learning communities (The Pennsylvania Department of Education, 2008).
The Pennsylvania Department of Education required 190 hours of pre-service experiences prior to student teaching (a full-time, twelve consecutive weeks, capstone experience, which each candidate must complete prior to certification). These hours are embedded in a number of the pedagogy courses and typically range from 10-15 hours of field experience within the embedded course.
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I don’t live near Philadelphia, or even in Pennsylvania. How do I find field experience and student teaching placements?
We know online students live in places other than the Philadelphia area. Drexel's School of Education's Field Placement Coordinator will work with you to find an appropriate site in the area where you live or work.
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Will I be automatically certified as a teacher after I complete the program?
Upon successful completion of the BS in Education online program (successful completion of all required content, pedagogy and elective courses; 3.0 GPA and B or better in all pedagogy courses) and passage of the Praxis exams, Drexel will recommend you to the Pennsylvania Department of Education which issues teacher certifications.
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I do not live in Pennsylvania. What are the requirements to transfer Drexel’s PA Instructional I teaching certificate to my state?
Upon successful completion of the BS in Education online program (successful completion of all required content, pedagogy and elective courses; 3.0 GPA and B or better in all pedagogy courses) and passage of the Praxis exams, Drexel will recommend you to the Pennsylvania Department of Education, which issues teacher certifications. Once you are certified in Pennsylvania you may send your credentials/transcripts for evaluation to the State Department of Education of your choice. Please note that some states may require additional course work or exams prior to obtaining that state's teacher certificate. Since teacher certification requirements are constantly evolving in most states, please be sure to confirm any reciprocity arrangements/agreements with the state's certifying agency. Certification reciprocity assists in obtaining your certification in another state, but you still must meet the receiving state's certification requirements. Specific state information is available through The National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification’s website (http://www.nasdtec.org/agreement.php).
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