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The Advising Center
Who We Serve
Pre-Admission Advisement
Post Admission Advisement
Academic Progress
Minor in Education
Graduation Information
Teacher Certification for COE Graduates
FAQ’S
The Advising Center
The Advising Center in the College of Education is home to all FIU sophomores who intend to major in undergraduate education programs, transfer students that are pending upper division admission, and students interested in teacher certification. Within this context, the goals of the Advising Center are to provide quality advising, facilitate and monitor admissions, and disseminate accurate and timely information to its students. For many students, the Advising Center is the primary point of contact with the College before admission to upper division programs. Students are encouraged to make advising appointments as early as possible.
Advising Center
Ziff Education Building - (ZEB) 221
Tel: (305) 348-2768
Fax: (305) 348-3227
Hours: Monday – Friday; 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Email: coeadvis@fiu.edu
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Who We Serve
The Advising Center is responsible for serving the following classification of students:
Intended Majors – Intended majors are those students who have declared their intentions to pursue an education program but have not yet achieved upper division standing (junior level) and/or are not admissible to the COE. Intended students may declare a major as early as 24 semester hours earned. Typically, Advisement Center retains the files for these students for a one-year period with the primary goals of academic advising and upper division admission.
Pre-Education Majors – Upper division transfer students (60 semester hours earned) who do not meet program admissions requirements at the time of transfer. The Pre-Education major (ED 0800) gives Advisement Center the opportunity to monitor and assist students towards admission to a program. Designed as a temporary measure, the Pre-Education status does not guarantee admission to the College. This status has limitations regarding enrollment in program courses, eligibility for scholarship opportunities and changes in program requirements.
Certification Students – Students who have earned a baccalaureate degree in a non-teaching program and are now interested in acquiring state certification. Some of these students are seeking second careers and seasoned professionals in other fields. Students enroll under a non-degree seeking status.
10%ers – Students seeking admission to the College through the 10% waiver process.
Non-Degree Seeking Students – Non-Degree Seeking Students are not yet admissible to a degree program at FIU for various reasons (i.e., GPA on the first 60 credits, CLAST scores). These students have less priority for registration than admitted students do. The goal of Advisement Center is to provide information regarding programs, admissions, etc., and direct the student into a degree program when appropriate.
Non-Enrolled Transfer Students from Community Colleges or Other Universities – Students newly admitted to an upper division program, yet not assigned to an upper division faculty advisor. The Advisement Center sees these students for a short duration, typically at transfer orientations before registration. These students are advised on first semester course selections.
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Pre-Admission Advisement
The Advisement Center advisors work with students in achieving minimum admission criteria, complying with university regulations and completing college of education prerequisites in order to insure students’ progress towards upper division admission to the College. Advising takes place during Intended Major Sessions, Transfer Orientations, or by individual appointment.
Intended Major Sessions – serves the FIU population of students that have formally declared an education major. These students are classified freshmen or sophomores with 24-60 credits. Attending an advising session at least twice is mandatory for these students. These sessions are major specific and are limited in numbers in order to ensure as much individualized attention within the confines of limited staffing and are scheduled two to three weeks before registration.
Transfer Orientations – scheduled three to four times before each semester during registration periods as part of the University’s Transfer Orientation Day and serve the FIU population of students recently admitted as upper division transfers to the College. These students are typically advised on a one-time basis, before the faculty advisor assignment is made.
Individual Appointments – Appointments are available for all intended majors and students seeking admission to upper division programs in the College by calling (305) 348-2768 or in person in ZEB 221.
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Post Admission Advisement
Faculty advisors are assigned when students are officially admitted to an upper division program. As soon as a student receives an admission letter, the student should contact the secretary in the department in which the program is housed and request assignment to a faculty advisor.
Depending on the individual COE department, selections of advisors are made on a rotating basis or determined by the students’ area of specialization. Some departments choose to schedule students by individual appointments while others set aside blocks of time and advise students on a walk in basis. While formal advising is not mandatory in the upper division programs, it is strongly recommended that a student seek advisement once every semester to take advantage of the opportunity to discuss career plans and other professional issues with the student’s assigned advisor or other faculty member.
Students are responsible for scheduling advising sessions as needed. Students should realize that problems resulting from self-advisement might include delays in graduation.
Program Advising Sheets – Each program provides an Advising Sheet that lists pre-requisites, co-requisites, professional studies and program courses. Advising Sheets define the sequencing of courses within the program when appropriate, and other information relative to matriculation through a program. Students should use the Advising Sheet for their program to plan sequencing of their program, projected program completion, and to record progress through their program. Advising Sheets are available in the departmental offices and through faculty advisors.
Making Advising Appointments – Students should check with departmental secretaries to determine how their advisor wishes appointments to be made. Some faculty members prefer to make their own appointments and must be contacted by phone, in person, or through e-mail. Others prefer that departmental secretaries schedule appointments.
Academic Progress
The Advisement Center monitors academic progress for all its students based on the University’s academic status definition. The three levels of academic status are defined below:
Warning – An undergraduate student whose cumulative GPA falls below a 2.0 will be placed on “Warning,” indicating academic difficulty.
Probation – An undergraduate student on “Warning” whose cumulative GPA falls below a 2.0 is placed on “Probation,” indicating serious academic difficulty.
Dismissal – An undergraduate student on “Probation” whose cumulative and semester GPA falls below a 2.0 will be automatically dismissed from the program and the University. An undergraduate student will not be dismissed before attempting a minimum of 20 semester hours of coursework.
Academic progress is reviewed at the end of each semester. A letter is sent to all students under academic warning and probation. Students are encouraged to seek academic advisement and personal study skill enhancements from various offices within the University. A registration hold is placed on all students under academic probation. Students must secure approval from their academic advisor in order to register. Students under dismissal status are notified by the Registrar’s Office and are prevented from registering unless authorized by the College. Dismissed students are entitled to petition the College for reinstatement. The reinstatement process is handled in the Advising Center for all undergraduate students. If the student is not reinstated, the dismissal is for a minimum of one year. After one year, the student may apply for readmission to the University in the same or a different program, or register as a non-degree seeking student. The student must meet the program admission requirements in effect at the time of application for readmission.
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Minor in Education
Overview
A minor program is an arrangement of courses enabling students to develop some degree of expertise in one area of study. To receive a minor, a student must complete a minimum of fifteen (15) semester hours and must do so within the requirements of a major. Upon completion of the baccalaureate degree, the minor will be noted on the official transcript.
It is important to note that the minor in education is not state-approved and does not automatically lead to teacher certification. The minor does offer the student an opportunity to meet the Florida Department of Education course requirements. Course evaluations are subject to any Department of Education rule changes that may occur before an official certification application is filed.
Who is Eligible?
On a space available basis and regardless of status, students can enroll in education courses however; the education minor is limited to students with Arts and Sciences majors in the following areas: Art, Dance, English, Mathematics, Modern Languages, Sciences, (Biology, Chemistry, Earth Sciences, Geology, Physics) Social Studies (Economics, Geography, History, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology) and Theatre.
Procedures for Declaring a Minor
Obtain a Request to Add a Second Major or a Minor form from the Registrar’s Office or College of Education Advising Center. Secure approval from the Dean, Program Director or Chairperson of current major. Submit form for processing to the College of Education Advising Center (ZEB 221).
Click here for the Required Courses for Undergraduate Minor in Education
Graduation Information
University Requirements
- Submission of a completed Application for Graduation within the set time limits. A new application must be submitted if your graduation is delayed.
- 120 hours (or more depending on your major) with a 2.5 GPA for courses leading to Florida certification.
- 40 hours of upper level courses (numbered 3000 and above).
- 60 hours earned from a baccalaureate granting institution (not a community college).
- Completion (by course work, CLEP credit, or AP credit) of General Education requirements (called CORE for native FIU students).
- Passing scores, exemption, or waiver on all portions of the CLAST.
College of Education Requirements
- Completion of a minimum of 30 hours at FIU.
- Completion of Professional Studies and Content Area courses with a GPA of 2.5 or higher.
- Satisfactory completion of additional requirements in certain programs.
- Satisfactory completion of Student Teaching.
- Florida Teacher Certification Exam passing scores. As of July 1, 2002, all students entering College of Education must have passing scores on the Florida Teacher Certification Exam (FTCE) for all three (3) sub-tests: Professional, Subject Area and General Knowledge. For students admitted to the College Fall 2001 and thereafter, passing scores must be submitted for the Professional and Subject Area Test only.
Graduation Application Deadline
Students who plan to graduate are required to submit an Application for Graduation form to the Registrar’s Office. The deadline date for each semester is printed in the Academic Calendar of the University, and is available at the FIU website. The deadline date is not negotiable. There is no charge for applying for graduation. Students who do not complete all requirements prior to the scheduled graduation must re-apply for graduation.
Graduation Honors Designation
Undergraduate students who have completed a minimum of 40 semester hours at FIU are eligible to graduate with the following designation:
- Summa Cum Laude – cumulative FIU GPA of 3.90 and higher.
- Magna Cum Laude – cumulative FIU GPA of 3.70 to 3.899.
- Cum Laude – cumulative FIU GPA of 3.5 to 3.699.
- Students who qualify for any of the honors above, and/or are members in good standing of campus honorary societies, are eligible to wear stoles or cords designating their membership and academic status with their graduation regalia at Commencement Ceremonies.
Commencement Ceremony
At FIU, a Commencement Ceremony is held for the spring and fall classes. Students who have applied for graduation are notified by mail as to the location, date, and other arrangements for the ceremony for their College. Family members are encouraged to attend. Students who complete their degree programs and apply for graduation in August will receive a diploma and transcripts marked for the August semester, but there is no Commencement Ceremony in August.
Diploma
Graduates’ diplomas are issued after graduation, and after final grades and final honors designations have been established.
Teacher Certification for COE Graduates
Getting Your Florida Teaching Certificate
Many districts in Florida provide the service to new hires of submitting the Application for Certification to the Florida Department of Education as part of the hiring process. Graduates who are hired locally must themselves submit evidence of CLAST scores, degree-posted transcripts, and evidence of FTCE scores. Check with the district or private employer to be sure of the local procedures.
If you choose to submit the Application for Certification, the mailing address is:
Florida Department of Education
Bureau of Teacher Certification
325 West Gaines Street, Room 201
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0400
Transcripts are ordered through the Registrar’s Office. There is a $5.00 fee for each transcript ordered. Be sure to mark “After Degree is Posted” and indicate the semester and year.
You will receive an application for Florida Certification during your student teaching semester, along with instructions for completion and guidelines for ordering transcripts.
Certificate Reciprocity
Florida participates in the Interstate Agreement on Qualification of Educational Personnel. Students who complete a degree in the College of Education will meet the requirements for an initial temporary/provisional certificate in any of the states listed below. They will be required to complete an application, pass any exam required by the states, and complete any new teacher-training program required by the state.
Teachers
Teacher means a person whose primary function is to provide instruction in a school for preschool, elementary, middle, or secondary students.
Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia,
Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan,
Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and District of Columbia.
Support Professionals
Support professional means a person, other than a teacher or an administrator, who is required to hold a certificate based upon not less than a baccalaureate degree; such as educational media specialist, guidance counselor, school psychologist, school social worker, etc.
Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington, West Virginia, District of Columbia.
An applicant’s eligibility for certification (based on the Interstate Agreement Contract) will be determined after an individual submits a completed application for Florida certification. The Interstate Agreement Contract applies to initial certification of classroom teachers and support professional personnel at the pre-kindergarten through secondary school level.
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Advising Center FAQ's
What are the program admission requirements?
Completion of sixty semester hours, 2.50 GPA and CLAST are the minimum requirements for all programs in the College of Education.
What is the CLAST?
The College-Level Academic Skills Test (CLAST) is an achievement test that measures students’ attainment of the college-level communication and mathematics skills that were identified by the faculties of community colleges and state universities. For in depth information on the CLAST visit the University’s Testing website at http://www.fiu.edu/~testing.
What is the FTCE?
The Florida Teacher Certification Examinations (FTCE); the General Knowledge Test (GK), the Professional Education Test (PEd), and the Subject Area Examinations are the exit exams required for graduation and to be certified to teach in the State of Florida. FTCE booklets are available in the Advising Center ZEB 221 or by visiting the state website: http://www.firn.edu/doe/sas/ftcehome.htm.
What if I don’t meet the admissions requirements?
You may be classified as a ‘Pre-Education’ student giving you the opportunity to meet the program requirements.
What are the disadvantages of the ‘Pre-Education’ classification?
Designed as a temporary measure, the PRE-EDUCATION classification does not guarantee admission to the College and has limitations regarding enrollment in program courses, eligibility for scholarship opportunities, and changes in program requirements.
I am exempt from the CLAST exam, what other exams can I take for program admission?
Effective Summer 2004, the Teacher Certification General Knowledge Test and the Praxis I Examination were added as possible alternatives to CLAST. This alternative is available for teacher preparation programs only! Graduate students in initial teacher preparation programs (e.g., School Counseling, School Psychology, MAT) can also substitute the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) for the CLAST if they obtain a combined score of 1000 on the verbal and quantitative sections.
When do I get a Faculty Advisor?
Once admitted to the program, the department will notify you of your faculty advisor. Prior to program admission, advisement is done through the College’s Advising Center. Graduate students can seek advisement from the Graduate Program Director.
I’m currently attending a community college and will transfer within a few semesters. Who do I contact for advisement?
The College of Education Advising Center serves all transfer students who are in the process of program admission. Students are encouraged to set up individual appointments by calling (305) 348-2768.
How do I change my major?
Stop by the College of Education Advising Center (ZEB 221) and complete a change of major form.
Do I need to make my own arrangements for field work?
No, all field work for initial teacher preparation programs including early field, field experience, internship, student teaching and practicum are under the auspices of the Office of Clinical Supervision & Intern Placement. For complete details contact this office at 305-348-2082 located in ZEB 230 or visit the field experience section .
I am not an education major but I am taking an education course that requires field work. Do I need to meet the fingerprinting regulations?
Yes, all students enrolled in any education course requiring field work at a school site in Dade or Broward counties must comply with fingerprinting requirements. For detailed information contact the Office of Clinical Supervision & Intern Placement at 305-348-2082 located in ZEB 230.
When should I apply for student teaching?
You should apply six months in advance. The student teaching application, detailed instructions, and specific deadlines are found at student teaching.
Is a grade of C- acceptable?
For undergraduate students a grade of C- or less is not acceptable toward graduation in any required program of study course in the College of Education, any college/program prerequisites, or any Gordon Rule writing/math requirements.
What is the minimum grade point average for graduation?
Undergraduate students must have a minimum overall grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 in order to graduate. Graduate students in initial teacher preparation programs must have a 3.0 GPA.
Can I minor in education?
The education minor is limited to students with Arts and Sciences majors in the following areas: Art, Dance, English, Mathematics, Modern Languages, Sciences, (Biology, Chemistry, Earth Sciences, Geology, Physics), Social Studies (Economics, Geography, History, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology), and Theatre. On a space available basis and regardless of status, students can enroll in education courses. For complete information see “Minor in Education.”
Why am I missing lower division courses if I transferred with an Associate of Arts (AA) degree from a Florida Community College?
The AA degree from a Florida Community College or a public State of Florida institution guarantees completion of the institution’s general education requirements. However, if the student was not following the common prerequisites of a specific discipline, she/he may not have all of the lower division courses required for that discipline. For detailed information see lower division requirements in undergraduate information.
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