DES program admission

Admission to DES Programs

APPLY FOR ADMISSION: FOLLOW THIS LINK

Applications accepted in Spring 2023: Jan. 23 - Feb. 10, 2023
(closes at 4:00 PM Feb. 10, 2023)

Students wishing to pursue a teacher education program at UW-La Crosse may declare a teacher education major and be assigned an advisor in their program at any point in their career at UW-La Crosse.

All teacher education majors must apply for and be accepted into their program in order to register for certain education courses, progress to a degree, and complete licensure requirements. Students should consult with their academic advisor to determine the best time to apply.

Applications are accepted via an online survey during the first 3 weeks of Fall and Spring semesters.
Late/incomplete applications are not considered.
A confirmation email will be sent to applicants when they successfully complete their application survey.
An admissions committee will meet to review applications and determine who will be accepted to the program.
Admission decisions will be sent to the applicants via e-mail by Friday of the eighth week of the semester.
Admission decisions by programs are contingent upon criminal background check (CBC) clearance by the UWL Office of Field Experience.*

* The WI Department of Public Instruction (DPI) requires that candidates for admission to a teacher education, administration, or pupil services program successfully pass a criminal background check (CBC) as one criterion for admission. By applying for admission to one of these programs, candidates agree to provide the necessary personal information to UWL in order to initiate their CBC, and to complete their portion of the process prior to the deadline specified in their admission letter. Teacher candidates are responsible for all costs associated with their criminal background check(s).

Admissions Criteria for DES Programs:

Applicants must meet minimum criteria in order to apply – please follow this link to the catalog to view these criteria
Applicants must submit a writing statement (200 word limit) in response to the prompt, "What do you want to accomplish as a teacher?"
Request for an admission waiver: Applicants who have significant extenuating circumstances that prevent them from meeting the GPA admission criterion may apply for admission with a GPA waiver. Candidates requesting admission with a GPA waiver should work with their advisor and submit a statement responding to the following prompts (500 word limit):

What factors contributed to your current cumulative GPA?
What supports did you seek out to help you improve your coursework?
Moving forward, what are your plans for improving your GPA?
What are some personal qualities or experiences you would bring to the classroom that we might not find with other applicants?

Additional factors may be considered in admissions decisions:

Progress through professional course work (EDS 311, EDS 318): courses completed or in progress may be considered when there are more applicants for admission than class sizes allow.
Experience working with children: applicants may be asked to describe their experience working with children and/or to provide contact information for references.

Applicants for admission with a GPA waiver must also provide contact information for one reference who can support their request and who can speak to their ability to be successful in their teacher education program. Academic advisors will also complete a brief survey regarding your academic progress. A request for a GPA waiver is not a guarantee of admission. Waivers will be considered depending on space availability, the nature of the request, and the likelihood for success in the program as evaluated by the admissions committee.

Last updated 1/17/23

View the admission requirements in the Catalog