School of Education
Admission to SOE
Admission to School of Education: Undergraduate Teacher Education (Initial License) Programs
Wisconsin educator licensing code (PI 34.018(2)) requires that candidates for an educator license must apply for admission to the educator preparation program. At UWL, admission to the School of Education in the appropriate teacher education program is required in order to enroll in professional education courses. Each program has specific criteria to be eligible to apply for admission (see below). Meeting the eligibility criteria does not guarantee admission into the School of Education or a specific teacher education program. Limited availability of resources may impact the number of students admitted to a given program.
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).
Teacher candidates who are admitted to the School of Education are required to have an iPad that meets SOE specifications (follow this link for a detailed description of the iPad program). The fee for the iPad is financial aid eligible and will appear on the student bill in the semester following admission to the candidate's teacher education program. If the acquisition of an iPad is a financial hardship, please contact SOE to discuss options. Students who are admitted to SOE are provided information on how to purchase the appropriate iPad through the SOE iPad order survey. Teacher candidates who purchase their own device outside of the SOE process and without pre-approval do so at their own risk.
Admission Guidelines and Electronic Application Links
The Spring 2024 Admissions Window is CLOSED as of February 9 at 4pm.
In the case of an extenuating circumstance, students may request an extension to the deadline by completing this linked form. The form will ask you to provide the following information:
- Indicate the request
- Provide an explanation of the extenuating circumstance
- Provide an explanation of why the application was not able to be submitted within the submission window
- Identify a UWL faculty member who can speak to the extenuating circumstance
Received forms will be reviewed by a committee. A member of that committee will follow up with you regarding next steps.
Admission to some SOE programs is competitive. Resources available limit the number of students admitted. Not all student declaring a SOE major and/or completing the application process are admitted to SOE programs.
DES admission
Admission requirements and additional information about applying to the DES programs listed below:
- Early Childhood Education (birth-grade 3)
- Elementary/Middle Education (grades K-9)
- Elementary/Middle Education (grades K-9) & Special Education (grades K-12)
- Elementary/Middle Education (grades K-9) & TESOL (grades K-12)
- Elementary/Middle Education (grades K-9) & French Education (grades K-12)
- Elementary/Middle Education (grades K-9) & Spanish Education (grades K-12)
Resources:
Preview the application survey
Download an application checklist
Watch a video with tips on applying
Help with writing your essay
DES Admission Application Rubric
STEP admission
Admission requirements and additional information about applying to the STEP programs listed below:
- Biology - Science Education Emphasis (grades 4-12)
- Broadfield Social Studies Education (grades 4-12)
- Broadfield Social Studies Education (grades 4-12) - History Emphasis
- Broadfield Social Studies Education (grades 4-12) - Political Science Emphasis
- Broadfield Social Studies Education (grades 4-12) - Sociology Emphasis
- Chemistry - Science Education Emphasis (grades 4-12)
- English Education (grades 4-12)
- Mathematics Education (grades 4-12)
- Physics - Science Education Emphasis (grades 4-12)
Resources:
Preview the application survey
Download an application checklist
Watch a video with tips on applying
BFSS Admission Application Rubric
AWLME admission
Admission requirements and additional emails about applying to AWLME programs
- Art Education (grades K-12)
- French Education (grades K-12)
- French Education (grades K-12) & TESOL (grades K-12)
- Music Education (grades K-12) - Choral & General Emphasis
- Music Education (grades K-12) - Instrumental & General Emphasis
- Spanish Education (grades K-12)
- Spanish Education (grades K-12) & TESOL (grades K-12)
Resources:
Preview the application survey
Download an application checklist
Watch a video with tips on applying
PASHE admission
Admission requirements and additional information about applying to the triple licensure PASHE program
- Physical Education (grades K-12)
- Adapted Physical Education (grades K-12)
- Health (grades K-12)
Resources:
Preview the application survey
Download an application checklist
Watch a video with tips on applying
PASHE Reference form (for use by individuals serving as a reference)
PASHE Admission Application Rubric
Teacher Education Program Requirements
Teacher candidates (education majors) must meet SOE Core requirements and other benchmarks required by the WI Department of Public Instruction and the School of Education in order to be endorsed for a teaching license. Complete information on program requirements is available in the UWL undergraduate catalog. Some links to education program requirements are provided below.
Re-Entry and Re-Admission to the School of Education
SOE faculty and staff recognize that some students pause their studies at UWL for a variety of reasons and later seek to re-enter SOE under their previous or a new program. In addition, students may wish to change to a different education major after being admitted to SOE. In order to best support students and meet programmatic outcomes in these situations, the following policy was developed. Re-entry/re-admission is reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the SOE Dean’s office and may include program faculty in decision making. Factors that may affect re-entry/re-admission decisions include: program capacity, changes in curriculum since last enrollment, and changes in admissions processes since last admission to SOE.
This policy applies to:
- Education majors who have been unenrolled in classes for at least one semester and seek to re-enter an SOE program
- Education majors who have been admitted to SOE and wish to change to a different education major (continuous enrollment or pause in enrollment)
Step 1: Students identified above complete the SOE re-entry/admissions_application
This application collects basic information on the student’s situation such as:
- Name, email address, last academic advisor
- Current/most recent education major
- Desired education major
- SOE admission status (ie: if previously admitted to SOE)
- Last semester attended (if not continuously enrolled)
- A brief description of the reason for pausing (if not continuously enrolled)
Step 2: The Dean's Office notifies the aligned program director of the student’s application, and completes the first review of the application to determine the circumstances of the request and what factors need to be considered.
Step 3: The Dean's Office consults with program faculty/staff, the Office of Field Experience, and/or the Teacher Certification Officer/Academic Services Director to review the situation and make recommendations to the Dean concerning the re-entry/re-admission request.