Admission Requirements

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Program Prerequisites

• Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited university or recognized international institution
  • Please note: A master’s degree from a regionally accredited university is required for the 6th year program
  • Cumulative undergraduate grade point average of 3.0 (‘B’) or higher. Applicants whose cumulative GPA falls between 2.67 (‘B-’) and 3.0 (‘B’) will be considered for admission on a provisional basis.

Required Materials

• Application and application fee (non-refundable)
• Official transcripts from each institution attended.

  • International transcripts must include an official course-by-course evaluation of all academic work from www.naces.org

• Two letters of recommendation
  • Letters need to come from employers, professors or professional associates and must testify to your suitability as a prospective teacher.
• Personal statement
  • In 350 words or more, detail the reasons you are interested in enrolling in the certification program of your choice, highlight relevant background experiences and address your overall professional goals in the teaching profession. Please discuss any activities, general or professional, that have influenced your decision to enter the teaching profession.
• Résumé
• Music certification applicants must submit a video or audio file in one of three ways:
  • YouTube, Google Drive, or Dropbox link emailed to gradadmissions@bridgeport.edu
  • CD or DVD sent through the mail
  • Personal audition/interview with the Program Director

Secondary Education Certification Programs

• Secondary Business Program
• Secondary English Program
• Secondary History and Social Studies Program
• Secondary Mathematics Program
• Secondary Science Program
• Cross-Endorsement in Computer Science

Business education teachers help students reach their full potential as consumers, savers, investors, and working professionals by exposing them to economics, management principles, personal and corporate finance, and technology. This exposure enables students to begin to understand how to manage their finances, how to act in a professional manner, and how to collaborate in the workplace. It sets the stage for students to be prepared for their future roles as employees, managers, executives, and entrepreneurs. Topics covered include: the true value of a dollar, the importance of having strong credit, how to budget finances, and how interest rates work.

• Secondary Business Certification Prerequisites Bachelor’s degree in a business-related field (i.e. Business Management, Accounting, Finance), OR
• 30 undergraduate credits in business plus 9 in a related area

Secondary Education Master's Courses

University of Bridgeport’s Secondary Education program will produce passionate, professional educators who are:

• Knowledgeable about subject matter content
• Skillful in creating meaningful learning environments
• Committed to inquiry
• Responsive to the developmental needs of a diverse student population

As a graduate of the Secondary Education MS or Sixth Year Degree Certificate program, you will be prepared to:

1. Plan lessons according to State and National guidelines
2. Demonstrate appropriate content knowledge in designated subject areas
3. Pass Praxis II content knowledge for secondary subject areas
4. Pass the edTPA performance assessment
5. Exhibit High Leverage Teaching Practices
6. Exhibit pedagogical knowledge appropriate to secondary classrooms
7. Differentiate instruction to suit the needs of a wide variety of students and students with special needs