University of North Carolina at Asheville

At UNC Asheville, Education is an area of concentration, in addition to the academic major. This structure reflects the university’s liberal arts model, and provides candidates with a strong content knowledge base as well as their NC teaching license. Most undergraduate students enter the teacher licensure program during their sophomore year, or once they have taken 30 college credits. During the first two years, and the first semester of year three, candidates take a combination of teacher licensure, major content and liberal arts general education courses. Year four of the program is called the professional year. In the fall semester candidates complete the capstone teaching methods course appropriate for their licensure area and begin working with the cooperating teacher with whom they will intern in the spring semester. The spring semester of year four is dedicated to the 16-week full-time clinical practice internship. All candidates have the option of completing their program on a part- or full-time basis.

UNC Asheville prides itself on providing relevant and meaningful fieldwork for licensure candidates. Most courses have a field experience component. The field work candidates complete becomes gradually more intense as they proceed through the program. Field experience activities include observing, assisting, tutoring, creating and implementing assessments, and teaching lessons. The field experience sequence culminates with the professional year, comprised of a capstone methods course followed by a semester of full-time student teaching with the same P-12 clinical faculty member. This structure provides a year long, in-depth experience and develops a strong relationship between the candidate and public school faculty. Student teachers receive feedback and support from their assigned university supervisor and mentor classroom teacher.

UNC Asheville licensure candidates complete field placements in a wide range of schools, gaining experience with students from different backgrounds. They log and reflect on cultural, linguistic, gender, academic and socioeconomic factors. Courses emphasize teaching students with different needs, and some are designated as Intensives focused on representation. All candidates take a course on working with a wide variety of learners.

Each teacher licensure candidate is assigned a Department of Education advisor to meet with at least once a semester. The Department of Education hires accomplished teacher licensure students each semester to serve as peer mentors. Student teachers receive support and guidance from both their mentor classroom teacher and a university supervisor. An Induction Committee provides forums for initially licensed teachers/alumni on such topics as student motivation, time management, new teacher coping skills, and National Board Certification. 

The UNC Asheville Department of Education operates according to a Conceptual Framework that addresses three tenets: Content, Pedagogy, and Professionalism. Licensure candidates receive a rigorous, balanced education. Department faculty aim to develop teachers of broad perspective who think critically and creatively, communicate effectively, and participate actively in their schools and communities. The objective is to provide each candidate the best possible opportunity to acquire the skills, knowledge and dispositions necessary to pursue their chosen career as an effective teacher in today's society. The Department of Education uses a comprehensive assessment system to strengthen the use of data for improving candidate teaching and learning.  Licensure program coordinators study these data with department colleagues, university Arts and Sciences liaisons, and P-12 partners to determine action steps for program improvement.