Department Contact Information:
Name of Chair: Dr. Melissa Peppetti, Director of Graduate Education
Name of Coordinator: Mrs. Kristen Hollenback
Program Description:
An Intern certificate issued in accordance with 22 Pa. Code § 49.91 and §49.92 is a type of certificate (Type 51) qualifying a person to teach (Section 1201 and 1203). The candidate will teach in the area for which the candidate has passed a content test prior to admission into the intern certification preparation program. Teacher intern certification programs provide an alternate route to certification through an approved Pennsylvania education program provider (EPP). Graduate Education (EPP) currently is approved to facilitate the Post Baccalaureate 7-12 Secondary Education program in the following areas; English, mathematics, social studies, chemistry, and biology.
Step 1: Completion of the content exam (passing score)
Step 2: Secure employment in an approved district
Step 3: Apply for an Intern Certificate through PDE
Step 4: Enroll in the Intern program at SFU (course schedule below)
Accreditation Statement:
PDE Accreditation
Admission Requirements:
A teacher intern must successfully complete the subject matter test in the area of certification for which they intern prior to enrolling at Saint Francis University. Additionally, unlike candidates enrolled in a traditional post baccalaureate program, the candidate of an intern certification program is the teacher of record. The teacher intern certification program is an alternate route to certification.
The teacher intern certification program prepares candidates to meet Pennsylvania Instructional I certification requirements. Candidates must already possess a bachelor’s degree and have successfully passed an appropriate subject matter test. Intern certification programs only prepare individuals for instructional subject areas and are not applicable to preparing individuals seeking certification as educational specialists, administrators, or supervisors. At the conclusion of a teacher intern certification program, successful candidates receive the same Instructional Level I certificate as traditional post-baccalaureate candidates.
If an intern-certificated candidate cannot find a position at a school entity, the University must convert the candidate’s enrollment to a traditional post-baccalaureate program and find the student a placement for the 12-week minimum supervised teaching experience. If an intern-certificated candidate is ready for student teaching but not working for a school entity, then the student cannot be enrolled in an Intern program and will be a traditional post-baccalaureate candidate.
The following information must be submitted at the time of application:
*3.0 or higher in undergraduate degree
*Copy of Intern Certificate from PDE upload with application
*Copy of passing of required content exam scores in one of the following areas (social studies, chemistry, biology, English, or mathematics)
Estimated Completion Time:
1-2 years depending on schedule of courses
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