Languages and Cultures

West Chester University

Dr. Jerome Williams
109 Main Hall
West Chester, PA 19383
Phone: 610-436-2700
Fax: 610-436-3048
Jerome Williams


Undergraduate K-12 Certification

[Note: As of Fall 2010, no new students are admitted to the Latin major or for certification in Latin.]

We offer different levels of certification programs, according to students's prior preparation/background:

1) B.A. language major + Certification: Undergraduate students may do certification in conjunction with a major in a language. The required courses and testing are listed below. This includes any students who are transferring to WCU who have done part of a language major and/or certification elsewhere.

See also the information below on the Graduate Certification page under Graduate Programs.

2) Post Bacc undergraduate level Certification: Non native-speaker students who are college graduates but have not finished the undergraduate major in the language and wish to become certified:

  • must complete the course requirements equivalent to the undergraduate major, to include linguistics and the equivalent language courses for the major (minus the extras, like a second language and cognate course).
  • must complete the non-departmental undergrad requirement in anthropology
    (Note: as of Summer 2012, the two Math and two English courses requirement has been dropped).
  • certification courses:
    • you may elect to do certification courses at the graduate level. You will pay graduate tuition for all courses and the grades for all of them count in your GPA. (important: if you get an F you are dismissed from the graduate program). POST-BACC UNDERGRAD LEVEL STUDENTS CANNOT ENROLL IN THE M.ED. OR M.A. UNTIL THEY FINISH THE EQUIVALENT OF THE LANGUAGE MAJOR.
    • you may do the certification courses at the undergraduate level as well. HOWEVER, certified teachers may earn a higher salary based on the number of graduate credits they have accumulated.

*** Students who are college graduates may do their student teaching as an internship in a contract job (usually called emergency certification) at full salary, but they still have to enroll in student teaching, EDS 411-412, and complete the program with practicum sessions and a certified language coop teacher in their school.

Beginning April 2, 2012, B.A. candidates, whose PA certification programs require basic skills tests (formerly PPSTs), now register to take the PAPA – Pre-Service Academic Performance Assessment offered by Pearson under the Pennsylvania Educator Certification Tests (PECT), if they have not already taken or  registered for any of the PPST tests. For more information about registering for these tests, go to:               http://www.wcupa.edu/_academics/coed/PAtests.asp and select the purple button for PPST/PAPA, where you will find information about the tests and how to register for them. Undergraduate foreign language students seeking initial certification must take the PAPA series of basic skills tests.

Basic skills 001         PAPA Module 1: Reading PAPA 001 (when all 3 modules passed)

                  002         PAPA Module 2: Mathematics   

                  003         PAPA Module 3: Writing

ADDITIONAL REQUIRED TESTING INCLUDES THE OPI AND WPT TESTS TO BE TAKEN DURING STUDENT TEACHING. See below for full schedule of required testing.

Required courses for PA K-12 State Certification in a language:

UNDERGRADUATE----------------------------------------------------------------GRADUATE

ANT 102 Anthropology-------------------------------------------------------------culture course

I. PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION (36 S.H.)

A. Foundations of Special Education (3) EDA 103  
B. Educational. Psychology (3) EDP 250  
C. Assessment for Learning (3) EDP 355  
D. Child & Adolescent Psychology (3) EDP 349 or PSY 382  
E. Literacy Dev. Inclusive Classrooms (3) EDR 347  

FORMAL ADMISSION [EDF 030] TO THE TEACHING PROGRAM MUST BE COMPLETED IN ORDER TO TAKE THE FOLLOWING COURSES:

F.  Tech Tools to Transform (1) EDM 349 (1)  
G.  Spec. Ed: Processes and Proc. (2) EDA 303 (2)    
H.   Prin. Teaching & Field Experience (3) EDS 306    
I.    Techniques of L2 Tchg  PK-12  (3)  LAN 401   

PREREQ: Completion of language courses through the advanced level, LIN 230 or LAN 327 [min. grade of “C”], and professional education courses including EDS 306 (excluding EDS 411/412).

J.    Student Teaching (12 semester hours)  EDS411  6 credit hours
  EDS412  6 credit hours

For more information on applying for certification, please consult the College of Education web site.