Admissions Information
To apply for the Master of Education in Educational Psychology with Elementary Licensure program, applicants must submit their application by February 1 for fall admittance or November 1 for spring admittance. Any application materials that are not uploaded on the application must be submitted to the Elementary Education Advisor, SAEC 2264 or Urban Institute for Teacher Education Main Office, SAEC 2260.
To be eligible for the program, you must have:
- A valid Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university
- A 3.0 GPA in previous undergraduate work on a 4.0 scale
Apply to the Program
1
Go to application.
2
Set up account.
3
Begin application for admission.
4
For the Program Information tab:
- Under "Program of Interest" choose, "Educational Psychology MED"
- Under "Emphasis Area" choose, "Elementary Licensure"
5
Upload Urban Institute for Teacher Education Application Materials:
- Statement of Professional Purpose: Submit a statement informing the Admissions Committee of your strengths as a candidate in the teacher education program in Urban Institute for Teacher Education at the University of Utah. Essays should be approximately two pages in length and may be double-spaced. Your essay will be evaluated on its content as well as your ability to convey your ideas in formal academic language using standard writing conventions. Use the rubric to assist in writing your statement.
- Letters of Recommendation: Three (3) letters of recommendation are required to be included in the admission
applications. Letters should be written by individuals who know the applicant on a
professional and/or academic level and who have insight into the educational experiences,
intellectual abilities, and professional temperament of the applicant. Letters should
be dated from within (1) one year of application. Applicants should include one (1)
letter of recommendation from each of the following areas with their application:
- Teaching and Working with the Youth: This letter is to be written by a professional educator who has supervised and/or observed the applicant while interacting with children in an academic setting (e.g., a cooperating public school teacher in whose classroom the applicant has volunteered or observed during a field placement assignment).
- Academic Performance: This letter should be written by a university or college instructor who can write knowledgeably about the applicant’s intellectual performance and ability as a scholar. University of Utah instructors are preferred as writers for students who have completed at least one semester at the University of Utah.
- Professional Attributes: This letter is a character reference that speaks to the applicant’s reliability, initiative, organization, communication skills, and contributions to a group working situation. The letter may be written by a past or current employer or any additional university or college instructor.
Please note that the letters of recommendation should be submitted through Apply Yourself.
- Transcripts: Students should request transcripts from every school from which they have received
credit, including foreign or correspondence schools, no matter how long ago the credit
was earned, to include in their application.
- For Application: Unofficial transcripts from the University of Utah and all other universities and colleges previously attended are required for the application. Transcripts must be uploaded in the Apply Yourself system as part of the application process. Electronic transcripts may also be submitted directly to UITE.
- Once Admitted: Official Transcripts from the University of Utah and all other universities and colleges previously attended must be sent to the Graduate School and the advisor for UITE. All should either electronic transcripts (preferred) or paper versions need to be current, stamped, and unopened. All transcripts electronic or paper should be sent directly to UITE.
- Supplemental Elementary Education Application
- Background Check Confirmation, CACTUS Screenshot: A background check and fingerprinting must be completed and cleared through the Utah
State Board of Education. Applicants need to include proof that they have initiated
and completed this process (USBE CACTUS Screenshot), with their application.
To initiate the background check and fingerprinting process, please complete the following steps found on the UITE website. To ensure that the background check is completed fully and completely, it is strongly encouraged that applicants follow the steps listed on the website.
6
For International students whose first language is not English
International students whose first language is not English are required to submit scores from the TOEFL exam. An official TOEFL score should be sent directly to the International Admission Office from the TOEFL. Scores must be less than two years old at the time of admission. Passing scores are: 80 IBT (internet based test); or 550 PBT (paper based test).
7
Complete and submit application. Pay application fee.
Admission Policies
Admission Files: Admission files and all application materials become the property of Urban Institute for Teacher Education and the Department of Educational Psychology. No part of the admission files will be returned to the applicant at any time.
Incomplete Applications: Urban Institute for Teacher Education and the Department of Educational Psychology are not responsible for any materials missing from the application files. Complete files will be reviewed by the admissions committee. Incomplete files have no guarantee that they will be reviewed by the committee.
Notification of Acceptance: Applicants will be notified by mail of acceptance or denial into the program. Letters of notification will be sent to students approximately six to eight weeks after the application deadline.
Program Policies
Students’ overall quality of work and performance, as well as progress toward completing the program, will be monitored each semester.
Students must maintain a 3.0 GPA and all graduate degree courses must be completed with a grade of “B-“or higher. Should students fall below the GPA requirement, they will be asked to meet with the Director of Graduate programs. Courses finished with a grade below a “B-“ must be repeated. Courses may be repeated once.
All graduate students must maintain a minimum continuous registration of at least three credit hours per semester, unless granted an official leave of absence, from the time of admission to the time of completion of the program. Summer semesters are not included in this regulation.
A limit of 6 semester hours of transfer or equivalent courses will be allowed, approval subjected to the Director of Graduate Programs. Courses must be graduate level and must have a grade of “B” or better.
All work toward the master’s degree must be completed within four consecutive calendar years.
All of Years One and Two coursework must be completed prior to beginning Year Three courses. Students are encouraged to meet with their academic advisors for the most current course offering schedule. Students who do not complete Years One and Two prior to beginning Year Three may be required to delay their Year Three courses until those courses are complete. All requests to delay Year Three must be submitted in writing.
The Department of Educational Psychology and Urban Institute for Teacher Education reserve the right to substitute courses to fulfill program requirements.
Letters indicating possible violations of the student code, and appropriate student responses, will be placed in the student’s file.
The University of Utah is fully committed to policies of nondiscrimination and equal opportunity and vigorously pursues affirmative action in all programs, activities, and employment with regard to race, color, national origin, sex, age, and status as a person with disability. Religion, sexual orientation, and status as a disabled veteran or veteran of the Vietnam era also are protected under nondiscrimination and equal opportunity employment policies. The University seeks to provide equal access to its programs, services, and activities for people with disabilities. Reasonable prior notice is needed to arrange accommodations. Evidence of practices not consistent with these policies should be reported to the Office of Equal Opportunity, 801-581-8365. Upon request, this information is available in alternative formats, such as cassette, Braille, or large print.
Utah Legal Policies
Background Check for Initial Licensure: By legislative mandate, applicants for teaching licenses in Utah are required to have completed and passed a background check, including fingerprinting. Background check clearance expires after 5 years and may need to be renewed during the program in order to be recommended for a teaching license.
Criminal Conviction: Teacher licensure may be denied by the state of Utah because of previous criminal conviction. You must contact the Associate Dean for Professional Education of the College of Education before proceeding with your program in teacher licensure if you have any questions about your status. The Utah Professional Practices Advisory Commission, c/o Executive Secretary, Utah State Board of Education, 250 East 500 South, Salt Lake City, Utah 84111, reviews all such cases.