State-Approved Program of both Reading Endorsement and ESOL Endorsement

This degree program is a state-approved program that leads to both the Reading Endorsement and ESOL (English to Speakers of Other Languages) Endorsement. Upon successful completion of the program, teacher candidates are eligible for the endorsements on their Florida teaching certificate.

University Admissions - College of Education

Admission to the University is based on the University’s Undergraduate Admission Requirements that may be found by clicking on the following urls:

• Freshman: https://www.usf.edu/admissions/freshmen/admission-information/requirements-deadlines.aspx
• Transfer: https://www.usf.edu/admissions/transfer/admission-information/index.aspx
• International: https://www.usf.edu/admissions/international/admission-information/index.aspx

Admission Requirements - Exceptional Student Education B.S.

Students seeking admission to this program must meet the following Department of Education’s Teacher Educator Certification requirements:​

1. Earn a 2.5 overall GPA;
2. Complete all general education and state mandated common prerequisite courses with a C- or higher in each;
3. Pass all sections of the General Knowledge Test. Information can be found at https://www.usf.edu/education/academics/teacher-certification/general-knowledge-test.aspx;
4. Submit an application to Student Academic Services, EDU 106, 813-974-2979.

Applications can be found at https://www.usf.edu/education/undergraduate/academic-advising/coedu-applications.aspx.

The College of Education offers a full ESOL Endorsement for all Special Education major graduates. The special requirements for ESOL endorsement through infusion are as follows:

Successful completion of:

• FLE 4317 - Teaching Students with Limited English Proficiency  and FLE 4316 - Language Principles and Acquisition  with a minimum grade of 70% or better on part one and part two of the ESOL Comprehensive Exam administered in the two ESOL courses;
• A 20-hour early ESOL field experience in FLE 4317 ;
• A late ESOL field experience where students plan, implement, and evaluate lessons for one or more ESOL students over a 10 days; and
• An ESOL binder, containing all ESOL-related assignments taken in the College of Education and an ESOL-performance Standards Checklist that documents the completion of the necessary number of standards.

The special education requirements for the Reading Endorsement through infusion are as follows:

• Completion of specialized courses with a grade of C or S;
• Completion of RED 4724 - Intermediate Literacy Strategies and Assessment I , RED 4312 - Emergent Literacy Strategies and Assessment , and LAE 4311 - Teaching Print and Multimodal Texts in Elementary Education  with a grade of C;
• A 60-hour field experience with a grade of S where students demonstrate application of all reading competencies, and
• A Reading Endorsement binder containing the Demonstration of Accomplishment Documentation Form and supporting artifacts.

Students are required to meet University and College of Education entrance requirements prior to enrollment in the Department. Upon admission, students affiliate with the campus on which they wish to take their program of studies. Students may not register for courses on other campuses without permission. For the Tampa campus, students are assigned to cohorts. All courses are taken with the assigned cohort. The program sequence includes four semesters of part-time field experience and one semester of full-time internship. All part-time field experiences must be successfully completed as a member of a cohort concurrently enrolled in linked specified courses in designated local schools. Final internships are assigned only to designated school districts where partnerships exist. Field experiences begin during the first semester of a student’s enrollment with increasing involvement throughout the program. Students are responsible for providing transportation to their field-experience sites. Cohorts are seated in the fall semester of each year.

Students must complete General Education and the General Knowledge Test before admission to a teacher preparation program (see http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=1000-1099/1004/Sections/1004.04.html).

State Mandated Common Course Prerequisites - Exceptional Student Education B.S.

Following Florida BOG Regulation 8.010, state mandated common course prerequisites are lower-division courses that are required for progression into the upper division of a particular baccalaureate degree program. 

Transfer students should complete the State Mandated Common Course Prerequisites at the lower level prior to entering the university. If these courses are not taken at a Florida College System institution, they must be completed before the degree is granted. Successful completion of the common prerequisites alone does not guarantee a student admission into the degree program. 

Unless stated otherwise, a grade of C- is the minimum acceptable grade in prerequisite courses.

• EDF X005 Introduction to Education and Field Experience - 3 credit hours

FOR EDUCATION MAJORS: General education courses will be determined by the college or university where the student currently is earning the Associate in Arts or baccalaureate degree, and will be published in the institution’s existing catalog and delineated in the Statewide Course Numbering System.

Required Courses: (66 Credit Hours)

Exceptional Student Education B.S. - Additional Information

Research Opportunities - College of Education

Undergraduate students in any degree program are able to participate in undergraduate research. Several options exist to show mentored undergraduate research activity on a student’s official transcript. Those who wish to enroll in an undergraduate research course should consult with their academic advisor to understand how the credit will apply towards the degree requirements. If no credit is needed, students may be eligible to enroll in the 0-credit IDS 4914 - Advanced Undergraduate Research Experience  course. This course will not impact degree credits or GPA but will show on an official transcript and document the experience. The Office of High Impact Practices and Undergraduate Research (HIPUR) is able to assist with further inquiries.

Advising Information - Exceptional Student Education B.S.

For prospective and current College of Education students with a home campus of Tampa, please select the following link for information about scheduling an  advising appointment:  https://www.usf.edu/education/about-us/advising.aspx

For prospective and current College of Education students with a home campus of Sarasota-Manatee, please select the following link for information about scheduling an advising appointment: https://www.sarasotamanatee.usf.edu/academics/academic-resources/academic-advising/

For prospective and current College of Education students with a home campus of St. Pete, please select the following link for information about scheduling an advising appointment: https://www.stpetersburg.usf.edu/academics/academic-resources/academic-advising/advisor/index.aspx

4 Year Plan of Study - Exceptional Student Education (ESOL and Reading Endorsements) B.S.

NOTES:

• SCIV - Civics Literacy  needs to be completed prior to graduation. For more information, see https://www.usf.edu/undergrad/students/civics-literacy.aspx or talk with your academic advisor.
• Items that are critical are marked with a ✳️ and are included in the plan for a student to stay on track.

Potential Entry Level Job Titles:

• ESE Teacher
• Support Facilitator
• ESE Specialist
• Reading Coach

Potential Entry Level Salary Range:

$25,000 - $50,000

2 Year Plan of Study - Exceptional Student Education (ESOL & Reading Endorsements) B.S.

NOTES:

• SCIV - Civics Literacy  needs to be completed prior to graduation. For more information, see https://www.usf.edu/undergrad/students/civics-literacy.aspx or talk with your academic advisor.
• Items that are critical are marked with a ✳️ and are included in the plan for a student to stay on track.