Accelerated Certification for Teaching
Wheeling University’s Accelerated Certification for Teaching (ACT) program provides a flexible and affordable 18-month online pathway for those seeking to earn teacher certification in secondary education (Grades 5 to Adult). The program is ideal for those wishing to transition to a second career, those working as temporary or substitute teachers who desire formal credentials, and those seeking additional endorsements or renewal credits. The program provides concentrations for certification in the areas of social studies, English and language arts, and math and science.
Licensed teachers can also earn an additional endorsement entirely online in Multi-Categorical Special Education. The endorsement is only offered as an add on and will be at the same grade level as the existing teaching license.
Wheeling University’s teacher preparation program is designed to meet the highly qualified requirements of the federal Every Student Succeeds Act. The teacher preparation course content is accredited by the West Virginia Department of Education and the program as a whole is accredited by the Teacher Education Accreditation Council (TEAC) and the West Virginia Department of Education.
For more information, contact Sadie Crow, Admissions Representative, at scrow@wheeling.edu, 304-243-2359 or Dianna M. Vargo, Ed.D, Director of Graduate Education and Accelerated Certification for Teaching Programs at dvargo@wheeling.edu, 304-243-2367.
Programs & Courses
Upon acceptance to the ACT program, students work with the program director to create an Academic Action Plan that outlines the required content area and personalized professional education classes they need in order to become certified. All courses are offered in an online format with the exception of Student Teaching. Some courses do require activities in a school setting. The course sequence is as follows:
PSYC 110 General Psychology
PSYC 220 Educational Psychology
EDUC 232C Classroom and Teacher Roles
PSYC 216 Adolescent Psychology or PSYC 212 Developmental Psychology
EDUC 210 Educational Technology
Select one based on area of licensure:
EDUC 310 Secondary English/Language Arts
EDUC 311 Secondary Mathematics & Science
EDUC 312 Secondary Social Studies
EDUC 320 The Special Education Process
EDUC 333C Exceptionalities and Diversity
EDUC 333F Exceptionalities and Diversity Practicum
EDUC 334C Reading in Content Areas
EDUC 473 Internship – Teacher Performance Assessment
EDUC 476 Evaluation
EDUC 475 Student Teaching Seminar
EDUC 481 Student Teaching
Courses needed in areas of specialization will be determined upon analysis of transcripts. Student Teaching is required for all candidates and is conducted five days per week during normal school hours throughout the final semester. Credit hours and requirements may be revised based on state requirements from the WV Department of Education.
Eligibility & Admissions Requirements
For direct admission to the ACT program, applicants must:
- Hold a Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college or university, preferably with a concentration in one of the secondary certification areas available in the ACT program.
- Have a GPA of 2.5 or higher in transferred-in coursework including concentration.
- Complete the Core Academic Skills for Educators exam or meet the exemption requirements.
- Have a score of at least 650 on the TOEFL exam for students whose native language is not English.
Upon meeting the eligibility requirements, applicants can complete the admission process by:
- Completing a free application by going to applygrad.wheeling.edu/apply/. Early application is recommended.
- Requesting official transcripts from all colleges and universities you have attended, having them sent electronically to grad@wheeling.edu or mailed directly to: Wheeling University – GPS Admissions, 316 Washington Avenue, Wheeling, WV 26003
- Applying for federal student loans and grants by completing the FAFSA online at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov if qualifying. School Code is #003831.