General Academic Information
Academic Policies
It is the responsibility of each student to know and follow all academic policies established by
UCCS and the College of Education are set forth in this catalog.
Course Prerequisites
Students are responsible for knowing and completing all course prerequisites. Course prerequisites
are strictly enforced for all classes at UCCS.
Email Accounts
All students are assigned an official UCCS email address. Email is the official means of communication for UCCS, so it is imperative that students check their email accounts regularly.
Advising
Education students in good standing are not required to meet with their academic advisor and faculty advisor before registering for courses in any semester, but it is recommended. Academic advising assists students in selecting their classes so that they can progress effectively through their degree program. To make an appointment with a College of Education faculty advisor, please contact the COE Student Resource Office, University Hall Room 324, 719-255-4996 or education@uccs.edu.
Probation/Suspension
Students in the College of Education who have attempted at least 12 or more credit hours at any CU campus will be placed on academic probation in the College of Education for the following semester if their cumulative CU Grade Point Average (GPA) falls below a 2.0. The cumulative CU GPA includes all courses taken at any CU campus. Students may remain on academic probation for a maximum of 3 semesters as long as they maintain a minimum semester GPA of 2.5 during that time to demonstrate academic improvement.
Students on academic probation may continue to take a normal course load but should plan their schedules carefully and are strongly advised to meet with their Academic and Faculty Advisors regularly. While on academic probation, students will have a registration hold placed on their student account and they will not be able to register for the next semester (excluding summer) until their current semester grades have been posted and academic improvement can be verified. Once a cumulative CU GPA of 2.0 or higher can be verified, students will be removed from academic probation.If, after being placed on academic probation, the student’s semester GPA continues to fall below the required 2.5 or their cumulative GPA is still below 2.0 after 3 semesters, then the student will be suspended from the College of Education.
Students who have been suspended from the College of Education are not automatically suspended from the University of Colorado Colorado Springs. Suspended students may apply to transfer to another college within the university and, if approved, take courses in the new major.
Students who have been suspended may apply for re-admission to the College of Education once they have raised their cumulative CU GPA to 2.0. Suspended students must apply to have their suspension removed (after meeting the above requirement) with their Academic and Faculty Advisors. In addition, students may be required to reapply to the University. Students who are in doubt of their academic standing with regard to scholastic deficiency are strongly urged to consult with the College of Education Academic and Faculty Advisors.
Course Load
A full-time course load is 12 credit hours in a semester. The maximum course load is 18 credit hours in a semester. If a student wishes to take more than 18 credit hours in a given semester, special permission must be obtained through the Academic Advising Center. Students who expect to work while enrolled in university courses should register for course loads that they can complete without unusual difficulty. Recommended course loads based on work hours are listed below.
| Employed Hours |
Enrolled Credit Hours |
| 40 hours per week |
6-9 credit hours |
| 30 hours per week |
8-11 credit hours |
| 20 hours per week |
10-13 credit hours |
Degree Requirements
A minimum of 120 hours must be completed with a cumulative CU grade point average of 2.5; at least 45 of these hours must be at the upper-division level (courses numbered 3000-4999). A minimum GPA of 2.75 or higher must be maintained in the upper-division level College of Education program.
- A cumulative CU GPA of 2.50 or above must be maintained in the upper-division level to remain in good academic standing in the program.
- Students must complete all 3000 and 4000-level IECE courses and Student Teaching courses as a student in the College of Education.
- Courses numbered below 1000 do not count towards degree completion.
- Additional course options may be available for the Humanities and Natural Science requirements
Application and Admissions Requirements
Please visit our website for admissions information.
Additional Information on Licensure
The Inclusive Early Childhood Education Licensure Program is a multi-credential program. Students who successfully complete the program will be recommended for an initial teaching license in Early Childhood Education (ages 0-8), and an added endorsement in Early Childhood Special Education (ages 0-8).
Exam Requirements
In order to receive an initial license or added endorsement students will need to complete the following exam(s):
- PRAXIS II Education of Young Children #5024. This exam must be passed by July 15 just prior to Professional Year courses. Students will not be allowed to continue with Professional Year coursework unless they have passed this exam.
- PRAXIS II Teaching, Reading: Elementary #5205. This exam must be passed by July 15 just prior to Professional Year courses. Students will not be allowed to continue with Professional Year coursework unless they have passed this exam.
- PRAXIS II Special Education: Preschool/Early Childhood #5691. This exam must be passed by July 15 just prior to Professional Year courses. Students will not be allowed to continue with Professional Year coursework unless they have passed this exam.
When registering to take the Praxis exam(s), students need to send their scores to UCCS (4874) and the Colorado Department of Education (7040).
For more information, students should visit: www.ets.org/praxis
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