Education FAQs

Most students earn their EDU degree within four years if they complete all coursework with a C- or better, don't have to repeat a course and pass all certification exams as required within the four-year timeframe.

Teacher certification interstate reciprocity allows most states to recognize qualifications from other states, often providing a straightforward path for teachers to obtain a new license.

 If needed, many states offer the flexibility of working on a temporary or provisional license while completing any additional requirements, ensuring a smooth and supportive transition for educators moving to a new state. The department chair at Flagler College is required to complete a program verification form to document the successful completion of a program with the certifications associated with the major. 

The forms are completed on an individual basis. To learn more about interstate reciprocity, visit this site and contact the state's licensing agency where you wish to teach.

Absolutely! A department chair will complete a program verification form when you send it from the state where you'd like to teach.  Please see the information on interstate reciprocity above. 

Students cannot graduate without meeting the certification requirements. Please see the chart below:

We do not offer alternative certification programs at Flagler College.

 All students complete a major with their respective certifications. Students may complete a minor in education, which exposes them to educational theories and practical classroom experience, but it is not intended to be an alternative certification route.

During a student's first year at Flagler, they are required to take two courses with field experiences at our partnership schools in St. Johns's County to get first-hand experience in a classroom environment.  

Students will complete approximately 14 hours during this time. 

For example, can a Secondary Education English major student who minors in fine art be an art teacher, or can a student who minors in history be a history teacher?

In the first example, no. The student would be certified in secondary education, English, not fine arts. However, a student may take the Florida Subject Area Examination independently, and districts can assess certification requirements.

In the second example, also no. The education department does not have a history education major, so a student who minors in history wouldn't be certified as a history teacher. However, a student may take the Florida Subject Area Examination independently, and districts can assess certification requirements.

For most education majors, you may take the prerequisites during your first semester. That said, there will be other Core classes you are required to take, so we encourage and recommend that you spread the prerequisites throughout your first year at Flagler College.

The button below lets you see how your previous institution's courses will transfer.

Search the Flagler College TES Database

If you are a Deaf or Hard of Hearing major, you would definitely have to spread the prerequisites across your first two or possibly three semesters, as you would need to complete American Sign Language Courses (ASL) as well.

It should also be noted that not all prerequisites are courses. For example, some courses have prerequisites that require admission into the Education Department.

We gladly accept and transfer EDU courses from other institutions. 

The button below lets you see how your previous institution's courses will transfer.

Search the Flagler College TES Database

Please note that some of Flagler's EDU courses are linked to field experiences or practicums. For example, if you took a course at another institution that did not have a field experience component attached to it, you would have to retake it at Flagler. 

Flagler College's Education Department strives to provide students with practical classroom experiences and help them excel in the hours the Florida Department of Education requires.

We believe first-hand experiences in the classroom prepare you to become highly effective teachers.

Additionally, our programs and courses are certified by the Florida Department of Education. That means that the courses we accept must contain similar content to Flagler's. 

Our Pre-Enrollment Advisor or the Education Department chair can help you determine if you can transfer a course. You can email Pre-Enrollment Advisor Anna Moore at AMoore@flagler.edu, or the Education Department Chair, Dr. Edwidge Bryant, at ebryant@flagler.edu.

The General Knowledge Test can be taken in Jacksonville, throughout Florida, or any state found on the Florida Teacher Certification Exam (FTCE) website. 

Many students take the exam during winter or summer break when returning to their home states.

For more information about the GKT and other tests, visit the Florida Teacher Certification Examinations website. 

Absolutely! We encourage students to take the GKT as early as possible. Passing all exam sections will allow students to take upper-level courses earlier.

Majoring in Elementary Education will touch on the subjects addressed in various courses. Students do not earn degrees in art, P.E., or music, as these majors are no longer available at Flagler College. However, students may decide to take subject area exams to satisfy subject area specialization.

All education majors (except math) graduate with an ESOL endorsement, not a certification.

We do not have a program to train ASL interpreters, but our ASL Minor program is outstanding because it teaches extensive sign language skills.

Special Education programs provide a comprehensive range of supports, such as instruction, transportation, post-secondary transition, etc. These services can be implemented in classrooms, resource rooms, or homes, ensuring a tailored approach to each student's needs. 

Exceptional Student Education is an umbrella term for gifted students and students who receive special education services due to learning disabilities or disorders. 

One of the stark differences between special education and exceptional student education is the services provided under the law.  The education program at Flagler College is "Elementary Education/Exceptional Student Education Major." 

References: 

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1074742722000831 

King, S. (2022). The education context for twice-exceptional students: An overview of special and gifted education issues. Neurobiology of learning and memory, p. 193, 107659.  

Our education programs do not train students to be Child Life Specialists. However, many students have used their knowledge and expertise from education courses to obtain positions in this area.

Yes. Students must have a background check and fingerprinting when registering for EDU 321 (General Methods) and EDU 309 (Introduction to Techniques in Exceptionality) because these courses are often taken during their first year at Flagler and have field experiences linked to them. 

Fingerprints are good for two years; therefore, students will need to renew their background check and fingerprinting once they have expired, as additional field experiences and practicums will be required throughout students’ programs for the protection and security of the children at those schools.

Provisional status means a student has declared Education as their major but will not be admitted into the Education Department until they have met the requirements below. Once students meet the requirements, their status will change from "Provisional" to "Admitted."

Program Requirements

• GPA of 2.5 or higher
• Demonstration and documentation of professional disposition submitted on the student's behalf by two professors at Flagler College.
• No grade below C- in an Education certification-related course
• Passing grade in the "General Methods of Instruction" course
• A passing score on all four subtests of the FTCE General Knowledge Test

Once a student has met the requirements, the Education Department chair or advisor can send a Qualtrics link to access the application.

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