Education Programs

The Program

Providence College offers three education programs on the undergraduate level: a major in elementary/special education, a secondary education program, and a music education major.

All teacher education programs offered by the College have been approved by the Rhode Island Department of Education, a member of the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC).

Gaining admission to a PC education program is a two-step process.

Step 1: Prospective education majors apply to PC in the same manner as any other student, inclusive of following our test-optional policy.  For prospective education majors, not submitting SAT or ACT scores will not exclude you from consideration of admission to Providence College, nor will it negatively impact your acceptance decision.

Step 2: Once a student is admitted to PC and formally declares a desire to become an education major, they begin a process of applying for admission to an education program (elementary/special, secondary, or music), which involves passing introductory classes, completing introductory field experiences, achieving a specific GPA (2.50), and meeting state-mandated standardized testing requirements. 

This process begins in freshman year and extends into sophomore year, with formal acceptance occurring after the first semester of sophomore year for elementary/special education, and at the end of sophomore year for secondary and music education.

Standardized Testing Requirement: By the middle or end of their sophomore year at PC, depending on their program, students must pass the SAT, ACT, or Praxis Core at the levels indicated in the charts below.  The education programs provide tutorial support for students who do not enter PC with the required scores.

Classes of 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024

	Math	Reading	English	Writing
SAT	530	480	N/A	N/A
ACT	22	22	18	N/A
Praxis Core	162	168	N/A	165

Students, once admitted to any education program, are required to take supplemental tests in content knowledge and pedagogical knowledge prior to being approved for student teaching. Passing such tests is required for eligibility for certification in Rhode Island and NASDTEC states with reciprocal agreements.

Teacher Preparation Licensure

Student candidates in each of the three programs are required to complete a specific number of hours of supervised student teaching in order to be licensed in their discipline.  Three hundred and sixty clock hours are required for secondary education teacher candidates in biology, chemistry, English, history, mathematics, physics, and foreign languages; 420 clock hours for music education teacher candidates, and 720 clock hours (2 semesters of 360 hours each) for elementary/special education teacher candidates.

Education Diversity Requirements

In helping to prepare future teachers to work effectively with students and families from all cultures and backgrounds, education majors must fulfill the following diversity requirements:

1. Completion of at least one Diversity Proficiency course from outside their education program coursework (elementary/special education only);
2. Completion of at least one practicum experience in an urban setting;
3. Demonstration of the ability to prepare and implement lessons that include effective strategies for working with students from diverse cultures and backgrounds.

Music Education

For students interested in the music education program, please refer to the Music Education  section of this catalog.