Intern Program Requirements 

Intern Program Requirements

 The Intern Credential is an alternative route for candidates in graduate-level programs to obtain a Preliminary Teaching Credential. The Intern Credential allows candidates to complete their teacher preparation coursework concurrent with their first year or two in a paid teaching position. If the district has a teaching vacancy they cannot fill with a credentialed teacher, then a qualified preliminary credential candidate may be hired as an intern teacher. Intern teachers receive a full salary and benefits. In order to become eligible for an intern credential, candidates must meet the following pre-requisites and have a pending job offer at a public, charter, or nonpublic school. Nonpublic schools are private, nonsectarian and certified by the state of California to provide special education services to students based on their Individualized Education Plan (IEP). Intern credentials are site-specific and cannot be issued for intern placements at private schools, unless they fall in the nonpublic category. The Dominican's Credentials Office recommends candidates for intern credentials to the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC).

Dual credential programs leading to both a general and Education Specialist Credential are required to have substantive experiences in general education, inclusive classrooms, and special education settings within the 600 hour practicum, and are required to extend fieldwork practicum for an additional 150 hours. Dual candidates cannot be employed as intern or permit teachers. 

Prior to being intern eligible, intern candidates must complete and be able to document 120 hours of pre-service hours through completion (and grades posted) of the following coursework and the clinical practice components within each course: 

Coursework Areas   Approved Dominican Coursework

• • • Classroom management and planning (15 hours)         EDU 5180/5280 (fall only) / 5306 (spring only)

    • Special population (15 hours) EDU 5020 (spring only)

    • Reading/Languages Art (15 hours) EDU 5165/5265 (spring & fall)

    • Human Development (15 hours) EDUX 9102 or equivalent

    • Teaching of English Learners (45 hours) EDU 5020 (spring only)

    • Subject specific pedagogy (15 hours) General Pedagogy EDU 5165/5145 (fall only)                                                                   Single Subject Pedagogy EDU 5245 (fall only) / 5255 (spring only)                                                                                                                                            Special Education Specific Pedagogy: EDU 5302 (fall only)

CTC REQUIREMENTS 

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited school of higher education 

• Valid Certificate of Clearance or other CTC issued permit 

• Subject Matter Competency (see CTC website for options to satisfy this requirement) 

• U.S. Constitution Exam (CTC-approved course or passing score on an approved U.S. Constitution exam) 

• Completion of a minimum of 120 pre-service hours in specific content areas 

• A recommendation from Dominican to the CTC 

DOMINICAN REQUIREMENTS 

• Verified Intern Eligibility Documentation form

• Current enrollment at Dominican 

• Meet with faculty advisor and credential analyst

• A minimum GPA of 3.00 (no grade lower than a B)

• Offer of Employment letter from a local school district, on district letterhead, and signed by a district representative, with the following included: 

  • • Official start date

    • Position

    • School site 

    • Grade level(s) 

• Completed Intern Agreement Form, School Site Administrator Form, and Support Team Member Form

RECOMMENDED

• Tuberculosis Risk Assessment

Continuing Intern Eligibility 

• CTC requires all intern teachers to have a 144 hours of general support (GS) per school year (i.e., through the last day of contracted instruction with students). Additionally, for interns who do not hold an English learner (EL) authorization, an additional 45 hours of EL support is required. For Dominican interns, the school site is responsible for meeting 120 of the 144 GS hours during the school year; Dominican the remaining 24 GS hours. For the EL hours, the school site are responsible for meeting 30 of the 45 EL hours during the school year; Dominican the remaining 15 EL hours. See Intern Support Log. 

• Intern credentials are issued for a maximum of two years and are dependent upon employment circumstances. Any changes in employment may result in the revocation of the credential. 

Withdrawing from an Intern Placement

Candidates must contact their faculty advisor if they need to withdraw.

For more detailed Intern information, see University Internship Credentials on the CTC website.