Requirements: To start teaching in Rhode Island public schools, you need to receive the Alternate Route Preliminary Certificate (ARPC), and be admitted to the alternate route training program in partnership between Teach For America-Rhode Island and Rhode Island College. Requirements to enroll in the program include:
Selection as a Corps Member by Teach For America and assignment to Rhode Island
Including 3.0 GPA, required pass scores on Praxis II for Elementary Content Knowledge.
Successful completion of TFA Summer Pre-Service Training Institute
Successful completion of the First Eight Weeks TFA professional development module (45 clock hours)
Participation in Teacher Leadership Development Program and RIDE or district-led induction program if available
Submit Content Knowledge Scores through on-line submission module
Completion of an online application, which includes the Plan of Study for the IMED program. Simultaneous admission to the Individualized M.Ed. program is strongly recommended for both curricular and financial aid eligibility reasons.
The free online application must be submitted by 9 AM on July 19. It will ask you to provide the following:
Contact information (it is a secure site)
Your resume (you may authorize TFA to provide this for your application).
The title of the proposed IMED Program. The title may not be the same as existing RIC graduate programs. The IMED program may include courses from many programs.
A 500 word essay presenting the scholarly value, career objectives and feasibility of the proposed program. The key to this essay is a solid alignment of your goals with the coursework selection in the Plan of Study. Write it in advance, then copy and paste.
A coherent Plan of Study for the remainder of the courses, including any graduate transfer credit (no more than 6 credits) you would like to submit. The program must include a minimum of 30 credits of coursework taken for graduate credit, of which no more than 9 credits may be in 400-level courses. Your Plan must include ELED 510 Research Methods, Analysis, and Applications which will serve as a capstone project or comprehensive assessment for the degree plan.
In addition, we will need
One copy of all official transcripts of each undergraduate and graduate record, forwarded by TFA OR mailed to RIC: FSEHD Graduate Admissions, 600 Mount Pleasant Avenue, 105 Horace Mann Hall, Providence, RI 02908.
Two professional references submitted online at RICreference.org, OR forwarded by TFA office
Pointers for creating your Plan of Study
The core of your plan will include the 12 credits for elementary education certification and ELED 510 Research Methods, Analysis, and Applications.
RIC allows for 400-level courses (limit 9 credits) to be included in your plan.
Graduate transfer courses (limit 6 credits) from another accredited institution are allowed.
Graduate courses offered by RIC are listed in the College Catalog.
See suggested courses for Individualized Plan of Study. To see which courses are usually offered, consult the Course Bulletin.
You may also contact Department Chairs with inquiries about the regularity of course offerings.
Beware of prerequisites. Make sure the courses you choose make a coherent program.
You may consider the strands of the M.Ed. in Elementary Education, TESL program, or MLED program. Feel free to run your drafts by Dr. Monica Darcy before submitting the plan of study.
With inquiries regarding RIC's Graduate School policies and procedures, contact Dr. Monica Darcy, Director of Graduate programs at FSEHD, and Dottie Grady, her assistant.