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Post-Baccalaureate

Initial Licensure

If you have already obtained your bachelor’s degree and are looking to return to school to earn your teaching license,

there are two programs you can consider:

  • The Job Embedded Practitioner Program, or
  • The Post-Baccalaureate Internship

The Job Embedded Practitioner Program allows you to concurrently earn a Master’s degree while serving (and getting paid) as a Teacher of Record in a partnering school. For most students this is a two year program, with most courses taken during the summers as the academic years are spent teaching. You have the option to begin your courses prior to being hired as a teacher, however, you MUST be hired as a teacher and complete at least one year teaching full-time in order to complete this program. Courses for this program are offered 100% online and at times that accommodate a teacher’s work schedule. If you are interested in applying for the Job Embedded Practitioner Program, please click here.

Post-Baccalaureate Internship programs allow you to concurrently earn a Master’s degree while serving as an intern under the supervision of a highly skilled Mentor Teacher in a local school. For most students this is a two-year program; the first year consists of UTK coursework and the second year is the professional, mentored internship experience. Courses for this program are mostly offered on-campus, in the face-to-face setting. If you are interested in applying to the Post-Baccalaureate Internship Program, please see the application process below:

An applicant must submit a Post-Baccalaureate Review Request with appropriate documentation, to the Office of Teacher Licensure, beateacher@utk.edu.  A teacher licensure advisor will review the request and conduct a course-by-course transcript evaluation to determine the eligibility of the applicant. A cumulative minimum GPA of 2.75 on a scale of 4.0 is required for admission to the post-baccalaureate program. The applicant must also have a minimum 2.50 GPA in the teaching/subject area. All coursework, undergraduate and graduate, is taken into consideration when determining the GPA. If the applicant is eligible for admission to the program, courses will be recommended to make up any general education or content area deficiencies. This plan of study will be emailed to the applicant.

If you have completed an international degree, we must also have on file a review of your transcripts by one of the following companies. These are the companies that the Tennessee Department of Education currently recognizes:

• World Evaluation Services www.wes.org
• Josef Silney www.jsilny.com
• Association of International Credential Evaluator (AICE) www.aice-eval.org
• Academic Credentials Evaluation Institution (ACEI) www.naeg.org
• American Association of Collegiate Registrars & Admission Officers (AACRAO) www.aacrao.org
• Foreign Consultants Inc. www.foreignconsultants.com
• Evaluation Services Inc. www.evaluationservice.net
• Foundation for International Service www.fis-web.com
• Global Credential Evaluators www.gcevaluators.com
• IERF: International Education Research Foundation www.ierf.org
• ECE: Educational Credential Evaluations www.ece.org

Upon receiving the plan of study, the applicant may then meet with Lisa Emery through the Office of Professional Licensure.  Please email lemery@utk.edu to set up that appointment.

At this appointment, you will want to make sure you meet the minimum program requirements. Meeting these minimum requirements does not guarantee admission to a teacher education program. If your transcripts are not on file with the UTK system, you are required to provide copies. You may email PDF copies to beateacher@utk.edu.

GPA: Per Tennessee State Board of Education policy, GPA should be 2.75 or above to apply for admissions to teacher education. If you are unsure whether your GPA meets the minimum requirement, please contact your advisor or beateacher@utk.edu.  If your GPA is below a 2.75 but you are passionate about becoming a teacher, you are encouraged to apply as exceptions can be made in select cases.

Standardized Tests: Per Tennessee State Board of Education policy, those applying for admission to undergraduate teacher education programs should have an ACT Composite – 21 or SAT Verbal & Math – 1080.  If you do not have proof of minimum ACT or SAT but are passionate about becoming a teacher, you are encouraged to apply as exceptions can be made in select cases.

Additional Requirements: Minimum credit hours, GPA, and required courses completed, including AP and transfer, vary according to program area. Please check with Lisa Emery and/or review the Academic Programs for your program area for further details.

Transfer or Returning Students: If you are not a current UTK student, you must be admitted to the University before your admission to Teacher Education is finalized. Candidates may choose to apply to UTK at this time. Check with your advisor regarding classification as an undergraduate or a graduate student before submitting an application to the University. Admission to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, does not guarantee admission to teacher education. However, admission to UTK is required before full admission to a teacher education program is official. For more information about UTK admission, please click here.

Teacher Education Application Link: Summer Application Period – June 16-August 5

  • Summer 2025 Admission Board Review Period-August 6-14
  • Fall 2025 Admission Board Review Period: TBA

Please follow the link below to the application process which is housed within the Office of Professional Licensure: https://cehhs.utk.edu/opl/education-licensure-programs/undergraduate-initial-licensure/