Multiple Subject Credential (MSCP)

Mary Borba, Ed.D., Multiple Subject Credential Program Coordinator
Elmano Costa, Ed.D., Field Placement (Student Teaching) Coordinator
Juan Flores, Ed.D., Spanish BCLAD Adviser
Mildred Murray-Ward, Ph.D., Teaching Internship Coordinator
Chris Vang, Ed.D., Southeast-Asian BCLAD Adviser
Anne Weisenberg, Ed.D., Selection and Review Committee Chair

Note: There are no “catalog rights” in credential programs. Requirements, subject to change, are set by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing, the California State University, and CSU Stanislaus. Students must meet the current state requirements for the credential. For current state requirements, consult the Handbook for the Multiple Subject Credential Program, which is available online at www.csustan.edu.

It is the mission of the Teacher Preparation Program to prepare candidates who are:

1. Competent in their chosen areas
2. Able to integrate subject-matter content with pedagogy appropriate to their field of study
3. Culturally responsive and responsible, knowledgeable, and appreciative of the diversity among learners
4. Committed to self-assessment and reflection
5. Partners, educational advocates, and leaders at the school level and in the wider community, and
6. Users of technology that enhances teaching and learning

Beginning in January 2004, CSU Stanislaus began offering a Senate Bill 2042 Credential, which authorizes the holder to teach:

• All subjects in self-contained classes from kindergarten through high school
• “Core” classes in middle/junior high school and high school

In practice, most holders of the Multiple Subject Credential teach in grades K-6, with a substantial number teaching “core” classes in grades 7-8. Only a few teach in high schools. Credential program courses are offered in Turlock, Stockton, and Merced.

Emphases in the Multiple Subject Credential Program

CSU Stanislaus offers the following emphases (specializations) in the Multiple Subject Credential:

• BCLAD (Bilingual, Cross-cultural, Language, and Academic Development) — prepares holders to teach in bilingual as well as English-only classrooms. BCLAD emphasis is available in the following languages: Spanish, Hmong, Lao, and Cambodian (Khmer). Candidates for the BCLAD must be able to speak, read, and write the language as demonstrated in a test offered by the Department of Teacher Education.

Undergraduate Preparation for the Bilingual Multiple Subject Credential Program

Students planning to obtain a credential with a BCLAD emphasis are encouraged to enroll in the Bilingual/Cross-cultural concentration in the Liberal Studies program. Students with other majors are also accepted into the BCLAD credential program, provided they can speak, read, and write the language of emphasis.

• Certificate in Primary Language Support — This certificate has no legal bearing, but can be used in an application to demonstrate preparation to support students who are English learners by providing instructional support in the primary language. Candidates for this certificate must demonstrate ability to speak the languages (for example, Spanish, Hmong, Lao, Vietnamese, Cambodian [Khmer], Portuguese, Punjabi, or Assyrian), but do not have to be able to read and write the language.

Internship Program

The internship program permits students in the Multiple Subject Credential Program to obtain employment as a teacher in collaborating school districts while completing the requirements for the Preliminary Credential. Interns must still complete all the courses and tests in the credential program. The only difference is that interns do not have to complete student teaching practicum; they get credit for student teaching practicum from their paid intern teaching position. To qualify for internship, students must meet all of these requirements:

• B.A./B.S. degree
• California Basic Educational Skills Test (CBEST) exam
• California Subject Examination for Teachers (CSET) Multiple Subjects Examination
• College coursework or an examination on U.S. Constitution
• Employment with a school district that is a partner with CSU Stanislaus in the intern program
• Tuberculosis (TB) clearance
• Certificate of Clearance (fingerprint clearance)

Consult the Intern Handbook online at www.csustan.edu for specific procedures and requirements.

Application Procedures

• Submit completed application packet (see the Application Form for exact contents).
• Attend an orientation session.
• Be interviewed by a committee composed of University professors and representatives of school districts.

Application packets are available:

• at www.csustan.edu
• at the Department of Teacher Education office in DBH 330
• at CSU Stanislaus-Stockton Center

Applications are submitted about six months prior to the semester in which the student plans to enroll. For fall semester, the program begins accepting applications the second Monday in February and for spring semester the first Monday in September. Exact dates are noted on the cover of the application packet, or you may contact the Department of Teacher Education for information on timelines.

General Requirements for Multiple and Single Subject Credential Programs

1. Application and Admission to CSU Stanislaus and the Credential Program – Requires Separate Applications, Fees, and Transcripts. The application to the University is separate from the application to the credential program.

Credential applicants must already be CSU Stanislaus students or have applied to the University at the time they apply to the credential program. University applications are available at the Turlock Campus at the Graduate School, at CSU Stanislaus-Stockton Center, or online at www.csustan.edu/grad.

Application to the University requires a separate set of transcripts and separate fees. If students graduate while in the credential program, they must reapply to the University in a timely manner (about six months prior to graduating) and be readmitted as graduate students to continue in the program.

2. Grade Point Average (GPA) Requirements for Admittance
   
   The required GPA is 2.75 in the last 60 units or 2.67 overall.

Special Admittance Criteria — The Department is allowed to admit a small number of students who do not meet admittance requirements. The criterion for special admittance is at the sole discretion of the Department of Teacher Education. Candidates who are below the minimum GPA according to the criteria must submit a letter noting the exception and requesting special consideration. Candidates must have a minimum GPA of 2.5 in the last 60 units. Admission for such candidates will be determined on an individual basis, following these criteria:

1. Minimum of 2.5 GPA in the last 60 units. If not, do not apply.
2. Date of application
3. Passed interview
4. Proximity to the required 2.67 or 2.75 GPA
5. Possessing special skills that would benefit the candidate as a teacher
6. Number of co-requisite courses that the applicant has already completed
7. Quality of recommendations
8. Quality of application letter

3. Tuberculosis Clearance

Students must show proof of having completed a screening for tuberculosis in the last 4 years.

4. Certificate of Clearance

Applicants must submit fingerprints via “livescan” and be “cleared” before working with students. The clearance is processed through the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CCTC). The California Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) conduct background checks. When cleared, a student will receive by e-mail from the Commission a “Certificate of Clearance.”