Student Teaching

All Bowie State University early childhood/special education, elementary education, and secondary education majors must complete a one-year internship in a professional development school (PDS) setting. A PDS is a school that has entered into a collaborative partnership with the Bowie State University School of Education to provide quality academic experiences and clinical training for teacher candidates and meaningful professional development experiences for practicing teachers.

The two-semester year-long internship consists of one semester of methods courses (Phase I) and one semester of student teaching (Phase II). In Phase I of the year-long internship, interns are enrolled in methods courses and complete a field experience which requires spending two full days a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays for a minimum of 12 weeks (24 days) at the PDS site. In Phase II, interns typically return to the same school where they completed Phase I field experience. Interns in Phase II of the year-long internship complete the field experience every day for 16 weeks.

Prospective year-long interns must:

  • have been admitted to the Teacher Education Program.
  • make application for the year-long internship the semester prior to the beginning of the Phase I of the year-long internship.
  • have passed PRAXIS I before enrolling in methods courses and Phase I of the year-long experience.

Year-long Interns

Year-long interns enrolled in the fall semester of Phase I and Phase II of the year-long internship must report to the PDS site when schools open for teachers in August.

Phase II year-long interns enrolled in the spring semester must report to the PDS site when schools open after the winter break.

Phase II year-long interns must pass PRAXIS II to graduate.

All year-long interns must complete a minimum of 100 days of field experience over two semesters.

Phase I interns must have a Criminal History Disclosure Form on file in the Office of Field Experience.

Phase I Interns must be fingerprinted, if required by the system in which they are placed, before being placed at a PDS site.