Teacher Certification Pathways (TCP)
In 1985, the Pennsylvania Department of Education approved the Wilson College Teacher Intern Pathway (TIP). Due to societal changes, the program has evolved from a face-to-face program to a fully online program.
The Teacher Online Pathway (TOP) was created in 2018 to provide an online and accelerated pathway that is accessible statewide. The certification program requires successful completion in three areas: course work, state testing and the student/intern teaching practicum component. I
The Foreign Language Intern Pathway (FLIP) was created in 2017 to offer Pre-K-12 certification in the following: American Sign Language, Chinese, French, German, Japanese, Latin, Mandarin, and Spanish. To enter this pathway, the FLIP student must have passed all state testing and be employed as a foreign language teacher. Once admitted to the program, the student is eligible for the intern certificate issued by the state of PA, allowing the student to complete student teaching while employed.
Wilson College offers the traditional post-baccalaureate route to Pennsylvania Instructional I certification: application, acceptance, student-specific program design, coursework, standardized state testing and student teaching, which rounds out the program, resulting in achievement of the state-issued certificate. An alternate route may also be taken.
The concept of the intern certificate was developed to provide an alternate route to certification for an Instructional I certificate. The Wilson Teacher Certification Pathways, in compliance with PDE guidelines, has incorporated this option into the program. The student can begin his/her prescribed program of study once accepted, but must pass state-required testing and secure professional paid employment to obtain the intern certificate, which is valid for three years. The intern student can complete student teaching while employed, and will receive continuous, long-term supervision while simultaneously taking the academic coursework required for the Instructional I certification.
After completing the program, the candidate can transfer of PA certification to another state. View more information on how teacher credentials cross state lines.