Master`s Degree Alternate Certification Program

• A program that leads to teacher certification as well as a master’s degree.
• Offers certification in Grades PK-3, 1-5, 4-8, 6-12, All-level K-12 (art, dance, foreign language, health and physical education, and music), Early Interventionist Birth to Five Years, Mild/Moderate, Significant Disabilities 1-12, Hearing Impaired K-12, and Visual Impairments/Blind K-12.
• If employed in the schools while pursuing program requirements, a candidate can obtain a Practitioner License 3 (PL3). A PL3 is valid for one school year and may be renewed annually up to four years. The candidate must remain enrolled in the state-approved Master’s Degree Alternate Certification Program and fulfill a minimum of nine (9) semester hours of coursework per year (to the extent that required semester hours remain in the program to be completed).
• Total credit hours in program—33 to 39 graduate credit hours

• Hold a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university 
• Earned undergraduate degree with 2.5 GPA on 4.0 scale (as per LA R.S. 17:7.1 A.3) –or- if admitted into program on or after December 21, 2019 with an undergraduate GPA less than 2.50 the candidate must have successfully completed an interview with the program’s admissions officer (as per LA R.S. 17:7.1 A.3) 
• Earned passing scores on Praxis core academics skills for educators (Praxis I); candidates possessing one of the following will be exempt from Praxis I: a graduate degree will be exempt from the Praxis I requirement when enrolling in a LA state-approved teacher preparation program, an ACT composite score of 22, or an SAT combined verbal/critical reading and math score of 1100 or higher (New SAT) or 1030 or higher (pre-March 2016 SAT)
• Pass Praxis II content specific subject assessment(s).
• Meet other non-course requirements established by the college or university.