Madison College students preparing to become elementary or special education teachers now have a direct pipeline to the UW–Madison School of Education thanks to a new transfer agreement signed this past fall.
The agreement guarantees admission into these teacher preparation programs for students who meet the requirements.
“Our School of Education is dedicated to helping students from our community follow their dreams of becoming teachers,” says UW–Madison School of Education Dean Diana Hess.
“We encourage everyone — including first-generation college students, students of color, students with language proficiencies other than English, and people who are considering a career change or earning a second degree — to think about utilizing this new transfer agreement.”
Here’s how it works: Madison College students enroll and earn an associate of arts degree in the liberal arts transfer education pre-major. Students also complete an electronic declaration of intent to participate in the initiative, and then meet with a Madison College and School of Education advisor at least once per semester.
Madison College students must earn a 3.0 cumulative grade-point average or better in transferable coursework, and also need to meet the requirements for admission to UW–Madison. The transfer agreement takes effect for students admitted to UW–Madison for the fall 2022 semester or later.
“It’s very exciting to learn that there will now be clear requirements and an easier pathway that make admission into UW–Madison’s School of Education attainable for Madison College students,” says Daniela Castellón, a UW– Madison senior who started her postsecondary education at Madison College. She is pursuing her BS from the School of Education, with certification in elementary education and English as a second language (ESL).
“I know our teacher education programs will greatly benefit from our growing connections to Madison College,” says Hess.
