Carter and Moyers School of Education

CAEP Accredited Program

Initial Teacher Licensure Undergraduate Programs: BS in Education with K-5, Special Education, and ELL Concentrations

Mission Statement

The mission of Lincoln Memorial University’s BS in Education program is to cultivate exceptional educators who are equipped with the skills, knowledge, and dedication necessary to inspire and lead in a variety of educational environments. The program prepares candidates to become reflective, adaptable, and effective teachers through evidence-based assessment, data-driven decision-making, and a focus on continuous improvement. 

EPP Commitment

The unit designs, implements, and evaluates curriculum and provides experiences for candidates to acquire and demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and professional dispositions necessary to help all students learn. Assessments indicate that candidates can demonstrate and apply proficiencies related to all students. Experiences provided for candidates include working with all populations, including higher education and P-12 school faculty, candidates, and students in P-12 schools.

All Programs

The Initial Teacher Licensure Undergraduate Department offers programs of study that lead to teacher licensure in Tennessee in elementary education, secondary education, special education, English language learners, and K-12 education. Licensure programs are approved by the Tennessee State Board of Education and adhere to the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation standards. LMU reserves the right to adjust its Initial Teacher Licensure Undergraduate Program requirements at any time to comply with changes mandated by the State Board of Education. 

Clinical Experience: All candidates must complete service learning hours each semester, and many education courses require clinical experience components in addition to classroom seat time. Please see the Initial Teacher Licensure Undergraduate Handbook for details. ALL REQUIRED PRAXIS EXAMS MUST BE PASSED PRIOR TO STUDENT TEACHING. All candidates must meet or exceed the state-required minimum on the edTPA Assessment Portfolio submitted during student teaching in order to qualify for a Tennessee Teacher License and graduation.

Teacher Licensure Programs Grade Requirement

All education major courses must be completed with a grade of C- or better.

Admission to the Initial Teacher Licensure Undergraduate Programs

Admission to LMU does not ensure admission into the Initial Teacher Licensure Undergraduate Programs. Candidates must complete the admissions process during Transition 1. The admissions process is initiated during the candidates’ enrollment in EDUC 290. Criteria and procedures for admission into the programs are as follows:

Full Admission:
Candidates will:

  1. Enroll in EDUC 290, The Teaching Profession.
  2. Fill out the Candidate Information Form.
  3. Enroll in other professional education pre-requisite courses or academic content courses based on a four (4) year plan for the program of study.
  4. Complete Professional Dispositions Interview (DAPtm).
  5. Submit the following documents to the Academic Support Assistant (Bus. Ed. 227) to be considered for Admissions Interview:
    1. Cold Writing Sample: Submitted in EDUC 290.
  6. Submit proof of a Tennessee Bureau of Investigation/Cogent Criminal Background Check and Liability Insurance Purchase to the Academic Support Assistant (Bus. Ed. 227) prior to receiving field experience placements. 
  7. Provide evidence of:
    1. ACT, SAT or CASE Praxis Exam (ACT = 21; SAT = 1020; CASE = writing, 162, Math 150, reading 156)
    2. University Transcript showing Cumulative GPA = 2.75
  8. Submit one recommendation from outside the Carter & Moyers School of Education.
  9. Complete and Pass the Formal Admissions Interview.

Financial Aid

Refer to the catalog's introduction for information on financial aid. Please note that 2+2 students must enroll and remain in at least one 16-week course along with their 8-week courses to be eligible for financial aid. 

Student Advising

After acceptance to the University, candidates who are pursuing Initial Teacher Licensure Undergraduate programs are assigned a professional advisor at the time of program application. The professional advisor assists each candidate in developing an educational plan that indicates a time frame for formal admission to the Initial Licensure Undergraduate Program and program completion. The candidate is responsible for scheduling advisement conferences each semester with their professional advisor. For general advising email account, lincs@lmunet.edu.

Note: Candidates should expect to be required to travel outside the main campus for selected clinical field experience during a portion of the program, to include schools in other counties.

Contact Information:

Office of Initial Teacher Licensure Undergraduate Business Education Building 227
Telephone: 423-869-6330
Website: www.lmunet.edu/education
Email: teachereducation@lmunet.edu

Office of Teacher Certification/Testing and Candidate Placement & Development
Business Education Building 214
Telephone: 423-869-6253
Email: tywana.england@lmunet.edu