To be eligible for Pennsylvania Instructional-I teaching certification, you must: pass the PRAXIS I & II exams in your area of certification successfully complete your coursework and internship or student teaching successfully complete the PA Statewide Evaluation Form for Student Professional Knowledge and Practice (PDE 430).

Our School offers several graduate programs leading to teacher certification. You can read about these programs in greater detail online, and you can also attend a weekly teacher information session to learn more about the application process

Read about all of our teacher certification programs and involve yourself in volunteer and/or paid positions that afford you the opportunity to work with a variety of different age groups and types of students.

No GRE exam is required for admission to the School of Education. The following links will direct you to information from Educational Testing Service about admission tests (which, may be required depending upon your specific program of interest). When taking a test, please be sure to indicate the relevant school code(s) so that we receive an official score report.

• PRAXIS – University of Pittsburgh institution code (R2927)
• TOEFL – University of Pittsburgh institution code (2927); School of Education department code (85)

Teacher preparation candidates who meet the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s (PDE) requirement criteria earn an Instructional I teaching certificate, often referred to as a “provisional certificate”. Instructional II certification or “permanent certification” is granted by PDE to teachers who meet the following criteria: hold a valid Instructional I certificate; have completed a teacher induction program; have three years of satisfactory teaching experience in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; and have completed 24 post-baccalaureate credits.

This is a special certificate issued by PED. MAT students are required to earn an Intern Certificate in order to complete the intensive classroom-based training, which correlates with their coursework at the University. Without an Intern Certificate, students can only function as student teachers in their respective districts. Refer to the PA Department of Education for more information.

Currently, there are Interstate Agreements in place for those with a PA Instructional I certificate, and the PA certification is generally considered to be one of the strongest across the country. If your destination state is known, you should contact that state’s Department of Education to find out more details of the agreement.

All certified school personnel are covered under Act 48. Effective July 1, 2000, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania enacted Act 48, mandating a continuing professional education program for educators to maintain active certification.

Please visit our Act 48 web site for information on complying with Act 48 and reporting your credits or hours to the PA Department of Education.