Department of Teacher Education
PUBLIC NOTICE: On January 17, 2018, the Commission for the Office of Educational Quality and Accountability voted to approve Southwestern Christian University's Educator Preparation Program (EPP) for 5-year accreditation. SCU'sCAEP site visit is scheduled for Fall 2022. Please contact Dr. Ira Harris at ira.harris@swcu.edu for more information.
Teacher Education Program
Department of Education Data
Certification Exams
Content knowledge is assessed by the Oklahoma General Education Test (OGET) - required for Transition I: Admission to Teacher Education - and the Oklahoma Subject Area Test (OSAT) - required for Transition III: Application to Clinical Internship. The Oklahoma Professional Teaching Examination (OPTE) assesses professional knowledge and skills - required for Transition IV: Recommendation for Certification.
The average OGET score for all SCU candidates is shown below along with the average OSAT and OPTE scores of SCU program completers.
Certification Examination Scores (2015-2020)
Average Scores:
OGET N=71 |
OSAT N=62 |
OPTE N=35 |
246 |
230.5 |
243 |
A minimum total score of 240 of a possible 300 is required to pass the OGET, OSAT, and OPTE tests.
First-Year Employer Surveys
SCU's first program completers graduated May 2018. First year surveys will be sent to completers and their principals. The survey addresses the following competencies: knowledge, planning/organization skills, instructional skills, classroom management skills, academic and professional excellence. The survey uses a scale of 1-6. The goal of the survey is to meet expectations (4-6) in performance and preparation.
First Year Survey Results
Completer |
Year |
Teacher Average |
Principal Average |
2 |
2017-2018 |
In Progress |
In Progress |
7 |
2018-2019 |
5.38 out of 6 |
5.34 out of 6 |
7 |
2019-2020 |
5.77 |
5.71 |
7 |
2020-2021 |
5.72 |
5.70 |
TOTAL: 23 |
Teacher Education Degrees:
SCU offers education degrees that provide candidates with the knowledge, skills, and disposition to teach in Pk-12 schools - public or private. Southwestern Christian University's Department of Education provides a B.S. in Teacher Education in the following subject areas:
- Early Childhood Development Education (PK-3rd)
- Elementary Education (1-8th)
- Secondary Education - English Education (5th-12th)
- Secondary Education - History Education (5th-12th)
- Secondary Education - PE, Health, and Safety Education (PK-12th)
Find Out More:
Contact: Dr. Ira Harris
Department of Education, Chair
Email Ira.harris@swcu.edu
Phone: (405) 789-7661 ext. 2284
Come to the CROSS!
The essence of our Christian mission is supported by a strong commitment to preparing competent, caring, reflective, and qualified educators. SWCU emphasizes the integration of subject matter, clinical experiences, and pedagogical knowledge as demonstrated by caring actions, service in the field, and teaching skills. We believe the teacher is the orchestrator of the learning environment and has the responsibility to create a positive atmosphere for all students. This is reached through specific themes designed to provide a unique educational experience at SWCU. The SWCU teacher education program seeks to prepare effective educators who are caring, reflective, service-guided, and scholarship-minded throughout their professional careers as they facilitate learning and model Christ. SWCU’s teacher education program strives to ensure that teacher candidates develop a strong foundation in the liberal arts, a sound knowledge of their discipline, and an understanding of how students learn and develop. Teacher candidates are encouraged to explore, reflect, analyze, and think critically as they develop curriculum and appropriate assessment procedures with awareness of different learning styles and as they strive to create a positive classroom environment that facilitates learning and partnerships with the home, school, and community through a reasonable mastery of communication skills. In order to establish these expectations for our program, the SWCU Teacher Education Council voted to adopt the InTASC Standards. Based on research and a solid knowledge base the InTASC Standards will serve as the practical application for our SWCU Conceptual Framework. So if you feel this is a path you want to pursue:
You might find the following links helpful in finding out more about teaching as a profession and SWCU’s Teacher Education Program: |
Contact Information
Contact: Dr. Ira Harris
Email: Ira.harris@swcu.edu
Phone: 405-789-7661 ext. 2284