If you are checking on the status of your recommendation for certification, please follow the steps below: 

  1. Login to UWA’s Self Service portal — www.selfservice.uwa.edu. 
  1. On the left-hand side, choose the Graduation Cap (Academics). 
  1. In the dropdown menu, select Test Summary. 
  1. Under “Other Tests,” look for the following codes: “Applied for ‘A’ Cert” (Master’s Degree) or “Applied for ‘AA’ Cert” (EDS Degree). There will be a date under the Date Taken column; this is the date your application was mailed to the ALSDE. Please note that the typical turnaround time is 6-8 weeks.  

UWA’s Commitment to Educator Effectiveness 

UWA’s College of Education will provide remediation at no cost to education graduates whose performance indicates the need for additional support within the first two years after the beginning valid date of the Professional Educator Certificate, which was issued based on recommendation by UWA.  Additional assistance may be requested by the new employee, the employee’s principal, or the employing superintendent. 

Learn more about the College of Education


Alabama State Department of Education

Out of State Candidates

Application for Certification 

For your convenience, please note the following information regarding certification. Application for certification is not subject to graduation deadlines. 

APPLICATION FOR CERTIFICATION IS THE STUDENT’S RESPONSIBILITY AND IS MADE THROUGH THE CERTIFICATION OFFICE. APPLICATION FOR CERTIFICATION MUST BE SUBMITTED WITHIN 60 CALENDAR MONTHS OF PROGRAM COMPLETION. 

Upon satisfactory completion of requirements for the master’s or education specialist degree (including the State approved professional education requirements and experience) students who initially held or met requirements for an Alabama Class B or A Professional Certificate will qualify for the appropriate Alabama Class A or AA Professional Certificate.

Apply for Certification

Application for the Educator Preparation Program 

EdPP Application for Undergraduate Students

EdPP Handbook for Undergraduate Students

Out-of-State Students 

Out-of-state students should check carefully the requirements of their respective states. The appropriate forms may be sent to the Certification Officer by mail or you may send a scanned copy of the form by e-mail to certification@uwa.edu. All mailed forms must be sent to the following address:  

The University of West Alabama
Attn: Certification Office
1 College Drive, Station #8 
Livingston, AL 35470 

Georgia Students – Frequently Asked Questions

Certification Office Forms 

Click here to access the instructions for submitting the Undergraduate Area of Specialization Form. 

Click here to access the Declaration of Citizenship or National Status of Applicant for Educator Certification Form. 

Click here to access the Supplemental Experience form.

Click here to access the Notice of Intent to Renew or Reinstate Teaching Certification.

Alabama Educator Certification Testing Program

ALSDE Educator Assessment Policies

ALSDE Educator Assessment Policies Manual B

Praxis II (Content Knowledge Test)

To register online, access preparation materials and more, visit the Praxis website.

Questions: 1.800.772.9476 or 1.609.771.7395 or 1.866.387.8602 (for disability services)

The Praxis II® tests of the AECTP measure general and subject-specific knowledge and teaching skills.

To determine the required Praxis II test(s) and score(s) for your major, choose the appropriate link:

Must indicate UWA as the score recipient. UWA Code: 1737.
Must indicate ALSDE as the score recipient. ALSDE Code: 7020
When you indicate the ALSDE and UWA as score recipients, your ETS file is linked with your ALSDE and UWA files using your Social Security Number. If you do not add UWA and the ALSDE as score recipients, you will be required to order additional score reports. This could cause a delay in processing. Additionally, if you do not provide your SSN when you register for the test, the scores must be manually added to your account which could cause delays.  

It is the student’s responsibility to verify that the official Praxis score report has been received by the Certification Office. Student Scores can be viewed in the Test Summary section of Self-Service.

Foundational Reading Assessment: Elementary Education, Early Childhood Education and Special Education K-6

Foundations of Reading 190. Be sure to make UWA a score recipient to this test.

edTPA

Education Teacher Performance Assessment (edTPA) is a portfolio assessment developed by the Stanford Center for Assessment, Learning and Equity (SCALE) featuring three tasks: planning, instruction and assessment. It is a performance-based, subject-specific assessment and support system used by teacher preparation programs throughout the United States to emphasize, measure and support the skills and knowledge that all teachers need from day one in the classroom.

An edTPA passing score is required for all initial certification programs (undergraduate and Alternate A programs). All University of West Alabama (UWA) student interns must complete and pass edTPA during their internship course (ED 409/ED 509) for student teaching requirements and Alabama educator certification. A passing score on the edTPA is a UWA degree requirement.

Upon edTPA registration, teacher candidates have 18 months to prepare and submit a finalized portfolio for both initial portfolio submissions and retake submissions.

All UWA interns will receive support and guidance throughout the completion of edTPA.

For additional information on edTPA, refer to the following website: edTPA for Alabama.

Memos Regarding Testing Updates

Special Education Updates 5354-5355 Spring 2024

Discontinuation of 1SEM Praxis II Scores

Social Studies Update 5081-5581 Fall 2025

Background Check & Fingerprint Information

To complete the registration process successfully, applicants will need the following:

  • A computer, tablet, or smartphone with internet access
  • A valid email account
  • Established AIM account (see instructions below)
  • ALSDE ID# (this will be established during the creation of your AIM Account)
  • Fee of $46.20 paid by debit card, credit card, or PayPal Account (prepaid debit cards or credit cards are acceptable.)
  • Ability to provide their commonly known personal information (SSN, DOB, DL#, Height, Weight, etc.)

Please be sure you follow the required sequence below. If you do not, you will not be able to complete the process successfully.

Step 1: Create an AIM Account – Login to AIM

Step 2: Complete Background Check Registration in AIM

Step 3: Create Fieldprint Account 

Step 4: Complete authorization forms, schedule appointment, and fee payment

Step 5: Report for fingerprint appointment

Verification of Higher Degree 

The Verification of Higher Degree form is only for individuals who already hold a valid Alabama Educator Certificate and have earned an advanced degree.  This form is not for those who have completed an initial certification degree program (undergraduate- Class B and Alternative Class A). 

This form is not for individuals who are seeking certification in another state. 

The applicant must complete this form and it must be signed by the LEA Superintendent.  The form is to be mailed to the Alabama State Department of Education upon completion.  This form does not need to be mailed to UWA’s Teacher Education and Certification Office.  

You are still required to submit an application for certification (see above) for your endorsement to be listed on your teaching certificate.  This step must be completed.  Failure to do so may result in additional testing and/or classes if not done in a timely manner. 

Questions regarding advance pay should be sent to payforadvanceddegrees@alsde.edu. 

Alternative Certification Approaches 

Alternative approaches to earning a Professional Educator Certificate or a Professional Leadership Certificate are available. More information can be found here.

Alternative Class A Program

Learn more about the Alternative Class A Program here.

Provisional Certificate in a Teaching Field (PCTF)

You can complete the courses required by the Alabama State Department of Education (ALSDE) for a provisional teaching certificate at the University of West Alabama. The Alabama State Approved Provisional Certificate in a Teaching Field (PCTF) provides educators with the coursework required to earn a Class B teaching license. It allows students to choose from an approved list of courses and approach the teacher certification program with just 12 credit hours.

The list of ALSDE approved courses for the PCTF approach can be found here.

Note that the PCTF approach does not lead to a degree or certification recommendation from UWA, only certification issued by the ALSDE at the Class B level. However, if you wish to pursue a graduate degree program in education, as well as Class A teacher certification, you may be interested in the Alternative A Program.

Temporary Special Education Certificate Approach

Individuals can earn a Class B certificate endorsed for Collaborative Special Education (6-12) that is tailored for special education to comply with federal guidelines. Certification is available for completion 100% online through the Online Temporary Special Education Certificate program.

The following are the requirements to pursue this certification approach:

  1. An applicant for the first Temporary Special Education Certificate (TSEC) must:
    1. Hold at least a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university.
    2. Meet the 2.50 GPA requirements applicable to the PCTF approach.
    3. Document enrollment in at least one course provided by a college or university approved to provide this approach.
  2. At the request of a local superintendent, the ALSDE will issue up to three, one-year certificates for a person who is making progress toward completing this approach.
  3. A person will be eligible to receive a Class B certificate endorsed for Collaborative Special Education (Grades 6-12) based on documentation of:
    1. At least one full year of full-time special education teaching experience in Grades 6-12 while holding a Temporary Special Education Certificate, with oversight by an approved mentor.
    2. Credit (with a grade of “C” or better) for a bundle of five courses taken from one college/university and approved to address five major topics: survey of special education, collaboration/consultation, methods and assessment, special education laws, and behavior analysis/modification.
    3. Completion of special education modules developed by the ALSDE
    4. A passing score on the Praxis test for special education

The following are the required courses offered by UWA to pursue this certification approach:

  • SE 301 Introduction to Collaborative Teaching in Special Education
  • SE 303 Behavior Management or SEC 311 Effective Classroom Management and Organization
  • SE 400 Introduction to Special Education
  • SE 405 Teachers and the Law
  • SE 451 Methods of Teaching Special Education (K-12)

Coursework completed ten or more years prior to July 1, 2022 will not be accepted.  All coursework must be taken at UWA for this approach.

For more information, criteria, and application go to www.alabamaachieves.org.

KR1 Submission to ALSDE Based on MS Guidance Counseling Program Completion

KR1 Submission Instructions

UWA students who complete the Master of Science Guidance Counseling program are eligible to apply for an Alabama Teaching Certificate. The instruction page linked below indicates the process and additional requirements that must be met.

Application for KR1 Submission

Continuing Education eLearning

View our listing of available online continuing education eLearning courses to build your resume and make yourself more marketable to potential employers.

Click here for more information!

Regional Accreditation Information

Learn more about regional accreditation information here.

Conceptual Framework

The Empowered Practitioner

Vision

To be recognized as a catalyst for empowering learners to be global citizens who positively change the world.

Mission

The University of West Alabama’s College of Education is committed to…

  • modeling sound research-based teaching methods.
  • engaging community partners in collaboration to inspire positive change.
  • developing literacy in content, technology, and communication.
  • nurturing and developing responsible, innovative, reflective, and caring educational professionals.
  • providing diverse experiences for learners.

Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)

LO #1: Teaching, Learning, and Assessment
The Empowered Practitioner models sound research-based teaching methods and assessments to facilitate learning.

LO #2: Content Knowledge, Research, and Theory
The Empowered Practitioner applies content knowledge, research, and theoretical concepts to enhance learning.

LO #3: Diverse Learners
The Empowered Practitioner utilizes differentiated experiences to engage diverse learners.

LO #4: Technology and Communication
The Empowered Practitioner enhances teaching and learning through effective technology integration.

LO #5: Literacy
The Empowered Practitioner uses effective communication skills and demonstrates literacy across the curriculum.

LO #6: Professionalism
The Empowered Practitioner demonstrates appropriate professional practices.