FAQ - Certificates
Frequently asked questions
Renewals, Professional, Occupational, Administrator and Advanced Renewal Certificates
How do I apply for admission?
If
you have not taken courses at WMU in the past year or if you recently graduated, fill out a Graduate Non-Degree Application". You must change your admission status to
Graduate-Degree status before you complete your ninth hour if you
decide to work on a master's degree.
Decide what planned program you want to follow.
Remember the 18 hours must be in a
planned program and taken after the issue date of your initial
Michigan Provisional Certificate. Pay for your
Provisional as soon as you receive the bill from the Michigan
Department of Education. If the issue date of the Provisional is
after you complete your class, then it won't count toward the 18
hours. An exception to this rule is a completion of an approved
master's degree; then the dates don't matter.
I have my Professional Certificate and I know I need to take 6
semester hours (or 18 SB-CEU's) every five years to keep my
Professional active, how do I decide what 6 semester hours to take
for the "advanced renewal of the Professional?"
The Michigan Department of Education has no specific content
requirement for the 6 hours every five years to earn the "advanced
renewal of the professional." The MDE says the hours may be from a
2-year OR 4 year college, they may be 6 hours of semester credits,
or 18 SB-CEU's. You should choose classes that help YOU in your
teaching career, whether that is an advanced photography class, or
zoology class.
Start by looking at the course offerings (graduate or
undergraduate) and then go to
the Admissions site and fill out a
graduate/non-degree application. When you are finished, you need to
fill out the "advanced renewal of the professional" application. You do not have to send a
transcript to the MDE unless they request one. Credit earned through correspondence is not acceptable.
I have my Professional Certificate and I have just completed my required 6 semester hours (or 18 SB-CEU's) that I have to take every five years. What do I do now to let the Michigan Department of Education know that I have completed this?
You will need an Advanced Renewal Application from the Michigan
Department of Education when you are finished with the six hours or
18 SB-CEU's.
I allowed my Professional Certificate to lapse. I did take 6 hours before June 2002, but did not complete the Advanced Renewal application. May I fill out the application form now in 2008?
You will need to complete a new 6 hours
(or 18 SB-CEU's) because semester hour credits or SB-CEUs must have
been completed within the five-year period preceding the date of
application and after the date of issuance of the previous
certificate.
