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Frequently Asked Questions for Current Students

1. Where do I start?
2. What degree will I get?
3. What is an academic concentration?
4. What are the admissions requirements for the Watson College of Education?
5. What is the Praxis 1?
6. When should I apply?
7. Will I be blocked from Watson Courses if my application to Watson is in process?
8. The class I need to register for is already full. What should I do?
9. How do I use the waitlist?
10. Who is my advisor?
11. What are the required background checks?

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Where do I start?

Students who are learning about the requirements for the Watson College of Education and his/her individual program would benefit from watching the brief overview videos entitled “Roadmap to Student Success” and “Praxis 1 Overview”. Additionally, spending some time navigating this website is strongly encouraged, and would likely be extremely beneficial. Lastly, after seeking the available resources, students may request one on one advising with his/her advisor at any time to address additional questions and concerns.

What degree will I get?

If you are seeking an undergraduate degree to teach in any of the following areas, you receive a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Education:

• Elementary
• Middle Grades
• Special Education (Adapted or General)
• Education of Young Children

If you are seeking an undergraduate degree to teach in any of the following areas, you will receive a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in the specific Subject with Teacher Licensure:

• English
• Math
• Science
• Social Studies
• Music
• French
• Spanish
• Physical Education

What is an academic concentration?

It is a group of courses in a subject area outside of education. Elementary Education and Middle Grades students are required to complete academic concentration(s). Click here for more information.

What are the admissions requirements for the Watson College of Education?

1. Completion of ENG 101/201 or 103, one math, and one natural science (life or physical) with lab with grades of "C" or better.
2. Completion of EDN 200 "Teacher, School, and Society" and EDNL 200 with a grade of "C" or better. OR if seeking licensure for grades 9-12 completion of SEC 200, SEC 210, and SEC 220 with a grade of “C” or better.
3. Completion of a minimum of 45 semester hours. A cumulative grade point average of 2.700 or better (4.0 scale) on work attempted at UNCW. Transfer students must have at least 12 hours completed at UNCW and also have a cumulative GPA of a 2.700.
4. Passing scores (or exemption) for teacher education entry tests (Praxis I).

What is the Praxis 1?

Praxis 1 is a required exam that students must take and pass (unless exempt) before being admitted into Watson. Praxis 1 tests reading, writing and math skills. Students can take this exam as many times as needed in order to obtain the minimum passing scores. You do not have to be a UNCW student to take this test. The test is offered at multiple sites, including the UNCW Testing Center. Go to the Praxis information page for more details.

When should I apply?

You should apply as soon as you have met the requirements ideally in the sophomore year. Applications are reviewed three times per year. Deadlines are: December 1, May 1 and August 1. Once grades are posted, decisions are made and notifications are sent via email.

Will I be blocked from Watson Courses if my application to Watson is in process?

No, all students are allowed to pre-register for courses in anticipation of being accepted to Watson. If a student pre-registers for a course and does not get accepted to Watson, he/she will have to drop the course prior to the beginning of the term.

The class I need to register for is already full. What should I do?

When SEANET is open, many UNCW students are accessing SEANET to make adjustments to his/her schedule. Likely the number of seats open in any given course will fluctuate quite a bit between pre-registration and the first few days of classes. So if you want a class that appears full when you log into SEANET, the following is the procedure:

• Check back constantly. SEANET is “real time” so the moment a student drops a class, a seat will show open in that class until another student takes it.
• Use the waitlist (if it is available). Wait List Demonstration
• Make a sincere effort to look for your seats on SEANET between now and the first day of the particular class. If you cannot get a seat and the course does not offer a wait- list option, then attend the first day of class and ask the instructor (nicely) to be added. Remember -students who do not attend the first day of class can be dropped, which creates more seats!
• If the course you are seeking is online, and you cannot get into it by checking back on SEANET multiple times, you can email the instructor to request a seat. Online classes are very popular and there is usually a very high demand for a limited number of seats.

Who is my advisor?

Your degree audit will indicate the name of your advisor. Click here for instructions to get a degree audit.

See also: Who will advise me?

What are the required background checks?

All students wishing to apply to Watson and participate in the required field studies must complete background checks. One background check is part of the Watson Application, done online with no cost. The second background check is required prior to field studies by Certiphi. Students will be notified by email when the Certiphi check is required. More information can be found here.