Information regarding the instructor certification process can be found in detail on the UConn Early College Experience website at www.ece.uconn.edu. Interested instructors may download an application form from this website.
Please note that students will not be allowed to register for UConn ECE courses unless official notification from the UConn ECE program office has been sent to the newly certified instructor.
Application Materials
- Cover letter that explains teaching background and experience in detail.
- Résumé or curriculum vitae that includes teaching experience and any relevant training.
- Official graduate and undergraduate transcripts.
- Two recommendation letters (preferably from instructor’s high school principal and department head).
- Proposed syllabus for the course(s).
Degree Requirements
The preferred preparation for teaching Early College Experience English courses is a Master’s of Arts degree in English with at least some coursework in rhetoric and composition (especially courses directly related to the teaching of writing). The minimum degree requirement for teachers wishing to teach Early College Experience English courses is usually a Master’s of Arts degree in English; however, a candidate with Master’s in Education and at least two graduate level English classes (one of which is in rhetoric and composition) may be considered.
When To Apply
Since most university faculty are on 9-month appointments and are often away during the summer conducting research, instructor certification applications should be submitted on or before January 30th for consideration for the following fall semester.
Maintaining Certification
To maintain certification, an instructor must
- submit up-to-date course materials to ECE English’s HuskyCT (Blackboard) site in a timely fashion and
- attend at least one UConn ECE English Conference every two years.
For additional information on maintaining certification, please refer to the Curriculum Submission section.
Substituted/Uncertified Teachers
A high school cannot substitute an uncertified teacher to function as a long-term replacement for an instructor who is certified with UConn Early College Experience. Obviously, circumstances may occur in which a short-term substitute is required, such as an instructor’s illness. Should a school need to use a substitute for an entire semester, or for any large portion of the course, the school must first consult with the Directors of First-Year Writing and the UConn ECE program office. Consultation regarding substitutes is mandatory for students to receive UConn credit for their course.
Provisional Status
All incoming instructors begin in provisional status. Provisional status becomes full status once an instructor has gone through a cycle of engagement and review that includes: attending the orientation for new instructors, submitting a complete file of course materials, attending at least one ECE conference, having a site visit, and engaging with the Faculty Coordinator in a review process. This process should be completed in the first or second year.