Job-Embedded Licensure

Job-Embedded Enrollment Information

In order to enroll in the Job-Embedded Clinical Practice pathway and begin working as a teacher of record, an individual must meet the following requirements and complete the pathway enrollment steps.

• State Requirements

  According to state policy, to be eligible for the Job-Embedded Clinical Practice pathway, an individual must:

  • Provide evidence of a bachelor's degree or higher from a regionally accredited institution 
  • Provide proof of a minimum overall GPA of 2.75 or a GPA of 3.0 in the most recent sixty credit hours earned at a regionally accredited institution
  • Provide proof of a degree in the content area or qualifying scores on the required content exams
  • Supply a fingerprint sample and submit to a background check conducted by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
• Job-Embedded Pathway Enrollment

  In order to be recommended for a license and begin the Job-Embedded Clinical Practice pathway, ETSU requires that the following steps be completed:

  • Admission to Graduate Program

    First, you must apply to and be admitted to East Tennessee State University and obtain acceptance into an initial teacher licensure program at the master's level. For more information on the graduate programs available, visit the links below.

    • Master of Arts in Teaching
    • Special Education
    • Counseling
    • Educator Job-Embedded Graduate Certificate

    If you are ready to apply for a graduate program, visit the Application Instructions link. Applicants will need to provide evidence of a 3.0 or higher GPA and copies of transcripts from all colleges or universities previously attended.

  • Intent to Hire

    For the job-embedded pathway, a prospective student will need to obtain a job offer to teach in a Tennessee school. The hiring district would need to complete the Intent to Hire letter and submit it to alternativelicensure@etsu.edu.
  • Demonstrate Competency in the Content Area

    For initial licensure as a job-embedded teacher, an individual must have demonstrated competency of the content area in which they are seeking licensure. One way to demonstrate competency  is through successful completion of a bachelor's degree or higher in the subject area. The other way to demonstrate competency is to pass the state required exams for licensure.

    If an individual uses a degree to demonstrate competency and are endorsed in any other area other than middle or secondary core academics or world languages, that individual will need to pass the state required licensure exam within the three year job-embedded time frame.

    For more information about the ETS Praxis Subject Assessments and to find the exams applicable to each program, visit the ETS Praxis website. Please note, the state of Tennessee does not require the Principles of Learning and Teaching (PLT) exam. When registering for the Praxis Subject Assessment, individuals should include their Social Security number and request that scores are sent to ETSU (test code 1198) and the Tennessee Department of Education (test code 8190). If a Praxis assessment is taken in a state other than Tennessee, test scores will not be sent to the Tennessee Department of Education. ETS/Praxis will charge a fee to send scores after the initial registration.

    Students seeking a math endorsement have the option of taking the NES exam.

  • Job-Embedded Application

    Complete the Job-Embedded application.

  • Advising

    Meet with the appropriate program advisor to ensure a program of study that will enable completion of all the program requirements within the three years allowed by the job-embedded pathway.

    Once this is done, the advisor will complete the Advisor Sign-Off.

  • Background Check

    Complete an ETSU Background Check Package.

    Graduate students who participate in a job-embedded clinical practice must complete a Background Check Package, which consists of fingerprinting and required documentation. This background check will be housed in the Office of Educator Preparation (OEP) and on file with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI).

  • Liability Insurance

    Provide proof of liability insurance.

    ETSU requires candidates to obtain Professional Liability Insurance. Proof of liability insurance (evidence must include the name of the covered individual as well as effective and expiration dates) must be submitted to the Office of Educator Preparation before a candidate can be recommended to the state for licensure. Submit proof of insurance electronically to the Office of Educator Preparation at alternativelicensure@etsu.edu or bring a printed copy to the office in Warf-Pickel Hall, Room 305. Job-embedded candidates must maintain liability insurance until they have completed their program.

• Licensure

  Once all steps have been completed, our Certification Coordinator will recommend an individual for a Practitioner Teacher License in TN Compass. The individual will be notified by the Office of Educator Preparation upon approval of the license. Practitioner Teacher Licenses are valid for three years, therefore all program requirements must be satisfied within that three year time frame.

If you are interested in pursuing the Job-Embedded Clinical Practice pathway and have further questions, please provide us with your contact information by filling out the form below. You will receive a response from the Office of Educator Preparation (alternativelicensure@etsu.edu) with more information.