TEACHER EDUCATION PREFERRED ADMISSION
Explore education in your first two years of undergraduate study, be a part of a small community, work with young people, and get guaranteed admission into our junior-level program.
Requirements
Completing these requirements results in guaranteed admission to the Marsal Family School of Education's Teacher Certification Program:
- Complete 54 credit hours outside the Marsal School before transferring to a teacher certificate program
- Maintain at least a 3.0 GPA overall prior to junior year
- Meet with a Marsal School academic advisor at least once a semester
- Attend at least one TEPA event a semester
- During your first year, complete one of the following Introductory Education courses:
- Highly Recommended: During your second year, complete one of the following Intergroup Relations courses:
Note: These requirements apply to the incoming Fall 2023 TEPA cohort and are subject to change for future students.
How to join
- High School Students
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Step 1: Apply to UM
- Apply to U-M Ann Arbor using the Common Application. When filling out the application, select “Marsal Family School of Education” under preferred admission:
- Upon admittance to U-M, you will receive a TEPA welcome packet from the Marsal School.
Step 2: Attend TEPA Orientation
- You will be invited to TEPA orientation at the beginning of your first semester.
Step 3: Sign TEPA Agreement Form
- At the TEPA orientation, we will ask for you to sign a TEPA Agreement Form, confirming you as an official member of TEPA.
- Current U-M Students
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Step 1: Meet us
- Schedule a meeting with Marsal School recruiters to learn more about TEPA.
Step 2: Sign TEPA Agreement Form
- After speaking with you, we will ask for you to sign a TEPA Agreement Form, confirming you as an official member of TEPA.
- Transfer Students & Other Prospective Students
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Step 1: Meet us.
- Schedule a meeting with Marsal School recruiters to learn more about TEPA.
FAQ
- Why join TEPA?
- TEPA students have access to Marsal School academic advisors, volunteer opportunities to work with young people, and guaranteed admission into our junior-level program.
- Who can join TEPA?
- First-year U-M students can express their interest in education and join TEPA anytime during their first semester. Interested applicants should follow the steps in How to Join TEPA.
- Do I have to apply to TEPA?
- The TEPA program does not require an application; applicants meet with a Marsal School recruiter or attend a TEPA event, and then sign an agreement form that confirms their TEPA membership.
- What are the requirements of TEPA?
- See TEPA Requirements.
- Will joining TEPA affect my status at my current U-M college or school?
- No, joining TEPA does not affect your status with your current college or school.
- If I join TEPA, am I obligated to transfer to the Marsal School?
- No, participants have no obligation to transfer to the Marsal School, and participants who no longer wish to pursue education are free to leave the TEPA program at any time. Participants who would like to stop receiving communications about TEPA should email marsal.admissions@umich.edu and request to be removed from the TEPA mailing list.
- I am interested in a dual degree (Multiple Dependent Degree Program) with the Marsal School and another U-M college or school. Can I still join TEPA?
- Yes, Marsal School academic advisors are available to help TEPA participants with the MDDP process.
- I only want a teaching certificate and do not plan on transferring to the Marsal School. Can I still join TEPA?
- Yes, completing the TEPA program guarantees admission to our certificate-only programs. Marsal School academic advisors are also available to help TEPA participants with the certificate-only process.
- I am not a first-year/first-semester Michigan student. Can I join TEPA?
- No, TEPA is open to first-year/first-semester students. However, TEPA-ineligible applicants may still apply to the Marsal School through the cross-campus transfer application. Marsal School academic advisors are available to answer questions about and offer guidance through the application process.
- I don’t qualify for TEPA. Can I still apply to the Marsal School?
- Yes! TEPA-ineligible applicants may still apply to the Marsal School through the cross-campus transfer application. See Admissions for more details on applying, or contact us for guidance through the application process.
- Are their scholarship opportunities for TEPA students?
- Yes, starting in Fall 2023, Marsal Education is offering the Marsal School offers a 4-year commitment to eligible undergraduate students pursuing teacher education to make their Michigan degree affordable through our Teach Blue initiative. Please visit Tuition & Funding for Undergraduate Students for additional scholarship information.
Connect with us
Additional questions? Submit your questions via our inquiry form, schedule an appointment with an academic advisor or recruiter, or reach out to us directly at marsal.admissions@umich.edu or (734) 615-1528.
Where can TEPA take you
Debi Khasnabis
TEPA students are able to gain a lot of knowledge about the field of teaching through courses they take before beginning the certification program and through being a member of the SOE community. Once they begin certification coursework, TEPA students have developed a unique kind of insight that they carry into the classroom and their vision for their future career.
Debi Khasnabis
Clinical Professor of Education & Chair, Elementary Teacher Education Program
Megan Loren
What I've enjoyed most about TEPA is the early access it provides to Marsal Family School of Education resources, such as the SOE-specific academic advising! It makes selecting classes so much easier when I know the specific prerequisites in order to get into SOE in the beginning of my junior year. I have also loved the TEPA events because I have been able to meet so many new people who I end up seeing in classes in the future! It is so cool to have this opportunity because I know that I will be seeing these people a lot more once we enter the SOE.
Megan Loren
University of Michigan Class of 2025, Bachelor's in Elementary Education, Education for Empowerment Minor, and TEPA Ambassador
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