Urban Educators Cohort Program

What is UECP?

The Urban Educators Cohort Program helps students gain the knowledge and skills they will need to teach in communities where resources and services are most limited. Through focused courses and guided teaching experiences during students’ first two years at Michigan State University, UECP is the foundation for preparing educators uniquely qualified to teach in urban school districts – and to meet the needs of all learners.

Hear more from our program coordinator, Mary Patillo-Dunn, on the value of the program and what you will learn as a participant: https://youtu.be/e4pzWDi2Abg

Who are UECP students?

Incoming freshmen at Michigan State University interested in learning more about urban education at the elementary or secondary level.

Students from any background, especially those interested in high-need teaching areas such as math, science, special education or English as a second language.

Message from Director

Welcome to the Urban Educators Cohort Program website!

Students attending our nation’s urban schools deserve teachers who have the knowledge, skills and dispositions to seize the opportunities and meet the challenges present in these learning environments. We know that teachers in urban schools play immensely important roles in either the perpetuation of highly problematic frameworks of teaching and learning in urban communities, or the dissemination of liberating pedagogies among communities most affected by systemic discrimination. That is why students in urban schools need teachers who know how to cultivate the resources and potential that others may fail to notice—so that all learners have the best chances to succeed. Those teachers are starting their preparation through the Urban Educators Cohort Program (UECP) at Michigan State University. UECP gives future educators the tools to understand the history and effects of social, cultural, political and economic issues that play out in urban schools, and to effectively meet the needs of all learners.

As a member of UECP, you will become part of a close-knit program along with peers who spend their freshman and sophomore years at MSU together visiting real classrooms and taking specialized courses together. You will receive instruction from renowned faculty in Urban Education and all the benefits of the nation’s top-ranked teacher preparation program, with a distinctly urban focus.

Through program participation, you will:

• Examine the role of sociocultural issues in teaching and learning
• Understand structures of power, privilege & oppression
• Embrace cross-cultural differences
• Create inclusive learning environments
• Connect with families & communities

UECP students spend time in real schools and classrooms early in their preparation at MSU, through the end of their fifth-year internship. Special opportunities for UECP students include:

• Educational tours in Chicago and Detroit
• Special invitations to tutor, attend seminars and participate in undergraduate research
• Mentoring from successful urban teachers and administrators
• The (paid) Urban Immersion Fellowship in Detroit each summer
• Special consideration for College of Education Undergraduate Scholarships
• Official transcript acknowledgment of UECP Program Completion

Please explore our website to learn more. We look forward to you joining our unique and exciting program!

Best Wishes,

Terry Flennaugh, Ph.D.

Specialized Classes

Cohort members move through freshman and sophomore years as a cohesive group, taking special sections of teacher education courses together. The classes are specifically designed to help students understand social, cultural and financial issues associated with urban schools. Students move into the formal teacher preparation program at MSU during their junior year. See the Program Requirements for more information.

Freshman Year

Current UECP Students

• Semester One
  • TE 101: Social Foundations of Justice and Equity in Education (3 credits)
• Semester Two
  • TE 102: Pedagogy and Politics of Justice and Equity in Education (3 credits)

Sophomore Year

Current UECP Students

• Semester Two
  • CEP 240: Diverse Learners in Multicultural Perspective (3 credits)

Freshman – Junior Year

• Urban education engagement experience requirement – students must complete Part A and Part B:
  • PART A: all students must participate in at least three (3) of the Urban Education Speakers Series offered through the College of Education and/or approved Talks, Seminars, Presentations, etc. offered throughout the MSU Community and beyond.
    View the list of college talks on urban education.
  • PART B: all students must participate in at least one of the following options:
    1. The Urban Immersion Fellowship Program
    2. The University Undergraduate Research and Arts Forum (UURAF) OR an approved independent outreach/research project with a College of Education faculty member.
    3. At least 30 hours of service working with children, youth, and/or urban communities through the Center for Service-Learning and Civic Engagement

Internship Year

To fulfill the urban internship requirement for UECP, students’ field placements must be in schools that are racially and/or socio economically minoritized. The following guidelines support our understanding of urban:

1. The school has a 50% + 1 students of color population
2. The school receives Title 1 funding, and/or
3. The school has a 50% + 1 free and reduced lunch population.

A school located in a suburb may also be considered if the above criteria is met. Use the National Center for Educational Statistics to validate.

Required Professional Education Courses taken after admission to the certification program

Requirements for the Elementary program.

Requirements for the Secondary program.

Apply to MSU

When to Apply

Senior Year of High School – on Obtain admission to Michigan State University and indicate your intention to complete a teacher certificate in elementary or secondary education. Information on financial aid for students can be found on the Office of Financial Aid homepage.

Apply to the Urban Educators Cohort Program

When to Apply

After Acceptance to MSU
Submit a supplemental application to the Urban Educators Cohort Program.

Application Review

When

2-4 Weeks After Submitting a Completed Application Student essay, grade point average, SAT or ACT scores, high school work and work activities, and written communication skills will be considered in the selection process.

The application review committee reviews applications on a rolling basis.

Applicants can expect to hear from the application review committee within 2-4 weeks of submission of an application.

Teacher Preparation

The Urban Educators Cohort Program is a specialized program within the teacher preparation program at Michigan State University. UECP students must therefore complete the same requirements as any Teacher Education student at Michigan State University. UECP simply provides added special emphasis in urban education themes.

When you complete UECP you will graduate from Michigan State University with a degree in Teacher Education and you will be eligible for teacher certification both in Michigan and, often with little or no extra requirements, in many other U.S. States.

For details on the teacher preparation program at Michigan State University, including program requirements, visit the teacher preparation program website.