MAT 6699 or ELSE 6600-MAT Sped (Internship) is the final course students take in the program. This is a 6 hour course which you must take by itself. You are in the classroom all day, every day for the entire semester. We strongly encourage you to wait until you have your own classroom to take internship. It helps you financially (paid internship) as well as you’re working in your own classroom. Please note that all candidates must have a 3.0 GPA prior to admission to internship.
Mandatory Online Internship Orientation for ALL Spring 2025 Interns (Teachers of Record and Placed)–Monday, January 13th, 6pm – 7:30pm via Zoom
Teachers of Record
Teacher of record candidates must complete the Internship Application located at the bottom of the page. The purpose of this form is to determine eligibility for internship. Incorrect information on this form may jeopardize candidate eligibility. Teaching positions may be used if you are in any public school, accredited charter, or accredited private school that are recognized by the state. If you are not sure about your school, please reach out to Mr. Ward. If you are not at an accredited private or charter, you will not be allowed complete your internship in that school.
Students To Be Placed for Internship
Having your own classroom before internship may not always work out for students. Therefore, we offer placement for our interns. All placed interns must also complete the Internship Application located towards the bottom of the page. ***Placed or Self-Placed internships are UNPAID! They are just like an undergraduate internship, where you will be there every day, all day with no compensation*** The only way to be paid during internship is to have a job as the Teacher of Record in your own classroom. No long-term substituting, no paraprofessional positions, no teaching assistants, no interventionist positions, no exceptions.
NOTE: Students being placed must pay a $250 fee to UCA Student Accounts prior to the start of the Spring semester. After the application deadline, Mr. Ward will email the names of placed/self-placed interns to students accounts. The fee will be placed on your account and you will be expected to pay ASAP.
What MUST be completed by all candidates in order to be eligible for Internship?
- Praxis Subject Area test(s) MUST be completed prior to application and scores submitted to UCA. You may contact Mrs. Susan Suits (ssuits@uca.edu) in the MAT office to make sure we have your scores.
- You must have a cleared FBI LiveScan Background Check and Child Maltreatment Registry Check. These must be LESS than ONE YEAR old at the time of graduation. If you have a provisional license, no need to redo the background check. Go to uca.edu/ocs/background-checks/internship-and-licensure/ for information about the background check process. To check on the status of your background check and child maltreatment check, go to the AELS website: http://adeaels.arkansas.gov/AelsWeb/
- You must have all required Professional Development Certificates Complete. Go to uca.edu/ocs/professional-development/ for information about the professional development requirements. Please upload ALL of your certificates into the MAT Orientation Organization in Blackboard (program coordinator will verify)! Once in the Orientation Organization, go to the Trainings/Certificates tab on the left, select the Document & Certificate Upload folder, and locate the AR Ideas PD Certificate tab.
- You must have Step 1 and Step 2 of the Ethics Training completed, before you submit your application. Information can be found here and in the MAT Orientation Shell in Blackboard.
- You must have all coursework completed before your Internship semester begins. All coursework must be completed with a 3.0 GPA or higher.
- You must register for the Internship course in MyUCA. If you are not registered by the time Internship Applications close, you will not be eligible for Internship. The application is separate from registration for the course. Do NOT register, if you do not meet the requirements.
Foundations of Reading Exam (K-6 & SPED Only–before graduation)
If you are in K-6 (Elementary) or Special Education, you are also required to take the Foundations of Reading assessment (https://uca.edu/ocs/testing-information/). The timeline for this test is during your internship semester OR AFTER you have taken all of the literacy courses and elementary courses (MAT 6320, MAT 6314, MAT 6374, and MAT 6338). Those in the Special Education program need to attempt the FoR prior to entering internship. Anyone on the Elementary or Special Education track not passing the FoR prior to graduation will not have their standard license issued.
Arkansas History with AR IDEAS (K-6, Middle Level Social Studies, and Secondary Social Studies Only–before graduation)
AR History must be completed before you can be awarded your standard teaching license-K-6, Middle Level Social Studies, and Secondary Social Studies only. If you have AR History on your transcripts, there is no need to take this course.
IF you have an AELS (Arkansas Educator Licensure System) number, you may create your own account using their automated registration system. AELS numbers are given when you apply for an Arkansas Teaching License, have submitted provisional licensure paperwork to ADE, or have had your background check results sent to DESE.
IF you do NOT have an AELS number, you must first complete your background checks and child maltreatment checks. https://uca.edu/ocs/background-checks/internship-and-licensure/
The Arkansas History Program is now self-enrollment. Please log in to your Arkansas IDEAS account and on the Home page at the bottom left is a “Programs of Study” block. Please follow the instructions listed in that box to enroll in the Arkansas History Program of Study.
Questions about how to access the correct course, contact AR Ideas directly.
Internship Application & Informational Video
Deadlines for Internship Applications:
Fall Internship: You must be registered for MAT 6699 or ELSE 6600-Sped, have all requirements met (see above), watch the informational video, and submit the Internship Application below NO LATER than the first Friday in July. The video and application links will open in mid/late April.
Spring Internship: You must be registered for MAT 6699 or ELSE 6600-Sped, have all requirements met (see above), watch the informational video, and submit the Internship Application below NO LATER than the second Sunday in November. The video and application links will be available early October.
If you have questions, please email Mr. Ward, wards@uca.edu
Follow these steps exactly:
- Read the Field Experience Waiver. You will be asked to agree to this when you complete your application.
- Watch the video.
Spring 2025 Internship Application Video (Here is a YouTube Video, if Google will not work)
(Please watch the video, before emailing questions to Mr. Ward or completing the Application)
You MUST watch the video above, before you complete your application.
- The Spring 2025 MAT Internship application window has closed.
Teaching positions may be used if you are in any public school, accredited charter, or accredited private school that are recognized by the state. If you are not sure about your school, please reach out to Mr. Ward. If you are not at an accredited private or charter, you will not be allowed complete your internship in that school.
Questions? Contact Mr. Ward, wards@uca.edu
Please note: This is a lengthy process and your patience is appreciated. If you are being placed, please wait for Mr. Ward to contact you regarding your placement. If you are the Teacher of Record, please make sure all of the information you are providing is correct and up-to-date.