Field Experience Office

From your first classroom observation to full-time student teaching, we’re with you at every step of your clinical journey. Explore placement requirements, testing timelines, and the documentation you need to become a licensed New Jersey educator.

Program Overview

 At Georgian Court, we believe great teachers are developed through experiences in diverse classrooms. That’s why we intentionally place you outside the districts where you attended school or have worked before, so you graduate with experience teaching students from a variety of backgrounds, cultures, and learning needs.

Every GCU education graduate also earns the Teacher of Students with Disabilities endorsement alongside their primary certification, at no extra cost to your timeline.

All placements are arranged within Ocean and Monmouth Counties, in partnership with local Superintendents. To keep this process fair and consistent for every clinical intern, please let the Field Office handle all communication with school districts on your behalf — reaching out to a school directly can actually delay your placement.

Prerequisites

Grade Point Average

You'll need to maintain a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA to stay in the Education Program and be recommended for certification. Stay in touch with both your content advisor and your education advisor throughout your program — they're your first call if your GPA dips.
Questions about your specific program? Reach out to your program director — see Program Advisors in the sidebar.

Praxis II Exams

You must pass the appropriate Praxis II exam before you begin 100 Hours of clinical practice. Requirements can shift with New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) regulations, so check the Praxis II Requirements section below for the timeline that applies to your stage of the program.

Before You Start: NJDOE Requirements

  • Criminal History Background Check — gov/education/crimhist
  • Mantoux (TB) Test — schedule with your personal physician
  • NJDOE Testing Requirements (HIB, P&H, and CARE — see Required Testing below)
  • Praxis II — must be completed before applying for full-time clinical practice; the Field Office needs time to process your documents and contact your district
  • NJDOE Substitute Teacher Certificate — see application directions

Documents to Upload

Submit the following to Blackboard > Organization > Education Requirements. Your education advisor will confirm everything is in order:

  • Criminal History Clearance
  • TB Test Results
  • NJDOE Testing Results: HIB / P&H / CARES Certificates
  • Praxis II Passing Score Report(s)
  • Completed NJ Substitute Credential
  • Completed Clinical Packet, signed by your Education Advisor
  • Current Resume

Additional Information

New Jersey’s substitute credential pathway requires proof of at least 30 completed semester-hour credits at an accredited college or university, and you must be 18 or older to apply. Full details live on the NJDOE website.

NJDOE Substitute Certification Overview

Step 1: Submit Your Fingerprints

Already fingerprinted in the NJ school system? You won’t need to do it again — you’ll just confirm your record is current.

  • Visit the NJ fingerprint system and enter your information.
  • Check the approval date on your most recent fingerprint entry (top of the first column).

Within the last 5 months: Save the page as a PDF and submit it to the NJ Cert Portal.

Older than 5 months: You’ll need to re-archive your fingerprints:

  • Note the PCN number on your most recent fingerprint entry.
  • Visit the archive application and enter your information.
  • Select Option 1.

Archiving can take up to two weeks — check back using the link above for your updated document.

Step 2: Send Your Official Transcript

Request that your transcript be sent electronically to the NJ Department of Education at [email protected]. Start the request through the Registrar’s transcript request page. Once sent, allow 15 business days for it to appear in your NJ Cert Portal account.

Step 3: Create Your NJEdCert Account and Apply

Set up your account on the NJEdCert portal using a permanent email address — you’ll receive a case number once you apply.

  • Pay the substitute certification application fee through the NJDOE website once your application is submitted.
  • Upload your approved Criminal History Background Form (available to print about two weeks after fingerprinting).

Processing typically takes 6–8 weeks. You can track your status anytime through your NJEdCert account. Once issued, your substitute certificate is valid at any NJ public or charter school for five years.

Health Examination

A tuberculin skin test (Mantoux) completed within the last 3 years is required for every clinical intern. File your results with the Education Department and with your cooperating school’s nurse. Let your Clinical Supervisor know about any medical condition that could affect your placement.

Harassment, Intimidation, and Bullying (HIB)

New Jersey’s Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights sets standards for preventing, reporting, and responding to HIB incidents involving clinical interns, on or off school grounds. This training is completed in-house through Blackboard.

Physiology and Hygiene (P&H)

NJDOE regulations require every candidate for instructional certification to pass an exam covering physiology and hygiene, including the effects of narcotics and alcohol. Also completed in-house through Blackboard.

Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting (CARE)

State law requires all clinical interns to complete training on recognizing and reporting child abuse, including sexual abuse. Completed in-house through Blackboard.

Find all HIB, P&H, and CARE materials and exams in the Blackboard Organization “SOE Advising”, under the “Education Requirements” folder.

Limited CEAS Pilot Program

Georgian Court is approved by the NJDOE to participate in the Limited Certificate of Eligibility with Advanced Standing (CEAS) pilot — a five-year program under P.L. 2021, c.224. Limited CE and CEAS certificates are available through NJEdCert, and eligible clinical interns must be nominated by GCU’s Educator Preparation Program.

To qualify, you must complete a State-approved educator preparation program and meet all standard CEAS requirements — except you may be waived from exactly one of the following:

  • Minimum required GPA, or
  • Passing score on Praxis II (if not passed, you must take and pass the Praxis Core instead)

Contact Debbie Snyder to see if you qualify.

Your clinical journey builds progressively: two 25-hour special education observations, a 75-hour pre-clinical practicum, a 100-hour clinical experience, and finally full-time student teaching. Each stage is designed to grow your skills and your confidence in a real classroom.

Special Education Observations (50 Hours Total)

Complete 25 hours of special education observation in SPE3030/5030 and another 25 in SPE3032/5032. In both courses, you’ll keep an attendance log, take detailed observation notes, and complete course assignments based on what you observe.

Pre-Clinical Experience (75 Hours)

This experience is embedded in your coursework, not a separate class. You’ll log your hours, dates, and activities, with your Cooperating Teacher signing off.

Your Clinical Supervisor will observe you twice. Submit your written lesson plan 24 hours before each observation — you’ll be evaluated using the GCU Lesson Plan rubric, which looks at how well you design learning experiences, align objectives to standards, differentiate instruction, and plan assessments. After each lesson, you’ll submit a written reflection within 48 hours.

You and your Clinical Supervisor will meet right after each observation for a post-conference; a written synopsis follows within 48 hours. Your Cooperating Teacher also provides ongoing informal feedback throughout the placement.

You’ll be evaluated on professional dispositions like reliability, ethics, cultural responsiveness, and collaboration, and you’ll complete reflective journals connecting classroom observations to your growth as a future teacher. A final evaluation conference with the Assistant Dean and your Clinical Supervisor wraps up the 75-hour placement.

Clinical Practice I (100 Hours)

Also embedded in coursework, this is the semester right before full-time student teaching. On your first visit, your Clinical Supervisor reviews the Observation and Conference Report (OCR), Clinical Competency Inventory (CCI), and Professional Disposition Rating (PDR) with you and your Cooperating Teacher.

During Observation #3, your Clinical Supervisor and Cooperating Teacher observe you together, complete independent OCR evaluations, and discuss your progress across all 11 teaching standards. After your hours are complete, both complete the CCI independently and meet with you to review your performance — you’ll also self-assess using the CCI and PDR.

Scoring at the Novice level puts you on a Corrective Action Plan; scoring at the Emergent level may mean repeating the 100-hour placement.

Clinical Practice II (Full-Time Student Teaching)

This is a separate course, paired with the required seminar “Educating for Reflective and Effective Practice.” Read the Clinical Experience Handbook in full — it details every responsibility and expectation for this stage.

We strongly encourage you not to work or take extra courses during full-time clinical practice; this is a full-time commitment. You’ll follow your Cooperating Teacher’s schedule, be present for the full school day, and follow the district calendar. A 3.0 average is required for certification recommendation.

Absences longer than two days must be made up at the end of your placement — notify your Cooperating Teacher and Clinical Supervisor as soon as possible in an emergency.

Your performance is tracked through Qualtrics: mid-term and final CCIs and PDRs, seven Supervisor Observation Reports, seven lesson plan evaluations, and co-observations at #3 and #6. Falling below Proficient at midterm means meeting with your Clinical Supervisor and the Assistant Dean to build a Corrective Action Plan, due by Week 12.

Performance Concerns

Midway through Clinical II and again at semester’s end, the Assistant Dean reviews every clinical intern’s progress and reaches one of four outcomes:

  • Progress is satisfactory — the placement continues.
  • Progress shows promise, but a Corrective Action Plan is needed to continue.
  • Progress shows promise, but a different placement is recommended.
  • Skills aren’t developing quickly enough to meet competencies by semester’s end — the experience must be repeated the following semester.

If a second placement isn’t approved, you’ll be notified and alternative career options will be discussed with you.

Reasonable Cause for Removal

A clinical intern may be removed from a placement following documented reports of unprofessional or unethical conduct, or repeated concerns about professional dispositions — including inadequacy, incompetency, insubordination, or ethical misconduct. Partnering districts also reserve the right to end a placement at any time.

Procedure

Any alleged breach or unprofessional behavior is referred immediately to the Assistant Dean. You’ll receive written notice specifying the concern. The Assistant Dean gathers information from your Clinical Supervisor, Cooperating Teacher, and school administration before a decision is made. A recommendation to terminate a placement goes from the Dean of Education to the Provost, who makes the final decision on your status with the University.

Orientation

A mandatory orientation is held before Pre-Clinical Practice, Clinical Practice I, and Clinical Practice II — typically on the first day of the semester for the 100-hour experience and full-time clinical practice. Pre-clinical orientation happens during class.

You’ll cover deadlines, policies, and clinical practice requirements, and meet your Clinical Supervisor. You’ll also receive a handbook outlining the responsibilities, timelines, performance criteria, and communication protocols for your field experience — read it closely.

After Prerequisites Are Met: What’s Next

Once your education advisor confirms everything is submitted and signs your clinical packet, the Field Office begins your placement process. This is a collaborative process with school districts, so a little patience goes a long way.

When your placement is approved by the partnering district’s school board, our Clinical Preparation Coordinator will email you your Cooperating Teacher’s name. From there, reach out with a professionally written introduction email to set up a time to discuss:

  • Your schedule for the semester
  • What students will be learning during your placement
  • Borrowing or reviewing teachers’ guides and curriculum materials
  • Any content units you may lead, so you can start researching
  • Content areas you should study further before you begin
  • Opportunities to observe or assist with beginning-of-year preparations
  • Attending teacher meetings, pre-service days, and PLCs to start orienting yourself to the school

Frequently Asked Questions

No. Placements are arranged collaboratively between the Field Experience Office and partnering districts. Contacting a school directly to influence your placement isn’t permitted — this keeps the process diverse, equitable, and high-quality for everyone.

During full-time student teaching, working is strongly discouraged and generally not permitted — the full-day commitment and outside planning leave little room for a job. During the 75-hour and 100-hour experiences, some clinical interns do maintain part-time work, but your schedule must stay flexible around school hours, district calendars, and supervisor visits. In every case, your clinical responsibilities come first.

You can retake the exam after the required waiting period, but failing may delay your move into Clinical Practice I or II depending on your program. You’ll need to enroll in the 0-credit Praxis Prep course (ED2000) and retake the exam as soon as possible. You can also contact the Assistant Dean to see if you qualify for the Limited CEAS Program.

Keep it clear, respectful, and professional — always from your university email, with proper grammar and a courteous tone. When in doubt, over-communicate. Respond to emails within 24 hours, ask clarifying questions, and express appreciation for their guidance.

Notify your Cooperating Teacher and Clinical Supervisor as soon as possible and follow district absence policies. During full-time student teaching, any absence beyond two days must be made up at the end of your placement.

Dress professionally at all times — clean, neat, school-appropriate clothing, closed-toe shoes suitable for classroom movement, and nothing overly casual (skip jeans, leggings, shorts, or logo wear unless school-approved). Not sure what’s expected? Ask your Cooperating Teacher or see what school staff typically wear. Think of your placement as an ongoing interview — the people you work with may become references or future employers.

Visit the Professional Closet, located in the Assistant Dean’s Office (Raymond Hall, Room 108). You are welcome to help yourself, at no cost, to professional attire for your field experience.

No. Only your Cooperating Teacher, if district-approved, may take photos.

Contact your Clinical Supervisor right away — don’t wait for a formal observation to raise a concern.

Never share student information outside professional school channels, including on social media. Bring any questions or concerns to your Clinical Supervisor.

You can’t substitute teach unless you hold a valid NJ substitute credential. If you’re completing your 75 or 100 hours, you may substitute, but those hours won’t count toward your field experience. If another substitute is in the room, you can still teach and assist, but you shouldn’t be left alone with students as part of this experience. Full-time clinical interns cannot substitute.

No. Placements are assigned based on program requirements, certification needs, and district availability. Subject-specific clinical interns may indicate a preferred grade level for full-time student teaching, and we’ll do our best to honor it — though your earlier experiences may span different grade levels so you graduate with a well-rounded set of skills.

Yes, but it must stay silenced and out of sight during instructional time, unless your Cooperating Teacher or school administration directs otherwise. Coursework, texting, and browsing aren’t appropriate during your placement — full engagement is part of professional practice.

Yes. You are responsible for providing your own reliable transportation to and from your student teaching placement. Placements are assigned based on program needs and school district availability, so you should be prepared to travel to your assigned school each day.

Each time you are assigned to a new school district for a clinical placement, you must archive (transfer) your fingerprint clearance to that district. This process is required before you can begin your placement. It is your responsibility to complete the archiving process and pay the required fee for each new district assignment.

State Certification: Next Steps

Questions About Your Field Experience?

Debbie Snyder and Sher Repasky are here to help you navigate every step, from prerequisites to placement.

Email Debbie Snyder  |  Email Sher Repasky  |  Clinical Experience Handbook

Take the Next Step
Apply Today
Request Info
Field Experience Snapshot
  • Placement Region: Ocean & Monmouth Counties
  • Field Experience Stages: 4 (Special Education Observations, Pre-Clinical, Clinical Practice I, Clinical Practice II)
  • Minimum GPA: 3.0 cumulative
  • Bonus Endorsement: All graduates earn the Teacher of Students with Disabilities endorsement
Contact Information

Debbie Snyder
Assistant Dean for Accreditation & Licensure
[email protected]
(732) 987-2710

Sher Repasky
Clinical Preparation Coordinator
[email protected]
(732) 987-2718

Program Advisors

Early Childhood (PK–3):
Dr. Cella — [email protected]

Elementary Education (K–6):
Dr. Sardone — [email protected]

Subject-Specific (K–12):
Dr. Genco — [email protected]