What is Advanced Professional Studies?

Advanced Professional Studies, or APS, is criteria developed by Millersville University for admission to and retention in APS courses. MU has developed this criterion to prepare you to meet the requirements which The Pennsylvania Department of Education has established for certification to teach in Pennsylvania.

What are the “Clearances”?

The Pennsylvania Department of Education requires all Education majors to obtain the ACT 34 PA State Criminal Record Check, ACT 151 PA Child Abuse History Clearance, and ACT 114 FBI Fingerprinting Clearance.

When do I need to obtain my clearances, and what do I need to do with them when I receive them?

Your clearances are a very important part of meeting the class and state requirements for field placement. We suggest you obtain the clearances as soon as you are able, but they MUST be on file prior to beginning a course where there is a field placement. As soon as you receive the clearances, you would bring a copy of the ACT 34, ACT 151, and FBI Clearances to the office in the Stayer Building room 123. You MUST present your original FBI clearance along with your copies.

What is PRAXIS and when do I need to take it?

The PRAXIS I Pre-professional Skills Test (PPST) are designed to measure basic skills in reading, writing, and mathematics; and PRAXIS II Subject Tests measure knowledge of specific subjects that K-12 educators will teach, as well as general and subject-specific teaching skills and knowledge. The PPST’s are general taken early in your college career as they are required prior to admittance into Advanced Professional Studies courses. The PRAXIS II tests are usually taken by individuals entering the teaching profession as part of the teacher licensing and certification process required by many states. You can register on-line at http://www.ets.org/praxis or call 1-800-772-9476.