Intern Pathway

Overview 

The intern program pathway is designed for individuals who have successful prior experience with lead-teaching in a K-12 classroom and who seek an alternative route to earning their preliminary credential. The Intern program provides qualified candidates who are offered a teaching position an opportunity to complete the credential program as a contracted (paid) teacher under an Internship Credential. Intern candidates receive support from a university field supervisor and an on-site coach from the school while completing their credential coursework.

The intern program pathway is designed for individuals in one of the following contexts:

  1. Candidates who are scheduled to complete their final phase of student teaching and have been offered a teaching position by a partnering school district in the program’s primary service area. Candidates who transition to the intern program at this point will complete the program over 1-2 additional semesters, depending on MA options. Those who are pursuing the MA will complete their final MA project the semester after completing the credential program.
     
  2. Incoming teacher candidates with successful long-term lead-teaching experience, who are teaching on contract for a school district or have been offered a position by a district. Candidates must take pre-intern coursework, which is offered during the summer, to satisfy intern pre-service requirements prior to entering the intern program pathway. This is a 4-5 semester program of study, depending on MA options.

View our Sample Intern Program Course Sequence Models [pdf].

Eligibility

In order to be eligible for our Intern program, applicants must:

  • Be recommended for the Intern Program by our Intern Coordinator and in consultation with subject-area coordinator and phase I supervisor, when applicable. There are limited slots in this program and not every candidate who applies will be selected for the intern pathway. Recommendations will be made based on the candidate’s demonstrated readiness to be the teacher of record in a classroom and the candidate’s skills and dispositions in relation to the CA Teacher Performance Expectations.

Pre-Service Requirement

  • Must successfully complete the following pre-requisite courses prior to being accepted into the intern pathway: EDTE 262, EDTE 224, EDTE 294. Descriptions of these courses are available on the SJSU Catalog website.

Bilingual Language Proficiency (Spanish only)

  • Candidates for the Internship program who are authorized to teach in Spanish bilingual classrooms are required to demonstrate proficiency in Spanish and pass Subtest III of the Spanish CSET (aka as Spanish LOTE III). Additionally, they are interviewed before admission to intern status in Spanish by the faculty of the Spanish Bilingual Program.

Early Completion 

  • Information about this option is provided here. [pdf] Candidates who pursue this option will complete the intern field experience requirements (two semesters of 184Y and/or Z) and take the seminars (EDSC 153 and subject-specific seminar) that support them in their field experience and completion of the teacher performance assessment. Candidates considering this option must meet with the Intern Coordinator to discuss the details of this option.

Teaching positions must meet specific intern and subject-matter requirements. University supervisor availability in the subject-area must also be established before an intern position is approved.

Apply for the Intern Pathway

Please submit all documents to the Department of Teacher Education by the application deadline for the semester for which you are applying.

New Applicants

  1. In addition to submitting a complete application packet for general admission to the program, submit a 1-2 page cover letter outlining what skills and experiences qualify you for the intern program pathway.
  2. Submit SJSU’s Pre-Intern Evaluation form [pdf] to be completed by a previous or current school administrator or other designated on-site supervisor.
  3. Sign and submit the Intern Pathway Acknowledgement form [pdf].
  4. If you qualify based on your program application and the above items, you will be contacted by the intern program coordinator for an interview. 

Current Teaching Candidates Completing Phase I Student Teaching

  1. Meet with Intern Coordinator for advising appointment and conditional approval for our intern pathway prior to November 15 for Fall Phase I candidates or prior to April 15 for Spring Phase I candidates. Please allow up to two weeks to schedule an advising appointment. Candidates must also successfully pass Phase I Student Teaching for intern pathway approval to be finalized.
  2. Submit signed Intern Pathway Acknowledgement form [pdf] to the Teacher Education Department prior to the approval dates listed in item #1 above.

Program Requirements and Disclosures

  1. The intern program does not secure a teaching position for students. Candidates must have an offer from a partnering school district for a paid teaching position (letters of intent to hire by districts will be considered).
  2. Intern positions must be approved before a candidate accepts an intern position from a district.
  3. Teaching positions must meet specific intern and subject-matter requirements--MSCP [pdf], SSCP [pdf].
  4. University supervisor availability in the subject-area must be established before an intern position is approved.
  5. Positions must be in a public school with a partnering district in our primary service area in Santa Clara County. Interns must be hired as the teacher of record (long-term sub or temporary positions do not qualify).
  6. Phase I candidates must commit to the intern pathway by designated dates (see above). Once approved for the intern pathway, candidates will not be placed for student-teaching for the subsequent semester. If they do not obtain an intern position, their program will be delayed. *Please note that most districts do not hire interns until late July or early August.
  7. Candidates who commit to a student-teaching placement may not switch to the intern track.
  8. In addition to fulfilling intern program responsibilities outlined in the Intern Agreement Form [pdf], interns are required to fulfill all single subject credential program requirements and remain in good standing in the program (with a minimum cumulative GPA OF 3.0 and no less than a B in the methods course).
  9. Interns who exhibit dispositions contrary to the program’s goals and mission, and/or do not demonstrate competence in teaching according the CA Teacher Performance Expectations may be required to exit the intern program.
  10. Interns who do not pass Cycle 1 or Cycle 2 of the CalTPA on their first attempt may not continue in the intern program, and will be required to complete student-teaching.

Program Partners

  • Alum Rock Union Elementary SD
  • Berryessa Union School District
  • Campbell Union High School District
  • Campbell Union School District
  • Cupertino Union School District
  • Downtown College Preparatory Academy
  • East Side Union High School District
  • Evergreen Elementary School District
  • Fremont Union High School District
  • Los Gatos Union School District
  • Los Gatos-Saratoga High School District
  • Milpitas Unified School District
  • Mount Pleasant Elementary School District
  • Mountain View Whisman School District
  • Mountain View-Los Altos School District
  • Santa Clara County
  • Santa Clara Unified School District
  • San Jose Unified School District
  • Sunnyvale School District
  • Downtown College Preparatory Academy
  • The Foundation for Hispanic Education (formerly NHU)