Information and Guidelines for Initial Teacher Preparation Clinical Interns (Students)

Information and Guidelines for Initial Teacher Preparation Clinical Interns (Students)

The Office of Clinical Experiences (OCE) is dedicated to ensuring that all College of Education clinical interns (students) receive quality placements in school or clinical settings throughout their academic career. OCE works closely with program coordinators and faculty within the College of Education as well as with district personnel to ensure all placements comply with established policies and requirements.

Please review the 2023 Clinical Practice Handbook.

As an intern (student) in a Teacher Preparation Program, the information on this page will assist you in preparing for each phase of your teacher certification program.

• Read your Rowan email regularly! Important information will be shared through your Rowan email.
• Know your responsibilities! It is your responsibility to know and adhere to all established deadlines and requirements.
• You must have a current Criminal History Clearance completed through the New Jersey Department of Education’s Office of Student Protection before beginning any clinical experience. ALL education majors and minors MUST complete a New Jersey Department of Education (NJ DOE) Criminal Background Clearance in accordance with the College of Education’s established instructions and deadlines prior to any clinical experience. No one will be permitted to begin a clinical practice or clinical experience placement without the appropriate NJ DOE criminal history clearance. Failure to comply may result in a delay in the completion of your course sequence and graduation. Only clearances through the NJ DOE’s Office of Student Protection using the College of Education’s codes will be accepted. Please read and follow the instructions carefully. Plan ahead – it can sometimes take 4 weeks for the criminal history clearance process to be completed.
• TB/Mantoux Test Requirements: You must have a current TB test prior to the start of your first clinical experience placement. The initial test results must be within six months of the first day of your first clinical experience placement. Test results must be uploaded into the Tk20 system by the established deadlines. You should always keep a copy of your TB test results available to provide to your placing district upon request.
• Additional District Requirements:You may be asked to complete additional requirements as specified by the district where you will be placed, such as a physical, drug test or providing a transcript or resume. It is your responsibility to comply with the requirements, including payment of all associated fees, within identified timeframes. Failure to do so may result in a denial of placement and removal from the corresponding courses. This will delay your program completion and graduation.
• The approved counties for placement for clinical experience and clinical practice are Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem. Plan accordingly when making decisions regarding class schedules and living arrangements.
• Transportation: Transportation to placement sites is your responsibility as an intern (student). When appropriate, that you may consider developing carpools with fellow interns. You should always plan ahead, arrive on time and allow enough time to park as well as follow any parking instructions by the school.
• ADA Accommodation Requests: If you have an accommodation registered with Rowan University’s Office of Accessibility Services that will directly impact your clinical experience placement setting, you must email your request for an accommodation along with the appropriate supporting documentation to the Office of Clinical Experiences. Accommodation requests must be submitted via email to OCE@rowan.edu by April 1st for the Fall semester and by October 1st for the Spring semester (if dates fall on a weekend, requests should be submitted by the next business day) for any clinical experience other than the clinical practice year. Accommodation requests for the clinical practice year must be noted in your Tk20 application. OCE will contact you to discuss your accommodation needs.
• Requests for Specific Placement Sites: The Office of Clinical Experiences has established specific protocols and placement procedures with our district partners. You are prohibited from approaching cooperating teachers, school staff or professors in an attempt to secure your own placement or your own supervisor for clinical experiences at any level.