All teacher education students take core professional education courses that include field experiences in partner schools. Additional requirements focus on courses within the university liberal studies program and courses within majors.

Year-long internship in a school setting. During Intern I, students will be at the school one or two days a week and will complete coursework on other days. During Intern II, students will be in a full-time internship at their host schools.

Field experiences and internships are essential components of our teacher education programs. Our teacher candidates begin Early Field Experiences in our first education courses and are engaged in focused observation, interviews and assisting classroom teachers. In methods courses, teacher candidates plan and teach lessons under the mentorship of faculty and classroom teachers.  In their final year, teacher candidates complete a two-semester internship that includes full-time student teaching for an entire semester.

The College of Education and Allied Professions at Western Carolina University prepares students to engage effectively with individuals from varied backgrounds. Through coursework, field experiences, and reflective activities, students build the skills and understanding needed to navigate cultural and individual differences in education. Programs like the Transformative Rural-Urban Exchange offer immersive experiences in high-need rural and urban schools, fostering cross-cultural awareness and collaboration with peers from other communities.

Our future teachers are mentored throughout their programs by dedicated faculty, professional advisors, and mentor public school teachers in their field placements. We support new teachers through beginning teacher symposiums and the North Carolina New Teacher Support Program.

Western Carolina University’s School University Partnership is recognized nationally as an exemplary partnership between the WCU College of Education and Allied Professions and Western North Carolina public schools. This partnership is designed to strengthen school-university relationships, establish professional development partnerships, strengthen teacher preparation and continued development, connect practice with teaching and learning theory, and share resources. SUTEP has partnerships with more than 100 schools in 18 school systems in the western region of North Carolina. Programs are comprehensive, collaboratively planned and implemented, and include: recruiting teacher education students, placing students in schools, providing professional development opportunities for teachers and school executives, redesigning teacher education programs, developing grant proposals and working together on research projects.

Operated by Western Carolina University in partnership with Jackson County Schools, The Catamount School is a lab school for 6th, 7th and 8th graders designed to explore innovative teaching approaches and applied learning opportunities in order to help every student discover their full academic potential. The Catamount School is located on the campus of Western Carolina University.