Pre-CIP

Bucknell Education Department

Pre-CIP, Pre-Certification: Initial Preparation in the professional education program designed to prepare students who seek recommendation for teaching certification in Early Childhood, Elementary Education or Secondary Education, in ANY content area.

All applicants for Pre-CIP after September 1, 2001 must meet the following qualifications:

  • Completion of 12 Bucknell University courses, or the equivalent, with a minimum gpa as required by state law.
  • If an applicant has taken more than 12 Bucknell University courses, or the equivalent, the minimum gpa will be calculated over the most recent 12 courses.
  • Applicants must also complete two college-level courses in Mathematics and two college-level courses in English Literature or Composition. These courses can be taken at other accredited colleges. Not all such courses will be accepted for transfer as Bucknell University courses. Only courses equivalent to Bucknell courses can transfer and prior permission must be obtained from the department chair in which the course is offered. Courses which are not acceptable for transfer can be applied to meeting the certification requirements, with prior permission from the Chair of the Department of Education (Currently Professor Hoffman) or the Certification Officer (Currently Dean Midkiff).
  • The two mathematics intensive courses can be met by any course at Bucknell with a MATH prefix, EDUC 362, PSYC 215, a SAT II Math Level IC Assessment with a score of 560 or above, AP math accepted for credit at Bucknell, College Mathematics transfered from any accredited College, including CLEP or distance learning, (may be acceptable for PreCIP even if not for credit at Bucknell. See Certification Officer or Chair of Education for verification before taking such a course). AP credits count only if the score on the AP exam was 4 or 5.
  • English Literature can be any ENGL course labeled as literature by the English Department. The W1 course may or may not be ENGL, but two courses MUST be taken. English AP credit accepted at Bucknell can be accepted for 1 of the ENGL requirements.


If you took advanced coursework in Mathematics or English, you may wish to consider taking exams from CLEP. "CLEP is the most widely accepted credit-by-examination program in the United States today, helping students of all ages earn college degrees faster by getting credit for what they already know." (CLEP home page)

Students apply to Pre-CIP in the fall of their freshman year, and are notified of acceptancy (if they have met the above requirements) during the summer following their sophomore year.