Educator Preparation Program (EPP)

Preparing for Educator Excellence

We prepare students to be highly effective educators, ready to excel at the highest levels of professionalism while making an impact on individual students, families and entire communities.

Educator Preparation Program Licensure Programs

• Educational Studies
  • Integrated Early Childhood Education
  • Integrated Studies K-5
  • Integrated Studies 6-8
  • Secondary Education 6-12
  • SPED-Interventionist K-8 or 6-12
  • MSED School Counseling
• Agricultural Science: Professional Education
• Visual Art Education
• Dance Education
• Health and Human Performance Licensure K-12
• Family and Consumer Sciences Education
• Music Education Option: Instrumental K-12 Licensure Emphasis
• Music Education Option: Vocal/General K-12 Licensure Emphasis

Soliciting CAEP Third Party Comments

The Educator Preparation Program at the University of Tennessee at Martin is hosting an accreditation visit by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) on November 12-14, 2025. Interested parties are invited to submit third-party comments to the evaluation team. Please note that comments must address substantive matters related to the quality of professional education programs offered and should specify the party’s relationship to the provider (i.e., graduate, present or former faculty member, employer of graduates).

We invite you to submit written testimony to:

CAEP
1140 19th Street NW, Suite 400
Washington, DC 20036

Or by email to: callforcomments@caepnet.org

Such comments must be within the specified period and based on the core tenets of CAEP accreditation standards of excellence, which recognize that:

• In CAEP’s performance-based system, accreditation is based on evidence that demonstrates that teacher candidates know the subject matter and can teach it effectively so that students learn. In the CAEP system, EPPs must prove that candidates can connect theory to practice and be effective in an actual P-12 classroom.
• A professional education provider that is accredited by CAEP is expected to be involved in ongoing planning and evaluation; engaged in continuous assessment and development; ensure that faculty and programs reflect new knowledge, practice, and technologies; and be involved in continuous development in response to the evolving world of education and educational reform.
• Comments must address substantive matters related to the quality of professional education programs offered, and should specify the respondent’s relationship, if any, to the institution (i.e., graduate, present or former faculty member, employer of graduates). Copies of all correspondence received will be sent to the university for comment prior to the review.

Correspondence must be submitted to CAEP no later than October 1, 2025. Comments must address substantive matters related to the quality of professional education programs offered, and should specify the respondent’s relationship, if any, to the institution (i.e., graduate, present or former faculty member, employer of graduates). Copies of all correspondence received will be sent to the university for comment prior to the review. No anonymous testimony will be considered.

All educator preparation providers (EPPs) are required to solicit third-party comments on the quality of the EPP’s programs as part of the accreditation review process.

Not less than sixteen (16) weeks prior to the scheduled date of a site visit, both the EPP and CAEP must publicly announce the upcoming accreditation review and the date of the site review to provide time for interested stakeholders to make comments.

Additional information can be found on the CAEP website.

Adapted from the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation.

Accreditation

The University of Tennessee at Martin’s Educator Preparation Program (EPP) is accredited by Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). CAEP’s mission is to advance equity and excellence in educator preparation through evidence-based accreditation that assures quality and supports continuous improvement to strengthen P-12 student learning. CAEP is the only national accreditor for educator preparation programs that has been recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation since it began.

The School Counseling concentration has been approved by the State of Tennessee's Department of Education to prepare and endorse students for licensure as school counselors. Both the full degree program and the endorsement program have Tennessee approval. In addition, the School Counseling program has earned accreditation by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) and the Council for Accreditation for Counseling and Related Programs (CACREP) as an advanced degree program within the Department of Educational Studies. Students completing either the endorsement track or the full degree track will be eligible to earn Tennessee licensure as a school counselor. Students who reside in another state are then able to transfer this license to their home state, following the specific guidelines of the state board that administers school counseling licensure in that home state. Use this link to review how our program requirements match school counseling licensure in each state: School Counseling Licensure (scroll to “school Counseling licensure.”)

EPP Mission Statement

The mission of the Educator Preparation Program (EPP) at the University of Tennessee at Martin is to prepare educators in initial and advanced programs as facilitators of active learning for P-12 learners in diverse and inclusive communities. This mission encompasses excellence in a variety of learning and field placement settings, fosters an innovative and student-focused learning community through coursework that is rigorous and standards-based, and integrates evidence-based educational practices in teaching and learning.

EPP Vision Statement

The vision of the Educator Preparation Program at the University of Tennessee at Martin is to prepare highly competent and socially responsible educators who are knowledgeable, ethical, and caring decision makers for a diverse and changing world. This vision includes fostering community partnerships as well as creating a culture of learning that will advance knowledge, value diversity, and promote social justice.