Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies

South Valley Integrated Teacher Education Program (ITEP)

The South Valley Integrated Teacher Education Program (ITEP) addresses a critical need for well-qualified, highly-committed teachers for learners in schools in the southern Central Valley of California. Currently, college students who wish to become elementary school teachers through an exemplary, evidence-based teacher education program need to travel to Fresno from their communities in the South Valley for coursework at California State University, Fresno; a trip of more than an hour, several times per week. Completion of the program takes a total of five and a half years.

In the new ITEP program, future elementary school teachers in the South Valley will complete their first two years of college work in a carefully aligned program at one of three community colleges:

College of the Sequoias
Porterville College
West Hills College Lemoore

Students transfer to Fresno State and complete their remaining coursework in an accelerated two-year program at the Fresno State South Valley Campus (FSSVC) located in Visalia, California. They also will be engaged in learning how to teach through authentic experiences in schools in their home communities. Most importantly, they will complete their Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies and their Multiple Subject credential in only two more years, shortening the total time from five and a half years to four years.

Program Comparison


South Valley ITEP Teacher Pathway	Traditional Teacher Pathway
2 Years - lower-division coursework at a community college	2 Years - lower-division coursework at a community college
2 Years - upper-division coursework in Liberal Studies and Multiple Subject Credential program at Fresno State South Valley Campus	2 Years - upper-division coursework in Liberal Studies at Fresno State
4 YEARS TO BECOME AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHER	1.5 Years - Multiple Subject Credential program at Fresno State
	5.5 YEARS TO BECOME AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHER

South Valley ITEP Course Matrix


Years 1 & 2	Year 3			Year 4
College of the Sequoias West Hills College Lemoore Porterville College	Fall Semester 1 Junior Year	Spring Semester 2 Junior Year	Summer Semester 3	Fall Semester 4 Senior Year	Spring Semester 5 Senior Year
General Education Major Courses Prerequisites Electives	Writing for the K-8 Classroom	Literacies, Languages, and Literature	Curriculum & Pedagogy: Designing for Successful Teaching TK-8	Science Instruction and Applied Technology	Differentiated Instruction and Classroom Management
	Communication & Learning	Educational Applications of Technology	Understanding Children, Learning, and Development in TK-8 Classrooms	Mathematics Instruction and Applied Assessment	Inquiry & Puzzles of Practice C
	California Studies	Interdisciplinary Art Studies	Culturally & Linguistically Sustaining Pedagogy in the TK Context	Disciplinary Literacies and Integrated Curriculum	Field Study C (Student Teaching)
	Sociology of Race & Ethnicity or Diversity in the U.S.	Exploring Mathematics	Literacy Foundations TK-8	Inquiry & Puzzles of Practice B
	Physical Education for Children	Environmental Earth & Life Science	Inquiry & Puzzles of Practice A	Initial Student Teaching

How to Apply to the South Valley ITEP

For more information on how to register, please see the ITEP TWO YEAR PROGRAM flyer.

The program ONLY accepts applications for the Fall

Apply to Fresno State online via Cal State Apply

For your first choice in program, select "Liberal Studies - SV ITEP (Fresno State South Valley Campus)"
For your Alternate Program, select "Liberal Studies"

Application Dates
Date	Information
October 1 - November 30, 2022	Application Period
February 1, 2023	TRANSCRIPT & DOCUMENT DEADLINE See "Transfer Deadlines & Important Dates"
April 1, 2023	Applicants receive admission notice from the program
July, 2023	Attend the mandatory ITEP Dog Day Orientation

The ITEP has limited seats and therefore having all requirements does not guarantee admission into this program.

Questions? Contact Us!

Prospective students seeking admission to the South Valley ITEP at the Fresno State South Valley Campus should contact Admissions and Recruitment to meet with a counselor. They will discuss how to apply, what your options are, and all of the basics in how to get started.

Click here to complete an ITEP Inquiry Form

College of the Sequoias Foundation Scholarship Opportunity

The College of the Sequoias (COS) Foundation volunteers and staff are pleased to announce a $50,000 scholarship incentive program to support future teachers from the Central Valley. The COS Foundation is committed to meeting the teacher shortage in the South Valley through generous scholarship support with the goal of “growing our own teachers.”

College of the Sequoias students transferring to Fresno State that are admitted to the South Valley ITEP in the Fall semester are eligible for a COS Foundation $1,000 scholarship.

Once eligible students provide written verification of admission to Fresno State and the South Valley ITEP to the COS Foundation, a one-time $1,000 scholarship payment will be made to Fresno State in the student’s name and account. Instructions on how to apply for the scholarship will be provided to you at the ITEP Dog Days Orientation.

For additional questions regarding the scholarship, please contact Peighton Sisk at peightonsi@cos.edu.