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 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 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 Visalia Campus. 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 teaching credential in only two more years, shortening the total time from five and one 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 Teaching Credential program at Fresno State Visalia Campus |
2 Years - upper-division coursework in Liberal Studies at Fresno State |
| 4 YEARS TO BECOME A TEACHER | 1.5 Years - Teaching Credential program at Fresno State |
| 5.5 YEARS TO BECOME A 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 | Linguistics & Reading | Elementary Curriculum | Science Methods | Special Education |
|
Communication |
Educational Applications of Technology | Developmentally Appropriate Practices | Math Methods | Inquiry into Problems of Practice 3 | |
| California Studies |
Interdisciplinary Art Studies |
Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy | Integrated Curriculum & Disciplinary Literacies | Student Teaching | |
| Sociology of Race & Ethnicity or Diversity in the U.S. | Exploring Mathematics | Literacy | Inquiry of Problems of Practice 2 | ||
| Physical Education for Children | Environmental Earth & Life Science | Inquiry into Problems of Practice 1 | Student Teaching | ||
How to Apply to the South Valley ITEP
Apply to Fresno State online via Cal State Apply
- For your first choice in program, select "Liberal Studies - SV ITEP (Fresno State Visalia Campus)"
- For your Alternate Program, select "Liberal Studies"
| Date | Information |
|---|---|
| October 1 - November 30, 2021 | Application Period |
| February 1, 2022 |
TRANSCRIPT & DOCUMENT DEADLINE |
| April 1, 2022 |
Applicants receive admission notice from program |
Questions? Contact Us!
Prospective students seeking admission to the South Valley ITEP at the Fresno State Visalia 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 in the South Valley Integrated Teacher Education Program 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.