FIELD COURSES
When scheduling field experience courses, students must set aside time for field and must have plans in place for transportation to field. It is important to note that WCU does not provide transportation to field, and most field placements are within a one-hour radius from WCU. Also,most placements are in areas that may not have reliable public transportation.
Students must obtain clearances for each course containing field experiences in accordance
with state statutes. Pennsylvania Criminal Record Checks, FBI fingerprinting and Pennsylvania
Child Abuse Record checks are required for all who enter a school. The Pennsylvania
Criminal Record Checks, FBI fingerprinting and Pennsylvania Child Abuse Record checks
are valid for one year from the date of issue for field courses and cannot turn one
year old during a semester and must be completed prior to the first field course in
which you enroll. For Special Education double majors with Early Grades Preparation,
the TB Test must be no older than 3 months before the first field class for a program
(not the first field class for the academic year or semester). All other majors -
no retest is needed until applying for student teaching except in rare cases. Some
school districts hosting early field students and student teachers require a TB test
issued within the year they begin their school district assignment.
NOTE: School district requirements take precedence over university policy - it is recommended
not to retest until one year after the "date read" of previous TB report.
Failure to maintain a current set of clearances will prevent you from enrollment and/or may require your dismissal from field-based courses, blocked classes, and student teaching.