The first two years, students complete coursework at local community colleges to earn either their Associates of Science or Associates of Applied Science degrees. In their third year, students take coursework at UC Denver as well as learn from in-class experiences and mentors at partner schools. The program culminates in the fourth year with a year-long professional residency. 

We work closely with rural partner schools so candidates can engage in hands-on learning in all four years of their program. Hands-on experience includes a year-long residency in senior year, working in teams with other candidates, mentor teachers and university and school leaders throughout their program. As candidates take coursework, they immediately apply what they are learning that same week while co-teaching alongside their mentor teacher with feedback from their T-PREP Residency Coordinator. This highly integrated model enables candidates to constantly engage in learning and practice together. We also work with our partners to support working para-educators to use their job to meet clinical experience requirements.

We believe in the unlimited potential of all children to succeed. Teachers must have the knowledge and skills to uncover and leverage the assets of all children that create the opportunities for them to learn and be successful. Every course and clinical experience integrates the knowledge and skills candidates need in order to work with and youth with diverse economic, racial, cultural, ability and linguistic experiences. All partner schools where candidates complete year-long residency internships serve a diverse student population so that candidates have the ability to apply and practice what they learn in the program. We also offer an added endorsement in Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Education (an additional six credits).

The heart of our students’ experience with partner schools is the highly-dedicated practicing teachers who co-teach with and mentor candidates alongside a T-PREP residency coordinator who provides feedback and coaching as candidates progress through the program. Additionally, the T-PREP Coordinator meets bi-weekly with the site professor in an on-site seminar at the school to debrief experiences and connect them back to everything being learned in the program.

With our award-winning faculty and long-standing partnerships, we are consistently focused on continuous improvement and excellence. All our partners and faculty serve on a collaborative council that meets multiple times over the academic year creating consistent cycles of feedback about what is working and what needs to improve in the way we are preparing teachers together. Our program is consistently recognized for excellence as being one of 7 programs nationally highlighted by the Learning Policy Institute for Preparation for Deeper Learning.