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The Alternative Licensure Professional Development Institute (ALPDI) at Kent State serves new teachers who completed the Ohio Department of Education requirements for an Alternative Resident Educator License. These teachers have two years to complete 15-18 credit hours, depending on their area of licensure, from a state-approved professional development institute.

The Kent State ALPDI program addresses the requirements for this advancement by providing 12 semester credit hours of professional education coursework to prepare teachers in the principles and practices of teaching, student development and learning, assessment procedures, curriculum development, classroom management and teaching methodology. In addition, the Ohio Department of Education requires 3 semester credit hours for a course in the teaching of reading for teachers in licensures other than language arts; English/Language Arts licensure teachers are also required to take a 3-semester credit hour course in phonics.

Applicants must have successfully completed the Intensive Pedagogical Training Institute (IPTI) or an Alternative Resident Educator Institute (AREI) and have been issued an Alternative Resident Educators License. They then have two years to move to an Ohio 5-year Professional License.

Upon completion of the ALPDI, a Certificate of Completion will be issued which may be uploaded to ODE in application to advance the alternative license to a 5-year professional license.

Professional Licensure Disclosure:  This program is designed to prepare students to sit for applicable licensure or certification in Ohio. If you plan to pursue licensure or certification in a state other than Ohio, please review state educational requirements for licensure or certification and contact information for state licensing boards at Kent State's website for professional licensure disclosure.

Schedule and mode

This program is designed to be completed in 3 semesters or one calendar year. All courses are fully online.

For more information, please see the Coursework section of each program page:

Alternative Licensure Professional Development Institute, English/Language Arts

Alternative Licensure Professional Development Institute, Mathematics

Alternative Licensure Professional Development Institute, Science

Alternative Licensure Professional Development Institute, Social Studies

Application process and admission deadlines

Eligible candidates to the 5XÉçÇø ALPDI program will apply through Kent State's centralized Graduate Admissions office by completing the graduate admission online application through our SLATE platform. See Admission (eligibility) requirements by clicking on your appropriate subject area, above. If you hold an alternative license in another subject area, please contact the ALPDI Program Coordinator, Elizabeth "Lisa" Testa (etesta@kent.edu), or the ALPDI Advisor/Admission Specialist, Erin Harwood (eharwood@kent.edu), for further information.

This program offers "rolling admission" (admission each term) with the following application deadlines to allow for processing time and admitted student registration:

• Fall Semester Application Deadline: August 1
• Spring Semester Application Deadline: December 1
• Summer Semester Application Deadline: April 1

The ALPDI program is a Graduate level Non-Degree License program. Once you enter the Kent State Application Portal (link below) and create an account (First-time users):

• You will "Start a New Application"
• Select application type: "Graduate" and click on "Create Application"
• On the Initial Questions Graduate tab, select: "Non-Degree License (Teacher/Educator)" as the credential you are pursuing
• On the Academic Plan Graduate tab: Scroll down under "College of Education, Licensure Preparation, 100% Online" and select the appropriate ALPDI subject area. (If your alternative license is not listed, please contact the ALPDI Coordinator or Advisor for further information.)
• There is a $15 non-refundable application fee for Non-Degree programs (application fees subject to change).

Once the application and all application materials (see admission/eligibility requirements list under each subject area link) have been submitted, Graduate Admissions will forward the application file/documents electronically to the College of Education, Health and Human Services for admission review/decision. Admitted applicants will accept/deny admission to the Kent State ALPDI program through the SLATE application platform. Those admitted applicants accepting admission to the Kent State ALPDI program will then be registered for coursework by the ALPDI Advisor.

For more information, please contact:

ALPDI Program Coordinator: Elizabeth "Lisa" Testa, etesta@kent.edu
ALPDI Advisor/Admission Specialist: Erin Harwood, eharwood@kent.edu