Undergraduate Admission Application

  1. Meet with your academic advisor

    Review your academic plan with your advisor and discuss your eligibility to apply for admission to the professional program sequence.

    (Last names A – L) – Tamara Wallhausser, tlbadura@uwm.edu
    (Last names M – Z) – Tyree Bolden, boldentc@uwm.edu

  2. Submit a Criminal Background Check (CBC)

    The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) requires that all applicants to an educator preparation program pass a Criminal Background Check (CBC) prior to admission. CBCs previously completed for employment or other purposes cannot be used to satisfy this requirement. You cannot be admitted or enroll in professional education courses until your CBC has cleared. 

    UWM uses CastleBranch to process our admission CBCs. The fee for this CBC is $40 however, through June 1, 2024, we are offsetting this cost for students by $27. Once you are admitted, $27 will be credited to your UWM student account. To proceed with the CastleBranch CBC, please follow the link to the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee – School of Education portal: https://portal.castlebranch.com/IQ15

    • Choose the option for General Admissions
    • Be sure that you also complete the Background Information Disclosure (BID) form
    • If you have questions about this process, contact the CastleBranch Service Desk at (888) 914-7279 or email servicedesk.cu@castlebranch.com

    Criminal Background Check Requirements

  3. Prepare a resume and essay

    All applicants to the Social Studies Education Program must prepare and submit a resume and essay.

    Essay Guidelines

    Discuss what experiences you have had that have influenced your decision to study education – in particular a teacher certification program housed in a School of Education invested in improving and supporting urban education in the Milwaukee metropolitan area. Please frame your essay in a way that the following issues contextualize your discussion:

    • Relevant course work that informs your decision to certify in Social Studies Education.
    • Relevant field (life) experiences, in and out of a school setting, that inform your decision to become an educator.
    • An appreciation of the broad social issues that affect urban schools and their students.
    • Concrete detail and rich language that describe your experience.

  4. Complete the following application form

Name(Required)
MM slash DD slash YYYY
Max. file size: 5 MB.
Max. file size: 5 MB.
Admission Semester: I am applying for admission to begin the Social Studies Education Program (select the appropriate semester)(Required)
Acknowledgement: By submitting this form, I acknowledge that I am aware of the following criteria for admission to the Social Studies Education professional program:
  • English Composition: Achieve a placement level of 4 or higher on the English Placement Test, or complete ENGLISH 102 or equivalent with a grade of C or better.
  • Mathematics Skills: Achieve a placement level of 30 or higher on the Math Placement Test, or complete MATH 105 or an equivalent with a grade of C or better.
  • Completion of CURRINS 300 with a grade of C or better.
  • A 2.5 minimum cumulative GPA in all UWM and transfer courses at the time of admission application.
  • A 2.75 cumulative GPA in all Content Area courses (economics, geography, history, psychology, political science, and sociology) listed in the program requirements.
  • A minimum of 58 credits (UWM and transfer credits) at the time of admission application. It is not required to have all the Core Curriculum courses completed at the time of application.
  • Meeting with program director to review admission application: After you have submitted your application, you will need to meet with the program director, Dr. Jeffrey Hawkins, during one of the dates/times listed below. No appointment is necessary.
Meeting with Program Director
  • Wednesday, Sept. 6, 7:15 – 8:00 pm @ Northwest Quadrant (NWQ D), 1935
  • Wednesday, Sept. 13, 7:15 – 8:00 pm @ Northwest Quadrant (NWQ D), 1935
  • Wednesday, Sept. 20, 7:15 – 8:00 pm @ Northwest Quadrant (NWQ D), 1935
  • Wednesday, Sept. 27, 7:15 – 8:00 pm @ Northwest Quadrant (NWQ D), 1935
Once the Submit button is clicked, your application will be submitted, and the page will reload.