Mission Statement: To provide high-quality clinical experiences in diverse, urban communities that support UWM teacher candidates’ learning, children’s growth and learning, professional development of educators, research opportunities and promote excellence, equity and diversity.

The Office of Clinical Experiences is responsible for arranging over 1,100 high-quality clinical experiences and student teaching placements each year. To support these placement efforts we:

  • Collaborate with SOE and PSOA faculty.
  • Establish and maintain partnerships with urban school districts and social agencies.
  • Maintain contact with school-based educators.
  • Consult with academic advising staff.
  • Provide resources and training for cooperating teachers and university supervisors.
  • Conduct orientations for Introduction to Teaching classes.
  • Conduct teacher candidate orientations.

Contact Us

Christie Peters, Director and Certification Officer in Office of Clinical Experiences.
  • Director and Certification Officer, Office of Clinical Experiences
Anna Bierce, Clinical Experience Coordinator in Office of Clinical Experiences.
  • Clinical Experience Coordinator, Office of Clinical Experiences
Corby Anderson, Data & Communications Specialist in Office of Clinical Experiences.
  • Data and Communications Specialist, Office of Clinical Experiences
Elysha Rice, Clinical Experience and WIP Coordinator in Office of Clinical Experiences.
  • Clinical Experience and WIP Coordinator, Office of Clinical Experiences

Clinical Experiences in Urban Schools: UW-Milwaukee

The UWM School of Education (SOE) is proud to collaborate with urban school districts in southeastern Wisconsin. We take our urban mission seriously and expect that teacher candidates choose our programs because they desire to learn to teach in a diverse urban context.

As a teacher candidate you will have several cumulative clinical experiences in urban schools. These experiences provide “real-world” opportunities to learn how schools work, practice best teaching strategies and form professional relationships with young learners as well as experienced educators. You will also participate in a variety of courses and urban clinical experiences designed to promote your ability to effectively observe, reflect, plan, instruct and assess with individuals, small groups, and whole classrooms. Descriptions and links follow that provide more detail regarding specific teacher education programs.

Teacher Education Courses, Clinical Experiences and Program Descriptions

Introduction to Teaching (CURRINS 300)

This introductory course and combined clinical experience are designed to introduce prospective educators to the profession. Both the coursework and clinical experience highlight UWM’s School of Education focus on urban schools. A major outcome is answering the question, “Do I want to become a teacher for urban schools?” The clinical experience offers prospective educators an opportunity to work within an urban school classroom for 30 hours and to serve the school for 10 hours. A Criminal Background Check (CBC) and TB Test result must be on file in the UWM Office of Clinical Experiences before any school placement is confirmed.

UWM School of Education Teacher Education Program Descriptions

Early Adolescence to Adolescence (EAA): The EAA teacher education program serves teacher candidates who are interested in teaching adolescence from 4th to 12th grades. To learn more, visit the respective program webpages.

Mathematics Education
Science Education
Social Studies Education

Early Childhood Education (ECE): The ECE teacher education program serves teacher candidates who are interested in teaching children from birth to 8 years of age. To learn more, visit the Early Childhood Education (ECE) webpage.

Elementary and Middle Education, K-9: The Elementary and Middle Education, K-9 teacher education program serves teacher candidates who are interested in teaching children from K to 9th grades. To learn more, visit the Elementary and Middle Education, K-9 webpage.

English and Language Arts, 4-12 Education: The English and Language Arts, 4-12 Education teacher education program serves teacher candidates who are interested in teaching English to students in middle and high school. To learn more, visit the English and Language Arts, 4-12 Education webpage.

Exceptional Education: Early Childhood: The Exceptional Education: Early Childhood teacher education program serves teacher candidates who are interested in teaching special education children from birth to 8 years of age. To learn more, visit the Exceptional Education: Early Childhood webpage.

Exceptional Education: K4-12 Special Education: The Exceptional Education: K4-12 Special Education teacher education program serves teacher candidates who are interested in teaching special education children from K4 to 12th grades. To learn more, visit the Exceptional Education: K4-12 Special Education webpage.

World Languages (WL): The World Languages teacher education program serves teacher candidates who are interested in teaching foreign languages, bilingual or English as second language. To learn more, visit the Education: English as a Second Language Education webpage.

Criminal Background Check Requirements

If you are seeking a PLACEMENT, either arranged by UWM or as an on-the-job student, you need to complete the APPLICATION FOR PARTICIPATION IN A CLINICAL EDUCATION, STUDENT TEACHING OR FIELD PLACEMENT PROGRAM from Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS). The MPS background check application is used for all placement-related purposes, regardless of district or school of placement.

View the CBC-TB Test FAQ (PDF) guide to help you through the process.

The Criminal Background Check application for all placement-related purposes is found here:

Criminal Background Check Application (PDF)

A few days after submitting your paperwork, you may check the status of any submitted item by viewing your ‘To Do List’ in PAWS.

Just a reminder… The Criminal Background Check application fee of twenty- five dollars must be paid before we can process your application. Paying the application fee and submitting the completed application to the Office of Clinical Experiences are two separate processes. To pay this fee via credit or debit card, visit https://uwm.vbotickets.com/merchandise/store/8897

Students in CURRINS 300 and TCH LRN 209 DO NOT pay this fee via University Tickets. If you are in one of these courses, you will be billed for this fee by way of your Tuition and Fees statement.

If you have any questions, email us from your UWM or university email account at clinical-ex@uwm.edu. This will ensure that we are communicating with the appropriate person and it will allow our office to serve you better.

Tuberculosis Skin Test (TB Test)

We accept only scanned and emailed submissions of paperwork. Paperwork will not be processed if it is mailed to or dropped off at campus.

A TB test can be obtained through your health care provider, through national pharmacies such as CVS or Walgreens, or on campus through the Student Health and Wellness Center (formerly Norris Health Center). To make an appointment at the Student Health and Wellness Center, call 414-229-4716.

View the CBC-TB Test FAQ (PDF) guide to help you through the process.

Be sure to keep a copy of any TB test result that you provide to our office. We cannot provide duplicate documentation to you later. Once you have your TB test result, email a legible scan (no photos please) to clinical-ex@uwm.edu.

A few days after submitting your paperwork, you may check the status of any submitted item by viewing your ‘To Do List’ in PAWS.

If you have any questions, email us from your UWM or university email account at clinical-ex@uwm.edu. This will ensure that we are communicating with the appropriate person and it will allow our office to serve you better.

Negative TB test results are good for two years and cannot expire at any point during a placement.

Clinical Experiences Handbook

For Teacher Candidates, Cooperating Teacher and Supervisors

The UWM School of Education Clinical Experience Handbook describes all roles, expectations, and policies pertinent to teacher candidates, cooperating teacher and supervisors. The information contained in this handbook is under continuous revision and should be considered supplemental to more specific guidelines established by individual programs. Policies and procedures specific to individual programs are available in the Peck School of the Arts, the Departments of Curriculum and Instruction and Exceptional Education, as well as in the Office of Academic Services.

Clinical Experiences Policies and Procedures Handbook (PDF)

Student Teaching Application 2024-2025

All students wishing to student teach in the 2024‐2025 school year must obtain approval to student teach. Students obtain approval by submitting this Student Teaching Application and the required documents by the appropriate date. Failure to submit your request by the correct date could postpone your student teaching.

Students wishing to student teach in Spring 2025 in the following programs:

  • Broad Field Social Studies (4-12)
  • Early Childhood Education
  • Early Childhood Special Education
  • Elementary and Middle Education K-9 students currently in Professional Semester 2 (Spring 2024)
  • English – Advanced Fieldwork/Student Teaching
  • Exceptional Education
  • Inclusive Early Childhood Teacher Education Program
  • MACSTEP
  • World Languages

To apply, please fill out the Student Teaching Application 2024-2025 form.

Cooperating Teacher “Sign-Up” Process

Do you want to become a Cooperating Teacher? The UWM Office of Clinical Experiences is always interested in working with great classroom teachers who are willing to become teacher leaders and provide high-quality clinical experiences for UWM teacher candidates.

Cooperating Teacher Requirements, Pages 18 – 19 (PDF)

DPI requires host teachers to complete a supervision training prior to hosting teacher candidates. Please complete the self-paced Canvas course, Cooperating Teacher Verification Workshop-Hosting a Teacher Candidate. Your school and/or district may have other requirements to be completed before you are approved to host.

This workshop will satisfy the DPI requirement of having completed training in the supervision of clinical students. You will need to create an account and indicate that you are a UWM Continuing Education Student. Upon completion you will receive an email with a certificate of completion for your record. You can begin here: Cooperating Teacher Verification Workshop.

WIP Intern Fee Payment

The WIP Intern Fee is $200.00. If you have been approved, placed and started working in a WIP intern clinical placement, this fee must be paid. The fee covers the additional cost incurred by UWM School of Education to participate in the WIP Intern program. Collecting this fee directly from participants allows us to participate in and offer paid internships instead of standard student teaching placements.

Pay online using credit/debit card by visiting https://uwm.vbotickets.com/merchandise/store/8897