Professional and Technical Education Certification

Professional and Technical Education (PTE) Certification

UMES at the Baltimore Museum of Industry (BMI)

The PTE courses were designed to align directly with the COMAR regulations for obtaining PTE certification from the Maryland State Department of Education. The table below depicts the course sequence for the PTE certification pathway offered at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Please complete the form on this page to receive directions about how to enroll in these courses.

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Undergraduate CourseWhen OfferedMSDE Evaluation COMAR Descriptors
EDTE 468: Curriculum and Teaching Methods in CTEFall & Springa) Planning, delivering, and assessing instruction
EDTE 481: Facilities and Organization ManagementFall & Springb) Managing an effective classroom and minimizing risk
EDSP 432: Differentiated Learning in CTEFall & Springc) Differentiating instruction to accommodate special needs
EDTE 470: Academic Literacy in CTESummer Onlyd) Providing reading, writing, and mathematics literacy instruction relevant to the career area
Graduate CourseWhen OfferedMSDE Evaluation COMAR Descriptors
CTED 600: CTE Content, Methods, and StrategiesFall onlya) Planning, delivering, and assessing instruction
CTED 602: CTE Instructional Management and OrganizationSpring onlyb) Managing an effective classroom and minimizing risk
SPED 600: Characteristics of Exceptional StudentsFall & Springc) Differentiating instruction to accommodate special needs
CTED 675: Reading, Writing, and Mathematics Literacy in CTESummer onlyd) Providing reading, writing, and mathematics literacy instruction relevant to the career area

Important Details about the PTE Certification Course Sequence

The PTE course sequence (4 courses/12 credits) can be taken in any order and lead to certification from MSDE. The PTE courses are open to those currently teaching in a Maryland local school system with a conditional certificate. Completion of the four PTE courses allow educators to move from a conditional certificate to a Standard Professional I (SPC I) certificate from MSDE. Courses can be taken at either the undergraduate or graduate level. The courses are designed to meet the COMAR 13a.12.02.15 regulations for PTE. All PTE courses are offered in a synchronous/asynchronous online hybrid format to serve teachers from across the state. Please contact us for more details.

Total Credits for PTE Certification: 12


How to Enroll in PTE Certification Courses

Please contact us or fill out the form at the top of this page so we can assist you with enrolling in the correct courses. Please do not apply without contacting us first.


We also offer courses for the following (please contact us for more details):

  • Technical content and pedagogical courses for General Secondary (Technology Education, Agriculture Education, and Family and Consumer Sciences). Please visit our General Secondary webpage for more details.
  • Courses for Standard Professional Certification (SPC) and Advanced Professional Certification (APC). Please visit our APC webpage for more details.
  • Minor in Technology Education, 18 credits (Tracks: Manufacturing and Construction, Design and Communication, Energy and Transportation, or Technical Applications for Industry)

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Undergraduate PTE Course Descriptions

(Note: Credit Hours are given in parentheses)

EDTE 468: Curriculum and Teaching Methods in CTE (3)

This course focuses on identifying course content, developing instructional plans, writing performance objectives, identifying appropriate instructional strategies, developing instructional materials, and utilizing standards-based assessment strategies for career and technology education courses.  State and national content standards are used as a basis for curriculum design. 

EDTE 470: Academic Literacy in CTE (3)

This course provides an overview of the academic literacy’s that should be taught and modeled in Career and Technology Education classrooms. The academic literacy of reading, writing, and science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) as identified in the Common Core standards are crucial to CTE students to transition into post-secondary choices. The reading content covers the fundamentals of the reading process, theories, and instructional strategies for assisting CTE students in reading text. Topics include the development of vocabulary and comprehension skills, assessment of student reading levels, textbook readability, and the acquisition of reading skills for technical content. The writing content will emphasize the development technical writing skills including research and technical document writing, effective communication of ideas, and development of critical thinking skills through writing. Mathematics literacy is emphasized through authentic applications in CTE. The STEM content includes the context and best practice instructional strategies for integrating academic and technological literacy standards in CTE curriculum.

EDTE 481: Facilities and Organization Management (3)

Participants in this course will develop skills and systems for organizing and managing instruction in Career and Technology Education programs. Particular attention will be given to the organization and management of facilities, students, resources and activities for safe and effective learning. Topics will include designing laboratory space, laboratory management, program and instructor effectiveness systems, adapting facilities to reflect the diverse student populations, state and national safety laws, teacher liability, identifying funding resources, program advisory committees, student organizations, and the role of professional associations.

EDSP 432: Differentiated Learning in CTE (3)

This course provides an overview of the rationale, legal and social foundations, and characteristics of education for students with special needs or other exceptionalities.  It focuses on modifying the Career and Technology Education curriculum, laboratory, student outcomes, learning activities, class management, assessments, media, etc. to accommodate the unique learning needs of non-traditional, English Language Learners, gifted/talented, and special needs students. The central application of the course will be Universal Design for Learning with major topics including multiple means of representation, action and expression, and engagement. Specific course topics will include differentiated instruction, assistive technologies, applicable state and federal laws, working with in-school professional and outside agencies, individualized education plans, and cultural contexts in the Career and Technology Education classroom. This course is for students in the Professional and Technical Education track only and will be offered only through the UMES site at the Baltimore Museum of Industry.


Graduate PTE Course Descriptions

(Note: Credit Hours are given in parentheses)

CTED 600: CTE Content, Methods, and Strategies (3)

This course examines the philosophy, mission, vision, goals, content standards, teaching methods, teaching strategies, and evolution of Career and Technology Education (CTE). Content standards, in CTE, technological literacy and the Common Core will be used to identify what students should know and be able to do as a result of a CTE training experience. Participants will examine standards-based teaching/learning strategies including use of instructional technologies that are effective in enabling students to achieve the program goals. The nature of a CTE experience, with its performance-based instruction and assessment, will be explored with special attention given to the program’s potential for supporting national STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) initiatives and Maryland’s Career Cluster model curriculum.

CTED 602: CTE Instructional Management and Organization (3)

Participants in this course will develop skills and systems for organizing and managing instruction in Career and Technology Education programs. Particular attention will be given to the organization and management of facilities, students, resources and activities for safe and effective learning. Topics will include designing laboratory space, laboratory management, program and instructor effectiveness systems, adapting facilities to reflect diverse student populations, state and national safety laws, teacher liability, identifying funding resources, program advisory committees, student organizations, and the role of professional associations.

CTED 675: Reading, Writing, and Mathematics Literacy in CTE (3)

This course provides an extensive understanding of the academic literacies that should be taught and modeled in Career and Technology Education classrooms. The academic literacy of reading, writing, and science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) as identified in the Common Core State Standards are crucial for CTE students to develop their career and college readiness.

SPED 600: Characteristics of Exceptional Students (3)

This course presents an overview of the major types of exceptionalities and their impact on the teaching/learning process. It includes the legal mandates that relate to the field of special education.


For more information on these courses and certification, please contact:

Tyler S. Love, Ph.D., DTE
Professor, Department of the Built Environment
Director of Graduate Studies in Career and Technology Education
Coordinator of Undergraduate Technology and Engineering Education
University of Maryland Eastern Shore
1425 Key Highway, Suite 101
Baltimore, MD 21230-5115
(410) 727-4808 Ext 164
tslove@umes.edu

JoAnn Eliff
Administrative Assistant for Undergraduate and Graduate CTE, WBL, and PTE Courses
University of Maryland Eastern Shore
1425 Key Highway, Suite 101
Baltimore, MD 21230-5115
(410) 727-4808 Ext 164
jenorris@umes.edu

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