Post-Baccalaureate Teacher Certification
The demand for certified teachers has spurred the creation of post-baccalaureate programs for professionals who did not major in education in college but want to become teachers. Post-baccalaureate programs prepare candidates to become licensed and find employment in the education field.
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Identification
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Post-baccalaureate teacher certification programs are designed for bachelor's degree holders who do not have teacher certification. General education courses, studies in an area of specialization, such as special education and supervised student teaching prepare candidates to meet state requirements for licensure as a teacher.
Features
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While specific courses may vary, post-baccalaureate teacher certification program curriculum typically includes topics such as teaching theory and practice, pedagogy (teaching methods), along with supervised teaching experience. Candidates who wish to teach at the secondary school level usually need 30-36 undergraduate semester hours in the subject they wish to teach, i.e., mathematics.
A bachelor's degree from an accredited university is the prerequisite for admission to a post-baccalaureate teacher certification program. Transcripts, standardized test scores, letters of recommendation and personal statements are parts of the application package.
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Types
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Certificate candidates students choose from several specialties, such as elementary education, special education, or career and technical education. At the secondary level, available specializations include English, math, science, foreign language and social studies teachers.
Candidates can attend classes on a part-time basis, which makes post-baccalaureate teacher certification programs an attractive option for working professionals. Additionally, some programs, such as Drexel University's Post-Bachelor's Teaching Certificate, are offered online. Students taking online courses meet the supervised teaching requirement by arranging field experience at a school in their area.
Certification
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Teacher candidates must fulfill the requirements for teacher licensure, which vary by state. For example, aspiring teachers in Michigan take subject-area tests, which can be completed near the end of the post-baccalaureate program. Completion of a post-baccalaureate program leads to provisional, intern or instructional teacher certification.
Potential
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Anticipated employment growth for licensed teachers in grades K-12 is about 13 percent through 2018, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The BLS notes that the median annual salary ranged from $47,100 to $51,180 in May of 2008. Geographically, job opportunities are more plentiful in urban and rural areas than in the suburbs. Teachers specializing in math, science and foreign languages are in high demand, according to the BLS.
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References
- Photo Credit teacher image by PD-Images.com from Fotolia.com
