How to Get a Teaching License in New Jersey

If you are interested in pursuing a challenging and rewarding career, then teaching is for you. Obtaining a teaching license in the state of New Jersey is a multi-step process. There are some requirements to meet and paperwork to submit to the New Jersey State Department of Education, but in a short time you can stand in front of your own classroom.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Traditional route

1. Complete an undergraduate program in education at an accredited college. The details of this requirement vary between elementary level and secondary level teaching.
2. Pass an examination in physiology and hygiene. The New Jersey County Offices of Education administers this exam.
3. Take the certification tests. You must have a passing score in the Praxis II Specialty Area tests in the subject or subjects you wish to teach. The state then issues a Certificate of Eligibility with Advanced Standing (CEAS).
4. Obtain initial employment through the Provisional Teacher Program, a school-based mentoring and evaluation program offered to first-year teachers. At this point, the state awards a Provisional Certificate.
5. Send an application to the New Jersey State Department of Education. Include college transcripts and Praxis scores.

Alternate Route

6. Apply for a Certificate of Eligibility through the Office of Licensure and Academic Credentials. You must have a bachelor's degree and a grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.50.
7. Obtain a Certificate of Eligibility. This authorizes you to search for and accept a teaching position in a New Jersey public school.
8. Enter the Teacher Provisional Program-Alternate Route. An experienced teacher mentors you for 30 weeks. Administrators then evaluate you three times and eventually recommend you for standard certification.
9. Complete 200 hours of instruction, in accordance with the New Jersey Professional Standards for Teachers.

Who Can Help:

• Earn an Associate's, Bachelor's or Master's Degree from the University of Phoenix
• University of Phoenix, degree Programs to Fit Your Life.