Find answers to common questions about the teaching profession, financial aid, choosing a credential program, and how to apply to earn your teaching credential.
The Teaching Profession
Credential Programs
Financial Aid
Applying to a Credential Program
Teaching Credential Prerequisites
CSU’s Graduate Programs in Education
These are some of the top reasons people enter the teaching profession:
Virtually all districts throughout California are hiring new teachers, which means the prospects for getting hired where you’d like to live and work are excellent.
To see projected teacher hires by county and school district, go to the DataQuest website. Then follow these steps:
To see what positions districts are currently advertising (and the compensation offered), go to EdJoin.org and click on the Job Search button at the top of the home page.
California is currently facing a significant teacher shortage, which means that almost every district in the state is hiring new teachers. According to DataQuest, a website maintained by the California Department of Education, California school districts project they expect to hire over 22,000 new teachers in the 2016-17 school year. With a strong economy and diminishing class sizes, districts will continue to hire thousands of new teachers for several years to come.
To see what positions districts are currently advertising (and the compensation offered), go to EdJoin.org and click on the Job Search button at the top of the home page.
Teacher shortages exist in virtually all districts throughout California. Shortages are particularly severe in math, science, bilingual education, and special education. The prospects of teaching your preferred courses are very good, and they are excellent of you prefer to teach in any of the high need areas listed above.
To see projected teacher hires by subject area, go to the DataQuest website. Then follow these steps:
To see what positions districts are currently advertising (and the compensation offered), go to EdJoin.org and click on the Job Search button at the top of the home page.
After the 2008 recession, class sizes increased forcing many districts to lay off teachers. With an improved economy California has made significant new investments in its public schools. With class sizes shrinking, most districts in the state are hiring, not laying off, teachers. There are no signs that this trend will change in the foreseeable future.
Teaching is not easy and it’s not for everyone. Teaching is extraordinarily rewarding, but there are challenges, including these:
The good news is that you won’t have to face these challenges alone. CSU’s credential programs provide a strong foundation in the key elements of teaching. School districts also provide a variety of “induction” supports for beginning teachers. And, you’ll be part of a team of educators who will assist you during your first few years as a teacher.
While teaching is a highly rewarding profession, it’s also demanding. A small percentage of teachers do experience excessive stress leading some of them to leave the profession. In most cases, studies show this occurs when teachers do not receive adequate support from the schools systems in which they work. To avoid burnout, new teachers should seek positions in schools that provide strong professional and collegial supports.
Both post-baccalaureate credential candidates and undergraduates preparing for teaching careers are eligible for:
Undergraduate students are also eligible for:
Each program has its own terms and conditions, and a candidate may or may not qualify for all the programs. Filing a timely financial aid application by March 2 enables candidates to be considered for almost all the programs. Candidates should visit their campus’s website and check with a Financial Aid counselor on their campus to determine their eligibility for various programs.
Paid intern teaching credential programs are available on most CSU campuses. Completion of an intern program results in the issuance of a preliminary credential. For additional information about the Intern positions available on each campus, talk with a credential counselor after visiting your campus web site.
Currently, DACA students who qualify for nonresident tuition exemption (under an AB540) may apply for state and institutional funded financial aid by filing a California Dream Act application online. The application is available October 1 and is due by the March 2 deadline.
Many teacher education candidates are employed part-time. Credential candidates should avoid working so many hours that it interferes with coursework and student teaching. Campus Career Offices can help to identify employment opportunities, including those in teaching-related settings.
The cost for completing a credential program depends upon the number of units a candidate takes each quarter or semester. In general, programs can be completed through full-time study during one academic year. The tuition cost in 2016-17 was $6,348.
Some candidates complete their credential programs by enrolling part-time during the summer or part-time study during a second academic year. If a candidate completes the program through part-time summer study, the added cost was $1,842 in 2016-17.
If the candidate continues during one term of a second year enrolling part-time, the additional cost was $1,842. If the candidate enrolls part-time for both semesters during a second year (but not the intervening summer), the additional cost is $3,684.
CSU campus and feeder community college prerequisites have basic commonalities, although specific requirements sometimes differ. The prerequisites can be normally found directly on the college or university’s webpage or in its advising materials.
All applicants will need to complete a certain number of hours of fieldwork prior to admission to a teacher preparation program. This fieldwork enables students to have hands-on experiences working with children and youth in classrooms, after-school programs, or out-of-school learning programs such as science centers, Saturday lab schools, or intersession camps.
Applicants to credential programs who have already earned a bachelor’s degree should determine whether they need to take additional courses to fulfill prerequisite requirements. In some cases, they may apply to a CSU teacher credential program, be admitted to the campus as a post-baccalaureate student, and complete the prerequisites on a pathway to formal admission to the credential program.
A broad range of high quality options are available for applicants to gain experience working with preK-12 students. CSU Community Service Learning programs, Career Centers, and Credential advisors can give suggestions.
Most CSU campuses have partnerships with school district after-school programs, Boys and Girls Clubs and other community programs, and science centers. These often provide excellent opportunities working with students.
Candidates in CSU credential programs have a variety of experiences that feature high quality opportunities working with students. These include course field experiences, internships, student teaching, and residencies.
Basic Educational Skills: In order to apply for a teaching credential, an applicant must pass the basic skills test from either:
Subject Matter Assessment: In addition, an applicant must either pass the California Subject Examination for Teachers (CSET) or complete an approved Subject Matter Program (SMP) that fulfill the requirements for waiver of the CSET. Subject Matter Program waiver options are described in CSU campus catalogues and/or on CSU campus education program web sites. Click here to view the links to CSU’s credential programs.
CSET Testing for a Multiple Subject Credential: Information about the CSET subject matter competence tests for a multiple subject teaching credential is available in the following California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) publication: Verifying Subject-Matter Competence by Examination - For Multiple Subject Teaching Credentials.
CSET Testing for Single Subject Candidates: Information about the CSET subject matter competence tests for single subject teaching credentials is available in the following California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) publication: Verifying Subject-Matter Competence by Examination - For Single Subject Teaching Credentials.
To help prepare for the CBEST and the CSET tests, study guides and practice test questions are available on the CTC’s California Educator Credential Examinations website. Additional resources the CTC site include: scoring scales are for written assignments, computer based testing tutorials, annotated bibliographies, and test results explanations.
Many CSU campuses offer test preparation booklets, study guides, preparation workshops and online courses for students to prepare for CSET, CBEST, and RICA. Credential advisors at each campus can tell you about the availability of these resources.
CSU campuses typically offer test preparation books for check out at their libraries and for sale at their bookstore. Also, CBEST, CSET, and RICA tutoring may be available through the campus Learning Resource Center. Consult with a credential advisor for details.
Students may take a test or subtest required for a credential as many times as necessary to achieve a passing score. In order to re-take the test, you must wait 45 calendar days from the date you took the test.
All CSU campuses offer a post-baccalaureate credential program preparing elementary teachers (multiple subject credential), secondary teachers (singe subject credential), and special education teachers (education specialist credential). Credential programs are described in CSU campus catalogues.
Many CSU campuses offer internships in which a candidate works full-time for a school district while earning a teaching credential. A credential advisor can provide information regarding a specific campus’ intern credential options and procedures.
Completion time for an education specialist program typically ranges from a year and a half to two years. The duration is affected by whether a candidate simultaneously earns a basic multiple subject credential or a single subject credential in a specific discipline.
To plan the most efficient pathway to completion, a credential advisor should be consulted regarding a specific campus’s requirements and timelines.
Most credential programs begin in the fall semester or quarter. Several CSU campuses are admitting students in the spring and summer sessions. Credential program schedules are described in CSU catalogues and on teacher education program web sites.
Yes, more than one credential can be earned, although some campuses to now allow candidates to earn them at the same time. Having multiple credentials increases the number classroom placements/assignments that a new teacher is authorized to teach. A candidate may, for example, earn a multiple subject credential and a Foundational Level Math or a Foundational Level Science Credential to teach in a middle grades school.
A candidate may, as another example, earn a math or science credential and a second or third additional credential in a different science discipline meeting teacher shortage needs.
These programs are called Integrated Teacher Education Programs (ITEP). At present, CSU Bakersfield, Chico, Monterey Bay, Northridge, San Marcos offer four-year undergraduate programs. These credential programs typically begin in the fall semester or quarter.
The majority of CSU campuses have received funding from the CTC to offer new 4-year Integrated BA/Credential programs. The new programs include multiple subject programs with additional bilingual and/or education specialist authorizations and single subject programs in math and science.
CSU’s CalStateTEACH Program offers students the chance to become a multiple subject teacher through an online credential program that includes a robust field experience component. For more information, please visit:
Some CSU campuses offer credential programs online, and virtually all of them offer courses in a blended format, combining face-to-face and online instruction.
Most CSU campuses offer credential courses in the evening to accommodate candidates’ work schedules. Some courses or course activities are offered on Saturdays. Student teaching will, however, take place during the week when K-12 schools are in session.
Applications and instructions for applying for credential programs are located on CSU campus teacher education websites.
Credential applications are available year-round, although there may be minor additional information required to complete an application in an application period during the spring (sometimes in a period going through the summer) prior to admission. Teacher education applications are normally accepted through the summer months. Please visit the campus teacher education web sites for the most current information about credential applications.
Applicants should have experience working with children and youth, be able to demonstrate an interest in students’ success, have a GPA of 2.67 or above, passed any required tests, and provide strong references from individuals knowledgeable about their teaching potential.
While some variations exist among CSU credential programs, most programs consist of two semesters of coursework and student teaching in at least two school settings. The State requires at least 600 hours of supervised field experience, which can be completed through student teaching, a residency, or an internship.
Credential candidates typically complete their student teaching assignments in the region that is close to their campus. Consult a credential advisor to see what options are available for student teaching at your desired campus. CalStateTEACH, CSU’s online credential program, enables candidates to teach in a broad range of locations that are outside of the service areas of CSU campuses.
The bilingual authorization allows teachers to meet the needs of English learners in various instructional settings and to teach in California’s bilingual programs.
A bilingual authorization may be earned by examination or by completion of a one of CSU’s CTC-approved bilingual programs. This authorization may be earned concurrently with or after earning a preliminary teaching credential.
In an elementary school? Multiple Subject Credential In a middle or junior high school? Multiple Subject or Single Subject Credential Math? Single Subject Foundational-Level Mathematics Credential or Regular Mathematics Credential Science? Single Subject Foundational-Level General Science Credential or Regular Science Credential (Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Geosciences, Physics), or Science Specialized Credential Special education? Education Specialist Instruction Credential English? Single Subject Credential in English Social studies? Single Subject Credential in History/Social Studies A foreign language? Single Subject Credential in World Languages (in specific language) Art? Single Subject Credential in Art Music? Single Subject Credential in Music Physical Education? Single Subject Credential in Physical Education.
Yes, the CSU offers many programs that provide both. Please visit the campus teacher education web sites for information about the credential and advanced degrees that are offered.
There is a wide range of graduate programs that the CSU offers in Education.
In order to become a school principal or district administrator, you are required to have an Administrative Services Credential.
In order to become a school counselor, you are required to have a Pupil Personnel Services Credential.
School districts post job announcements with information about the requirements for these positions. Go to EdJoin.org to view positions that districts are currently advertising.
A background of a teaching credential and a Master’s Degree (MA) in Curriculum and Instruction is normally required for this position. Most CSU campuses offer an MA degree in Curriculum and Instruction.