Elementary school teachers need to be able to teach a diverse range of subjects. This means that they usually need to earn a teaching degree, plus a multiple subject teaching credential.
High school and middle school teachers only teach a single subject. They have to earn a degree in the subject you want to teach, plus a single subject teaching credential.
Your first step is to earn a bachelor’s degree from a four-year university.
Elementary school teachers need to have a dedicated teaching degree. Our program here at Chapman is the BA in Liberal Studies program. This is a new program that we’ve designed specifically for elementary teachers.
To teach the upper grades, you have two options for your degree. You can either:
Which path is the recommended option? At Chapman, we recommend earning your degree in the subject you want to teach. This is the more common of the two pathways, and will ensure you build a strong foundation in your subject.
For this reason, we don’t offer a major specifically for middle and high school teachers. For Chapman students looking to teach secondary education, we suggest:
After earning your bachelor’s degree, you will also need to earn a teaching credential. This teaching credential is what authorizes you to work as a teacher in California.
Elementary teachers need to hold a multiple subject credential.
Middle and high school teachers must hold a single subject credential.
To earn your teaching credential, you will need to do the following.
The best way to earn your credential is from the school where you earned your degree. Most schools have a post-graduation credential program. These programs usually take around one year to complete.
For example, here at Chapman, we have several credential programs for our students. We also have integrated master’s degree programs that let you earn your credential alongside an MA in teaching.
If you would like to explore other options for earning your credential, the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) website has a page about other credential pathways.
The CBEST and CSET are two exams you need to pass to earn your teaching credential.
CBEST stands for California Basic Educational Skills Test. The test covers basic skills such as reading, writing and math.
CSET stands for California Subject Examination for Teachers. CSET tests focus on specific subjects.
Keep in mind that there are ways to exempt yourself from these tests. For example, any student with a bachelor’s degree is automatically exempt from CBEST. And some bachelor’s degree programs (like our Liberal Studies program) authorize you to become a fully credentialed teacher without taking the CSET.
Most teaching degrees give you opportunities for hands-on classroom experience as a part of the program. As a part of our Liberal Studies program, for example, you will get experience as an assistant teacher in real K–8 classrooms.
Credential programs also include student teaching experience.
Once you have your degree and teaching credential, you can begin looking for work as a new teacher.
The network you’ve built during your assistant teaching experience is a great place to start. The connections you’ve made can help you find open positions and opportunities at schools.
School career offices like ours are also a good way to widen your network. You can get additional help with searching for jobs, building your resume and more.
Like regular K–12 teachers, special education teachers first need to hold a bachelor’s degree at the minimum. In addition, we recommend also earning a master’s degree in special education. A master’s will better prepare you to work with special needs students, and some schools may require you to have one.
Following your degree, you also need to earn an education specialist credential. This is a type of teaching credential specifically for special ed teachers. Within the credential, you can choose one of five speciality areas to focus on:
You can find a dedicated program for earning this credential, or you can earn it through a combined program. For example, our MA in Special Education and Education Specialist (Special Education) program lets you earn your credential alongside a master’s degree.
Educators working outside the traditional classroom tend to work in specialized fields. That’s why we believe they deserve specialized training to become the best educators they can be.
Our BA in Community Educational Studies program is specifically for educators aiming to work outside the K–12 environment. The curriculum in the program is geared directly to educators working in non-classroom settings. It covers roles such as:
Just like a K–12 education program, Community Educational Studies will give you hands-on teaching experience and career guidance.
Have questions, need additional clarity or just want to talk through your options? We’re here to help. You can reach us at:
Liberal Studies: liberalstudies@chapman.edu
Community Educational Studies: communityeducation@chapman.edu
Phone: (714) 997-6781