It depends. Do you already have an undergraduate degree? What grade level do you want to teach? Do you have a particular subject area that you are interested in teaching? Is there a particular university you want to attend? Are you wanting to attend school full-time or part-time? Requirements can vary and at some point you will want to talk to an advisor, but here is some information that can help frame the conversation. According to the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), teachers in public and private schools in Washington State are required to hold a teaching certificate. The certificate is an official document which attests to minimum prerequisites, which include the following:
You do not really have any choices around the age requirement and the "Moral Character & Fitness" requirement. If you have questions about the "Moral Character & Fitness" requirement, you can talk to an advisor or to someone at the OSPI. The bachelor's degree and the preparation program requirements involve choices on your part. The first major decision is what grade level you want to teach. People who teach young children (e.g. Kindergarten through 6th grade) are usually responsible for teaching all subjects. Therefore, your undergraduate program would require academic breadth, but almost any major is acceptable, including an education major. People who teach older students (e.g. junior high and high school), typically teach only one subject, such as history or math. Therefore, your undergraduate program would consist of acquiring expert level knowledge by majoring in the field in which you plan to teach. If you are interested in teaching more than one subject, you can take extra classes in college to gain expertise in more than one field. If your undergraduate degree did not include a major in education, then you must still attend a teacher preparation program to get a teaching certificate. The required teacher certification program can stand alone as a post baccalaureate program or it can be part of a Master in Teaching (MIT) degree program. The UW Bothell's Elementary Teacher Certification program is an example of the stand alone program and the UW Seattle's MIT program is an example of the MIT program. Teacher certificate programs in Washington state vary by what grades and subject areas they specialize in. For example, UW Bothell's post baccalaureate teacher certificate program is in Elementary Education. When people graduate from our program, they are authorized to teach children from Kindergarten to 8th grade in all of the standard subject areas. To help you decide what you want to focus on and what college to attend, OSPI maintains a couple of lists of colleges in the region that offer teacher certificate programs. One list is sorted by subject area and the other list is sorted by college. If you know what you want to teach, you can see what schools you can attend in Washington state. If you know what college you want to attend, you can see what areas you can focus on for a teacher certificate. "Endorsements" are the official way that Washington state keeps track of what you are authorized to teach. For example, if you graduate from the UW Bothell's teacher certificate program you will have a teacher certificate with an "Elementary Education" endorsement. Typically your endorsement is based on what teacher certificate program you attended, but there are alternative paths to endorsements. Also, you can have more than one endorsement on your certificate, and there are "primary" and "supporting" endorsements that depend on the number of required college credit hours. Endorsements can get complex. For more information, talk to an advisor and/or check out the OSPI endorsement question page. Because Washington state regulates what is required in a teacher certificate program for a particular grade range and subject area, all approved programs focus on the same knowledge and skills. However, each university program has its own distinctive features. There are also some differences in how universities schedule their classes. For example, UWB offers a Five Quarter Program as well as an Extended Program which lasts 6 quarters. What choice you make in this regard is dependent on individual circumstances. Teacher requirements can change, so be sure to talk with an advisor before making major decisions. This can save you a lot of time and effort in the long run.
Yes. UW Bothell has made agreements with some Community Colleges to accept classes as credit towards the Minor in Education. For example, at Cascadia Community College, the class "Introduction to Education" is accepted at the UW Bothell. Talk to an advisor for more information.
The Five Quarter Program (Option 1) begins spring quarter with two classes (6 credits), evenings/twice a week then continues with 12 months of full-time study. Students move on to integrated coursework and field experiences autumn and winter quarters, and complete student teaching in spring. The Extended Program (Option 2) begins with three and a half quarters (10 months) of part-time evening coursework. Students take a total of twenty-one credits during the first 10 months and then complete three quarters of full-time study in addition to a three-to-four week field placement at the start of the public school year. Courses and fieldwork are integrated in autumn and winter quarters, and interns complete student teaching spring quarter.
A post baccalaureate program includes only the work required to get a teacher's certificate in Washington state. An MIT program includes additional credit/work that allows you to receive a teacher's certificate along with a Master's degree. Cost is a big difference between the programs because the MIT programs charge graduate school tuition which is approximately double undergraduate tuition.
At UW Bothell, as of Autumn 2005, the tuition cost of the Five Quarter Program (Option I) is $8,427 and the cost of the Extended Program (Option II) is $9,893, not including books and miscellaneous fees.
The Five Quarter Program offers students concentrated study and is the best option for applicants who have completed an undergraduate degree and are able to engage in full-time study for 12 months. If it would be more convenient for you to start the program with part-time work, you may consider the Extended Program. The Extended Program also is an excellent option for UWB undergraduate students who want to begin coursework toward Teacher Certification during their senior year.
Please check current application deadlines and plan to attend an Information Session to obtain an application packet.
Yes, with two exceptions. Students applying to the Extended Program may complete courses toward the required academic breadth during the program's three quarters of part-time study. All of these academic breadth requirements must be completed before proceeding to full-time work summer quarter. Students who have not yet completed their undergraduate degree may be conditionally admitted to the Extended Program. Interns in the Extended Program must have completed all degree requirements before proceeding to full-time work in autumn quarter.
Yes, an application can be rolled over into the next application pool. But first meet with the program advisor and see what needs to be strengthened. Applicant pools for each program may differ. Unsuccessful applicants are therefore strongly advised to revise their application materials and to submit additional evidence of their qualification if they choose to reapply to the program. Further, we encourage applicants to carefully consider which of the programs can best meet their professional goals and then to apply to that program.
No. The Education Minor is completely optional. Undergraduates who are admitted to the Extended Program may, however, count the Certification courses taken during their senior year toward the credits required for the Minor.
For application advising and information on the Education Minor, contact Amelia Bowers at (425) 352-5274.
No. The Master of Education program does NOT result in a teacher's certificate. An MIT program is primarily a teacher certification program with extra credits that result in a masters degree that is officially recognized by school districts for salary purposes. The Master of Education is a full master's program which focuses on a deeper understanding of the complex nature of education.
The Master of Education program gives you the opportunity to deeply explore the topic of education. Instead of focusing on obtaining a teacher certificate, this program is aimed at classroom teachers and people working in the field of education who already have experience and want to further their knowledge. In our M.Ed. program, you will be encouraged to think about the complex nature of education, to explore questions central to your professional growth, and to develop sustained, collegial relationships with peers from across the region.
First of all, getting an Education Minor can help you decide whether you want to pursue teaching as a career. Secondly, at UW Bothell, 16 of the 25 credits can be applied to your teacher certificate program which will shorten your time in getting a teacher certificate.
