teaching credentials - where and how?

Question

Thank you for all the answers you have given me on online schooling. I found all of them useful.
I would like to earn a History degree online but get my teaching credentials in a so-called real college. I know these credentials and the certificates provided by different schools vary from state to state just like the requirements for teachers. How long does it take to get such a certificate in general and what institutions are considered reliable? Can I go for a certificate before I complete my History degree?

Answer 1

You can take the teacher certification program either with your history degree or after you've completed it. You can not do a teacher training program separately before the content area because you won't know the material you will be teaching. Be prepared - the content area PRAXIS exams are not easy. Make sure "history" is a certification subject in the state and level you want to teach. In some places it's a "social studies" certification and requires more than just history courses.

Depending on your state - there are several ways to become a teacher. Every state requires a bachelor's degree as minimum entry, some expect a master's in a certain period after initial certification.

1) go to a state approved teacher training college and get your degree in History Education (a degree in history education is not the same as a degree in history) then take the exams and get your license. This is the "normal" way people become teachers.

2) go to any accredited college (online or traditional) and get a degree in history or generalized social studies. Then find an open teaching job and apply for alternative certification. This varies from state-to-state but generally you teach while you earn your certification. This works best if you want to teach in a high demand location but offers the lowest pay. There are plenty of online history and social studies bachelor's degrees out there - but not history education. Remember, history and history education are not the same.

3) go to any accredited college (online or traditional) and get your degree in history or generalized social studies. Then attend an MAT (Master of Arts in Teaching) program in your subject area to get the teacher certification. This route results in higher pay but takes longest.

"considered reliable" - they MUST be approved by the state you want to teach in. Any other approvals or accreditations are moot. They must be approved for teacher education where you want to teach.

"timing" - a bachelor's degree in a teacher education program takes 4-5 years. A BA in History generally takes 4-years. An alternative route certification (if you already have a bachelor's) can take up to three years but you're working as a teacher in that time. A Master of Arts in Teaching (if you already have a bachelor's) takes 12-18 months full time.

Answer 2

I can only tell you about the university I graduated from the University of Minnesota. Their teaching program lasts 18 months. Why don't you just enroll in a university?

Answer 3

978