Teaching Degree in 4 Years? Need college suggestions

Parents Forum
1

<p>My D wants to be a teacher, probably secondary science. She plans on majoring in chemistry, and then getting a teaching certificate.</p>

<p>We are in CA, and she wants to stay here, so we are wondering if anyone knows colleges in CA that combine the BA/BS with the teaching certificate in 4 years. (I tried asking in Education forum, but there isn't much activity on that forum.)</p>

<p>We are open to public or private, but she is convinced she doesn't want to cross the state boundary line!</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

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<p>What do her own teachers and the other staff members at her school have to say? They should be able to give her some good ideas.</p>

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<p>I know two women who earned their BA and teaching credentials in 4 yrs from Cal State San Marcos in SoCal. It may be farther than going OOS if you’re in NorCal!</p>

<p>ETA - your D’s major may make it more challenging to graduate in 4 yrs. I believe these women also took summer school classes.</p>

4

<p>In Washington, I believe you generally have to take at least a fifth year program.
I don’t think she would be be happy even if she found a school where she could get certified to teach & earn a chem degree in 4yrs , because she would have had very little time as a student teacher.</p>

<p>My oldest earned her bio degree at a lac and then her MIT in a two year internship at a small university. Most of her classes were practicum as she was full time staff at a K-8. In my years as a volunteer in public schools, teachers always tell me they wish they had more classroom experience when they were still in college.</p>

<p>If you haven’t found this link- it lists the various paths to teach at the secondary level.
[California</a> Commission on Teacher Credentialing](<a href=“http://www.ctc.ca.gov/credentials/teach-secondary.html]California”>http://www.ctc.ca.gov/credentials/teach-secondary.html)</p>

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<p>I agree that speaking with her teachers would be a good first place to inquire. Her HS GC should also be helpful about this. The two young women I know who got their teaching certificates both had to get their undergrad degrees and then get their certificates. I believe it took them longer than 4 years for their CA certificates.</p>

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<p>Many of California’s state universities offer blended programs. Here is a link to a 2003 report: policyweb.sri.com/cep/.../Eval<em>Blended</em>Teacher<em>Ed</em>Program.pdf. More schools have probably added such program since the publication of this report. I think Cal Poly San Luis Obispo still has a program from which a student can graduate with a credential in 4 years plus one summer. Other programs take longer – each school’s program is a bit different.</p>

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<p>P.S. Looks like Sonoma State University now offers a blended program that completes in 4 years: [Hutchins</a> School of Liberal Studies](<a href=“http://www.sonoma.edu/hutchins/pages/academic/ba/track3.htm]Hutchins”>http://www.sonoma.edu/hutchins/pages/academic/ba/track3.htm)</p>

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<p>One issue our relative & friend’s D also had problems with was GETTING THE COURSES. There weren’t many openings and often the classes had limited enrollment, which meant that they had to be taking courses for longer than they would have liked or would have been necessary if they were able to get all courses as desired & scheduled.</p>

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<p>Sonoma State’s blended program focuses on multiple subject credentials(to teach elementary.) Keep this in mind!</p>

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<p>Thanks for all the info and insights.</p>

<p>My D has Sonoma State on the top of her list, but I did find out that the blended program only provides a multiple subject credential, for teaching elementary. So, someone that wants to teach middle/high school will still need that 5th year!</p>