Complete teacher preparation coursework during your undergraduate studies

At most colleges, undergraduates can complete a teacher preparation program by declaring a major in education or by majoring in another subject while completing teacher preparation coursework. What are the benefits of this pathway?

• You do not have to spend money on more schooling

• You can be certified and hired right after graduating from college

• You’ll feel better-prepared for your first year teaching after a semester of student teaching and mentorship.

The traditional undergraduate pathway is definitely a good deal, but what are some things to consider:

• You have to major in education or work towards your major while completing teacher coursework

• You can only do this if you’ve decided early enough in your undergraduate career

If the traditional undergraduate pathway sounds good to you, then you may want to focus on applying to colleges that have strong undergraduate teacher preparation programs, or if you are already enrolled in a four-year degree, talk to your academic adviser to see what your options are. Check out our programs page to research undergraduate programs and their application requirements. Some examples that you will find are UNT-Dallas, Southern Methodist University, and Dallas Baptist University.

Complete teacher preparation coursework after earning your Bachelor’s degree, in a traditional graduate school program.

If you decide to not complete your teacher coursework during your undergraduate studies, there is the option to complete the coursework through a traditional graduate school program. What are some of the benefits of this pathway?

• You can major in other areas in your undergraduate studies

• You can go to an undergraduate university without an education program

• You can take time to decide if teaching is for you

• You earn a Master’s degree and gain a salary bump

The traditional postgraduate pathway is an awesome option for some people, but here are some things to consider:

• You will probably need to take the GRE

• You will need to find a way to fund your training

If the traditional graduate pathway sounds good to you, then check out our programs page to research postgraduate programs and their application requirements. Some examples that you will find on this page are UT-Arlington and UNT-Denton.

Complete teacher preparation coursework after earning your Bachelor’s degree, during your first few years of teaching

In an Alternative Postgraduate Pathway, teacher preparation programs will be offered by universities, school districts, for-profit and nonprofit organizations that typically involve you completing some foundational training, and then finishing your coursework while simultaneously being a full-time teacher (which is different than traditional certification programs that require you to complete your coursework before starting as a full time teacher).

What are the benefits of doing an alternative certification pathway?

• You typically receive a salary or stipend, reducing or eliminating your need for loans

• You can often earn your certification quicker, depending on the program

Many people opt to do the alternative certification pathway. Before making a decision, here are some other factors to consider:

• You often will have to balance coursework with teaching

• Your level of support can vary, depending on the program

• Teachers surveyed in Dallas-Fort Worth were 10% more likely to feel unprepared for their first year teaching if they went through an alternative preparation program. This is likely due to lack of clinical experience that others received.

It’s also important to know that there are a variety of programs that get classified as ‘alternative’:

• Summer then Straight In Model involves a summer of intense training before becoming a full-time lead teacher in the fall. Some examples of these are Teach for America DFW or Dallas ISD Compass

• Residency Model provides a more gradual approach, where you spend a year apprenticing with a master teacher as their “resident” before transitioning into a full-time lead teacher in year two. Some examples of these are Urban Teachers, Dallas Teacher Residency and Relay GSE

• Some programs require you to first get hired by a school district by yourself, while others help you get placed or matched with a school

• Some programs are fully or mostly online, while others can be mostly in-person with a cohort to collaborate with