California Teaching Credentials

Alliant teacher programs follow an innovative format with online courses and hands-on training, allowing you to study on your schedule while receiving the necessary professional training for teaching success. These programs cater to single-, multiple-subject, and special education teacher candidates seeking to enhance their credentials in California. Our teacher education programs help prepare you to earn your teaching license and work in elementary, middle, and high school. They are structured to guide you from a preliminary credential to a clear credential, so you meet all state requirements.

Alliant’s programs are approved by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC), reflecting one of the highest standards in the industry. The teacher education program prepares you to pursue a career as a teacher with essential skills and hands-on experience, instilling confidence in your ability to lead a classroom.

Recognizing everyone’s path is unique, the teacher education program offers three tracks to complete a preliminary single-subject or multiple-subject teaching credential. We acknowledge educators’ challenges and take necessary measures to ensure every learner is well-prepared for the classroom.

If you have limited or no previous classroom teaching experience, this option enables you to pursue a teaching certification online while maintaining a solid connection with faculty, staff, and field supervisors. Teacher education recognizes the unique challenges faced by educators and is committed to taking the necessary measures to ensure that you are well-prepared for the classroom. Alliant provides support and services, guiding candidates through every step—from selecting the right plan, to securing placement in a district school.

The intern teaching option allows you to pursue teaching certification in California or online while earning an income. As a salaried teacher-of-record for four terms, you can assume immediate and full teaching responsibility and classroom management. This is ideal if you have prior classroom teaching experience.

An accelerated version of the standard intern teaching path, this early completion option also involves being a salaried teacher-of-record for four terms. It is recommended for candidates with previous classroom experience.

Advance Your Career

Alliant collaborates with TEACH California to address the teacher shortage, recognizing the value this partnership brings to teacher recruitment in the state. The commitment seamlessly places aspiring teachers like you in classrooms through various teacher preparation programs.

Throughout enrollment in the teacher credential program and certification studies, you will build a robust educational foundation and acquire essential student assessment skills. Online coursework will expose you to diverse learning methods and theories, teaching English-language learners and understanding how cultural backgrounds influence learning styles.

Critical to development is hands-on experience. Moving to your own classroom is the most effective way to cultivate your teaching style and bring you closer to licensure and a teaching career.
 

1. Fulfill basic education requirements
   To obtain a teaching credential in California, you must hold at least a bachelor’s degree from a state-recognized college or university. Completing a teacher preparation program approved by the Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) is also required.
2. Complete the student teaching requirement
   You must contribute at least 600 hours of field experience during the program. The type and duration of classroom experiences may vary among programs, allowing you to choose from traditional student teaching, co-teaching, teacher residency, or intern teaching to gain practical teaching experience.
3. Pass teacher certification exams in California
   The specific subject-matter assessments to pass depend on the type of teaching certification sought. If you are pursuing a multiple-subject teaching credential program, you must take the CSET multiple subjects exam. If you are pursuing a single-subject teaching credential program, you must pass the corresponding CSET exam for their subject.

4. Apply for certification
   The online application system is the most efficient way to apply for a California teaching credential. The program sponsor initiates the application process by formally recommending you through the CTC’s online system. Upon submission of the recommendation, you have 90 days to fulfill the required recommendation document.

    

   As part of the process, you will respond to professional fitness questions related to your criminal and professional background, assessing eligibility for the desired CA teaching credential. You will also need to get fingerprint clearance from the California Department of Justice and the FBI when you apply.

Enhance your teacher education journey with the opportunity to dual-enroll in the online master of arts in education with teaching emphasis program at the university.

• How it works
  Teacher candidates in a preliminary teaching credential program need only three to five additional courses to complete the MAE in teaching. This is possible because all California teacher credentialing coursework is applied to the master’s program. The added advantage is that the entire program is available online.
• Reasons for pursuing a master’s 
  A master’s degree provides an advanced understanding of teaching and theory applicable in the classroom. It not only enhances expertise in teaching but also opens up new opportunities for career advancement and personal educational development.

Alliant also offers Arizona Board of Education-approved teaching programs in primary and secondary education and a concurrent master of arts in education in teaching. 

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