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Center for Excellence and Equity in Teacher Preparation

Becoming A Teacher

Click here for a printer-friendly summary of the University of Delaware teacher preparation programs.

Teaching is a rewarding profession where you can make a difference in the lives of children, youth, families, and communities.

The high quality teacher preparation programs at the University of Delaware prepare candidates to become effective teachers in diverse settings. Candidates who want to become certified teachers need to either graduate from an approved teacher education degree program at the bachelor’s or master’s level or become certified in Delaware through an alternative routes pathway.

Undergraduate Teacher Preparation Programs

The following table shows bachelor’s degree programs where candidates can become eligible for teacher certification. These programs would be appropriate for candidates who have not earned a bachelor’s degree.

Program College
Early Childhood Education (with additional certification in early childhood special education) College of Education and Human Development
Elementary Teacher Education (with additional certification in either English as a second language, special education, or a middle school content area) College of Education and Human Development
English Education College of Arts and Sciences
Family and Consumer Sciences Education College of Education and Human Development
World Languages Education (French, German, Italian, Latin, and Spanish) College of Arts and Sciences
Mathematics Education College of Arts and Sciences
Music Education College of Arts and Sciences
Science Education (Biology, Chemistry, Earth Science, and Physics) College of Arts and Sciences and College of Earth, Ocean, and Environment (Earth Science)
Social Studies Education (Anthropology, Economics, Geography, History, Political Science, Psychology, and Sociology) College of Arts and SciencesAlfred Lerner College of Business and Economics (Economics), and College of Earth, Ocean, and Environment (Geography)

Graduate Teacher Preparation Programs

The following table shows master’s degree programs where candidates can become eligible for teacher certification. These programs would be appropriate for candidates who already earned a bachelor’s degree.

Program College
Agriculture Education College of Agriculture and Natural Resources
Exceptional Children and Youth  (MPCP and 4+1 tracks) College of Education and Human Development
World Languages and Pedagogy College of Arts and Sciences
History Education College of Arts and Sciences
Teaching English as a Second Language College of Education and Human Development
STEM 4+1 College of Arts and Sciences

 Teacher Certification

The Office of Certification and Accreditation provides lots of information about certification. You can also check with the Department of Education in the state(s) in which you might want to become eligible for certification to be sure your academic degree program meets those requirements. Teacher licensure or certification is different in every state. The professional education unit of the University of Delaware is accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). The individual teacher education programs have received State Approved Program status and have been recognized by national specialty organizations as having met their standards. Students who complete a University of Delaware state-approved educator preparation program, including achieving a passing score on all tests required by the State of Delaware for teacher certification at the time of their graduation, will receive the University’s institutional recommendation for teacher certification. Institutional Recommendation is necessary to apply for certification in all states.

Alternative Routes to Certification

Alternative Routes to Certification (ARTC) is for individuals with bachelor’s degrees in certain fields who are interested in entering the teaching profession. This pathway allows qualified individuals to earn teacher certification in Delaware in high needs areas while teaching full-time. They complete a state-approved set of professional education courses while teaching in their own classroom and receiving mentoring from university staff.