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Department of Education

How do I become a teacher?

Welcome! California needs good teachers. Teaching jobs are available throughout California, especially in urban areas. Teaching is a rewarding and challenging profession and we hope your reflection on questions below will assist you in your career decision.

Join us for our scheduled informative orientation meetings.

To view information by topic, please click on one of the below links:

Is a teaching career a good fit for you?

Good schools have teachers who reflect the political, social, religious, cultural and ethnic diversity of California. Teaching styles vary among good teachers. Aspects of a teaching career to ponder include:

Do you enjoy and get energized working with people? Teaching involves daily work with individual students in varying class sizes, and teamwork with other teachers, school administrators and staff and the parental community to build and maintain a healthy, empowering school climate and family.

Are you a good communicator? Successful teachers convey instructions and information in a manner their students can understand while modeling effective writing and speaking skills for their students. Teachers need well developed interpersonal and intercultural communication skills to build trustful relationships with their diverse students and parental communities.

Are you academically well prepared? All students deserve well educated teachers who, by example, can help them master basic skills of reading, writing and critical thinking, and who have a level of subject matter mastery that enables them to interest and inspire students.

Do you enjoy learning and are you interested in learning to help young people mature and love learning? Good teaching requires a commitment to lifelong education of one's self and a desire to stimulate and motivate students to develop a passion for learning as they mature. Successful teachers focus on their students as individuals growing and developing.

Do you want to work hard, meet challenges daily, receive decent pay and rich emotional rewards? If so, teaching may be an excellent profession for you.

How do I prepare for admission to a credential program?

Try teaching and find out if you like it! Forty-five hours of observation and participation in appropriate grade level classrooms (elementary K-5, middle school 6-8, high school 9-12, or special education) with a certificated teacher are required for admission to a credential program. You may already know which grade levels and type of teaching you most enjoy; if not, you can investigate some or all of these types of teaching and then complete at least 45 hours in the level of your choice. The more experience you have in public school classrooms, the better prepared you will be for your credential methods courses and student teaching.

Graduate from a regionally accredited college or university. You may select a teaching major or any major of your choice. Here at HSU teaching majors for elementary teaching are Liberal Studies Elementary Education and Child Development Elementary Education. Teaching majors for middle school and high school teaching are: Art Education; Business Education; English Education; French, German, or Spanish Education; Industrial Technology Education; Math Education; Music Education; Physical Education; Science/Chemistry, Geosciences, Life Science or Physics Education; Social Science Education (includes Civics, Economics, and History).

Meet the subject matter competency (SMC) requirement. The SMC requirement must be completed for admission to a credential program. The ways of meeting the SMC requirement differ for different credentials:

For Multiple Subjects (elementary): Pass the California Subject Examination for Teachers (CSET) for Multiple Subjects, Subtests I, II, and III.

For Single Subjects (secondary): Satisfy one of two options:

    (1) Complete an approved Subject Matter Program (teaching major) from an accredited California college or university. Make an appointment with a designated subject matter advisor for transcript evaluation and/or verification of completion of an approved major; or

    (2) Pass the required California Subject Examinations for Teachers (CSET) for your teaching content area prior to beginning the program.

For Special Education: You must pass one of the California Subject Examinations for Teachers (CSET), Multiple Subjects, English, Math, or Science OR complete an undergraduate major in English, Math, or Science approved by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing.

Meet the preliminary education technology requirement by one of 3 options: (1) passing grade in EDUC 285 or an equivalent, (2) pass the CSET for Preliminary Education Technology, (3) complete a computer information systems major or minor.

How does HSU help students realize their goals to become teachers?

Advising People Interested in Exploring a Career in Teaching
HSU Professional staff and faculty are happy to explain and answer questions regarding teacher preparation and certification (being recommended for a credential). We serve recent high school graduates ready to begin college, undergraduates including transfer students searching for a career direction, people considering a career change, and experienced teachers from other states.

Subject Matter Preparation
Knowledge of subjects to be taught is the necessary foundation in working toward a credential. All credentialed teachers must have at least a bachelor's degree. HSU offers undergraduate majors approved by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CCTC) in the following areas:
For elementary teaching (multiple subject credential):

    Child Development Elementary Education

    Liberal Studies Elementary Education


For middle school and high school teaching (single subject credential), we offer the following subject areas:

    Art

    Business

    English

    French

    German

    Industrial Technology

    Mathematics

    Music

    Physical Education

    Science/Chemistry

    Science/Geosciences

    Science/Life Science

    Science/Physics

    Social Science (includes Civics, Economics, and History)

    Spanish

Verification of Subject Matter Preparation by Examination
To verify subject matter competence, students need to pass examinations: the California Subject Examination for Teachers (CSET) and the California Basic Educational Skills Test (CBEST). HSU offers workshops and tutoring to help students prepare for these tests. Study guides for CSET and CBEST are available at HSU Bookstore.

Professional Preparation
California requires professional training for certificated teachers. The HSU Department of Education offers credential programs that include foundations and methods classes and student teaching. HSU can recommend a student for a preliminary credential upon:

    Completion of a basic credential program

    Completion of collete-level course or examination on the U.S. Constitution

    Passage of Reading Instruction Competence Assessment (RICA) Note: not required for Single Subject


Credential programs HSU provides include:

    Multiple Subjects (Elementary)

    Single Subject (Secondary)

    Special Education (mild/moderate and moderate/severe) Level 1 and Level 2

    Administrative Services Level 1 and Level 2

    Reading Specialist (program currently inactive)

How do I get additional information and advising?

Explore this website further, and please look at the Frequently Asked Questions page. Visit the School of Education's credential office in Library 008. If you are interested in Secondary or Elementary Education, you may call Kristin Mack at 707.826.5867 or e-mail her at klm87@humboldt.edu. For Special Education, Administrative Services, or Master's Programs, please contact Carmela Paradise at 707.826.3729 or e-mail her at ctp7001@humboldt.edu.

How do I apply to a credential program at HSU?