DESE Alternative Route to Certification Program
Students who have a baccalaureate degree relating to secondary certification areas may be eligible for a Temporary Authorization Certificate to teach in Missouri and may be eligible to negotiate a program of study at Columbia College to maintain Temporary Certification. This is a program defined by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE).
Students seeking the alternative route to certification must apply as Post-Baccalaureate within the Graduate Program.
Post-Baccalaureate Certification Programs
Students who have completed a baccalaureate degree may be eligible for admission to Columbia College’s Post-Baccalaureate Programs for Teacher Certification. A candidate for Post Baccalaureate Teacher Certification must present evidence of the following:
Complete the MAT Post-Baccalaureate Core within the first 18 hours:
EDUC 542 - Law, Ethics and Education 3 hours /EDUC 200 Law, Ethics and Education 3 hours
EDUC 560 - Theories of Learning 3 hours /EDUC 230 Theories of Learning 3 hrs
EDUC 505 - Instructional Theory and Techniques 3 hours /EDUC 300 Instructional Theory and Techniques 3 hrs
EDUC 550 - Human Development 3 hours /EDUC 391 Human Development 3 hrs or
EDUC 392 Adolescent Psychology
- A baccalaureate degree (2.5 GPA minimum). Included in the degree must be general education coursework that has been determined by the Office of the Registrar to be sufficient to meet Columbia College standards;
- Admission as a Post-Baccalaureate student.
Once admitted, Post-Baccalaureate students must:
- Maintain a minimum GPA of 2.8 in all Professional Education courses with no grade lower than B (See Grading and Academic Standing );
- Maintain a minimum GPA of 2.8 in all content area courses with no grade lower than B (See Grading and Academic Standing );
- Complete application materials for admission to the Teacher Certification Program (to be obtained from the Certification Officer by appointment) that include: Request for Admission, GPA Worksheet, and two letters of recommendation (one from the Education Department and one from outside the Education Department).
Columbia College offers Teacher Certification Programs in:
- Art Education (K-12)
- Music Education (K-12)
- Special Education (K-12)
- Elementary Education (1-6)
- Middle School Education (5-9)
(Content areas: Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Speech/Theatre)
- Secondary Education (9-12)
(Content areas: Biology, Business (non-vocational), Chemistry, English, General Science, Mathematics, Social Studies, Speech/Theatre)
Post Baccalaureate graduate students seeking teacher certification may take certification courses at the graduate level when available. The graduate equivalent courses are listed on the following checklists in brackets after the course title.
NOTE: Not all certification courses have graduate-level equivalencies.
1 Evidence of experience may include letters from former employers detailing job responsibilities and time of employment. Similar information from colleagues may serve as well to meet this requirement. Any other documents supporting employment experience may be submitted similarly. Regardless of form, all evidence of employment must be submitted at the same time admission is sought and must be on file in the office of the Teacher Certification Program prior to the beginning of coursework. Program completers will have a minimum of five years professional work experience.
2 A copy of the contract must be on file in the office of the Teacher Certification Program prior to acceptance into the Alternative Certification Program.
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