Post Baccalaureate Teacher Certification Program

The Post Baccalaureate Teacher Certification program is a unique way of structuring classes where students begin on-ground in face-to-face classes to earn their Teacher Certification, and then they have the option of taking a few more classes online to earn their Master’s of Science in Education.

We spoke with Dr. Lane Clarke, Associate Professor of Education at the University of New England, about the program.

How is the Post Baccalaureate Teacher Certification program structured?

This Post Baccalaureate Teacher Certification Program is a Teacher Certification plus a master’s program. Our students get the Teacher Certification courses from the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS), which are the courses that are required by the State of Maine to become certified as a teacher.

Then they have the option of continuing on to the online program to take an additional five graduate courses which will then earn them their Master’s in Education. It’s a really neat combination of face-to-face and online instruction, which gets you both your certification and your master’s.

Students who complete the Teacher Certification courses are able to earn their Master of Science in Education with just five additional online master’s-level courses, their face-to-face classes are master’s-level as well. The classes are three credits apiece, so that’s 15 credits from the Teacher Certification program and 15 – 18 credits (depending on need) from the online master’s program, which gives them the 30+ credits for their master’s degree.

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So you don’t need a teaching background for the Teacher Certification program?

Absolutely not. And we get a very wide range of undergraduate degrees, from Nursing to Political Science, to Biology, to Health Occupational Wellness. A student’s undergraduate degree could be in virtually anything, although there may be some additional content courses needed, depending on what certification is being sought.

Can you talk a little bit about Secondary Certification?

Secondary Certification in the State of Maine is needed to teach grades 7-12, and it requires that you specialize in one subject area such as Life or Physical Science, Math, Social Studies, or English Language Arts.

To earn their Secondary Certification, students need 24 undergraduate credits in whatever area they are trying to get that Certification. Secondary Certification doesn’t give the student the content. That’s something that we assume their undergraduate program has done. We teach them how to teach the content.

Read more: Should you earn a Graduate Degree in Education?

Is there a typical background for your students in this Post Baccalaureate Teacher Certification program?

Absolutely not. We have a wide, wide, range of students – and one thing we really pride ourselves on in this program is the flexibility. This is a program that you can do as slowly or as quickly as you’d like. This is unlike some other graduate programs that are time-specific and intense.

We do offer a fast-track option if you want to take multiple classes at a time in quick succession. Or if you already have a full plate and you’d prefer to take one class at a time, we can accommodate that as well.

We hear it time and again from our students that the program’s flexibility is one of the strongest aspects of the program. Because of that, we do get a wide, wide range of types of students, which we think is wonderful.

So how long does this program take?

Well, it’s flexible. There’s no one answer. The K-8 Teacher Certification usually is about four semesters, and then student teaching on top of that. The Secondary Certification typically can be done within two semesters plus student teaching.

How do students find the transition from on-ground to online?

A lot of the on-ground faculty had a hand in the development of the online curriculum, so we know that those courses align very well. I think our students really appreciate the flexibility once they get into the online environment.

Students also see the consistency and the core values in both the online and on-ground programs, which makes the transition fairly seamless.

If you are interested in the online Graduate Programs in Education and you would like more information, download our program guide:

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You can also reach out to an Enrollment Counselor at (800) 994-2804 or via email at education@une.edu. If you’re ready to apply, fill out your online application at online.une.edu/gateway-portal-page.