Degrees & Certifications
Begin your career in teaching with a degree or non-degreed certification from the School of Education. Programs include complete preparation for certification in either elementary or secondary education.
Bachelor of Arts or Science with Teacher Certification
Our bachelor's programs begin in the third year of undergraduate studies. Because we do not fully admit students as first-year students (freshmen), all our undergraduate students are technically transfer students—while most transfer from within the University of Michigan, many transfer from external institutions.
As a first-year student, you may apply for the Teacher Education Preferred Admissions (TEPA) Program, which would allow you to complete your first two years at another of the university's schools (usually the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts) while receiving advising from the School of Education, before transferring to our program at the beginning of your junior year.
If you wish to become a secondary teacher, you may remain with another unit such as the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts, while completing coursework at the School of Education and earning a recommendation for a Michigan provisional teaching certification. Students pursuing certification in music or physical education, however, must remain within their home unit.
Master of Arts with Teacher Certification
The University of Michigan School of Education offers one-year master’s degree with teacher certification programs in elementary and secondary education
Coursework is completed concurrently with a year-long teaching internship to provide greater opportunities for exploration of pedagogies through authentic classroom interactions. Our curriculum prepares master’s students with the theory, method, and practice to be successful educators. All classroom experiences are fully supported by field instructors.
Faculty from the U-M School of Education—comprising researchers, teachers, and advocates—are ranked among the top in the nation. Together, they share their passion for the intellectually challenging work of teaching and are known worldwide for scholarship that broadens understanding of effective teaching and student learning.
Each year, the Master of Arts with Teacher Certification programs draw students with diverse academic and professional backgrounds who are seeking a collegial and intellectually challenging environment to develop the skills and knowledge to become effective educators.
Michigan Alternate Route to Certification (M-ARC)
The Michigan Alternate Route to Certification (M-ARC) program is a state-approved alternate route to teacher certification.
There are two program pathways, one for Teach For America (TFA) corps members pursuing initial teacher certification, and one for practicing teachers who want to add endorsement areas to their existing standard certification without leaving the classroom. In both pathways, participants will begin teaching under interim certificates in their new content areas immediately upon entrance to the program, and will receive ongoing, content-specific training and development from University of Michigan teacher educators for three (3) years before earning their Michigan standard teaching certificates.
Welcome to the Educator Preparation Program!
Now, more than ever, our nation and world require passionate teachers who can skillfully and effectively uncover essential content in ways that resonate with children and youth, build critical skills that help them make sense of the world around them, and who are able to engage with them in humanizing ways that support their social emotional needs. The role education and teaching play in creating more equitable outcomes for children, families, and communities is also more evident, and hits at the core of our aspiration as an Educator Preparation Program (EPP) to create a more just and equitable world through teaching. Teaching is complex, worthwhile, and essential work—the kind of work well-suited for "leaders and best."
We welcome those interested in becoming teachers and who want to learn and master the craft of teaching, knowing just how much teachers and teaching matter for the growth and improvement of individuals, communities, and the entire world in which we live. By joining us, teaching interns become a part of a tradition spanning just over 100 years of excellently preparing teachers who are in high demand by schools and districts locally, nationally, and internationally.
We have multiple paths to pursue K-12 teaching certification, including undergraduate; post-baccalaureate; and graduate; as well as an alternate route to certification pathway. In all of our pathways our award-winning faculty and instructors bring years of research and practical teaching experience to our practice-based program which, undoubtedly, is a prevailing factor in our recurring national top rankings.
While in our program, teaching interns begin working virtually immediately in schools with mentor teachers and their students. Simultaneously, in their university courses, they learn and practice core or high leverage teaching practices, as well as critical frames and lenses for thinking about what it means to teach, especially in a diverse society. This, combined with a cohort model, creates multiple and layered opportunities to learn within a community of others who share the same commitment to become the best teacher possible for their students.
A Learning Community
Vision: The Educator Preparation Program at the U-M School of Education pursues a vision of educating toward justice.
Mission: Our mission in the Educator Preparation Program (EPP) at the U-M School of Education is to prepare educators to support the well-being and learning of young people and to advance justice through their practice, advocacy, and activism. All pathways within the EPP leverage both research and the expertise of experienced educators to prepare novices for the complex work of supporting young people’s learning and thriving, as well as that of their families and communities. We strive to uphold diversity and inclusion, and to advance justice and equity, in the field of educator preparation.
We prepare educators who are capable of—and committed to—providing a powerful education for all students in our world. For nearly 100 years, teachers prepared at the School of Education have created exceptional learning opportunities for children and youth. Applying research-based methods, our teachers are prepared with the skills and expertise to educate diverse groups of students and advance our vision of building just and equitable societies through education.
Our Educator Preparation Program, led by award-winning faculty who excel at both teaching and research, is routinely ranked among the top in the nation. With a strong focus on career readiness, our program applies the latest research on teaching, learning, and leading to ensure that every student is highly prepared to take on exciting challenges.
As a practice-based program that is rich with resources to support teacher education, the U-M School of Education provides opportunities for students to work in classrooms under the guidance of faculty, staff, mentors, and colleagues. Each part of the program is designed to prepare students as they learn and grow into the profession.
Students also work closely with a cohort of their peers to connect challenging coursework with guided experience in schools. The cohort model provides a lasting network of colleagues and allows students to share ideas, practice skills, and enjoy the support of a community.
Supported, Engaged Learning
You will study with an exceptional group of faculty, instructors, and cooperating teachers, all dedicated to the improvement of schooling and to your professional growth. From the start, you will connect academic coursework with guided experiences in schools.
Cohort Model
You will progress through your program with a cohort of your peers in a spirit of dialogue, debate, and cooperation. The cohort model provides you with a community of peers with whom to grow and improve your practice.
Social Justice
You will learn about implementing social justice teaching and learning practices. The strategies that you use as a teacher and leader will help create more humanizing learning environments in which all children, youth, and adults can develop.
SOE in Action
Your support can help us create transformative leaders and educators who have the theoretical framework and practical skills to address the many urgent challenges that face U.S. schools.
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Interested in teacher certification? Schedule an appointment with our recruitment team:
Contact
Phone: (734) 615-1528
te.program@umich.edu