• Teacher Certification
• Certification Endorsements
• Undergraduate Programs in the College of Education

What is teacher certification?
Elementary and secondary teachers must be certified by the state in which they teach.  Requirements for teacher certification in Michigan include successful completion of a bachelors degree, passing state certification tests (basic skills and subject-specific knowledge), student teaching (internship year), and meeting the technology requirement.  Programs in the College of Education are designed to prepare students to meet certification requirements.

I want to get my teaching certificate at Michigan State University but I might want to teach in a different state. How do I go about preparing for that?
The teacher preparation program at Michigan State University is set up to prepare students to qualify for a Michigan teaching certificate. However, the State Department of Education in Michigan currently has "reciprocity agreements" with about 40 other states in the country. Therefore, by meeting the requirements through Michigan State University for a Michigan teaching certificate, candidates would qualify for a teaching certificate in most other states. Teaching candidates who wish to teach in other states should contact the state department of education in those states to learn about application procedures and timetables and testing requirements.

I have a bachelor’s degree and now I want to teach.  Now what?
The Post-Bachelor Certification Program is designed for people with a bachelor’s degree who wish to earn their teaching certificate. This program requires a minimum commitment of 24 months in a full-time student status to complete the Teacher Certification Program. During their course of study, students receive instruction from nationally renowned faculty and classroom experiences with outstanding K-12 teachers, resulting in preparation to meet the challenges of the teaching profession.

Specific program requirements depend upon academic history and certification sought. Persons interested in the Post-Bachelors Certification Program should consult an advisor in the College of Education Office of Student Affairs.  More information

Can I be certified in both secondary and elementary education?
There are some teaching majors that are already approved as having K-12 certification. At Michigan State University these teaching majors are: Art, Music, Physical Education, Home Economics, and Audiology and Speech. Though these majors can teach K - 12 for the teaching major they are put on a secondary certificate and for the teaching minor can teach only 7-12. Students in other majors cannot earn elementary and secondary certification at the same time.  The emphasis in the TE 401 and 402 classes is quite different for elementary and secondary. Also, the internship year has a specific emphasis either on general elementary education or on a secondary subject taught in the grades 7 - 12.

Elementary students in TE 401 and 402 learn elementary education subject-specific methods and teaching strategies (covering language arts, math, social studies, and science) as well as elementary-oriented background for teaching literacy/reading skills.

Secondary students in TE 401 and 402 learn the teaching strategies and methods related to teaching their teaching major.

It is possible, after earning a teaching certificate at either elementary or secondary level, to add the other level as an "additional endorsement" onto the certificate. This requires a minimum of 18 credits in a planned program approved by the Associate Dean. In most cases the candidate for the additional endorsement (for example, adding a general elementary endorsement to a secondary certificate) would need to student teach an additional semester at the new grade level.

What special education endorsements are available at Michigan State University?
The College of Education offers special education endorsements in the following areas:

Learning Disabilities
Deaf Education

More information is available here

What is the secondary education program?
Students intending to qualify for Michigan secondary provisional certification (valid to teach in Michigan grades 7-12 in the major and minor area) will complete a teaching major, a teaching minor, a sequence of professional education courses, an Internship-Year Studies Program and pass designated competency tests in addition to meeting all other university requirements. A list of possible majors with links to the departments can be found on the Teacher Education web site.

What is Kinesiology?
Kinesiology is the interdisciplinary study of physical activity, the performance of physical activities and a range of movement related professional practices. 

The Department of Kinesiology in the College of Education offers both a teaching and non-teaching major. More information is available on the Kinesiology web site.

What are my options in Special Education?
The unique Bachelor of Arts/endorsement program in special education is designed to prepare students to be effective general and special educators. The program prepares students for regular elementary teaching certification and endorsement in one of two areas in special education:

• learning disabilities
• visual impairment

Both certification and endorsement are awarded only after completion of a fifth-year internship experience. For graduate programs, please see the CEPSE web site for more information.

What can I major/minor in for Education?
There are 28 majors and 30 minors that one can select for teaching certification at the elementary and secondary level. Click here for the secondary education list and here for elementary education list.

Is there a physical therapy program?
Michigan State University does not offer a Physical Therapy (PT) degree program. Since the majority of colleges and universities that offer PT are in the process of changing their programs from a baccalaureate degree to a Post-baccalaureate degree in physical therapy, undergraduate students emerging from non-PT bachelor's degree programs may find success in entering PT degree programs at other universities.

The Department of Kinesiology offers a Bachelor of Science degree with a major in Kinesiology (formerly Physical Education and Exercise Science). Students who emerge from this program are capable of entry into (a) a Teacher Certification program, (b) Graduate Studies, or (c) professional program such as athletic training, coaching, health/wellness promotion, community physical education, and fitness leadership.

Students interested in PT programs usually major in a Bachelor of Science program. At Michigan State University there are several programs to choose from. To request information about the major in Kinesiology, contact the Department of Undergraduate Studies, (517) 355-1642, or e-mail carrda@msu.edu   The KIN advising office has several references available for students to review in the office that should help them with this planning. The department's FAX number is (517) 353-2944. To request information about other programs, please contact the specific department. For additional information go to the Kinesiology web site.