Find an Education Path For Teaching in Connecticut, CT

If you are an aspiring teacher who wants to become an educator in Connecticut, the steps to take to reach that goal depend on what level of education you have completed.

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If You Have a High School Diploma or a GED

Admission into Bachelor’s degree programs requires students to have a high school diploma or a GED certificate. The high school courses and extracurricular activities students choose influence their future academic and career options. Connecticut offers educational programs that encourage students of diverse economic levels and cultures consider the teaching profession. For example, Connecticut high school students interested in becoming teachers can attend a Summer Institute for Future Teachers, which helps develop their knowledge and skills, and inspires them to continue on this career path.

Find out about accredited schools that offer Associate degrees or Bachelor’s degrees in education.
Decide what content area and age-level you want to teach.
An advisor at your high school can help you decide what type of college would offer the best path toward a teaching career.
Aspiring teachers can enroll at a two-year or community college and earn an Associate’s degree, certification in the field of Early Childhood Education or units that are transferable to a four-year college degree program.
High school graduates may be qualified to enter a Child Development Associate Credential training program (CDA). With a Child Development Associate Credential you will be able to take a major step toward becoming an Early Childhood Education professional in Connecticut. Some CDA training programs are available online and some are offered by two-year colleges.
Explore the possibility of attending a four-year college or university where you can earn a Bachelor of Education degree in the subject area or grade level you hope to teach.
Contact colleges that fit your needs, and request information to help with making a decision about which post-secondary school or training program to attend and what degree program to pursue.

If You Have Completed Some College or Earned an Associate’s Degree

Connecticut is working to provide excellent teacher preparation programs in order to improve the quality of teachers in the state’s public schools. Community colleges offer general studies and education classes leading to Associate’s degrees that help students advance toward a teaching career in Connecticut. Some two-year and four-year colleges coordinate efforts to offer transfer degrees, so students are able to transition smoothly into a university teaching program.

Research and ask questions about state-approved Bachelor’s degree programs to find out which ones accept transfer credits from the two-year college you attended. Contact schools of interest to request more information.
Connecticut is committed to improving the preparation of future teachers. The state has developed programs known as Pathways to Teaching Careers. These are offered in numerous community colleges throughout the state and were created to allow an aspiring teacher to complete a two-year Associate degree in education while attending a community college.
Connecticut Associate of Science degree in Early Childhood Education credits can be transferred to any of Connecticut’s baccalaureate colleges that offer Early Childhood Education Teacher Certification programs.
Some community colleges offer certificates in programs, such as EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION that focus on developing skills and knowledge to prepare professionals. An Early Childhood Education Certificate qualifies you to work as an assistant teacher or a teacher childcare centers and preschools.

If You Have a Bachelor’s Degree

Teacher certification in Connecticut requires a Bachelor’s degree or higher from a regionally accredited institution. Some Bachelor’s degree programs in teacher education incorporate the teacher certification requirements for the State of Connecticut into a curriculum that offers the essential skills students need to become teachers. If you want to teach in Connecticut and already have a Bachelor’s degree, the next steps toward being issued an Initial Teaching Certificate, depend on your undergraduate major.

A Bachelor’s Degree in Education that included an accredited Teacher Preparation Program will fulfill academic and teacher preparation requirements. Student teaching is an important aspect of any Bachelor’s in Education program, and successful completion of all degree, examination and teacher preparation requirements will qualify you to apply for Initial Teacher certification.
All prospective teachers in Connecticut are required to take the Praxis I Basic Skills exam and the Praxis II Subject Knowledge exam. Candidates seeking licensing in elementary education or early childhood education are required to pass the Connecticut Foundations of Reading Test.
Universities and four-year colleges approved by the state may grant bachelor’s degrees to students who successfully complete all the requirements of a specific program of study. A degree, however, does not automatically lead to a teaching certificate.
The State of Connecticut issues a teaching certificate after a candidate completes a bachelor’s degree and an approved program of professional study, passes required educator exams and applies for an Initial Certificate.
Teachers in Connecticut are required to complete a subject-matter major in a specific field, so an aspiring teacher’s bachelor’s program must include coursework leading to a degree in that major.
Some Connecticut undergraduate teacher education programs that lead to a Bachelor of Science degree also include professional course work and fieldwork within a Teacher Preparation Program.
Prospective teachers who have earned a Bachelor’s degree, but who have not finished a Teacher Preparation program, must complete the Teacher Preparation curriculum at a Connecticut-approved institution. Pursuing teacher certification through accredited post-baccalaureate programs prepares students for teacher certification, but do not culminate in a master’s degree.
After earning a Bachelor’s degree, you may decide to continue your academic pursuits by seeking a Master’s degree. Connecticut graduate schools offer both Master of Arts and Master of Science degrees in numerous subjects.
Successfully fulfilling all academic, experiential and assessment requirements will qualify you to earn a bachelor’s degree and to apply for and be issued an Initial Teacher Certification.

If You Have a Master’s Degree or Are in a Master’s Degree Program

Connecticut graduate institutions offer a range of Master’s degrees programs, which provide advanced coursework in education. In some degree programs, the academic coursework is completed in conjunction with an Educator Preparation Program. A Master’s degree combined with a Connecticut teaching certificate may provide you with additional career options.

Graduate students who have fulfilled their initial licensing requirements may go on to earn Master of Science Degrees in Early Childhood Education, Elementary Education, Science Education and Secondary Education.
Individuals who have a B.A. and are interested in obtaining their initial teaching license can enroll in an integrated program that combines a Master’s degree and a curriculum providing preparation for teacher certification. Integrated degree programs Early Childhood Education, Elementary Education, and Secondary Education.
Some universities in Connecticut offer Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) degrees, which are described as graduate-level certification programs that prepare qualified students for careers as teachers in academic shortage areas, such as Mathematics, Science, Spanish, English, and Technology Education.
Many teaching candidates choose to embark on their teaching careers right after graduation. The next step for students who have completed all of the coursework, passed all required tests, and fulfilled the student teaching requirement, is to apply for an Initial teaching certificate. Contact the Connecticut Department of Education and request information and an application.
Some people who have earned a Master’s degree in Education may decide to pursue a Ph.D. or doctoral degree. For example, the Doctoral Program in Education – Curriculum and Instruction was designed to give individuals the opportunity to become creative contributors in a scholarly field. Within the curriculum and instruction doctoral program, students may concentrate in elementary or secondary education, along with areas of emphasis in specific subjects.