Find an Education Path For Teaching in Ohio, Oh

Once the decision has been made to become a teacher, the level of education completed determines the next steps. Let us guide you to the next steps in your teaching experience. Please choose your highest level of education below:

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If You Have a High School Diploma or a GED

Having a high school diploma or a GED opens doors to many institutions of higher learning that can lead you to a teaching career in Ohio. Bachelor’s degree programs typically require applicants to have a high school diploma.

Learn about accredited schools that offer Associate degrees or Bachelor’s degrees focusing on education, specific academic content areas or student populations.
Decide what grade level and subject area you are interested in teaching.
The Ohio Department of Education recommends that, once you decide what you want to teach, the next step is to earn a Bachelor’s degree with a Teacher Education Major in that subject area and grade level.
Contact colleges that fit your needs, and request information to help you make a decision about what school to attend and what degree program to pursue.

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

Attending a community college and earning an Associate’s degree is a valuable step toward becoming a teacher in Ohio. Taking certain college classes before entering a Bachelor’s degree program may provide some necessary prerequisites for courses in the four-year program.

In Ohio, many community college coursework credits transfer to public and independent four-year colleges and universities. If you have earned an Associate in Arts (AA) degree or an Associate in Arts and Sciences (AAS) degree from a community college in Ohio, you may qualify to enter certain four-year colleges as a Junior and pursue a Bachelor’s degree that leads to teacher certification.
Investigate various state-approved Bachelor’s degree programs to find out which ones will accept transfer credits from the college you attended and at which you took classes. Contact the schools that interest you to request more information.
If you attended an Ohio community college or another two-year college and completed a certificate or degree program in education, you may be able to continue on to a four-year Bachelor in Education degree that will lead to a teacher’s license.
Some aspiring teachers choose to use their Associate degree and certificate in Early Childhood Education to obtain Ohio’s Pre-Kindergarten Associate License and start working with pre-school children in positions in a variety of educational environments, including child care centers, preschools, pre-kindergarten programs and Head Start classrooms.

If You Have a Bachelor’s Degree …

A Bachelor’s degree or higher from a regionally accredited institution is essential to qualification for an Ohio Teaching Certificate. If you want to teach in Ohio and already have a Bachelor’s degree, the next steps toward teacher certification will often depend on your undergraduate major.

If you have earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Education that included an accredited Teacher Preparation Program, you will have fulfilled many essential academic and teacher preparation requirements. Successful completion of all degree and teacher preparation requirements will qualify you to apply for a teaching license.
Prospective teachers must pass mandatory tests before applying for certification or licensing with the Ohio State Board of Education. All candidates are required to take the Praxis II test on Principles of Learning and Teaching and the Praxis II Subject Assessment.
Majoring in Liberal Arts and receiving a Bachelor’s degree is a major step toward certification as an Elementary level teacher. Many certification programs recommend the Liberal Arts major, because it prepares educators to teach in the many different subject areas taught in Elementary schools.
If you received your Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science degree in the specific subject you wish to teach, you may have already satisfied the academic requirements recommended by many certification programs. Majoring in a specific subject commonly taught at the secondary school level (high school and middle school) prepares individuals to become endorsed or qualified to teach classes in that content area.
Ohio teaching candidates who have earned a Bachelor’s degree in a major other than Education, or who have not finished a Teacher Preparation requirement, must complete a Teacher Preparation Program at a regionally accredited institution. Some of these are Post-Baccalaureate Teacher Preparation programs and some are combined with Master’s in Education degree programs.
Once you have successfully completed all academic and experiential requirements, you are ready to begin the multi-phased application process that will lead to your certification as an Ohio educator.

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

If you have a Master’s degree in Education, your major coursework may have included a Teacher Preparation Program. If your Master’s degree major is not Education, a Teacher Preparation Program must be completed. You can move forward in a few different directions once you have a Master’s degree.

Some universities offer Master of Arts in Teaching programs, which can lead to certification in secondary education and post-secondary education. Master of Education programs are available in a variety of specialty areas, including Education: Teaching and Learning. Ohio also offers a Master of Arts in Education (M.A.Ed) and a Master of Science in Education, and a Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education and Teaching. These majors include Teacher Preparation coursework and lead to educator licensure in Ohio.
If you want to begin your teaching career shortly after completing all of the coursework, passing all required tests, and fulfilling the student teaching requirement, the next step is to apply for your teaching certificate. Contact the Ohio Department of Education to request information and an application.
Some people who have earned a Master’s degree in Education may decide to continue their education and pursue a doctorate degree. Ohio has a variety of Educational Doctoral Programs. Gather information to discover the best school and program for you.