With well over two million total jobs as of 2010, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, elementary and secondary school teachers are needed across the country. If you're considering a career as an educator, you'll need a minimum of a bachelor's degree. Before applying for a college teaching program, take stock of your transcript to ensure that you have the appropriate prerequisites.
Selecting Your Start
While you might think of the traditional four-year bachelor's program as starting at the freshman level, not all education bachelor's degrees follow this path. Although there are certainly bachelor's programs in education that start out during the first year of college, some are upper-division-only degrees. For example, the University of Michigan School of Education's undergraduate elementary teacher education program only admits students starting in their junior year. Depending on when your school of choice admits beginning education students, you'll need different types and amounts of prerequisites.
Earning an Associate Degree
Some bachelor's-level education programs require students to have an associate degree in a teaching- or child development-related field as a prerequisite for admission. This requirement takes the place, in some schools, of waiting until the junior year to start. For example, Gordon State College requires all students in its early childhood education program to complete an Associate of Art in ECE prior to admission to the bachelor's program. This ensures that education students have a solid knowledge base that includes child development, human learning and other education-centered areas.
Teaching at the secondary level means, in most states, receiving a specialized certificate in your area of expertise. Education programs, such as the one at the California University of Pennsylvania, typically offer secondary teacher degrees in areas that include English, math, biology, chemistry, physics, art, social studies and foreign languages. Before deciding to focus on one area, you'll need a firm background in the field. For example, if you're considering a bachelor's in teaching art, take high school or college courses in drawing, painting, sculpture or art history prior to application.
Going for the General
Educators, especially at the early childhood and elementary levels, must master a broad array of information and content. To teach a daily rotation of primary school classes in social studies, science, math and language, you'll need to complete prerequisites in general studies. A high school curriculum typically provides the general classes required to apply for a beginning bachelor's of education program. If you're starting a program at the upper level, you may need to fulfill the college's general education or liberal arts requirements prior to admission as well.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Kindergarten and Elementary School Teachers
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: High School Teachers
- University of Michigan, School of Education: Applying to the Undergraduate Elementary Teacher Education Program
- Gordon State College: Early Childhood Education Admission Procedure, Application and Forms
- California University of Pennsylvania: Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education
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