Credential Program

Application portfolios for the 2022 Fall credential cohort are due on March 15, 2022.

About the Credential

Undergraduates who have completed the CalTeach minor and have declared a major in a science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) field are eligible to apply for the credential program, which supports them to get a math or science secondary school teaching credential and begin teaching middle or high school after graduating. Students admitted to the credential program engage in student teaching and enroll concurrently in the final CalTeach course, EDSTEM 303: Apprentice Teaching.

The CalTeach Credential Program is unusual in the state of California in that it grants credentials concurrent with undergraduate education. This allows aspiring teachers to enter the classroom sooner, and with less expense, than they would have with a typical post-baccalaureate credential.

Application

Eligibility

Admission to the credential program is restricted to students who are science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors. Students in non-STEM majors should contact the Student Services Coordinator to request an evaluation of their coursework and receive advice about what the Admissions Committee will be looking for and potential suggestions for additional or alternate coursework.

*Some students complete the Credential Program the semester after graduating, through UC Berkeley Extension concurrent enrollment. Students must submit their application (which includes a $125 fee) to Berkeley Extension. The step-by-step guide for students to enroll is available here

Application Materials

Please see the right sidebar for the application forms and credential program information.

Applications for Fall credential cohorts are always due on March 15th. Applications for Spring credential cohorts are due on October 1st.

Deferral

If you choose to defer your admission to the CalTeach Credential Program, please complete and return the Deferral Request Form to the Student Services Coordinator.

Credential Program Information

Students admitted to the credential program engage in student teaching and enroll concurrently in the final CalTeach course, EDSTEM 303 Apprentice Teaching. To complete this option, you must have time in your schedule to complete student teaching and the Apprentice Teaching course during your last semester at Berkeley, or during one semester of a fifth year. The student teaching placement will require approximately 2 hours per day in the classroom, plus travel and prep time; the exact timing will depend upon the schedule of the school where you are doing your student teaching placement.

Pre-Apprentice Teaching Expenses

Students will receive a stipend in EDSTEM 187 to cover these costs. See Documents & Forms in the sidebar for more information about application and testitng costs.

EDSTEM 303: Apprentice Teaching

Apprentice Teaching (EDSTEM 303) meets one afternoon each week for two hours. Taught as a seminar, the course provides a supportive and collaborative environment where apprentice teachers share their experiences and successes and work through classroom challenges. One of the central components of Apprentice Teaching is the teacher inquiry project: a systematic, data-based investigation that teachers use to improve their professional practice. Instructors and peers provide guidance and feedback as apprentice teachers plan, implement, and evaluate these projects. The finished project portfolio serves as the final evaluation for the course. The course also emphasizes curriculum and assessment planning, and instructional strategies to actively engage students.

Apprentice Teaching Expenses

Students will receive the Apprentice Teacher Scholarship to cover the costs of the program. See Documents & Forms in the sidebar for more information.

Credential Recommendation

Credential Recommendation Request Form
CalTeach uses Chalk & Wire for a variety of credentialing purposes, including submitting your edTPA, collecting your credential recommendation components, and obtaining evaluations from university supervisors and cooperating teachers.

Documents & Forms

Application Forms

Lesson Plans

Questions? See Our FAQ Page.
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