Alternate Paths to Teacher Certification
For someone who already holds at least a bachelor's degree, becoming a teacher requires careful planning.
Montgomery College's School of Education offers coursework for those who already have a bachelor’s degree and wish to become a certified teacher in Maryland, or for teachers who need to enroll in additional courses to renew certification.
Alternative Certification for Effective Teachers
If you have a bachelor's degree in a non-teaching field and are interested in becoming a middle or high school teacher in the sciences, mathematics, or world languages, the Alternative Certification for Effective Teachers (ACET) program may be for you. This innovative partnership between Montgomery College and Montgomery County Public Schools is for talented individuals who wish to change careers and become teachers in high-demand fields in MCPS secondary schools.
Other Pathways to Teacher Certification in Maryland
If you have a bachelor’s degree but the ACET program is not for you, there are other ways to become a certified teacher in Maryland. One option is to seek a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) degree, available at many universities in Maryland and beyond.
Another option is to pursue the "transcript analysis" pathway:
- The first step for potential teachers is to pass or show proof of meeting the minimum scores for a basic skills test (SAT, ACT, GRE or Praxis Core). You must also take the Praxis Subject Assessment in your certification area OR for World Language candidates, the ACTFL Written Proficiency Test (WPT) and Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI/OPIc).
- Next, have your college transcript(s) evaluated by the Maryland State Department of Education, Division of Certificationnew window. (Coursework completed outside the U.S. must first be officially evaluated by one of the MSDE-approved agencies). Transcripts SHOULD NOT be sent to Montgomery College for review; an unofficial transcript may be presented to an education advisor to gain permission to enroll in courses which are needed.
- Upon receipt of the transcript evaluation from MSDE, students can then determine what
courses to take at Montgomery College that meet the MSDE Professional Education course
requirements. See a list of MC courses that can be applied to certification (PDF,
) .
Please note that outside of the ACET program, Montgomery College does not provide the opportunity for supervised teaching experiences, which are required for certification in Maryland.
Certification Renewal and/or Professional Development for Teachers
Many courses at Montgomery College may count toward teacher certification renewal or professional development. For course recommendations and permission to enroll in courses, contact the School of Education.