Do I need a master's degree to teach high school English?
Aspiring teachers moving out of state with a bachelor's degree are left guessing whether they need a master's degree, what specific alternative certification steps to take, or how many tests and patches are required to legally qualify.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
- 1Enrolling in a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program
- 2Pursuing alternative certification pathways
- 3Applying to private or charter schools that may have different hiring requirements
- 4asking instructors for clarification
- 5Working with the local school district office to review transcripts
- 6Contacting the state credential commission directly
- 7Taking state subject matter exams (CSETs) and methods courses
- 8Finding university programs that allow taking individual credential courses
- 9Applying anyway and letting the grantors decide whether to toss the application
- 10Reading specific grant guidelines and RFPs to check criteria
- 11Contacting program officers directly to ask if the organization qualifies
In their words
Unedited, most upvoted first, each linked to the thread it came from.
“I'm not sure where the line is between touring a museum and learning about things vs. needing accreditation for education. Can I still apply for grants that are interested in places providing education in our field even if we aren't accredited?”source ↗
“the woman who was in my place before me left a note saying that we don't qualify for education grants due to not being accredited”source ↗
“I was just afraid there was some rule I wasn't aware of (the woman who taught me about grants wasn't always the most truthful which is why I'm such a stickler about always sharing everything).”source ↗
“I graduate this spring with a bachelors in English and creative writing minor. I also plan to move to Chicago around the same time. I’d like to teach middle or highschool English as I have some friends who teach in Chicago and love it, but does it require a masters degree/ what steps do I need to plan to take?”source ↗
“I have searched high and low and can't seem to find the information I am looking for that is up to date.”source ↗
“Since graduated 6 years ago I don't have a college counselor I can talk to or anyone to review my transcripts in order to point me in the right direction.”source ↗
“I am going in blind and having to figure this out on my own.”source ↗
“1. I don't know what courses I would need to take”source ↗
“2. I can n't find a clear requirement list of what I need to add a single subject onto my multi subject.”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
- 3How to pass work certifications fast with no experience
- 3Can't find a CPA to sign off on experience for a license
- 4Why am I paying for professional certs that barely increase my pay?
- 11How to choose certification study materials I can actually trust
- 3Should I switch to the new CPA program or rush the old one?
- 3How to get live continuing education hours for certification