Gladys L. Benerd School of Education

Single Subject (Secondary Education) Credential

Single Subject (Secondary Education) Credentials offered by the University of the Pacific

For Teaching Grades 7-12:

• English (including English, drama, journalism and speech)
• Social Sciences (History, sociology, government, psychology at the secondary level)
• Mathematics (both Foundational Mathematics—authorization to teach mathematics through Algebra II—and mathematics, all secondary mathematics courses)
• Sciences, with specialization in biology, chemistry, physics, or geosciences
• Spanish

For Teaching Grades K-12:

• Physical Education
• Music (collaboration with the Department of Music Education, Conservatory of Music)
• Art

California Basic Skills Test (CBEST)

Students must have passing scores on the California Basic Skills Test. We recommend taking the CBEST the freshman year or immediately upon making the decision to become a teacher. The CBEST must be taken prior to applying to become a Credential Candidate, and must be passed prior to directed teaching (student teaching or internship).

Evidence of Knowing the Subject Matter Areas You Will Teach

The California Subject Examinations for Teachers (CSET) must be passed to demonstrate subject matter knowledge. Please register for and pass all sub-tests for the particular subject area as required by the Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC).

The CSET examinations for the subject area must be taken approximately during the junior year or within the first semester of the credential program for post-bachelor’s degree credential students.The examinations must be passed before directed teaching (student teaching or internship). We recommend that undergraduate students develop a major in the area that they want to teach.Single subject majors are found in the College of the Pacific and Music Education in the Conservatory of Music.

Undergraduate students can work towards completing their major, General Education, and degree requirements concurrently with Teacher Education credential program requirements and coursework, offered by the Department of Curriculum and Instruction, Benerd School of Education, beginning as early as the freshman or sophomore year.

United States Constitution Requirement

This state requirement of completing the U.S. Constitutional requirement, for Pacific students, can be passed in any one of the following ways:

• Passing one semester of United States Government and Politics at the college level (POLS 41, United States Government and Politics)
• Passing both semesters of United States History (HIST 20 and 21: United States History I and United States History II)
• Successful passing score on a United States Constitution Challenge Examination (Details are available in the Department of Political Science.There is a testing fee.)
• Successful passing score and receipt of college credit for an Advanced Placement Examination in United States History or United States Government
• Successful passing score on a United States Constitution Challenge Examination from selected community colleges

Admission Information

A bachelor’s degree or a higher degree is required for completion of a credential in California. Undergraduates at Pacific may take coursework and pass state examinations for completion of a credential during their undergraduate program.The credential program is also available to individuals who hold a bachelor’s or higher degree. A minimum of a 2.5 grade point average (GPA) (on a 4-point scale) in the last 60 units of an undergraduate program is required. Students may apply to the  Graduate School at the University's Office of Research and Graduate Studies.

Successful Clearances of Fingerprints

The Teacher Education program has two fingerprint clearances in most instances:

1. Review of fingerprints prior to registering for prerequisite courses in teacher education that have fieldwork placements.Materials are available in Room 108, Credentials Office, Education Building. Materials are returned to Room 108 prior to registration.
2. State Certificate of Clearance: Students must apply and successfully be granted this clearance by the Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CCTC); this is review of fingerprints by the Department of Justice by for the state of California.Materials and directions are found in Room 108, Credentials Office, Education Building.

Tuberculosis (TB) Clearance: Students must provide clearance of TB by providing the results of the TB skin test to staff in Room 108, Credentials Office, EducationBuilding prior to registering forprerequisite courses in Teacher Education.

Coursework and Field Experiences for Obtaining a Single Subject Credential

• Prerequisite Courses in the Teacher Education Program must be passed with a grade of “C” or higher. Fingerprint clearance and TB results must be on file in the Credentials Office, Room 108, Education Building to register for these prerequisite courses, except EDUC 130.

• Required Prerequisite Courses:
  • EDUC 140, Transformational Teaching & Learning (4 units)
  • EDUC 141, Transformational Teaching and Learning Practicum (2 units)
  • EDUC 130, Technology Enhanced Learning Environments (2 units)
  • EDUC 163, Teaching English Learners (3 units)

• Admission to Credential Candidacy: Prior to registering for the professional methodology courses, The Single Subject student must be admitted to Credential Candidacy. To become a Credential Candidate, the student obtains materials for the EDUC 140 course and must pay a $30 fee to open the credential file in Room 108, Credentials Office, Education Building; and provide the following:
  • Three recommendations for teaching
  • State Certificate of Clearance Completion
  • Essay (explained in EDUC 140)
  • Evidence of taking CBEST
  • Evidence of preparation to complete the Subject Matter Requirement for California(CSET; Music Subject Matter Program is available for Conservatory students)
  • Evidence of preparation to complete the United State Constitution Requirement
  • Successful completion of an interview with the Credential Candidacy Interview Committee

• Required Professional Methodology Courses
  • EDUC 156, Content Area Literacy Development for Secondary Schools (3 units)
  • EDUC 155, Teaching in the Content Areas I (3 units)
  • EDUC 165, Teaching in the Content Areas II (3 units)
  • SPED 125x, Teaching Exceptional Learners (2 units)Typically taken concurrently with student teaching or internship.
    
    Note:Students in Music Education complete EDUC 156, Content Area Literacy Development fpr Secondary Schools (3 units) or with permission may take EDUC 161, Literacy Development (4 units)
• Approval for Directed Teaching (Student Teaching or Internship): Prior to student teaching or internship, students must gain approval to register for Directed Teaching and must have completed the following requirements:
  • CBEST must be passed
  • CSET must be passed
  • United States Constitution requirement must be completed
  • Certificate of Clearance must be awarded from CTC
  • All prerequisite and professional methods courses must be successfully completed with no grade lower than a “C” and a GPA of 2.5 or higher for credential, non-master’s degree and non-intern students.GPA of 3.0 or higher is needed for prospective internships.An internship requires the holding of a bachelor’s or higher degree and a teaching contract from a public school district in the local area.
  • The Student Teacher review (STAR review) needs to be completed with the Coordinator of Credential Services.
  • Students must attend a meeting with the Director of Field Experiences to prepare for directed teaching approval and registration
  • Teacher Education Program assessments, such as Embedded Signature Assignments (ESAs) must be successfully completed
  • Interns only: Must have approval to seek an internship; have a full-time contract from the employing district; obtain a University Memorandum of Understanding (MOU); apply for CTC University Internship credential.

• Students Approved for Directed Teaching: Student teachers register typically for 8 units of EDUC 170 for the semester. Masters degree students register for EDUC 270 for 10 units. All student teachers and interns register for EDUC 172, Seminar:Directed Teaching (4 units). Interns may divide EDUC 270 into two-five unit, minimum, registrations for each of two semesters of supervision while teaching in the school district. SPED 125x, Teaching Exceptional Learners (2 units) is taken typically during the directed teaching semester, or it is completed in the semester prior to the directed teaching semester.

Recommendation for Application for a Preliminary Teaching Credential

• Individuals must complete all program courses, described previously, and have demonstrated again that all state mandated examinations were passed, the United States Constitution requirement is passed, and the bachelor’s degree is successfully completed.Directed Teaching must be successfully passed and the student’s transcript is up-to-date.
• University of Pacific requires that the student obtain financial clearance from the Office of Student Accounts, Finance Center.
• Students should provide evidence of passing directed teaching, the seminar for directed teaching, and SPED 125x.
• All Teaching Performance Expectations (TPEs), program and state competencies must be assessed and signed by a cooperating teacher and the university supervisor.
• The Teaching Performance Assessment (TPA) must be successfully passed.This is currently the Performance Assessment for California Teachers (PACT).
• With approval, the student, with assistance from the Coordinator of Credential Services, must apply to the CTC for the teaching credential and complete all steps in the on-line application.State fees apply.

Induction Program for the Professional Clear Credential

The beginning teacher who holds a preliminary teaching credential must participate in his/her employing district’s teacher induction program.The induction program, called Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment (BTSA), is typically a two-year process, occurring during the first two years of teaching.The clear credential must be obtained before the preliminary credential expires after five years. Additionally, CPR certification, for infant, child, and adults certification, will be required.

Additional Information

For additional general information, please contact the Administrative Assistant

or Dr. Kellie Cain kcain@pacific.edu

Department of Curriculum and Instruction
Gladys L. Benerd School of Education
3601 Pacific Ave.
Stockton, CA 95211

Phone: (209) 946-2852
Fax: (209) 946-3110

If you plan to teach Music Education, please contact:

Dr. Ruth Brittin
Coordinator, Music Education Program

Or, if you plan to teach Physical Education, please contact:

Dr. Darrin Kitchen
Sports Sciences Department

You may also speak with your faculty advisor.