Education

Education

Degrees, Certificates, Credentials, and Pathways

MCC offers two different education degree programs. View more information on each program below.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do all states require licensing?

According to the National Education Association, “Licensure is a mandatory process whereby individuals interested in practicing the teaching profession must meet predetermined state qualifications.” Teacher licensing in the 50 states is administered through various state organizations such as state departments of education or professional state standards boards. The majority of states now have standards for certification that are comparable to the Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (INTASC) standards. A licensure candidate will need to meet the specific academic and teaching requirements for the state where they are interested in living and teaching.

Do I have to be fingerprinted to become a teacher?

In order to work in a public school, a candidate must be fingerprinted and pass a background check.

Do I need a Bachelor’s degree to become a teacher?

Yes, in order to teach in the K-12 U.S. schools, teachers need to have a Bachelor’s degree with the appropriate teacher preparation course work and content emphasis area course work for the elementary teaching license. Those teaching in U.S. high schools need a Bachelor’s degree with a content major or usually 40 hours. In some states, a fifth year of college coursework is required and in other states, a Master’s degree is required.

What kind of salaries can a teacher expect?

The amount a teacher earns in the United States depends on education level, experience, and the school/district/state, since there is no uniform salary schedule. Salaries for the average beginning teacher in the U.S. continue to lag behind their peers in comparable professions. The average beginning teacher’s salary was estimated to be $34,935 for the 2010-2011 school year.