Master of Teaching with Elementary Certification
Plan Your Master in Teaching Degree
Connect with an academic advisor to discuss secondary certificate requirements, choose your endorsement subject electives, explore clinical placement opportunities in local schools, and map out your path toward graduation.
About the Major
The Master in Teaching with Secondary Certification program leads to a master’s degree and a Washington State Residency Teacher Certificate with a Secondary (5 through 12) Endorsement. Admission is selective and requires a completed bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution with a minimum 3.0 undergraduate GPA.
The undergraduate degree must fulfill specific coursework requirements for an approved endorsement area. The program standardly supports the following endorsement subjects:
- Biology
- English Language Arts
- History or Social Studies
- Mathematics
Applicants with an undergraduate degree in a different institution-supported endorsement subject may request an evaluation. To initiate this process, email the academic coordinator at van.education@wsu.edu to submit unofficial transcripts for evaluation. The formal transcript evaluation determines prerequisite completion and takes approximately four to six weeks. Applicants must be within two courses (approximately six semester credits) of completing prerequisites to apply for the program.
Learning Objectives
- Cultivate inclusive, collaborative learning environments that support the diverse academic and emotional needs of all secondary students.
- Design and implement curriculum rooted in social justice principles to address educational inequities in local communities.
- Integrate pedagogical content knowledge in biology, English language arts, history, social studies, or mathematics into secondary school lesson plans.
- Evaluate educational outcomes through structured research, culminating in a comprehensive final master’s project presentation.
Core Skills Acquired
- Classroom Management: Establishing productive, respectful, and safe environments for middle and high school student populations.
- Instructional Design: Translating complex academic concepts into accessible, engaging lesson plans aligned with state educational standards.
- Differentiated Instruction: Adapting teaching methodologies to accommodate various learning styles, backgrounds, and abilities.
- Clinical Practice: Managing full-time teaching responsibilities, including lesson delivery, grading, and student mentorship during school internships.
Career Fields
- Middle School Education (Grades 5 through 8)
- High School Education (Grades 9 through 12)
- Secondary Subject-Matter Specialization (Biology, Mathematics, English, History, Social Studies)
- Educational Curriculum Development
- Institutional Instructional Coaching
Program Structure and Schedule
This full-time program comprises a minimum of 40 semester hours of certification courses and a year-long field experience. Because of the intensive daytime commitment required for school placements, full-time employment is not possible. The program follows a structured sequence:
- Initial Term: Daytime or late afternoon classes meeting twice a week.
- Subsequent Term: Evening classes held Monday through Thursday, alongside two full days per week dedicated to a pre-internship at a local placement school.
- Internship Term: Five full days per week spent directly in a placement school for student teaching.
- Final Term: Completion of the final master’s project course, which includes an in-person presentation.
Admission Testing and Experience Requirements
Candidates must fulfill state teacher certification requirements by submitting scores for a basic skills test (all sections of the ACT, SAT, or WEST-B). There is no minimum score requirement.
- To submit SAT scores, use school code 4705 on the College Board website.
- To submit ACT scores, use school code 4482 on the ACT website.
- To register or send official scores for the basic skills test, access the WEST-B Registration Page.
Candidates must also pass the required content knowledge test for their specific endorsement area. Registration and scoring details are available via the NES or WEST-E Exam Page.
Additionally, applicants must document supervised experience working with K-12 children, preferably with grades 5 through 12 in a public school classroom setting. Babysitting or nannying experience is not accepted. All qualifying experience must be completed within three years of the program start date. Contact the academic coordinator at van.education@wsu.edu to verify if your experience qualifies.