Before you can land a job as a teacher in a public school in the US you must first become certified in the state you wish to teach in, this qualification is commonly referred to as a teaching certificate, teaching license, or teaching credential. In all states, teachers are required to hold a bachelor’s degree and complete a state-approved teacher preparation program from an accredited partner in order to qualify for a state issued teacher certification.
Traditionally, teacher certification or licensure programs are provided in-person by colleges and universities in four-year degree or two-year post-baccalaureate formats.
Alternative teacher certification programs, like TCP, are designed for aspiring educators, career changers and experienced educators without a teaching license to earn a teaching credential in a flexible and accelerated course delivery format while having the same learning outcomes of traditional certification or licensure programs.