What Kind of Degree Should a Teacher Get?

For individuals who wish to teach, Grand Canyon University’s College of Education offers a variety of programs to help future educators prepare for the classroom. Students who are interested may have questions about what is needed to become a teaching professional. If this sounds like you, then keep reading to learn about the educational requirements needed to become a teacher:

Undergraduate Education

If you want to teach K-12 students, then you will need to earn at least a bachelor’s degree to begin your career. If you already hold a bachelor’s degree in another field, you may want to consider a master’s degree that can lead to initial teacher licensure.

Many individuals choose to study education while also taking coursework in the subject area that they would like to teach, such as English, math or science. Licensure is required to work as a teacher in a U.S. public school, and different states have various requirements for obtaining a teaching license. Ideally, your education should include coursework and supervised teaching experience that prepare you for initial teacher licensure.

Continuing Education

Most public school teachers must complete a certain number of professional development or continuing education hours to keep their state certification or license. In addition to increasing your knowledge and skillset, continuing your education through additional coursework, workshops and seminars can also help you to continue being a highly effective educator. Lifelong learning is important at any stage and even more important for educators as new teaching methods and classroom strategies are proved effective.

Graduate School

Some teachers may wish to enroll in a graduate program to further their knowledge, whether they wish to continue working with students or work in another area of education. Some options include a Master of Education in Early Childhood Education, Master of Education in Early Childhood Education and Early Childhood Special Education, and Master of Education in Special Education. Some of these degrees prepare you for a career in school administration, while others provide a helpful knowledge base for curriculum development or other areas.

Grand Canyon University offers undergraduate and graduate degrees that lead to initial teacher licensure. For details on our other teaching degree programs, visit the College of Education website or use the Request More Information button on this page.