Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Teacher Education- Elementary Education
The Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Teacher Education – Elementary is a 31-credit program that would provide additional pathways to teacher licensure in grades K-6 for individuals who hold an undergraduate degree in a field other than education. It will also provide a pathway to teacher licensure for paraprofessionals and long-term substitutes currently working in Hawaii public schools. Providing multiple pathways to teacher licensure would address the growing need for qualified, licensed teachers in grades K-6, particularly in geographic areas that have historically experienced difficulty recruiting and retaining classroom teachers.
Once completing an initial teacher licensure program, graduates are eligible to apply for a state license through the Hawai‘i Teacher Standards Board, which will allow the licensee to teach in public and charter schools in the State of Hawai‘i.
Hawai‘i also participates in the NASDTEC Interstate Agreement which facilitates the mobility of educators among states that are members of NASDTEC. UHM recommends you contact the office of certification in any state to which you may be relocating to get the most current information. See NASDTEC website for more information.
Funding
Students admitted to the PBCTE – Elementary Ed program may be eligible for Grow Our Own Teacher Initiative (GOO) stipends that cover most of the cost of tuition and fees. GOO is made possible through a partnership between the College of Education of the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa and Hawai‘i Department of Education. For more information on eligibility requirements and the application process, please visit our Grow Our Own Teachers page.
International Student Visa
International students enrolled in fully online or primarily online degree or certificate programs are not eligible for issuance of the Form I-20 required to apply for an F-1 student visa to study in the United States. Students participating in online programs must complete their coursework from outside the United States unless they hold another valid immigration status that permits study in the U.S.
For the purposes of international student visa eligibility, a “primarily online” program refers to a program in which the majority of coursework or instructional delivery is conducted online or through distance education methods, even if the program may include limited in-person, hybrid, residency, or short-term on-campus components.