You know the difference a great teacher makes. It's no wonder you wish to cultivate young minds and impact future generations. Lipscomb University's College of Education equips you with the tools you'll need to instruct your own students.
You will make many choices on your journey to become a teacher, such as whether to teach young children or teenagers. This guide is one of our many resources to help you as you make these decisions.
Teacher Education Requirements
Undergraduate Teaching Degree Process
As you enter college, you will need to declare a major and start pursuing your degree. Education majors are unique because your major depends on the kind of teacher you hope to be: Pre-K, middle school, high school, etc. Here are the basic steps you will take as an undergraduate here at Lipscomb.
Step 1 - Decide What Education Level to Teach
Your degree program pathway is dependent on the ages and grades you want to teach. Do you wish to help form basic literacy skills or dive into the complicated formulas of high school physics? Whatever your choice, you must determine the education level to pursue.
There are undergraduate degrees offered for the six different education levels: Early Childhood Education, Elementary Education, Special Education, P-12 Education, Middle School Education and Secondary Education.
- P-3/SPED Early Childhood Education encompasses Pre-K through 3rd grade with special education training
- K-5/SPED Elementary Education involves Kindergarten through 5th grade with special education training
- Special Education has three options (K-8; 6-12; K-12)
- P-12 Education is encompassing education for preschool through grade 12
- Middle School Education is subjects targeting grades 6-8 only
- Secondary Education includes grades 6-12 (i.e. adolescents, teenagers)
Step 2 - Pick Major(s) and Earn Your Degree
Once you choose an education level, you can determine what major(s) to pursue to graduate with a teaching degree. The College of Education cooperates with various academic departments to offer a variety of majors. Undergraduate candidates completing most programs may work toward either the Bachelor of Arts or the Bachelor of Science degree.
Special Education and Disability Studies Majors
Students interested in special education can major in the below areas. Special Education and Disability Studies majors have the option to choose licensure or non-licensure pathways.
- Disability Studies: Gain a good foundation of disability-specific knowledge, how to work with parents and other professionals, and how to create plans for individuals with disabilities. This degree is helpful for a career both in and out of the classroom.
- Special Education Interventionist: This degree complies with Tennessee’s newest special education license requirements allowing you to teach in a variety of settings. You will have the skills to write individualized education programs (IEPs), create behavior plans, and learn to collaborate with parents and other professionals, in addition to other necessary competencies.
Apply for Disability Studies Apply for Special Education Interventionist
P-12 Education Majors
This teacher preparation program offers a range of teaching opportunities from pre-school through senior year. You will engage in an encompassing education to grant you the skills to succeed at any level. Majors available for P-12 include:
Apply for P-12 Education
Secondary Education Majors
You can pursue a general Secondary Education major. One may also elect to complete state requirements for endorsement in additional high school subjects, if that is something you wish to look into.
Those interested in teaching 6th through 12th grade in a specific subject area will:
- Major in the subject area you want to teach.
- Minor in Education to complete the additional teaching coursework to earn teaching licensure.
Apply for Secondary Education
Teaching Degree for Current Lipscomb Students
Deciding you want to teach the subject you're already majoring in is actually quite common. For example, you're in your third semester of Biology when you realize you want to be in a classroom educating students about the subject. Keep in mind this may push back your graduation time. However, it will be an easy adjustment to your learning experience, and you will graduate with a teaching license in addition to your original degree.
Subject-Specific Teaching: Simply meet with your advisor to discuss adding an education minor to your schedule.
Foreign Languages - ESL Endorsement: Undergraduate candidates already taking 2 4-hour foreign language courses and the Teaching Foreign Language course should consider the ESL add-on endorsement. This will provide additional licensure, making you an indispensable asset as a teacher.
Apply for ESL Endorsement
Interdisciplinary Teaching Majors
Lipscomb’s interdisciplinary teaching program meet Tennessee licensure standards. You’ll gain the knowledge and practical experience you need to be well-prepared. This program is consistently ranked as one of the most effective educator preparation programs in the state of Tennessee and the nation. There are three different majors available for Interdisciplinary Teaching. Interdisciplinary Teaching majors have the option to choose licensure or non-licensure pathways.
- P-3/SPED Early Childhood Education with integrated Special Ed Licensure: The state Department of Education now requires teachers to double major with both age-specific and special education training. Those pursuing Early Childhood Education will follow an integrated program in Interdisciplinary Studies in Teaching (Pre-K through 3rd Grade) with special education experience.
- K-5/SPED Elementary Education with dual Special Ed Licensure: Similar to Early Childhood, K-5 is now required a double major. Our dual endorsement program offers both licenses upon graduation. The Interdisciplinary Studies in Teaching (Kindergarten through 5th Grade) combines experiential special education training with general education for these ages.
- Middle Grades (6-8) Licensure: Students interested in teaching certain subjects available only for middle school grades can gain teaching licensure for these four subjects:
- Mathematics
- Social Studies
- English Language Arts
- Science
Apply for Interdisciplinary Teaching
Step 3 - Take the Teaching Certification Test
To teach in the state of Tennessee, you must complete the state certification test and earn your Practitioner License. Tennessee's examination requires extended clinical hours (in-classroom teaching), as well as a bachelor's degree. You will be prepared to take the Praxis and edTPA exams. Lipscomb University's Teaching Licensure program is built into each education degree to provide you with the skills and coursework you need to pass as a new educator.
Graduate Teaching Degree Process
Lipscomb offers many graduate education degree programs to prepare those who want to do more. Whether your focus is leadership, technology, or behavior analysis, you’ll be trained in the latest research-based techniques and gain the field experience to put them into practice.
Apply to Earn a Graduate Degree Apply to Earn a Graduate Certificate
Stackable Master of Education
Lipscomb now offers a stackable master's degree (M.Ed.) that allows candidate flexibility in crafting a degree program that is customized toward personal educational and career goals. Choose from stackable options for licensed teachers, for initial license candidates, and for those who seek to broaden their leadership skills in a variety of ways. There are dozens of possibilities that allow for customization of a master's degree - and in some cases, you could graduate with one or even two endorsements to add to your teaching license.
Apply to Earn a Stackable Master of Education
Career Changers and Degree Holders
Many people graduate with a bachelor's before deciding to teach or they pivot the direction of their career after gaining experience in the field. Anyone with a bachelor's degree that meets admissions requirements can earn their teaching certificate through Lipscomb's education program. We will work with and for you to make the process and transition easy.
Apply for a Teaching Certificate
