Breadcrumb
School of Education
Founded as a teacher’s college in 1913, Cal Poly Humboldt continues its commitment to fostering the educators of tomorrow. Experience teaching in local k-12 schools is a hallmark of our undergraduate, graduate, and credential programs, which are led by faculty who are dedicated to teaching and mentoring students.
With small class sizes and faculty who are dedicated to mentoring students, the teacher preparation program at Cal Poly Humboldt includes undergraduate, graduate, and credential programs that emphasize practical experience working in classrooms with diverse students at local K-12 schools.
Becoming a K-12 Teacher or Administrator in California
At its most basic, becoming an elementary, high school, or special education teacher in California requires a bachelor’s degree and a teaching credential. Learn more about the steps to becoming a teacher or an administrator and our undergraduate pathway programs.
Our Programs
To Teach Elementary Education
Liberal Studies Elementary Education: earn a bachelor's degree and a Multiple Subject Credential in four years.
To Teach Middle and High School Education
The following programs, offered by other Humboldt academic departments, allow you to waive the subject matter exams--a requirement for the Secondary Education Credential Program.
- Art Education
- English/Language Arts Education
- Mathematics Education
- Music Education
- Physical Education
- History Education
- Spanish Education
*Please note that some of the above are concentrations.
To Teach Special Education
Get a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in any major from Humboldt or other college or university.
Liberal Studies Elementary Education B.A.
In this four year credential program you will earn a B.A. in any subject and a multiple subject credential.
After earning your bachelors degree and passing required exams, you’ll need a teaching credential, which is a license that allows you to teach elementary, middle school, high school, or special education students.
Cal Poly Humboldt offers several 1 year (two semester) credential programs:
Educational Leadership
Administrative services credential, generally for working teachers.
Elementary Education
Multiple subject credential that allows you to teach elementary school.
Secondary Education
Single subject credential that allows you to teach middle and high school.
- A preliminary credential to qualify for K-12 Special Education positions to teach youth with mild to moderate disabilities.
- The Moderate/Severe specialization through the College of Extended Education & Global Engagement may be added to an existing Preliminary Special Education Credential.
Master of Arts in Education
Designed for a practicing educator, this program is focused on conducting research that can directly impact the classroom and school.
Classroom Immersion
From your first semester at Humboldt and throughout the program, you’ll be in the field, at any number of local schools that span 31 school districts in Humboldt County, working with youth from a wide range of linguistic, ethnic, cultural, and socioeconomic backgrounds, including tribal and Hmong communities. That means doing everything from observing how professional teachers interact with youth to one-on-one tutoring and preparing and teaching lessons.
To help create an exciting and rigorous learning environment of honest reflection and teaching practices, faculty and professional teacher-mentors will support you every step of the way, observing you in the field and providing one-on-one, constructive feedback.
The goal is to provide a broad range of teaching experience and understand the demands of the profession. By the time you graduate, you’ll be prepared to take that next step in life as a teacher or whatever you decide to do.
Social Responsibility
Addressing the array of backgrounds, needs, and abilities of today’s youth, our program is built on a foundation of equity and social justice.
We have a longstanding commitment to critical pedagogy and anti-racist education that nurtures future teachers into leaders who can create spaces where silenced and marginalized children and youth can be heard and where the experiences they bring to the classroom are valued. We pride ourselves on valuing diverse ideas and the diversity of backgrounds of our colleagues and Humboldt students, as well as the depth and breadth of knowledge they bring to the critical work of teacher education.
Close-knit Community
Building a sense of belonging among students and faculty is a cornerstone of programs in the School of Education.
As a cohort, the same group of students will start and end the program together. Having the same classes and professors from beginning to end together fosters friendships, helping to build a network of support you can lean on as you go through the program. Cohorts also cultivate deeper, more meaningful relationships with the campus and networking opportunities with the local community, which is especially important as you work in local K-12 schools and prepare for your teaching career. These connections are critical to your personal and academic success.
Humboldt’s small class sizes also means you won’t be a nameless, faceless person in a crowded lecture hall. You’ll work closely with faculty, getting the mentoring and personalized attention you need to thrive as a student.
Email us for more information at education@humboldt.edu!
Educators for Social Justice
Educators for Social Justice (E4SJ), the freshman Learning Community, is an educational community created for freshmen majoring in Liberal Studies Elementary Education, Art Education, or Kinesiology Education. You’ll automatically be part of this year-long program to interact with the world of educating and social justice. As a participant in E4SJ you’ll gain a network that supports you academically, enlightens you professionally, and connects you to resources that will help you smoothly transition into the world of teaching.
Career Options
There are a wide range of careers teaching and beyond for Education majors. Here are some of them:
- Elementary Teacher/Secondary Teacher
- Adolescent Activity Specialist
- After School Program Leader
- Curriculum Specialist
- Director of Child/Family Services
- Parent Educator
- Peace Corps /Americorps Volunteer
- Preschool Teacher or Director
- Special Education Teacher
- Teachers Aid
Featured Alumni
Sara K. Sterner
Education
Dr. Sara K. Sterner was recently chosen to serve on the award selection committee for the Children's Literature Assembly Notable Children’s Books in the Language Arts. The seven-member national committee reviews texts written for young people in grades K-8, reading 700-1,000 books annually. Each year the committee selects 30 books that best exemplify the criteria established for the Notables Award. The role is a three-year appointment.
Kathleen Mercury
Education
Kathleen Mercury presented "CreAItivity: The Creative Process, AI, and the Place Between," at Carnegie Mellon University's Center for Transformative Play in the Human Computer Interaction Institute. The presentation used hands-on tabletop game design experiences to model the struggle for creativity and the impact of AI on the creative process. Kathleen is a teacher and designer of tabletop and games-based learning experiences.
Sara K Sterner
Education
Dr. Sara K. Sterner successfully presented at the 2024 National Council of Teachers of English annual conference in Boston, MA, in November. Presentations included an individual paper entitled Preparing Literacy Educators with Heart: Enacting Ginsberg’s Model for Challenging Traditional Classroom Spaces with YA Literature at the Undergraduate Level, a panel session: Finding Hope in the Nudge: Equity-oriented Consciousness Raising in Teacher Preparation Pedagogies and Literacy Practices with Drs. Megan Van Deventer (Weber State) and Laura Lemanski (MCAD), and the co-facilitation of the Children's Literature Assembly Expert Class with Drs. Mary Ann Cappiello (Leslie) and Kathy Short (University of Arizona).
School of Education Vision
At Cal Poly Humboldt's School of Education, we prepare teachers who share a deep commitment to social justice, progressive approaches to understand and meet the needs of students, and an ethic of critical activism in the support of children. In all phases of the program, students are challenged to examine their own beliefs, expand their perspective and develop a productive empathy for those across the cultural spectrum. We believe tolerance is insufficient. We are committed to helping teachers value different perspectives and learn to weave diverse cultures and experiences into the fabric of education in ways that encourage and validate all students.