Elementary Education - Information, Eligibility & Application

To become an elementary school teacher you will need a Multiple Subject Credential.

The Elementary Education Credential Program at Cal Poly Humboldt is a two-semester course of study starting each Fall semester and concluding after the Spring semester. By completing our 44-unit professional education program, candidates can obtain a Preliminary Multiple Subject  Credential from the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing, qualifying them for multiple subject teaching positions, primarily in grades TK-8. 

If you have questions about the program or application process, please contact our Program Coordinator, Keshnee Naidoo at kmn67@humboldt.edu or keshnee.naidoo@humboldt.edu. 

From California tests to minimum GPAs, you must meet minimum eligibility requirements to enter the program. Before beginning the application process, make sure to review our eligibility & application page and plan ahead. EED Program & Application Requirements (PDF)

1. Bachelor’s Degree
   (If you don't already have a bachelor's degree, check out our Liberal Studies Elementary Education program.)
2. GPA 2.67 overall or 2.75 for the last 60 semester units.
   A low-GPA appeals process is available. Contact Keshnee Naidoo at kmn67@humboldt.edu for more information.

Application

1. Application Window: October 1, 2024 - March 16, 2025 (priority deadline March 1, 2025)
2. Apply to Humboldt with Cal State Apply (CSU) - Choose "Fall 2025" and "Multiple Subject Credential Program"

View all these requirements and more in our program and application requirements PDF: EED Program & Application Requirements (PDF)

(The Subject Matter Profiency requirement is the requirement that is most time consuming and most likely to be delayed. Please attempt the CSET (if needed) early as all subtests must be passed by August 1st.)

1. "Letters of Recommendation" (due by March 1st):

To be considered for admission, you will need to request 2 digital letters of recommendation to be submitted directly to Cal State Apply. Contact your potential references prior to entering their information into Cal State Apply. Academic and professional recommendation letters are both acceptable. It might be more pertinent for you to ask a professor to give you a recommendation if you are applying to the credential program right out of school. Whereas, if you've already been in the workforce for several years, having a professional colleague give you a recommendation might be more relevant. Once you have saved an electronic recommendation to Cal State Apply, an email request will automatically be sent to the recommender on your behalf. Please advise your recommender to look for this email in their inbox, as well as their spam or junk-mail folder, as emails do occasionally get filtered out. The recommenders will rate you on various scales as well as provide a short typed recommendation through the link.

2. Apply for Certificate of Clearance (due if admitted by June 30)

This process can take up to 6 weeks so apply early!

3. Subject Matter Competency (due if admitted by June 30)

• There are multiple ways to meet this requirement.
• Typically met through CSET Multiple Subjects or degree in Liberal Studies or Elementary Education.
• Can be met through a transcript review once all official transcripts are sent to Cal Poly Humboldt admissions (digital is preferred) - apply early if you would like to take this route!
• If taking the CSET, at least one subtest must be attempted by June 30, 2025. All CSET subtests must be passed by August 1st. (Testing dates at Cal Poly Humboldt testing center are very limited in June and July!)

4. 45 hours of Early Fieldwork (due by interviews - April 2025)

• Observe a California Credentialed teacher for a minimum of 45 hours and document it using the CSU Early Fieldwork Form
• Suggested to be grade level specific (elementary level)
• Must be in a contained classroom (not an after school program or summer camp)
• Observation has to be of a California credentialed teacher.
• Course fulfilling this requirement offered at Cal Poly Humboldt: SED 210 and 410 (taken together) in Spring 2025
• Experience as a substitute teacher at the elementary level can count for half of the hours
• Experience as an instructional aide in a credentialed teacher's classroom at the elementary level can count for all of the hours

5. US Constitution Courses (due if admitted by August 1)

• All CSU graduates have already met this requirement.
• You may have met this requirement through your undergraduate degree by taking a course that specifically covers the principles and provisions of the US Constitution. If you did not, a test is required. If you are not a CSU graduate, contact Keshnee Naidoo, the Program Coordinator, at kmn67@humboldt.edu for information on how you will fulfill this requirement.

6. Valid CPR Certification (due if admitted by August 1)

• must be adult, child, AND infant
• must be an in person training or blended training (must have some in person component)
• must be either American Heart Association or Red Cross
• must be valid while in program

7. Heath Verification (due if admitted by August 1)

• recent TB screening/negative TB test
• proof of MMR immunization or MMR antibody blood titer test

View all these requirements and more in our application requirements PDF: EED Program & Application Requirements (PDF)

Traditional Format

The Elementary Education program is available as a two-semester program with a Fall semester start and a Spring semester finish and is an in-person program with coursework after 4pm at Cal Poly Humboldt. For this format of the program, candidates have two student teaching placements and work under the mentorship and in the classroom of a credentialed K-8 teacher.

Intern Format

This two-year format of the Elementary Education Program requires employment (halftime or above) at a public school as a teacher in a multiple subjects classroom in Humboldt County. Hiring processes at school sites are negotiated between the candidate and the school’s administration, and Cal Poly Humboldt cannot assist or engage with the employment decisions of the district. Once employment is secured, the School of Education can assist in advising and enrollment. This program is for candidates who have prior experience teaching without a credential. The Intern program’s coursework is extended over a two-year period. This program has courses that are a combination of online and synchronous, in-person, and hybrid formats. For more information, contact Keshnee Naidoo at kmn67@humboldt.edu.

Tuition and costs information for the 2024-2025 academic year can be found on the Cost of Attendance page by scrolling down to the table titled "Teaching Credential: Cost of Attendance 2024-2025". Financial Aid information specific to credential students can be found on the Financial Aid: Just for Credential Students page. Information about scholarships for School of Education students can be found on the School of Education Scholarships page.

After meeting basic credential requirements, you’ll be recommended for a preliminary credential through the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC), which is valid for five years. Within the first three years of being hired as an educator, you will be required to participate in an induction program to clear your credential.