School of Education

Application Deadline - Apply Now!

We will be accepting applications for the 2025-2026 school year from October 1, 2024 and ending March 1, 2025 through Cal State Apply!

Prerequisites for Applying

1. Bachelor’s Degree
   If you have not yet obtained a bachelor's degree visit our undergraduate pathway programs page. 
2. GPA 2.67 overall or 2.75 for the last 60 semester units.
   A low-GPA appeals process is available. Please contact Keshnee Naidoo for more details at kmn67@humboldt.edu.

Application

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

Program Requirements

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

Prioritize the subject matter proficiency requirement as it is the most time intensive requirement and is the most likely to be delayed!

1. "Letters of Recommendation" (due with application)

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 by June 30 if admitted)

This process can take up to 6 weeks so apply early! You cannot reuse fingerprints for the Certificate of Clearance.

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

-  There are multiple ways to meet this requirement. 

- Typically met through CSET or qualifying undergraduate major.

- Can be met through a transcript review once all official transcripts are sent to Cal Poly Humboldt admissions (digital is preferred) - apply early if taking 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 interview - mid April)

- Observe a California Credentialed teacher for a minimum of 45 hours and use the Early Fieldwork form for documentation.

- Suggested to be grade level specific (secondary level) and in your subject area. 

- 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 210/410

- Experience as a substitute teacher can count for half of the hours

- Experience as an instructional aide in a credentialed teacher's classroom at the secondary level can count for all of the hours

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

- 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 by Aug 1 if admitted): 

- must be adult, child, AND infant

- must be either American Heart Association or Red Cross

- must be an in person or blended format (must have some in person component)

- must be valid while in program

7. Heath Verification (due by Aug 1 if admitted):

- 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: SED Program & Application Requirements (PDF)

After Completing the Secondary Education Program

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.