Teacher Licensure Requirements

An Initial License to teach in Massachusetts requires the following:

1. A Bachelor’s Degree

2. Passing scores a series of teacher tests (MTEL)

3. Completion of an approved licensure program

Bachelor’s Degree

If you want to become an elementary teacher, the State requires that you have a bachelor's degree in arts and sciences or an interdisciplinary major from an accredited college or university with an arts or sciences major appropriate to the instructional field. Those applying for a Mass. Initial License as an Elementary Teacher need to have subject knowledge in English including topics in American and World Literature, Mathematics, History and Social Studies including Geography and Economics, Science, and child development.

For teaching at the secondary level – middle school and high school – teachers the State requires that you have a bachelor's degree in arts and sciences.

Passing scores a series of teacher tests (MTEL)

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts requires that candidates for Initial Licensure as a teacher pass the Communication and Literacy Skills Test as well as different subject tests.

Students who want to be licensed to teach at the elementary level in Massachusetts must pass a Massachusetts Communication and Literacy Skills Test, and demonstrate subject matter knowledge in a General Curriculum (formerly Elementary) test. In addition, candidates for elementary certification must pass the Foundations of Reading Test.

Students who want to teach at the secondary level will need to take and pass the Communication and Literacy Skills test and the Subject matter test for the area in which they plan on teaching.

Please contact Carole Learned-Miller, the Coordinator of Teacher Education at 585-4650 or clearned@smith.edu or check the Massachusetts Department of Education for information about how to prepare and register for the Massachusetts MTELs tests.

Completion of an approved licensure program

Smith College is an approved licensure program in the state of Massachusetts. The license you earn in Massachusetts may transfer to other states, although other requirements may exist.

Massachusetts is part of the NASDTEC 2005-2010 Interstate Agreement, so that Massachusetts teacher licensure is recognized by 45 other states and the District of Columbia.

Applying for Massachusetts licensure

The Department of Education stresses the benefits of creating a profile and provisionally applying for an "Initial License" as soon as possible. You can begin this process now, regardless of the fact that you may not have completed the program yet. In order to begin this, you should create an ELAR profile on their website using the following link:

https://www4.doemass.org/auth/Login?GAREASONCODE=-1&GARESOURCEID=ELARWP&GAURI=https://www4.doemass.org/elar/common/EducatorWelcomePagePageControl.ser&Reason=-1&APPID=ELARWP&URI=https://www4.doemass.org/elar/common/EducatorWelcomePagePageControl.ser

As you build your profile, you will see that each of the requirements will be added to your file as you complete each stage of the process. For example, if you create your profile, and submit your undergraduate transcripts, you will see that they will be added once the department reviews and approves them. They will then send you an update, stating that they have received the information, and that your license is pending MTEL scores, and confirmation of completing the teacher prep program. Once you complete the MTEL's, this will then update, and so forth. Once they have all of the various pieces your application will be complete.

In short...don't wait until the end of your program to submit the information all at once! Add the requirements as-and-when you complete them, on an ongoing basis.

Program Requirements

Overview

Master of Arts in Teaching

Elementary MAT
    Requirements

Secondary MAT
    Reguirements

Teacher Licensure

Master of Education
of the Deaf

MA DOE Licensure Help

Contact Director of Teacher
Education