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 Jack Czajkowski, the Director of Teacher Education at 585-3369 or jczajkow@email.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.

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