Hawk statue in front of Cole Hall

How to Apply to the Teacher Education Program

To apply to the Teacher Education Program, students must be enrolled at Montclair and meet the required credits and GPA outlined for their selected program. First-year incoming students must apply to an eligible major and begin their teacher education application process once the eligibility requirements are met.

Application Process

If you're ready to take the next step on your path to teaching, apply to Montclair State University's nationally accredited Teacher Education Program and prepare to become a dynamic, equity-minded educator ready to lead in today's classrooms. 

Whether you're pursuing single certification or a combined Bachelor’s/Master’s with dual certification, we’re here to guide you through every step of the Teacher Education admissions process.

Deadlines:

  • For Fall Start Term (Single & Dual Certification): February 1st
  • For Spring Start Term (Single Certification only): September 15th

Note: Combined Bachelor’s/Master’s with Dual Certification applicants may only begin in the fall and will adhere to the February 1st deadline.

  1. Review Eligibility Criteria

    Requirements vary slightly by certification path. All applicants must meet the following to be considered:

    Supplemental Requirements

    Applicants who do not meet the minimum GPA requirement for full admission, whose GPA is 0.25 points below the overall/major GPA requirement, are automatically reviewed as supplemental applicants and must submit a Supplemental Essay as part of their application.

    • Single Certification:
       Students with an overall and/or major GPA between 2.75 and 2.99 will be considered supplemental applicants.

    • Dual Certification (Combined Bachelor’s/Master’s):
       Students with an overall and/or major GPA between 3.0 and 3.24 will be considered supplemental applicants.

    The Supplemental Essay prompt is included in the Teacher Education application.

  2. Complete Your Application

    Your application is considered complete when the following materials are submitted:

    1. Completed Teacher Education Application
    2. Unofficial Montclair State University Transcript (download via NEST)
    3. Admission Essay(s)
      • Single Certification - 1 required essay
      • Dual Certification - 2 required essays 
      • *supplemental essay for supplemental applicants*
    4. Resume
    5. Letter of Recommendation
      • Must be from a college-level professor
      • Students must follow up to ensure it is submitted by the deadline

  3. Track Your Application

    Monitor your status to ensure all documents have been received.

  4. Schedule & Attend Your Interview (if eligible)

    • Participate in a virtual group interview as part of the admissions process.
    • Preparation sessions are available to help you feel confident and ready.

  5. Receive Your Admission Decision

    You’ll be notified via email once your application and interview have been reviewed.

Eligibility Requirements: Teacher's Certification

This track leads to a Bachelor’s degree with a teacher certification in:

  • Early Childhood (P-3) OR
  • Elementary (K-6) Education OR
  • Secondary (P-12) Education

Prerequisite Coursework for Early Childhood (P-3) and Elementary (K-6) Education

Applicants to the Early Childhood (P-3) and Elementary (K-6) Education programs must successfully complete prerequisite courses with a minimum grade of a C- or better.

  1. ECEL 200
  2. FSHD 214
  3. PSYC 101 or FSHD 114 or EDFD 200
  4. 9-11* Credits in Major Coursework

* Math Majors MUST complete 11 credits including Calculus I and II and MTHM 201 or a course that requires Calculus II as a prerequisite

Transfer students are eligible to apply to the Teacher Education Program IF:

They have 60 or more credits AND have:

  • completed or enrolled in 9-11* credits of major coursework
  • completed or are enrolled in ECEL 200
  • completed or are enrolled in FSHD 214 or approved equivalent

Note: If you hold an A.A. or A.S. degree from a NJ two-year institution, you may be waived from taking EDFD 220 (and EDFD 221)

* Math Majors MUST complete 11 credits including Calculus I and II and MTHM 201 or a course that requires Calculus II as a prerequisite

Prerequisite Coursework for Secondary (P-12) Education

Applicants to the Secondary (P-12) Education program must successfully complete prerequisite courses with a minimum grade of a C- or better.

  1. SASE 210
  2. EDFD 200 or PSYC 200 or FSHD 216
  3. 9-11* Credits in Major Coursework

* Math Majors MUST complete 11 credits including Calculus I and II and MTHM 201 or a course that requires Calculus II as a prerequisite

Transfer students are eligible to apply to the Teacher Education Program IF:

They have 60 or more credits AND have:

  • completed or enrolled in 9-11* credits of major coursework
  • completed or are enrolled in SASE 210
  • Completed or enrolled in PSYC 101 or FSHD 114 or EDFD 200

Note: If you hold an A.A. or A.S. degree from a NJ two-year institution, you may be waived from taking EDFD 220 (and EDFD 221)

* Math Majors MUST complete 11 credits including Calculus I and II and MTHM 201 or a course that requires Calculus II as a prerequisite

Accepted Majors and GPA Requirements

Accepted MajorRequired Overall AND Major GPA
Family Science and Human Development: Families, Children & School Settings3.0
Accepted MajorRequired Major GPARequired Overall GPA
Anthropology3.03.0
Educational Foundations for Elementary Teachers
English
Family Science and Human Development: Families, Children, & School Settings
Gender, Sexuality & Women’s Studies
History
Humanities
Psychology
Religious Studies
Sociology
Spanish
Mathematics2.753.0
Certification ProgramAccepted MajorRequired Major GPARequired Overall GPA
ArtVisual Arts3.03.0
Biological ScienceBiology2.75
ChemistryChemistry or Biochemistry12.75
DanceDance Education3.0
Earth ScienceEarth and Environmental Science2.75
EnglishEnglish3.25
English as a Second LanguageLinguistics3.0
FrenchFrench3.0
Health & Physical EducationPhysical Education3.0
ItalianItalian3.0
LatinLatin3.0
MathematicsMathematics2.75
MusicMusic Education3.0
Physics2Physics2.75
Physical Science3Physics2.75
Social StudiesGeography, History, Political Science, Psychology, or Sociology3.0
SpanishSpanish3.0
TheatreTheatre Studies3.0

Notes:

  1. Holders of Chemistry certification can teach chemistry, environmental science, and general science. Biochemistry majors must change major to Chemistry upon admission to the Teacher Education Program for certification in Chemistry.
  2. Holders of Physics certification can teach physics,environmental science, and general science.
  3. Holders of Physical Science Certification can teach physics,chemistry, physical, environmental,general, earth, and space science.

Have Questions? We're here to help.

Our Teacher Education Admissions team is ready to support you through the process.

  • Prospective Transfer Students: Book an appointment with Cherese Jackson, Director, or Hiba Khalil, Pre-Program Advisor 
  • Current Montclair Students: Use Navigate via NEST to schedule an appointment. Once in Navigate, select 'academic advising' and 'I'm thinking about teaching and I have questions.' 

 

Eligibility Requirements: Combined Bachelor’s and Master’s with Dual Certification

This accelerated five-year track leads to a Bachelor’s degree AND Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) degree with teacher certifications in:

  1. Early Childhood (P-3) OR Elementary (K-6) OR Secondary (P-12) Education and
  2. Teacher of Students with Disabilities 

Prerequisite Coursework for Early Childhood (P-3) and Elementary (K-6) Education

Applicants to the Combined Bachelor’s/Master’s with Dual Certification in Early Childhood or Elementary Education programs must successfully complete prerequisite courses with a minimum grade of a C- or better.

  1. ECEL 200
  2. FSHD 214
  3. PSYC 101 or FSHD 114 or EDFD 200
  4. 9-11* Credits in Major Coursework

* Math Majors MUST complete 11 credits including Calculus I and II and MTHM 201 or a course that requires Calculus II as a prerequisite

Transfer students are eligible to apply to the Teacher Education Program IF:

They have 60 or more credits AND have:

  • completed or enrolled in 9-11 credits of major coursework
  • completed or are enrolled in ECEL 200
  • completed or are enrolled in FSHD 214 or approved equivalent
  • completed or enrolled in PSYC 101 or FSHD 114 or EDFD 200

Note: If you hold an A.A. or A.S. degree from a NJ two-year institution, you may be waived from taking EDFD 220 (and EDFD 221)

Prerequisite Coursework for Secondary (P-12) Education

Applicants to the Combined Bachelor’s/Master’s with Dual Certification in Secondary Education program must successfully complete prerequisite courses with a minimum grade of a C- or better.

  1. SASE 210
  2. EDFD 200 or PSYC 200 or FSHD 216
  3. 9-11* Credits in Major Coursework

* Math Majors MUST complete 11 credits including Calculus I and II and MTHM 201 or a course that requires Calculus II as a prerequisite

Transfer students are eligible to apply to the Teacher Education Program IF:

They have 60 or more credits AND have:

  • completed or enrolled in 9-11 credits of major coursework
  • completed or are enrolled in SASE 210
  • Completed or enrolled in PSYC 101 or FSHD 114 or EDFD 200

Note: If you hold an A.A. or A.S. degree from a NJ two-year institution, you may be waived from taking EDFD 220 (and EDFD 221)

* Math Majors MUST complete 11 credits including Calculus I and II and MTHM 201 or a course that requires Calculus II as a prerequisite

Accepted Majors and GPA Requirements

Accepted MajorRequired Overall AND Major GPA
Family Science and Human Development: Families, Children & School Settings3.25
Accepted MajorRequired Overall AND Major GPA
Anthropology3.25
Educational Foundations for Elementary Teachers
English
Family Science and Human Development: Families, Children, & School Settings
Gender, Sexuality & Women’s Studies
History
Humanities
Mathematics
Psychology
Religious Studies
Sociology
Spanish
Certification ProgramAccepted MajorRequired Overall AND Major GPA
ArtVisual Arts3.25
Biological ScienceBiology
ChemistryChemistry or Biochemistry1
Earth ScienceEarth and Environmental Science
EnglishEnglish
English as a Second LanguageLinguistics
Health & Physical EducationPhysical Education
FrenchFrench
MathematicsMathematics
MusicMusic Education
Physical Science2Physics
SpanishSpanish

Notes:

  1. Holders of Chemistry certification can teach chemistry, environmental science, and general science. Biochemistry majors must change major to Chemistry upon admission to the Teacher Education Program for certification in Chemistry.
  2. Holders of Physical Science Certification can teach physics,chemistry, physical, environmental,general, earth, and space science.