Students complete a series of Education prerequisite courses and courses for their content area prior to entering the final year of the program where they focus on courses to prepare them for teaching. Link to Student Content Mastery Sheets.

The Education Degree is offered in-person on the Corvallis campus. Students may take some prerequisites, content courses, or primary degree requirements online or at a community college. See your advisor for details.

We provide opportunities and encourage students to connect with local organizations to gain hands-on experience working with youth. Students can also connect with faculty to engage in research and get involved in clubs/organizations to gain leadership experience.

You need to complete an approved licensure program in Oregon that aligns with the area you want to teach. The Education Degree is an option for secondary education in several areas. Students interested in Elementary Education can complete our BS in Teaching. 

The ESOL Endorsement is not required, but is highly encouraged to prepare students for the classroom. The ESOL endorsement and Dual Language specialization are series of courses to prepare you to effectively teach multilingual students. Students can choose to embed the coursework for an ESOL Endorsement or Dual Language Specialization as part of their degree requirements.

Our Licensure and Placement Specialist and other faculty will assist you in the steps to apply for your Oregon teaching licensure. We also provide support in applying for teaching positions or exploring graduate programs to enhance your skillsets.

You can complete several of the Education prerequisites and content mastery courses prior to transferring to OSU. If you are attending an Oregon community college, check out our transfer guides for more details and see your advisor for more details. OSU also participates in the Degree Parternship Program, where you can dual enroll in courses at OSU and a partner community college.

Individual degree plans will vary based on students’ degree plans and prior credits earned. For students who complete Education as a standalone degree, this program can be completed in four years. For students completing a dual major or double degree, it may take 4-5 years to complete depending on the total credits needed. Speak with an advisor to develop a detailed graduation plan that aligns with your interests and goals. 

You can complete the 60 hours requirement by taking ED 309. The three credit course, offered fall and winter term for Corvallis students, allows you to complete volunteer hours in a local classroom spread over ten weeks. ED 309 is graded as pass/fail. All students wishing to participate in ED 309 must complete a background check and intake form prior to enrolling in the course. Instructions on how to complete the form and deadlines are available here.

Students can also choose to meet the requirements through 60 hours of approved volunteer or work experience in a public school classroom with the age group they hope to teach. This must be verified with a letter of reference and/or a Supervisor Evaluation Form from the supervising teacher.

The Content Mastery sheet is a list of courses at OSU that provide content knowledge in the content area, or subject, you wish to teach.  Content mastery sheets tend to align with the major most related to a particular endorsement (i.e. the content mastery sheet for someone looking to teach Language Arts will see that there is significant overlap with the English major).  You must attain at least a C- in each class that is required for your content mastery.  Content mastery courses should not be taken for an S/U grade. 

OSU does not currently have a program for endorsements in Special Education. For students interested in Special Education, we encourage you to work with your advisor to develop a plan for how you can prepare for an advanced degree in Special Education after completing your bachelor’s degree. 

Refer to the Licensure and Placement page for more information.

Because we need to be able to track the status of your background check clearance, you will need to complete our forms. Background checks are valid for one year and are through Oregon Department of Education. Fingerprints are valid for three years and are processed through TSPC, OSP, and the FBI. More information here.