Pathways + Options

The PK-3 Credential Program offers different options for a customized pathway! 

In most cases, candidates may combine options to customize a pathway that best fit their needs. Click on a program pathway or option below to learn more!

Pathways

• Traditional 

  • On the traditional PK-3 Credential Program pathway, full-time teacher candidates complete three semesters of coursework. Part-time schedules are available for candidates who prefer to take fewer courses per semester, over four or more semesters. 

    In-person courses meet on campus in the evenings (4:00pm on). See the Coursework page for course descriptions.

    Fieldwork and student teaching experiences are embedded throughout the program. These include supervised semester-long student teaching placements in a Pre-Kindergarten/Transitional Kindergarten classroom and in a Kindergarten through Third Grade Classroom. See the Student Teaching page for more detail, as well as for options to apply for clinical practice equivalency based on your qualifying prior preschool teaching and/or early childhood practicum course experience. 

• Teacher Residency

  • The TK/K-SJSU Teacher Residency Program partners with local school districts where candidates complete student teaching in a year-long placement. Candidates may apply to the TK/K-SJSU Teacher Residency program during Semester 1 of the PK-3 credential program. It is possible to simultaneously enroll in the Bilingual Authorization in Spanish and/or Master Degree in Teaching (MAT) options. A stipend will be provided to candidates who are accepted into the program after admissions. The stipend is designed to cover program tuition, books, and fees.

    Requirements:

    1. Summer or Spring start
    2. Full-time enrollment
    3. Residents complete the same coursework requirements as do candidates on the traditional pathway.

    
    Teacher Residency Program Partner School Districts: 

    Mount Pleasant Elementary School District
    Alum Rock Union School District
    Campbell Union School District
    Evergreen Elementary School District
    Berryessa Union School District

• Intern Pathway

  • The PK-3 ECE Specialist Instruction intern pathway program is designed for individuals who have successful prior experience with lead-teaching in a PK-3 classroom and who seek an alternative route to earning their preliminary PK-3 credential. The Intern pathway program provides qualified candidates who are offered a teaching position an opportunity to complete the credential program as a contracted (paid) teacher under an Internship Credential.

    *Please note that the term “intern” refers to the type of credential the candidate will be issued. This is not an internship in the traditional sense, the potential candidate will need to secure their own employment as a teacher of record–SJSU does not assist with this process. Intern candidates receive support from a university field supervisor and an on-site coach from the school while completing their credential coursework.

Options

• Summer, Fall, and Spring Start Dates 

  • -Summer: Starts in June, 5 to 10-week summer sessions
    -Fall: Starts mid-August, 15 week sessions
    -Spring: Starts mid-January, 15 week sessions

• Bilingual Authorization 

  • Successfully completing this program alongside the teaching credential authorizes the holder for bilingual instruction in a dual-immersion classroom. Click here for more information about the Bilingual Authorization pathway. Apply for this program option at the same time that you submit your application to the PK-3 credential program through CalState Apply.

• Add a Masters Degree in Teaching (MAT)
  • The MAT coursework is embedded within the program and requires taking two additional courses. There is no separate application process, and no additional cost for the program. In public TK-12 schools, earning an MAT will place you higher on teacher pay scales when you start your teaching career.