Earn your bachelor’s degree and Michigan teacher certification in either grades 5 to 9 or grades 7 to 12

Earn your secondary education English and language arts teaching certification in as little as three years. Begin with online courses that build a strong foundation in teaching, then gain hands-on experience through classroom observation and student teaching. This program prepares you to teach English and language arts at the middle (grades 5 to 9) or upper (grades 7 to 12) levels.

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Program Overview

Online courses

The online courses will introduce you to the fundamental theories of education and build your practical knowledge in English and language arts of secondary education.

Clinical experiences

These experiences “in the field” or “in the classroom” are an integral part to earning your certification to teach in a private or public Michigan school district.

You will need to complete the required observational hours in classrooms watching current teachers to learn specific skills, strategies, and learning practices. These observational experiences will start in your first semester and go through your fifth semester. Student teaching will take place during your final semester of this accelerated program. You will student teach in an eligible school and meet regularly with Concordia faculty and your cooperating teacher to track progress and receive feedback.

Please note that a background check is required at the beginning of your first clinical and again prior to student teaching. You will work with faculty to locate a mentor teacher that meets the following requirements. This educator needs to have been teaching for a minimum of four years with the last two years at the school they are currently teaching.
What to Expect
  • Online courses are in 8-week sessions
  • Acceptances into the program occur throughout the year
  • Multiple start dates exist during the spring, summer, and fall semesters
  • Complete 150 hours of clinical experiences
  • Complete 450 hours of student teaching
  • Accept up to 84 transfer credits
  • Option to earn a Lutheran Teacher Diploma (LTD) with additional credits

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