Education

Alma’s teacher education program strives to help students become effective teachers by developing general knowledge, specific subject expertise and teaching skills.

A key to the education program’s success is its strong emphasis on practical experience. Beginning in the first or second year, students explore various teaching roles and develop teaching skills by working in classrooms in local schools.

Program Approval and Accreditation

Alma College’s teacher preparation program is fully approved by the Michigan Department of Education. Annual review analyzes student pass rates on the Michigan Test for Teacher Certification, surveys of student teachers and their supervisors, program completion rates, diversity in enrollment, preparation of teachers for high-need subject areas, and graduate educator effectiveness.

Additionally, “the Alma College Teacher Education Program is granted Accreditation by the Teacher Education Accreditation Council (TEAC) for a period of seven years, from October 2012 to October 2019. This accreditation certifies that the forenamed professional education program has provided evidence that the program adheres to TEAC’s quality principles.” The Education department works with a continuous improvement process to ensure on-going accreditation (now through the Council for Accreditation of Education Preparation (CAEP)) and excellent experiences and preparation for all teacher candidates.

Career Opportunities

Career opportunities include teaching at the early childhood, elementary, or secondary levels in public, private or parochial schools. Students may choose to become certified in secondary education to teach in grades 6-12 or in elementary education to teach in grades K-8. They may select from a variety of subject area majors and minors for either elementary or secondary, including Special Education K-12 (Learning Disabilities). Elementary candidates may select an Early Childhood Education endorsement.

Information for Current Education Students & Faculty

Current students are encouraged to join the Education Department Facebook page. Advising forms can be found on Almapedia. You must log in using your Alma College credentials to view or download forms.

The State Department of Education requires all students who seek certification to pay a fee of $160 to receive a certificate. See the Michigan Department of Education Online Educator Certification System to apply online.

Educational Studies

The Education Department also offers an Educational Studies major and minor designed for those interested in education in a variety of fields but who are not currently interested in earning K-12 teacher certification. This option may be combined with another major or minor. It may lead to graduate studies or careers working with children, youth, or adult learners in many different settings. See Educational Studies.