Resident Educator Certificate
Designed for Connecticut residents who have already earned a bachelor's degree, this unique part-time graduate program allows non-certified teachers, paraprofessionals and other support staff who are currently working in schools to complete the requirements for teacher licensure and graduate with their Master of Arts in Teaching in just 2-3 years.
As the needs of our schools have changed, and in light of recent staff shortages, Connecticut has empowered school districts to hire qualified individuals with relevant bachelor's degrees to full-time positions as teachers. Our School of Education has designed this unique part-time master's program to serve this growing population—providing current school employees with the mentorship, support and guidance they need to get started on a pathway to licensure without having to step away from their job.
Have already earned a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution
Work in a school environment or have the immediate potential to be hired by a school as a non-certified teacher, paraprofessional, tutor or supporting staff member
Work in the state of Connecticut
Complete all requirements for teacher licensure and certification
Earn their Master of Arts in Teaching
Receive significantly discounted tuition rates
Build and maintain meaningful contacts with educational leaders and fellow educators throughout the state of Connecticut
Percentage of graduating students in 2021 who have jobs in their chosen fields or are continuing their educations within 6 months of graduation.
We have placed student-teachers in 49 schools across 20 local school districts, allowing students to earn classroom experiences in a variety of school settings prior to graduation.
Our small class sizes ensure a student-centered approach and individual attention.
This part-time program is designed for individuals who have earned a bachelor's degree and are currently working in positions within Connecticut school systems. This program will accept teaching assistants, paraprofessionals, tutors and other supporting roles without requiring an additional internship or student-teaching component.
If you aren't currently a faculty or staff member within a school but are interested in a career in education, our full-time graduate MAT programs in secondary or elementary education position you to assimilate new knowledge, address classroom challenges and adapt to new forms of technology.
If you have already earned teacher licensure, but want to better serve students with special needs or prepare to assume a leadership or content development role, you might be a perfect fit for our online programs in special education, instructional design and technology or educational leadership.
Most courses are delivered during the evenings and over the summers at the School of Education on our North Haven Campus, with some facets of the program being held online. Students who meet the above requirements can complete the program in 2 to 3 years with the inclusion of summer courses. Since all applicants are currently working in school settings, accepted students will not be required to complete any additional student teaching as part of the program if they have accumulated 10 months of qualified classroom experience as the teacher of record.
This program is an entirely new path to certification, and may or may not be right for all prospective teachers. Our faculty, staff, and admissions and financial aid administrators are here to help answer your questions and guide you on the best path to becoming a future educator. We will work with you to identify the right program, start your application and understand how your work as an intern or a full-time hire will affect your tuition and financial aid process.
All programs in the School of Education are accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) and by the Connecticut State Department of Education.
School of Education graduates earn exceptionally high scores on licensure examinations required for certification both within and outside the state of Connecticut, including the Praxis II tests for special educators and elementary and secondary teacher candidates; the Foundations of Reading Test; Spanish ACTFL Test; and the Connecticut Administrator Test (CAT), taken by the candidates in the Sixth-Year Diploma in Educational Leadership program.
Our graduate admissions representatives are here to answer any questions you may have and help you navigate the application process.