FAQ

The School of Educational Studies offers a California Preliminary Credential + MA in Education program; Induction Program and California Clear Credential as well as a Master’s in Education, Master’s in Community-Engaged Education and Social Change, and a PhD in Education.

For credentialing options, students may pursue the General Education credential (single- or multiple-subject) or the Special Education credential (Mild/Moderate or Moderate/Severe).

For current tuition rates, visit CGU’s Cost & Aid page.

Yes. All admitted students are considered for merit-based fellowships. Additional aid is available in the form of research assistantships and need-based scholarships.‬

The School of Educational Studies follows the standard CGU application deadlines. Please note that not every program admits for every semester. Please check the application guidelines for the program that you’re interested in for more specific details on application deadlines.

Our degrees and certifications provide a gateway into the teaching profession and into an array of specialized education-related jobs. Our graduates include award-winning teachers working with under-served student populations; researchers and policy makers in the public and private K–12 arenas; principals, superintendents, and administrators, such as directors of curriculum or professional development; members of Congress; university presidents, deans, and professors of education; and successful practitioners in such related fields as nursing, speech therapy, and educational psychology.

Students in CGU’s School of Educational Studies come from all walks of life. Most have ties to California and represent California’s ethnic, cultural, and linguistic diversity. Approximately 70 percent of each cohort is of color.

Although they come from diverse backgrounds, our students are united to their commitment to the Department’s mission. Our students have a deep understanding of education as a social justice issue and see quality education for all as a civil right. They embody our mission to be deeply committed to academic excellence, equity, and integrity; to work diligently to develop the skills and attitudes necessary to teach every child as though teaching their own; to collaborate with the parents of their students, other educators and policy makers; and to use technology and other resources as a means to maximize achievement and opportunities.

For more information about CGU’s Preliminary Credential + MA in Education program or its Induction program, please contact the Office of Admissions at admissions@cgu.edu or call 909-607-7811.

CGU’s Direct-to-Clear option allows you to earn a Preliminary Credential, a Master of Arts in Education, and a Clear Credential in just two years (with the option of one of those years teaching outside of Southern California). The Direct-to-Clear option is the most expedited route to full credentialing in California.

With this path, teachers enter CGU’s Induction program immediately after earning a Preliminary Credential. The Preliminary Program is earned in as little as four semesters.

The Early Completion Option is available to qualifying program participants in the General Education (multiple and single-subject) Induction program in accordance with Senate Bill 57, Chapter 269, Scott. This option serves exceptional candidates who meet CGU’s established criteria for Early Completers, which include but are not limited to:

Verification of at least two years of recent (within the last five years) successful teaching experience, as demonstrated with a rating of ‘Satisfactory’ or above on teaching evaluations that are based on the elements of the California Standards for the Teaching Profession (CSTPs) or similar standards.

Early Completer candidates must supply copies of signed employee evaluations demonstrating that they meet the criteria listed above before they may apply for the option.

It depends. Although many of our students do have an Education background, this is not a requirement for the Preliminary Credential + MA or PhD, though it might reduce the number of units qualified to transfer from another institution toward the degree program at CGU.

For the Induction program, students must have a valid California Preliminary Teaching Credential, although they can currently be living anywhere in the world and can complete the program remotely.

CGU’s Preliminary + MA Program can be completed in 15 to 19 months, or four semesters. There are two points of entry for our Preliminary Credential Program: January and May. Regardless of when you start, you typically end the program in July of the following summer.

CGU’s Induction program starts in the fall and is completed in four semesters.

Every semester provides opportunities for clinical classroom experience, from day one of the program until the day you graduate.

Students in our Master of Arts in Education and Preliminary Teaching Credential program are assigned a faculty-mentor to help them navigate their clinical experience in a K–12 setting and usher them into the profession.

Students in the Induction program also work with a mentor to design an individualized program tailored to the teacher’s individual professional interests and needs.

CGU’s Department of Teacher Education has an institutional commitment to understanding teacher quality in terms of one’s ability to foster excellence and equity. CGU aims to prepare a special kind of K–12 educator: one committed to cultivating the achievement of all students while fast-tracking the academic growth of those not yet reaching high academic standards. In doing so, we dispel the myth that certain students—whether they are living in poverty, are of color, are non-native speakers of English, have disabilities, are working adults, or are part of a marginalized group—cannot achieve at the highest levels.

CGU teachers believe that high-quality education is a civil liberty and that teachers can make a real difference in the lives of our youth and communities.

Our Mission. The Department of Teacher Education has an institutional commitment to understanding teacher quality in terms of one’s ability to foster excellence and equity. CGU aims to prepare a special kind of K–12 educator: one committed to cultivating the achievement of all students.

Quality. Principals tell us our Preliminary Credential alumni graduate akin to fourth- or fifth-year teachers and are among the best in California. Our graduates have been named Teacher of the Year in California, Los Angeles County, San Bernardino County, and San Diego County. Our reputation for quality means our teachers are highly recruited and are often fast-tracked into leadership.

Affordable. On average, 80 percent of our students receive tuition fellowships, and 90 percent participate in loan repayment programs. Contact us for a one-on-one financial consultation.

Fast. CGU’s Preliminary + MA Program can be completed in 15 to 19 months.

Earn While You Learn. We have two paths that allow Preliminary Candidates to earn money while in the program. The Internship Path allows candidates to be employed as fully salaried, fully responsible teachers in their own K–12 classrooms. In CGU’s Induction Program, teachers can work as fully salaried teachers while pursuing their Clear Credential.

Get Promoted Faster. Because our candidates simultaneously earn an MA and California teaching credential, they earn higher salaries than teachers who don’t have advanced degrees. Additionally, a substantial number of CGU alumni have been promoted to leadership positions within five years of graduating.

View information on how to apply online, including an application checklist.

Applicants to CGU’s Preliminary Credential program must:

• Submit a CGU application
• Submit three letters of recommendation
• Write a two- to three-page statement of purpose essay that addresses the following questions:
  • Describe how your personal and educational background has shaped your desire to be a teacher
  • Explain why you think this program is the best fit for you given what you know about the mission of CGU’S Teacher Education Program.
  • What personal assets (intellectual, linguistic, physical, or spiritual) will you bring with you to the challenge of teaching culturally and linguistically diverse students?
• Come to CGU for a faculty interview
• Submit passing scores to the CBEST
• Submit passing scores to the CSET (recommended, but not required).

The CBEST is required for all applicants in Teacher Education. Additionally, all applicants must submit passing scores on the appropriate CSET examination or a subject matter waiver letter for the area in which you are seeking your credential. Please contact the Teacher Education Program for further information.

Please note that applicants to CGU’s Preliminary Credential Program do not need to submit GRE or GMAT scores.

In the state of California, teacher credentialing is a two-step process, both of which you can do at CGU.

Step 1: Earn a Preliminary Credential. Typically, people earn a Preliminary Credential through an authorized university-based program like the one offered by CGU’s Teacher Education Program. The focus of the Preliminary Program is for the teacher candidate to develop mastery over the skill sets used by effective teachers (i.e., for them to become proficient teachers as measured by the Teacher Performance Expectations). Students can earn the following types of Preliminary Credentials in as little as four semesters:

• Multiple-Subject Credential (for those who want to teach all subjects in a self-contained classroom, like those typically found in elementary schools)
• Single-Subject Credentials (for those who want to teach one subject in middle or high school)
  • English
  • Math
  • Science
  • Social Science
  • World Languages: Spanish, French, Chinese
• Education Specialist Credentials (for those who want to work with students with disabilities)
  • Mild/Moderate Disabilities
  • Moderate/Severe Disabilities

Step 2: Earn a California Clear Credential via an authorized Induction Program. Within five years of earning a Preliminary Credential, the teacher must earn the Clear Credential through an authorized Induction Program. Some teachers earn their Clear Credential through a district-run Induction Program. CGU’s Induction Program is a great alternative. The focus of an Induction Program is to help teachers take responsibility and ownership of their professional growth. Teachers can earn the following Clear Credentials at CGU in as little as two semesters:

• Multiple-Subject Clear (for general education teachers)
• Single-Subject Clear (for general education teachers)
• Education Specialist–Mild/Moderate Clear (for special education teachers)
• Education Specialist–Moderate/Severe Clear (for special education teachers)

Note: Beginning fall 2017, the program will move to a four-semester model. However, a two-semester Early Completer option will be available to qualifying teachers. Contact Danielle.Centeno@cgu.edu for more information.

A California Preliminary Credential allows you to teach in public and charter K–12 schools. A multiple-subject credential is for those who want to teach all subjects in a self-contained classroom, like those typically found in elementary schools. Single-subject credentials are for those who want to teach one subject in middle or high school. Education Specialist Credentials are for those who want to work with students with disabilities.

Next, let’s figure out what kind of teacher you want to be. Please contact the Office of Admissions at admissions@cgu.edu or call 909-607-7811. If you can’t come in for a face-to-face visit, we’ll schedule a phone conversation.

For more information about CGU’s Masters and PhD in Education programs, please contact the admissions representative listed at the bottom of this page.

A professional background in education is not required for our MA in Education Program. Our PhD in Education program does not require one either. However, it is beneficial in the scholarly process and can maximize the amount of transferable graduate units you can apply toward the program.

A typical master’s degree takes two to two and one-half years to complete. A typical PhD program takes four to seven years to complete

All first-year students will be assigned an initial advisor with your indicated areas of interest in mind. As you progress through the program, you are encouraged to explore advising options with faculty in the School of Educational Studies who you feel will be a good fit for your program goals.

We encourage applications from experienced working professionals interested in promoting accountability and social justice in education—from K–12 to college, from policy-makers to classroom teachers.

CGU operates on a priority deadline cycle. Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit complete applications by the priority dates in order to assure maximum consideration for both admission and fellowships.

Once the priority deadlines have passed, the university will continue to review applications for qualified candidates on a competitive, space-available basis. The final deadlines listed are the last date the University can accept an application in order to allow sufficient time to complete the admissions, financial aid, and other enrollment processes.

PhD/MA Admissions Information
Criteria for admission to the CGU programs in education include the probability of success in graduate study and future teaching, research, or professional careers as well as the capacity to profit from the resources of the faculty of Claremont Graduate University.

The admission decision is based on an array of information rather than a rigid pre-selected criteria. A complete application includes:

• Application form and fee
• Official transcripts from all graduate and undergraduate universities
• Three references from individuals qualified to evaluate the applicant’s academic performance
• Resume or curriculum vitae
• A five-page, double-spaced personal statement that answers the following questions:

1. Who are you?
2. What is your research interest?
3. Why are you pursuing this graduate degree?
4. What is your professional and academic background?
5. Why CGU?
6. Why the School of Educational Studies?

Faculty in Education carefully review the application materials for evidence of promise and for compatibility of applicant interests with areas of specialization within the school.
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis; however, there are priority deadlines for those who wish to be considered for fellowship awards. Those admitted early for fall may request to begin course work during the preceding summer session.

Standardized test scores are not required for these programs. Applicants who have taken the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) General Test are invited to submit scores, but are not required to do so.

Students in the MA in Education program may choose from the following emphases:

• Student Affairs & Educational Justice
• Educational Evaluation & Data Analysis

Students in the PhD program may choose from the following emphases:

• Higher Education/Student Affairs
• Urban Leadership
• K12 Education & Equity

No. An MA is not required for admittance to the PhD program. However, students without a master’s degree will need to complete all 72 units at CGU.

If you choose to take the PhD without a prior master’s degree, you can earn a master’s on the way to your PhD in Education.

Yes. Your program of study, as determined by you and your advisor, can include a diverse number of courses from across CGU’s seven schools.

Applicants to the joint doctoral program with San Diego State University should follow the guidelines on SDSU’s admissions page.

Please schedule an appointment with the Office of Admissions at admissions@cgu.edu or call 909-607-7811.