How To Become a Teacher in North Dakota 2025

<h3 id="section---Step1DecideWhatSubjectAndGradeLevelYouWantToTeach">Step 1: Decide What Subject and Grade Level You Want To Teach</h3><p>The first step to becoming a teacher is to decide what you want to teach. North Dakota offers licenses for different grade levels as well as specific subject areas. The subject and grade level you want to teach will determine your major and what teaching license you obtain. </p><p>Note that some teaching credentials (e.g., art, foreign language, music, physical education, and computer education) are for all grade levels. </p><h4 id="section---BecomingAnElementarySchoolTeacher">Becoming an Elementary School Teacher</h4><p>Elementary school usually encompasses grades kindergarten through about fifth grade. North Dakota offers several licensure options for these levels: </p><ul><li><b>Early childhood education:</b> Birth through grade three </li><li><b>Kindergarten:</b> Preschool and kindergarten </li><li><b>Elementary education:</b> Grades one through eight </li></ul><p>You may notice that for certain grades, you have more than one licensure option. For example, to <a href="https://learn.org/articles/Kindergarten_Teacher_How_to_Become_a_Kindergarten_Teacher_in_5_Steps.html">become a kindergarten teacher</a>, you could earn a kindergarten education license or an early childhood education license. </p><h4 id="section---BecomingAMiddleSchoolTeacher">Becoming a Middle School Teacher</h4><p>Most of the time, middle school refers to grades five or six through grades eight or nine. However, North Dakota does not have a license specifically for middle school teachers. </p><p>Those who want to teach middle school can choose between the elementary education license, which covers grades one through eight — or the secondary education license for grades five through 12. However, the secondary education license is only available in specific subject areas. </p><p>The middle school teacher educational requirements in North Dakota include a bachelor's degree. At most schools, you'll need to choose either elementary or secondary education as your major. Only one university offers a degree in middle-level education: the University of North Dakota (UND). This program prepares teachers to meet the unique needs of adolescent students in grades five through eight. </p><h4 id="section---BecomingAHighSchoolTeacher">Becoming a High School Teacher</h4><p>Only one grade level is available for those who want to become high school teachers in North Dakota. The high school teacher educational requirements here set the standard for students to earn a subject area license for grades five through 12. </p><p>Most schools in North Dakota don't offer a general secondary education degree but rather offer degrees in teaching certain subject areas. However, a few offer general degrees; Mayville State offers a degree in secondary professional education, and UND offers a secondary education degree that requires students to double major in the subject area they want to teach. </p><h3 id="section---Step2ChooseYourMajor">Step 2: Choose Your Major</h3><p>After determining what you want to teach, it's time to choose your major and your school. Not all schools in North Dakota offer majors for all teaching certificates. </p><p>For example, Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College offers degrees in early childhood education and elementary education. Turtle Mountain College, meanwhile, offers an elementary education degree as well as secondary education degrees for English, math, and science. </p><p>Whatever program you choose should be an approved teacher education program, also called an educator preparation program. You can find a full list of approved programs through the North Dakota Education Standards and Practices Board (NDESPB). </p><h3 id="section---Step3EarnYourBachelorSDegree">Step 3: Earn Your Bachelor's Degree</h3><p>Nearly every pathway to become a teacher in North Dakota, even alternative routes, requires a bachelor's degree. These usually take about four to five years of full-time study to complete. </p><p>In your program, you'll take general coursework on subject matter like educational psychology and classroom management. You'll also need to complete a student teaching experience. This gives you an opportunity to work in your local school district under the guidance of an experienced, certified teacher. </p><h3 id="section---Step4ConsiderAMasterSDegree">Step 4: Consider a Master's Degree</h3><p>A master's degree is not a requirement to work as a teacher in North Dakota. However, many prospective teachers pursue advanced degrees to further their teaching careers. </p><p>Aspiring teachers with a bachelor's degree in another area can choose to earn a master's that doubles as a teaching certification program. This allows them to earn their license. </p><p>Some teachers complete a bachelor's teaching program, earn their license, and start working as teachers before going back to earn their master's. Many master's programs are offered online, allowing teachers to continue working while earning their advanced degree. </p><h3 id="section---Step5PassNorthDakotaTeachingExamsAndGainLicensure">Step 5: Pass North Dakota Teaching Exams and Gain Licensure</h3><p>Before you can become a teacher in North Dakota, there are a few other certification requirements you need to meet. One of these is to take the necessary certification exams the state requires. </p><p>North Dakota, like many states, uses the Praxis exams for its teachers. All prospective teachers in North Dakota need to take the Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators test and the Principles of Learning and Teaching test. Other exams will depend on the licensure you're pursuing. </p><p>To obtain your license, you will also need to complete a background check processed by ESPB. The processing time for the background check is about three weeks. </p><p>Note that once you have obtained your initial license, you will need to complete professional development hours and periodically renew your license to maintain your certification status. Your initial license lasts two years, and if you've had eighteen months of contracted teaching during that time, you can move up to the five-year license. If not, you can renew your two-year license. </p><h3 id="section---Step6ApplyForTeachingJobs">Step 6: Apply for Teaching Jobs</h3><p>Once you've earned your license, you can start to look for teaching positions. North Dakota is currently a great state for teachers to find jobs, as the state has declared a teacher shortage in all subject areas for the most recent school year. </p><p>Across the U.S., teaching positions are expected to decrease by 1% by the year 2032, according to O*Net and Projections Central. However, in North Dakota, teaching positions are expected to increase by 9% in the same timeframe. </p><h2 id="section---HowToChooseTheRightTeachingDegreeProgram">How To Choose the Right Teaching Degree Program</h2><p>There are multiple things to consider when trying to choose the right teaching program. These include: </p><ul><li><b>Approval and accreditation:</b> Your teacher preparation program needs to be approved by the state. It should also come from a regionally accredited institution; all colleges and universities in the state with approved teacher preparation programs are regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. </li><li><b>Your major:</b> As mentioned, not all schools offer all majors. Look for schools that offer the subject area you want to teach. </li><li><b>Program format:</b> Some schools offer online coursework and only require students to be in person for student teaching, while others are completely in-person. </li><li><b>Costs:</b> Tuition rates and financial aid options can vary significantly between schools. </li></ul><h2 id="section---FAQsAboutBecomingATeacherInNorthDakota">FAQs About Becoming a Teacher in North Dakota</h2><p>Below, we've answered some frequently asked questions about becoming a teacher in North Dakota. </p><h3 id="section---WhatDegreeDoYouNeedToBeATeacherInNorthDakota">What Degree Do You Need To Be a Teacher in North Dakota?</h3><p>To become a teacher in North Dakota, you need a bachelor's degree. The fastest way to become a teacher is with a bachelor's degree in teaching through an approved teacher preparation program. </p><p>However, some alternative certification options are available for those with a bachelor's degree in the subject area they want to teach but have not completed a teacher preparation program. In most cases, you still need to be working towards completing a teacher preparation program. </p><p>The only exception is if you want to work in career and technical education (CTE). These do not always require having a four-year degree. </p><h3 id="section---HowFastCanYouBecomeATeacherInNorthDakota">How Fast Can You Become a Teacher in North Dakota?</h3><p>If you pursue the traditional route to becoming a teacher, you can usually earn your license in under five years. However, it will depend on how long it takes you to complete your bachelor's degree and pass your certification exams. </p><h3 id="section---HowDoIGetATeacherCertificationInNorthDakota">How Do I Get a Teacher Certification in North Dakota?</h3><p>To get a teacher certification in North Dakota, you'll need to apply through the NDTeach website. You'll need to upload the relevant documents for the license you're pursuing, including proof of completion of a teacher preparation program and your exam scores. </p><h3 id="section---DoRequirementsDifferAtPrivateSchoolsAndPublicSchools">Do Requirements Differ at Private Schools and Public Schools?</h3><p>There is not much of a difference between requirements at public and private schools in North Dakota. North Dakota requires private school teachers to hold a teaching certification in the grade level and content area they want to teach, just as it requires of public school teachers. </p><h2 id="section---ExploreOnlineEducationPrograms">Explore Online Education Programs</h2><p>Start your journey toward becoming a new teacher by exploring the programs featured on Learn.org. Reach out to individual schools to learn more about admissions, enrollment, and licensure options.</p>