Steps to Become a High School History Teacher in California
Learn what academic qualifications you will need to teach history to high school students in California and get to know the requirements of the state's two-stage credentialing process for single subject teachers at the high school level.
Info on Teaching History in California's High Schools
To teach history - also referred to as social science-history in the state's school system - in a California high school, you will need to get a bachelor's degree, go through a teacher preparation program, and follow a credentialing process that involves two stages. The credentialing process, which could take up to five years, is designed to ensure that your general skills as an educator as well as your specific skills as a social science-history teacher are up to standard.
<table border="1"><tr><td>Education/Experience Required</td><td> At least a bachelor's degree in social science (recommended majors in history and geography) <br/> An accredited teacher preparation program</td></tr>
<tr><td>Exam Requirements</td><td> Basic skills exam <br/> Social science subject knowledge exam</td></tr>
<tr><td>Certification Renewal Period</td><td>5 years for a preliminary credential</td></tr>
<tr><td>CEU Credits Required for Renewal</td><td> None necessary</td></tr>
<tr><td>Average Salary (May 2017) </td><td>$77,390 (for California secondary school teachers)*</td></tr>
<tr><td>Estimated Job Growth (2016 to 2026)</td><td> 8% (for secondary school teachers, nationwide)*</td></tr>
</table><p><i>Source: *US Bureau of Labor Statistics</i>
</p><h3 id="section---WhatDegreeDoINeedToBecomeAHighSchoolHistoryTeacherInCalifornia">What Degree Do I Need to Become a High School History Teacher in California?</h3><p>You will need at least a bachelor's degree to teach social science in California. Although the state education department doesn't specify a specific major for teaching social science-history, it would make sense to major in history at one of the roughly 20 state-approved subject-matter preparations programs.
</p><p>If you don't earn a bachelor's degree from one of these schools, you will have to pass an exam at a later stage to show that you have the required social science subject knowledge, especially in history and geography (see below).
</p><h3 id="section---WhatOtherAcademicQualificationsDoINeed">What Other Academic Qualifications Do I Need?</h3><p>You will also need to have graduated from an accredited single-subject secondary school teacher preparation program. Some state-approved universities and colleges offer this program as part of their four-year bachelor's degrees; others offer it as a standalone post-baccalaureate program. There are around 70 approved schools in California that offer a preparation program for high school social science teachers. These programs' curricula include instruction in the teaching of English language skills, the use of computers and technology in education, and health education.
</p><h3 id="section---HowDoIGetMyPreliminarySocialScienceHistoryCredential">How Do I Get My Preliminary Social Science-History Credential?</h3><p>There are two sequential credentials you must get to teach social science-history in California. The first is the preliminary credential. It is nonrenewable and allows you to teach for up to five years while you get the second credential, which is known as the clear credential.
</p><p>Requirements for the five-year preliminary teaching credential include:
</p><ul><li>Earning a bachelor's or higher degree from an approved school.
</li><li>Completing an accredited teacher preparation program.
</li><li>Obtaining a formal credential recommendation from your teacher preparation program sponsor.
</li><li>Satisfing the basic skills requirement by passing one of several exam options to test your proficiency in English (reading and writing) and math.
</li><li>Demonstrating your competence in social science by either passing an exam that will test you on world, US, and California history and geography or by presenting verification that you completed an approved bachelor's or higher program in social studies.
</li><li>Completing a prescribed course on the US Constitution or pass an exam on it at an approved school.
</li></ul><h3 id="section---HowDoIEarnAClearCredential">How Do I Earn a Clear Credential?</h3><p>Once you have the preliminary credential, you can earn the clear credential through one of two options.
</p><p>One option is to complete a teacher induction program that is approved for the clear credential and to apply for the credential via your program's sponsor. This program supports and mentors you during your first two years of teaching. There are 180 approved programs in California.
</p><p>The other option is to get the Adolescence and Young Adulthood Certification in Social Science-History from the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards. This option also involves a background check and an application fee.</p>