Apply for the Teaching Credential

This page is intended for students who are pursuing a credential in the Education Specialist, Multiple Subject, or Single Subject Teacher Education programs.

Please allow for at least 14 days for the Credentials Office to review documents. Only after candidates have completed all credential requirements, received approvals from the Credentials Office, and their program will the Credentials Office submit credential recommendations to the CTC. The entire credential process can take up to 4–6 weeks. Requirements may vary, please plan accordingly.

Satisfy CTC Credential Requirements by uploading documentation to the Credential Documents Form.
After all documents are uploaded, apply for your credential by completing the Credential Application.
Check your SMC and external emails for messages from the Credentials Office regarding the application.
Complete your CTC application by logging into your CTC Account.

Which credential are you applying for?

Preliminary Credential

Preliminary Credentials are issued to students who have completed all credential requirements, including coursework, fieldwork components, assessments, and exams. To apply for your Preliminary Credential, please begin by uploading documents that fulfill the following requirements to the Credential Documents Form.

Internship Credential

Internship Credentials are issued to students who have been offered employment as teacher of record while they are still currently enrolled in their teacher education program. Please note that students must hold a bachelor’s degree in order to be eligible for an internship. To apply for your Internship Credential, please begin by contacting your program and uploading documents that fulfill the following requirements to the Credential Documents Form.

Please find more information about CTC Credential Requirements and acceptable documentation listed below.

Preliminary Credential

Subject Matter Competence Requirement

Candidates may meet the SMCR through successful completion of one the following options:

Subject Matter Preparation Program: Completion of a CTC-approved subject matter preparation program.
CSET Exam: Passage of the California Subject Examination for Teachers (CSET) in the appropriate subject area.
Academic Degree Major: Successful completion of a baccalaureate or higher degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher education with the following, as applicable:

For Single Subject Credentials: a major in one of the subject areas in which the commission credentials candidates.**
For Multiple Subject Credentials: a major in Liberal Studies, Liberal Arts, or Elementary Education.
For Education Specialist Credentials: any major that is accepted for the Single Subject or Multiple Subject credentials.

Coursework Evaluation: Successful completion of qualifying coursework that addresses each of the Subject Matter Domains for the intended credential as evaluated by a CTC accredited educator preparation program.

Please reach out to the KSOE Credentials Office at credential@stmarys-ca.edu for questions or more information on this option including submission of Coursework Evaluation Worksheets.

Combination of Exam and Coursework: Through a combination of qualifying coursework and CSET exams that meets or exceeds the subject matter domains.

Students in the Saint Mary’s College JCL + MSTE/SPED Multiple Subject/Education Specialist Credential Preparation program will fulfill the Subject Matter Requirement in Multiple Subjects through the completion of their coursework.

**For the Academic Degree Major option, the major must be an exact match to the credential area being sought. Accepted majors for SMC Single Subject Credentials include the following:

Art
English
Health Science
Mathematics
Music
Physical Education
Science (including Biology, Chemistry, Geoscience or Earth and Space Science, and Physics)
Social Science
World Language (in any of the languages for which there is a credential)

Also acceptable: Applied majors (e.g., Applied Mathematics, Applied Physics) and exact majors in one of the single subject areas that may have additional modifiers (e.g., Biology: Environmental Biology; Art: Art History; and Physical Education: Kinesiology).

For Social Science, the degree major must be in “Social Science” in order to fulfill this requirement. Majors in History, Economics, Geography, Anthropology, Psychology, or Political Science, etc., do not fulfill the subject matter requirement for Social Science via the Academic Degree Major option, however, students are encouraged to pursue the Coursework Evaluation option.

Constitution Requirement

Teaching credential candidates are required to demonstrate knowledge of the United States Constitution by completing a college level course, or a college level examination. The Constitution requirement can be met by one of the following:

Completion of a college-level course that covers the provisions and principles of the U.S. Constitution with a grade of C- or better. The course must be taken from a regionally accredited college or university and be at least two semester units or three quarter units.
Pass an examination on the provisions and principles of the U.S. Constitution offered by a regionally accredited college or university.

It is the student's responsibility to order an official transcript from the institution at which the Constitution course was taken or to provide an official exam result to the Credential Office before applying for the credential. Documentation can be submitted to the Credentials Office through the Credential Documents Form.

Coursework

Candidates who have completed a bachelor’s degree at Saint Mary’s College in Justice Community and Leadership (JCL), or a Bachelor’s degree from any of the Cal State University (CSU) campuses, have completed the U.S. Constitution requirement through their coursework.

Previously completed college-level coursework is acceptable. Alternatively, candidates may complete coursework at Saint Mary’s College or a community college to fulfill the requirement. Courses that are taken online through a regionally accredited college or university are acceptable.

Online Exam

Candidates may fulfill the Constitution requirement by passing one of the following online exams:

For more information about the U.S. Constitution requirement, please visit the CTC’s CC 11-01.

CTC Credential Record

The CTC Credential Record requirement may be fulfilled by providing proof of holding any of the following valid CTC documents. Students may upload a screenshot of their CTC account showing their name, document number, and valid dates or receipts for any of these items to fulfill the CTC Credential Record requirement:

CTC Certificate of Clearance
30-Day Substitute Permit
Children’s Center Permit
Activity Supervisor Clearance Certificate
Variable Term Waiver
CTC Credential

Please watch the video provided at the bottom of the CTC's Online Application Information webpage to apply for the Certificate of Clearance. For locations that provide Live-Scan fingerprinting services, please visit the DOJ's Live Scans webpage, and select your county of residence. After completing your Live-Scan, email a copy of your Form 41-LS receipt to the CTC at fingerprints@ctc.ca.gov.

For more informaiton, please visit CTC's Fingerprint Information webpage.

CPR Certification (Infant, Child, Adult)

The CTC requires CPR certification for candidates applying for the Preliminary Teaching Credentials. The training must include infant, child, and adult CPR skills that meet the standards established by the American Heart Association or Red Cross. Students may use a training of their choice as long as it adheres to these guidelines.

CPR Certificates that cover Infant, Child, and Adult CPR, show the student’s name, valid dates, course title, training organization, and appropriate signatures will fulfill the requirement. Trainings completed in-person or online are acceptable.

Students may use the Credential Documents Form to upload a copy of their official CPR certification to the Credentials Office. CPR trainings must cover infant, child, and adult CPR in order to meet requirements set by the CTC. The Credentials Office will reject documents if they are unable to verify coverage of all three areas as well as any document that contains ineligible text. CPR Certification must be valid at the time of application for a credential.

Unofficial SMC Transcript (Credential Coursework)

Unofficial SMC Transcripts showing completed program coursework will fulfill the Final SMC Transcript requirement. Unofficial transcripts may be retrieved from GaelXpress or the Registrar’s Office through the Unofficial Transcript Request form.

Reading Instruction Competence Assessment (RICA)

Official results showing your name, dates, and passing scores for the Reading Instruction Competence Assessment (RICA) will fulfill the RICA requirement. A PDF of your official results can be found in your CTC Educator Credentialing Assessments account.

*RICA is only required for MSTE and SPED candidates.

The Reading Instruction Competence Assessment (RICA) is being retired and will no longer be offered after June 30, 2025. The Commission on Teacher Credentialing has adopted a transition plan for the RICA Written Examination and RICA Video Performance Assessment pursuant to the Commission's work to implement Senate Bill 488 (Chap. 678, Stats. 2021), commonly referred to as SB 488.

EdTPA

Official results showing your name, dates, and passing scores for the EdTPA will fulfill the EdTPA requirement. A PDF of your official results can be found in your CTC Educator Credentialing Assessments account.

Internship Credential

Internship Agreement

An Internship Agreement is a document that is signed by the student, their employer, Placement Coordinator, and Program Director. Contact your program’s Placement Coordinator or Program Director to request for this document.

The Credentials Office will facilitate the completion of the Internship Agreement, which will be emailed and completed electronically via DocuSign. Students are responsible for providing accurate contact information of their employer or district representative who will be signing their document.

First Semester SMC Transcript (Credential Coursework)

A screenshot of your unofficial transcript from GaelXpress or an unofficial transcript from the Registrar’s Office that shows passing grades for first-semester credential coursework will fulfill the requirement. First-semester credential coursework is required because the CTC requires Internship candidates to complete at least 120 hours of pre-service preparation.

Basic Skills Requirement

The Basic Skills Requirement (BSR) verifies basic skills proficiency in the areas of Reading, Writing, and Mathematics before a credential, certificate, or permit will be issued. There are several options for candidates to satisfy this requirement including exams, qualifying coursework, and a combination of exams and coursework.

To indicate which option will be used to fulfill BSR, please complete the BSR Evaluation Form. This form is for enrolled students in the Teacher Preparation, School Counseling, and School Psychology programs at the Kalmanovitz School of Education (KSOE). Candidates must provide official exam score reports and official transcripts for qualifying coursework.

Individuals will meet the Basic Skills Requirement through a bachelor's or higher degree from a regionally accredited institution. Educators who earned their degrees from outside of the United States must obtain an evaluation of their transcripts through a Commission-approved Foreign Transcript Evaluation Agency.

For more information on the CTC’s BSR guidelines, please visit BSR (CL-667).

Subject Matter Requirement