Program Details
City University of Seattle is approved by the Washington State Professional Educator Standards Board to offer a shorter, alternative route to becoming a teacher. This program is designed for people who have prior experience and want to complete a teaching program in one year.
There are four routes that students can take in this flexible and affordable program — each route has been developed to suit students in unique life circumstances.
- Route 1: for students who are employed by school districts as “classified instructional employees,” or paraprofessionals who have an associate degrees.
- Route 2: for students currently employed by a school district who have a bachelor’s degree.
- Route 3: for students who have a bachelor’s degree, who are not employed by a school district, but have documented career expertise in a subject-matter shortage area such as Special Education; English Language; or Math.
- Route 4: for students with a bachelor’s degree who are employed by a school district at the time of application and hold a conditional teaching or emergency substitute certificate.
Program includes…
- Saturday classes
- A mentored internship program within a school district
- Preparation for the edTPA exam
Key Admission Requirement
- Passage of the WEST-B statewide basic skills exams
- Completion of the WEST-E/NES subject matter assessments required by RCW 28A.410.220 (3) for the endorsements being sought
- District or building validation of qualifications, including one year of successful student interaction and leadership as “classified staff” for Routes 1 and 2.
This program prepares students to teach and create curriculum in shortage areas such as Math, English Language Learner (ELL) and Special Education.
Speak with a CityU advisor to get started on your route to becoming a teacher today.
Dr. Craig Schieber
A Q&A with Dr. Craig Schieber
Q: What is your terminal degree in and where did you get it from?
A: Doctor of Education from Seattle Pacific University. I majored in Instructional Leadership with an emphasis in Information Technologies.
Q: What do you do for fun?
A: Direct theater productions, run, read, garden.
Q: Do you teach any classes?
A: Right now I’m just doing field supervision, however in the past I’ve taught technology, curriculum, and assessment classes.
Q: Why did you decide to go into education?
A: I am fascinated by the growth process and the exchange of ideas. Joy comes in seeing and helping people realize their potential and beyond.
Q: Why do you enjoy serving students at CityU?
A: Because most of our students are non-traditional university students I am always honored to help them realize their dreams. These are courageous and strong people, most of whom are in the adult flow of life with responsibilities such as having a family, paying a mortgage, working a job, etc.
Q: What is one thing that you tell students?
A: They will get a relevant, practical education from dedicated practitioners.
Q: Any fond CityU memories that you can share?
A: My fondest memories come from times I have supervised and observed our students interning and student teaching in classrooms. Watching them learn our teacher’s art of reaching out and helping and nurturing kids’ natural curiosity is the best kind of memory.
Q: What might you tell a student who was thinking of attending CityU?
A: They will get a relevant, practical education from dedicated practitioners. They should be prepared and open to grow. They will come out of our program a different person. In the program we will work with them as they prepare to join a proud profession, which once they join, they wear 24 hours a day. It is a calling and a full life commitment.
Q: What is something you’ve learned from end-of-course evaluations that you applied later on?
A: This is one that has been confirmed by course evaluations. The most common cause of student dissatisfaction in classes is lack of feedback from instructors on student work. That is our major focus to find ways to get student expectations and instructor performance closer together on this all-important instructional experience.
Maria Gross
A Q&A with Maria Gross, Academic Program Director
Q: What did you study, and where did you graduate from?
A: Ed.D. Educational Leadership, Higher Education, University of Washington
Q: What do you do for fun?
A: Travel, cook, read
Q: Why do you enjoy working at CityU?
A: I enjoy CityU because of its practitioner-based model through which application of concepts is foundational to education.
Q: What’s one thing you always tell your students that may or may not relate to your class?
A: I love teaching and expect and welcome them to challenge me and our education system.
Related Stories from the Albright School of Education
Career changer becomes a teacher in one year
Through a partnership with Bellevue School District, Heather heard about City University of Seattle’s Alternative Routes to Teacher Certification program through which she could earn her teaching certificate in one year. View the full article
Second chances: Woman pursues dream of becoming a teacher
It’s never too late to do what you might’ve done, or to pursue a new dream. That’s what City University of Seattle alumna Pennie Crawford believes. View the full article
