A bachelor's degree is the basic requirement at virtually all colleges and universities in order to become a teacher. The number of credit hours depends upon the requirements of the specific college or university, but most institutions require 120 semester hours or 180 quarter hours. The distribution of credit hours between core credits, major area credits, professional education credits and elective credits differs depending upon institution.
Major Area Credits
The number of college credits that a potential teacher needs may vary depending upon the major area of study and the state requirements for the teacher education preparation program. For instance, students pursuing a degree in elementary or middle grades education may need a total of 21 semester credit hours in a specific teaching field such as math, language arts or science, while a secondary history or social science teacher may need a total of 40 semester credit hours.
Professional Education Credits
Though the number of professional credit hours for teachers may vary from state to state, students pursuing a teaching degree, regardless of major area of study, must also earn professional education credits that focus on the philosophical, psychological and methodological aspects of teaching. This group of courses, taught through the education department, will also include additional semester hours devoted to technology in the classroom, reading and literacy, student teaching and instructional practices.
Virtually all colleges and universities require that all students, including education majors, take between eight and 10 courses collectively referred to as the core curriculum. Students may take cores in natural and social sciences, fine arts and humanities to satisfy this requirement. These courses are required so that students gain exposure to a wide scope of knowledge and different ways of thinking, and have the opportunity to increase intellectual capacity and well as develop critical thinking skills.
Potential teachers are required to take courses to fulfill the requirement for elective credits. Elective credits are credits earned in addition to the major program of study and the core curriculum. These credits can be composed of virtually any combination of classes of the student's choosing. Sometimes a student may choose a particular elective because of convenience, but most of the time students choose electives related to personal interest -- art, music, foreign language, photography or additional humanities coursework. They may choose from virtually all courses offered, with the exception of courses that require prerequisites that they may not have taken.
- Digital Vision./Digital Vision/Getty Images