Alternative Teacher Certification Graduate Certificate

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Program Overview

The graduate certificate for Alternative Teacher Certification is intended for individuals who are interested in becoming a teacher outside a traditional teacher preparation program and who meet the state requirements for alternative certification. This certificate is ideal for individuals with bachelor’s degree in non-education fields who want to transition to K-12 teaching. This program only provides the coursework required of the South Dakota alternative certification, covering the following topics: classroom management, teaching methods, student assessment, differentiated instruction, adolescent psychology, and South Dakota Indian studies. This certificate alone does not result in teacher licensure or certification. Additonal requirements must be met through the State of South Dakota Department of Education.

DELIVERY: On campus | Online

Certificate Requirements-15 Credit Hours Required

EPSY 735 - Child/Adolescent Learning and Development 3 cr
INED 511 - South Dakota Indian Studies (C) 3 cr
SEED 540 - Classroom Management 1 to 3 cr 3 cr hrs required
SEED 550 - 7-12 Reading and Content Literacy (C) 3 cr
SEED 741 - 7-12 Curriculum & Instruction (C) 3 cr

General Application Requirements

Completed application
$35 application fee
Official transcripts*
Letters of recommendation*
Statement of purpose
Resume/CV*

*Requirements for admission vary by program and may require different documentation and have different deadlines. This list is not all-inclusive, to view specific program requirements and submission deadlines, follow the “Admissions Information” hyperlink at the top of this page OR visit the specific program/dept. page found here: link.usd.edu/grad-catalog

Courses or Programs Leading to Professional Licensure or Certification

The educational curriculum for your academic program may or may not meet educational prerequisites for professional licensure or certification in states other than South Dakota. If you are planning to apply for licensure/certification in a state other than South Dakota after completion of your program, please review that state and your program on USD’s Licensure-Track Programs webpage. Licensure-Track Programs

If your learning placement course (internship, externship, clinical, rotation, practicum, independent study, study away, etc.) or your online course will be taken outside South Dakota, please reference USD’s State Authorization webpage.

State Authorization

Questions?

Division of Teacher Residency and Education
605-658-6640 | tre@usd.edu | usd.edu/tre

Graduate Admissions
605-658-6140 | gradadmissions@usd.edu | usd.edu/grad