How a Teacher Prep Program Can Help You Become a Teacher

By Julie Grellas Subscribe to RSS Feed

If you are working as an instructional assistant, and would like to take the next step in your career, but haven’t earned your bachelor's degree (BA), there are affordable options to help you earn your degree while at the same time work toward a teaching credential. Dominican University of California’s Adult Degree Completion Program is designed for working professionals. Through convenient evening classes, you can balance your schoolwork with your professional and personal life, going at a pace that makes sense for you. If a lack of a bachelor's degree is holding you back from your professional goals, the Adult Degree Completion Program could be a great positive step in your career. 

In California, credentialed teachers continue to be in-demand, especially as schools, colleges, and universities eye a return to campus in the coming months. There has never been a better time to become a teacher. 

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How Can you Become a Teacher in California? 

In California, to earn a teacher’s certification, you must have a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university, as well as complete a teacher preparation program approved by the CTC. Dominican University of California’s Adult Degree Completion Program and Teacher Credential Program can help you meet both of those requirements. 

How Does a Teacher Preparation Program Help You Become a Teacher? 

Here we list the top five ways Dominican University of California’s Adult Degree Completion Program will help you take the next step as an educator:

  1. A teacher credential fast track. You can earn your BA while simultaneously working toward a teaching credential. When you enroll in Dominican’s Literary and Intercultural Studies with a teacher preparation track, three of your courses will count toward both your BA and credential. You can finish your teaching credential in just one year after you earn your bachelor’s degree.  
  2. Earn credit for work and life experience. We know you have valuable experiences outside of school, and we want to honor that by giving you college credit for your experience. You can earn up to 45 units of college credit for knowledge gained outside traditional academic settings. This helps shorten the time it takes to earn a degree, reduce the cost of your education, and affirm the learning that you’ve attained in your personal and professional life.
  3. You don’t have to quit your job to complete your bachelor’s degree. Our Adult Degree Program is designed to accommodate the schedules of working adults, with evening and online class options. Conveniently located in Marin County, Dominican University of California is located just 12 miles north of  San Francisco. Free and easy parking and quick access to public transportation hubs and HWY 101 makes attending Dominican an easy option for working professionals.
  4. Get financial support. Dominican University of California Adult Degree Completion program offers significantly reduced tuition, as well as scholarships to help you pay for your education. Dominican's dedicated financial aid counselors will help you understand how you can pay for a bachelor's degree. 
  5. A quick and simple application process. Dominican makes applying easy. You’re never alone in mapping your return to school. An advisor who specializes in coaching adult learners will evaluate your transcripts and create a detailed roadmap for your future, before you even enroll. We also accept applications on a rolling basis, which means there is no hard deadline to apply. 

Whether you’re looking for personal fulfillment or to increase your earning potential, the Adult Degree Completion Program at Dominican University of California might be a great fit for you. Learn more about Dominican’s Literary and Intercultural Studies degree, or sign up to request more information


Julie Grellas is the Director of School and Community Partnerships at Dominican University of California. For more than 10 years, Julie has been teaching in the classroom with a focus on English learners. 

Dominican University of California is an independent institution offering more than 60 majors, minors, and concentrations located in the San Francisco Bay Area, in beautiful Marin County, California. 

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