Certification is issued through the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE), not UMBC. The Maryland State Department of Education is responsible for the licensing of teachers. In order to be recommended for licensure by the Department of Education, teacher candidates must successfully complete all requirements of certification including all applicable testing requirements. Upon the recommendation of the Department of Education, the Maryland State Department of Education will then issue a standard professional certificate.
Please note that Maryland requirements are subject to change. For the most up-to-date information, please talk to your advisor and/or visit the Maryland State Department Educator Certification website.
Teacher Certification Process
The process is as follows:
- After receiving a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree, completing all requirements of the teacher preparation program, and meeting all MSDE guidelines, teacher candidates are eligible for certification through MSDE.
- Once all the teacher preparation program guidelines are met, the UMBC Education Department submits the names of eligible candidates to the UMBC Registrar’s Office, indicating their status.
- UMBC’s Registrar’s Office then puts an official stamp on the transcript, indicating that, “This student has completed a Maryland Approved Certification Program” in a specific certification area (ECE, ELEM, TESOL, Secondary Education program area)
- At this point, program completers can begin the process of applying for the actual teaching certificate.
Individuals hired by local school systems or accredited private schools are eligible for a Standard Professional Certificate I. Usually, the HR office within the school system will assist those under contract – or apply for them – provided that the candidate supplies that office with all relevant paperwork, including transcript.
Individuals not yet hired who plan to search for teaching positions in the following year should apply for a “Professional Eligibility Certificate.”
For more information regarding Maryland’s teacher certification process, please follow: https://marylandpublicschools.org/about/Pages/DEE/Certification/index.aspx
2021 November 22