Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Secondary Education

Typical Length 18 months

Delivery Hybrid

Nationally Accredited

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Licensure

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Stipends Available

If interested, please refer to the “How to Apply” page for this program. Questions and concerns can be shared using the “Request More Info” page.

The Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Secondary Education program (PBCTE) welcomes busy professionals from the neighbor islands who hold a bachelor’s degree and find time and distance constraints of furthering an on-campus degree too difficult.

PBCTE is an 18-month certificate program designed for students who have a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year institution of higher education that is recognized and accepted by UH Mānoa Office of Admissions and wish to obtain initial teacher licensure. To enroll, students must have completed an academic content major appropriate to their proposed teaching subject or pass the PRAXIS Content Knowledge test. The program consists of 10 interrelated courses totaling 36 credits. Students who complete this initial teacher licensure program are encouraged to continue their professional growth. PBCTE students may apply up to 12 course credits from the program to a College of Education (COE) master’s degree program. Students must negotiate course transfer at the time of application to the master’s program.

Common Careers

Graduates of this program become teachers in secondary educational institutions, both public (Hawai‘i Department of Education and Public Charter Schools) and private.

Upon successful completion of the program, graduates will be recommended for licensure to teach 6-12th grade in a subject field in the state of Hawai‘i. The STE Secondary Program offers teaching majors in the following fields:

  • Art
  • Dance
  • English Language Arts
  • English Language Learners/Multilingual
  • Health & Physical Education (face-to-face at UH Mānoa campus only)
  • Mathematics
  • Music (face-to-face at UH Mānoa campus only)
  • Science
  • Social Studies
  • Theater
  • World Languages
Career and Licensure Information

Once completing an initial teacher licensure program, graduates are eligible to apply for a state license through the Hawai‘i Teacher Standards Board, which will allow the licensee to teach in public and charter schools in the State of Hawai‘i.

Hawai‘i also participates in the NASDTEC Interstate Agreement which facilitates the mobility of educators among states that are members of NASDTEC. UHM recommends you contact the office of certification in any state to which you may be relocating to get the most current information. See NASDTEC website for more information.

Admission Requirements
  • Must have graduated from an accredited, four-year institution of higher education recognized by the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa (UHM), prior to beginning the Post-Baccalaureate Certificate, Secondary Education (PBCTE, Secondary): program.
    • For applicants who graduated from institutions outside of the U.S- an evaluation of your transcripts from a NACES member is required.
  • 2.75 cumulative GPA (2.50 cumulative GPA for Math and Science)
  • 2.75 academic major GPA (2.50 academic major GPA for Math and Science)
  • Complete 40 hours of paid or voluntary group leadership field experience with 6-12th grade students. The experience cannot have occurred more than 5 years prior to acceptance into the program.
  • Meet the content knowledge requirement
    NACES is required for graduates of non-US institutions of higher education
  • Interview with the program
  • Write a personal statement
  • Provide Three (3) Professional References
Application Deadlines

New cohorts start only in Spring semesters. Application deadlines are as follows:

  • International Students: September 1 (refer to the International Admission Process for detailed information)
  • September 1: General Priority Deadline
  • October 1: General Final Deadline

How to Apply
Tuition & Funding

Tuition Cost (36 credits)

Note: This program charges undergraduate tuition rates. See: https://www.outreach.hawaii.edu/admissions-and-aid/tuition-and-fees/

  • Resident: Approximately $471/credit x 36 credits = $16,956
  • Non-Resident: Approximately $1,389/credit x 36 credits = $50,004
  • WUE/WICHE: Approximately $706/credit x 36 credits = $25,416

There are many resources available to help students pay for college, including College of Education scholarships. Additional scholarships may be found in the Financial Support section of the general financial aid website. For more information on financial aid and additional resources, please visit the UH Mānoa Financial Aid Office (finaid@hawaii.edu).

The Grow Our Own Teachers Initiative, also known as GOO, is an opportunity for candidates enrolled in this program to qualify for tuition stipends to cover up to all tuition costs. GOO is made possible through a partnership between the College of Education of the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa and Hawai‘i Department of Education. For more information on eligibility requirements and the application process, please visit our Grow Our Own Teachers page.

Delivery Format

PBCTE is cohort-based, with students only admitted in the spring term each year as part of a group that takes initial classes together and beginning with a two-day, on-campus orientation. In a cohort model, students enroll in a series of core courses, beginning and ending the series together. Such an approach helps build community and support structures within the program. Students work with like-minded professionals to achieve a common goal.

Coursework

PBCTE is a 36 credit certificate program of 10 required core courses.

  • The 10 core courses in PBCTE are offered online and include live sessions on the Internet weekday evenings to accommodate working professionals.
  • General breakdown of program timeline
    • Term 1 (Spring)
      • STE 401: Engaging the Adolescent Learner
      • STE 402(n): Teaching Practicum, Supervised Field Experience, 2 days/week + Seminar
      • STE 440: Curriculum Implications of Multicultural Education
    • Summer Term (or prior to Term 3)
      • EDEF 610: Foundation of Educational Theory
      • EDEP 631: Adolescence and Education
    • Term 2 (Fall)
      • STE 402(Alpha): Teaching Practicum, Field Experience, 2 days/week + Seminar
      • STE 404(Alpha): Teaching in the Subject Field
      • SPED 445 Educating Exceptional Students in Regular Classrooms, Secondary
    • Term 3 (Spring)
      • STE 405(Alpha): Teaching Residency, Supervised Full-Time Teaching, 5 days/week
      • STE 406: Seminar in Teaching Residency

Contact

Please complete the Request More Info form and we will connect you with someone who will be happy to answer your questions, provide more detailed information, and assist with the application process once admissions open.