California Teacher Colleges and Degrees Online Guide

This page is an informative guide for anyone looking for teaching schools in California. There are many colleges and universities in California that offer teacher preparation programs that prepare aspiring teachers for a long career in the classroom. For more information on the various teaching degrees in California, we have included lists of top-rated teaching programs, a table of accredited, state-approved teacher preparation, and student reviews. Whether you’re fresh out of school or looking to change your current career, the teacher career guide below can help you jumpstart your way into a fascinating career in education.

Table of Contents

• Teacher Preparation Program Comparison
• Top-Ranked Schools with Education Programs
• Select Schools with Teacher Preparation Degrees
• Schools with Associate Degrees in Education
• Student Reviews

Quick Facts

• There are 158 colleges and universities with teacher degree programs in California.¹
• 52 schools offer an associate’s degree in education.¹
• 55 schools offer a bachelor’s degree in education.¹
• 84 schools offer a master’s or advanced degree in education.¹
• 28 schools ranked in Teacher Certification Degrees’ Best Online Master of Education (M.Ed.) Programs.
• 1 school ranked in Princeton Review’s Great Schools for Education Majors 2022.²
• 24 schools ranked in US News & World Report’s Best Graduate Education Programs 2022.³
• 10 schools ranked in US News & World Report’s Best Online Master’s in Education Programs 2022.⁴
• 17 educator preparation providers (EPPs) are accredited by the NCATE, TEAC, or CAEP.⁵
• 3 educator preparation providers (EPPs) are accredited by the AAQEP.⁶

For not-for-profit schools with teacher degree programs.

Comparison of California Schools with Teacher Preparation Programs

We have designed the following table to help you compare teacher preparation programs in California according to various factors. All of the schools included are not-for-profit institutions approved by the California Department of Education (CDE) for the preparation of teachers. Completing a state-approved teacher preparation program is an important step towards earning licensure.

While accreditation from the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) is not a requirement for licensure, it is included in the following table as CAEP provides a highly-regarded accreditation that is accepted in many states.

You will also find data on teacher preparation program enrollment, completion, and licensing exam pass rates by institution, for both traditional and alternative programs, for the 2018-2019 academic year in this table. These data points are collected from annual US Department of Education reports under Title II (Teacher Quality) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), which holds institutions and state departments of education accountable for increasing academic achievement through improvements in teacher quality. Traditional teacher preparation programs are usually completed as part of a bachelor’s degree program. Alternative certification programs are typically designed for career changers looking to enter the field and lead to a postgraduate certificate or a master’s degree. Many schools in our table offer both traditional and alternative programs. Take a look at our California traditional and alternative certification guides for more information.

Finally, we have provided the net price per year for undergraduate tuition, based on the cost of attendance (tuition, books, room and board, and related expenses) for students who qualify for in-state tuition and fees, less the average financial aid award (including grants and scholarships).

Programs that are not ranked, or for which data is not available, in a given category are denoted as “–“.

• — indicates none or not applicable.
• N.Av. indicates data was not available or pass rates were omitted for confidentiality.

Top-Ranked Schools with Education Programs in California

Best Online Master of Education Programs in California

• Azusa Pacific University (#1)
• University of San Diego (#2)
• National University (#3)

Visit our ranking of the best online Master of Education (M.Ed.) programs in California to see the full list plus a breakdown of the most affordable schools.

Princeton Review’s Great Schools for Education Majors 2022

• Loyola Marymount University

US News & World Report’s Best Graduate Education Programs 2022

• University of California-Los Angeles (#3)
• Stanford University (#6 tie)
• University of Southern California (#11 tie)
• University of California-Irvine (#15)
• University of California-Berkeley (#19 tie)
• University of California-Davis (#37 tie)
• University of California-San Diego (#50)
• San Diego State University (#55 tie)
• University of California-Riverside (#55 tie)
• Loyola Marymount University (#64 tie)
• University of California-Santa Barbara (#76 tie)
• Claremont Graduate University (#85 tie)
• Mills College (#100 tie)
• San Jose State University (#125 tie)
• University of California- Santa Cruz (#136 tie)
• University of San Francisco (#154 tie)
• Chapman University (#178 tie)
• Pepperdine University (#178 tie)
• Alliant International University (#211-277)
• University of La Verne (#211-277)
• University of Redlands (#211-277)

US News & World Report’s Best Online Master’s in Education Programs 2022

• San Diego State University (#8 tie)
• California Baptist University (#80 tie)
• UMass Global (formerly Brandman University) (#130 tie)
• Academy of Art University (#242-321)
• Alliant International University (#242-321)
• Mills College (#242-321)
• National University (#242-321)

Select California Schools with Teacher Preparation Degrees

University of California Los Angeles

The University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) is home to the UCLA School of Education & Information Studies (Ed&IS), specializing in research and instruction geared towards improving teaching and learning methodologies for learners of all ages. The UCLA Ed&IS prepares students to be leaders in the field of education regarding policy, research, and practice. An undergraduate major offered in Education and Social Transformation educates activists to analyze modern education issues and advocate for positive change and social justice. Two minors are also offered in Education Studies and Information Media Literacy. Ed&IS offers both academic (Master of Arts (MA) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)) and professional degrees (Master of Education (M.Ed.) and Doctor of Education (EdD)) in a variety of focal areas, including Higher Education & Organizational Change, Teacher Education, and Student Affairs. Prospective students are welcome to visit the department’s website or attend one of the many recruiting events held by the school throughout the calendar year.

Pepperdine University

Pepperdine is a prestigious private university located on the shores of Malibu. The university is home to the Seaver College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences, and the Graduate School of Education and Psychology (GSEP). Seaver College offers a wide range of undergraduate programs, including multiple-subject (Elementary) and single-subject (Secondary) teacher education, as well as Educational Technology. GSEP offers a Master of Arts (MA) in Teaching an MA in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL); an MA in Social Entrepreneurship and Change; a Master of Science (MS) in Learning Design and Technology; an MS in Organizational Leadership and Learning; an MS in Leadership in Higher Education; and an MS in Leadership in Pre K to 12 Education. Each program has its own unique set of admissions criteria with most programs requiring official transcripts, professional recommendations, and a statement of purpose. Some programs require graduate testing while others do not. Many of the programs have several different pathways and can be completed while working full time. Some programs, including the MA in Teaching, can be completed in as little as 11 months.

Schools with Associate Degrees in Education

While a bachelor’s degree is the minimum educational level required to qualify for state certification, an associate’s degree can be the first step towards a career in education. It can qualify graduates for careers in non-licensed roles in early childhood education, after-school care, and related areas. The credits earned from an accredited associate degree program can also typically be transferred towards a bachelor’s degree. The following Alabama schools offer associate’s degrees in education.¹ Schools with an asterisk (*) also offer four-year teaching programs and/or alternative route to certification programs.

Allan Hancock College
800 S College Dr
Santa Maria, CA 93454-6399
(805) 922-6966
www.hancockcollege.edu

American River College
4700 College Oak Dr
Sacramento, CA 95841-4286
(916) 484-8011
www.arc.losrios.edu

Antelope Valley College
3041 West Ave K
Lancaster, CA 93536-5426
(661) 722-6300
www.avc.edu

Bakersfield College*
1801 Panorama Dr
Bakersfield, CA 93305-1299
(661) 395-4011
www.bakersfieldcollege.edu

Butte College
3536 Butte Campus Dr
Oroville, CA 95965-8399
(530) 895-2511
www.butte.edu

Cabrillo College
6500 Soquel Dr
Aptos, CA 95003
(831) 479-6100
www.cabrillo.edu

Canada College
4200 Farm Hill Blvd
Redwood City, CA 94061-1099
(650) 306-3100
canadacollege.edu

Cerritos College
11110 Alondra Blvd
Norwalk, CA 90650-6298
(562) 860-2451
www.cms.cerritos.edu

Cerro Coso Community College
3000 College Heights Blvd
Ridgecrest, CA 93555-9571
(760) 384-6100
www.cerrocoso.edu

Chabot College
25555 Hesperian Blvd
Hayward, CA 94545
(510) 723-6600
www.chabotcollege.edu

Chaffey College
5885 Haven Ave
Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91737-3002
(909) 987-1737
www.chaffey.edu

Citrus College*
1000 W Foothill Blvd
Glendora, CA 91741-1899
(626) 963-0323
www.citruscollege.edu

City College of San Francisco
50 Phelan Ave
San Francisco, CA 94112-1898
(415) 239-3000
www.ccsf.edu

Clovis Community College*
10309 North Willow Ave
Fresno, CA 93730
(559) 325-5200
www.cloviscollege.edu

Coastline Community College
11460 Warner Ave
Fountain Valley, CA 92708-2597
(714) 546-7600
www.coastline.edu

College of Marin
835 College Ave
Kentfield, CA 94904-2590
(415) 457-8811
www.marin.edu

College of San Mateo
1700 W Hillsdale Blvd
San Mateo, CA 94402-3784
(650) 574-6161
www.collegeofsanmateo.edu

College of the Canyons
26455 Rockwell Canyon Rd
Santa Clarita, CA 91355-1899
(661) 259-7800
www.canyons.edu

College of the Desert
43-500 Monterey Ave
Palm Desert, CA 92260
(760) 346-8041
www.collegeofthedesert.edu

College of the Sequoias
915 S Mooney Blvd
Visalia, CA 93277-2214
(559) 730-3700
www.cos.edu

College of the Siskiyous
800 College Ave
Weed, CA 96094
(530) 938-5555
www.siskiyous.edu

Columbia College
11600 Columbia College Dr
Sonora, CA 95370
(209) 588-5100
www.gocolumbia.edu

Compton College
1111 East Artesia Blvd
Compton, CA 90221-5393
(310) 900-1600
www.compton.edu

Contra Costa College
2600 Mission Bell Dr
San Pablo, CA 94806
(510) 235-7800
www.contracosta.edu

Cosumnes River College
8401 Center Pkwy
Sacramento, CA 95823-5799
(916) 688-7344
www.crc.losrios.edu

Cuesta College*
Highway 1
San Luis Obispo, CA 93403-8106
(805) 546-3100
www.cuesta.edu

Cuyamaca College
900 Rancho San Diego Pkwy
El Cajon, CA 92019
(619) 660-4000
www.cuyamaca.edu

Cypress College*
9200 Valley View
Cypress, CA 90630-5897
(714) 484-7000
www.cypresscollege.edu

Diablo Valley College
321 Golf Club Rd
Pleasant Hill, CA 94523
(925) 685-1230
www.dvc.edu

East Los Angeles College
1301 Avenida Cesar Chavez
Monterey Park, CA 91754-6099
(323) 265-8650
www.elac.edu

El Camino Community College District
16007 Crenshaw Blvd
Torrance, CA 90506
(310) 532-3670
www.elcamino.edu

Evergreen Valley College
3095 Yerba Buena Rd
San Jose, CA 95135-1598
(408) 274-7900
www.evc.edu

Feather River Community College District
570 Golden Eagle Ave
Quincy, CA 95971-9124
(530) 283-0202
www.frc.edu

Foothill College
12345 El Monte Rd
Los Altos Hills, CA 94022
(650) 949-7777
foothill.edu

Fresno City College*
1101 E University Ave
Fresno, CA 93741
(559) 442-4600
www.fresnocitycollege.edu

Fullerton College
321 E Chapman Ave
Fullerton, CA 92832-2095
(714) 992-7000
www.fullcoll.edu

Gavilan College*
5055 Santa Teresa Blvd
Gilroy, CA 95020
(408) 848-4800
www.gavilan.edu

Golden West College
15744 Goldenwest St
Huntington Beach, CA 92647-2710
(714) 892-7711
www.goldenwestcollege.edu

Grossmont College
8800 Grossmont College Dr
El Cajon, CA 92020-1799
(619) 644-7000
www.grossmont.edu

Humphreys University*
6650 Inglewood Ave
Stockton, CA 95207-3896
(209) 478-0800
www.humphreys.edu

Imperial Valley College
380 E. Aten Rd
Imperial, CA 92251-0158
(760) 352-8320
www.imperial.edu

Irvine Valley College
5500 Irvine Center Dr
Irvine, CA 92618-0301
(949) 451-5100
www.ivc.edu

Lake Tahoe Community College
One College Dr
South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150
(530) 541-4660
www.ltcc.edu

La Positas College
3000 Campus Hill Dr
Livermore, CA 94551-7650
(925) 424-1000
www.laspositascollege.edu

Lassen Community College
478-200 Hwy 139
Susanville, CA 96130
(530) 257-6181
www.lassencollege.edu

Long Beach City College*
4901 E. Carson St
Long Beach, CA 90808-1706
(562) 938-4111
www.lbcc.edu

Los Angeles Trade Technical College
400 W Washington Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90015-4181
(213) 763-7000
www.lattc.edu

Los Angeles Valley College
5800 Fulton Ave
Valley Glen, CA 91401-4096
(818) 947-2600
www.lavc.edu

Mendocino College
1000 Hensley Creek Rd
Ukiah, CA 95482
(707) 468-3000
www.mendocino.edu

Merced College
3600 M St
Merced, CA 95348-2806
(209) 384-6000
www.mccd.edu

MiraCosta College
1 Barnard Dr
Oceanside, CA 92056-3899
(760) 757-2121
www.miracosta.edu

Modesto Junior College
435 College Ave
Modesto, CA 95350-5800
(209) 575-6550
www.mjc.edu

Monterey Peninsula College
980 Fremont St
Monterey, CA 93940-4799
(831) 646-4000
www.mpc.edu

Moorpark College
7075 Campus Rd
Moorpark, CA 93021-1695
(805) 378-1400
www.moorparkcollege.edu

Moreno Valley College
16130 Lasselle St
Moreno Valley, CA 92551
(951) 571-6100
www.mvc.edu

Mount Saint Mary’s University*
12001 Chalon Rd
Los Angeles, CA 90049-1599
(310) 954-4000
www.msmu.edu

Mt. San Antonio College
1100 N Grand Ave
Walnut, CA 91789-1399
(909) 594-5611
www.mtsac.edu

Mt. San Jacinto Community College District
1499 N State St
San Jacinto, CA 92583-2399
(951) 487-3002
www.msjc.edu

Norco College
2001 Third St
Norco, CA 92860
(951) 372-7000
www.norcocollege.edu

Orange Coast College*
2701 Fairview Rd
Costa Mesa, CA 92628-5005
(714) 432-5072
www.orangecoastcollege.edu

Oxnard College
4000 S Rose Ave
Oxnard, CA 93033-6699
(805) 986-5800
www.oxnardcollege.edu

Pacific Union College*
One Angwin Ave
Angwin, CA 94508-9707
(707) 965-6313
www.puc.edu

Palomar College
1140 W. Mission
San Marcos, CA 92069-1487
(760) 744-1150
www.palomar.edu

Pasadena City College
1570 E Colorado Blvd
Pasadena, CA 91106-2003
(626) 585-7123
www.pasadena.edu

Reedley College*
995 N Reed Ave
Reedley, CA 93654
(559) 638-0300
www.reedleycollege.edu

Riverside City College
4800 Magnolia Ave
Riverside, CA 92506
(951) 222-8000 x8979
www.rcc.edu

Sacramento City College
3835 Freeport Blvd
Sacramento, CA 95822-1386
(916) 558-2111
www.scc.losrios.edu

Saddleback College*
28000 Marguerite Pkwy
Mission Viejo, CA 92692-3635
(949) 582-4500
www.saddleback.edu

San Bernardino Valley College
701 South Mount Vernon Ave
San Bernardino, CA 92410-2798
(909) 384-4400
www.valleycollege.edu

San Diego City College
1313 Park Blvd
San Diego, CA 92101-4787
(619) 388-3400
www.sdcity.edu

San Diego Mesa College
7250 Mesa College Dr
San Diego, CA 92111-4998
(619) 388-2600
www.sdmesa.edu

San Diego Miramar College
10440 Black Mountain Rd
San Diego, CA 92126-2999
(619) 388-7800
www.sdmiramar.edu

San Joaquin Delta College
5151 Pacific Ave
Stockton, CA 95207
(209) 954-5151
www.deltacollege.edu

San Jose City College
2100 Moorpark Ave
San Jose, CA 95128-2798
(408) 298-2181
www.sjcc.edu

Santa Ana College
1530 W 17th St
Santa Ana, CA 92706-3398
(714) 564-6000
www.sac.edu

Santa Barbara City College
721 Cliff Dr
Santa Barbara, CA 93109-2394
(805) 965-0581
www.sbcc.edu

Santa Monica College
1900 Pico Blvd
Santa Monica, CA 90405-1628
(310) 434-4000
www.smc.edu

Santa Rosa Junior College
1501 Mendocino Ave
Santa Rosa, CA 95401-4395
(707) 527-4011
www.santarosa.edu

Shasta College*
11555 Old Oregon Trail
Redding, CA 96003
(530) 242-7500
www.shastacollege.edu

Sierra College
5100 Sierra College Blvd
Rocklin, CA 95677-3397
(916) 624-3333
www.sierracollege.edu

Skyline College
3300 College Dr
San Bruno, CA 94066-1698
(650) 738-4100
www.skylinecollege.edu

Solano Community College
4000 Suisun Valley Rd
Fairfield, CA 94534-3197
(707) 864-7000
www.solano.edu

Southwestern College
900 Otay Lakes Rd
Chula Vista, CA 91910-7299
(619) 421-6700
www.swccd.edu

Taft College
29 Emmons Park Dr
Taft, CA 93268
(661) 763-7700
www.taftcollege.edu

Touro University Worldwide*
10601 Calle Lee #179
Los Alamitos, CA 90720
(818) 575-6800
www.tuw.edu

Vanguard University of Southern California*
55 Fair Dr
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
(714) 556-3610
www.vanguard.edu

West Hills College-Coalinga
300 Cherry Ln
Coalinga, CA 93210
(559) 934-2000
www.westhillscollege.com/coalinga

West Hills College-Lemoore
555 College Ave
Lemoore, CA 93245
(559) 925-3000
www.westhillscollege.com/lemoore

West Los Angeles College
9000 Overland Ave
Culver City, CA 90230
(310) 287-4200
www.wlac.edu

West Valley College
14000 Fruitvale Ave
Saratoga, CA 95070-5698
(408) 867-2200
www.westvalley.edu

Yuba College
2088 N Beale Rd
Marysville, CA 95901
(530) 741-6700
yc.yccd.edu

Student Reviews

Note: Student Reviews are based on the experiences of a few individuals and it is unlikely that you will have similar results. Please review the “Data, Student Reviews and Other Information” section in our Terms of Use and Disclaimers.

California State Polytechnic University-Pomona
3801 W Temple Ave
Pomona, CA 91768
(909) 869-7659
https://www.cpp.edu/

Student Review: “I have had mixed feelings about the teacher education program at Cal Poly Pomona. I have had some great classes on subjects including classroom management and special education law, and some mediocre classes with professors who did not teach well. For example, I had a professor who used most of our class time with tasks irrelevant to the subject of the class which was curriculum planning. I felt unprepared to do the final project in that class. As far as my clinical practice: I had one excellent quarter of student teaching in which I was placed in an elementary setting. I was also placed in a nightmarish student teaching setting for my second quarter. Overall, the program has been decent but not amazing.” – Student at Cal Poly Pomona

California State University-Fresno
5241 N Maple Ave
Fresno, CA 93740
(559) 278-4240
https://www.fresnostate.edu/

Student Review: “While the teaching credential program at Fresno state was fairly well put together there were a lot of issues that I ran into. The first semester of the three-semester program was mostly review or re-teaching everything I had learned as a liberal studies major. Oftentimes the professors did not communicate with one another and assignments would either contradict one another or have nothing to do with one another. Oftentimes professors were disorganized and would either repeat a lesson or have nothing but review to do for that class period. The second “phase” would probably be the most fun/beneficial. I learned quite a bit about how to settle issues I may come across in the classroom and was able to further my knowledge about child development and teaching. The final phase seemed to be the most challenging and frustrating. We often had huge case studies to do on our students, but would not have access to those types of students (require studying a 4th grader when we were in k-3 classrooms). A lot of the assignments in this phase seemed either pointless or redundant. The professors would “test” us on things that either would have nothing to do with the curriculum or counteracted everything we had been taught previously. I’m not sure if my experience with the credential program being so negative was just because I had the professors that I did, or not. I do know that other students had similar issues with their professors, which were different from mine. Overall, I think that the program was a good program, but it needed some massive organization and communication between the professors, students, and master teachers.” -Courtney C., student at California State University-Fresno

California State University-Fullerton
800 N State College Blvd
Fullerton, CA 92831
(657) 278-2011
https://www.fullerton.edu/

Student Review: “CSUF’s secondary teaching program was extremely beneficial to me. Not only did they prepare me for a career in teaching, but during my student teaching semester they had local principals come by and observe. I was offered a teaching position at a local high school before the semester was even over. The program itself was well taught, with knowledgeable and kind instructors who went out of their way to make sure we were prepared and confident. The first semester was spent entirely in classes, whereas the second semester was mostly student teaching with a couple of classes added in. All in all, by the time I earned my credential I felt I was well prepared for the future. It turned out to be true, as I had a fun and successful career as a high school teacher and I enjoyed every minute. Thank you CSUF!” – Student at California State University-Fullerton

College of the Sequoias
915 S Mooney Blvd
Visalia, CA 93277-2214
(559) 730-3700
https://www.cos.edu/en-us

Student Review: “This community college offers excellent science courses taught at CSU and UV levels. The professors challenge students to do well in preparation for transfer, which greatly assisted my own. All of the professors I had were very passionate about their subject and wanted their students to be as interested as they were. Sometimes this meant putting in more work than I had originally intended, but I think this has helped my study habits in the long run. The school I am at now feels like a breeze because of my time spent at College of the Sequoias, and I saved a lot of money by obtaining a good portion of education through the community college system.” -Student at College of the Sequoias

College of the Siskiyous
800 College Ave
Weed, CA 96094
(530) 938-5555
https://www.siskiyous.edu//

Student Review: “The College of the Siskiyous Early childhood Education Program was an enlightening and rewarding experience. They offer hands-on training working in the daycare center located directly on campus. This allowed the students to directly practice the techniques they have learned. The instructors were direct, patient, and knowledgeable, and helped to foster a comfortable and rewarding learning environment. The curriculum that the program uses picks authors that are authoritative and easy to understand, with a lot of hands-on practice. However the program was female dominated (I was one of only 2 males there), but I suppose this is to be expected in this career. I was not made to feel uncomfortable or left out due to my gender, however, and the instructors never showed any bias. I disliked the limit of the program though, only offering limited degrees and limited areas in child psychology.” -Nathan R., student at College of the Siskiyous

Loyola Marymount University
1 LMU Dr
Los Angeles, CA 90045-2659
(310) 338-2700
https://www.lmu.edu/

Student Review: “I believe that Loyola Marymount University (LMU) has two main strengths: its Jesuit tradition of service-learning and its size. LMU provides countless opportunities to make positive contributions and to learn more about the many issues the world faces with a view to actively contributing to improving others’ lives. For anyone really interested in activism or development, LMU is a good place to gain a variety of hands-on experiences. Additionally, LMU has a small population, which makes for a closer-knit community and more personal interactions with both students and faculty. Although this may be seen as a disadvantage when compared to bigger colleges like USC and UCLA, students here have the opportunity to connect with people at different levels of administration, gain close friends and mentors, and generally have a more personalized and nurturing experience.” – Ebehi I., student at Loyola Marymount University

National University
11255 North Torrey Pines Rd
La Jolla, CA 92037-1011
(800) 628-8648
https://www.nu.edu/

Student Review: “This program is ideal because it prepares you for the classroom. There are a lot of schools out there that teach mostly theory but do not teach the practicality of teaching. Because teaching is something that is really learned by doing and by understanding basic concepts, it is important to have both components. This university provides that and it also goes above and beyond to place you in a classroom for student teaching. The courses also allow you to focus on leadership or administration, which is great for people who want to go into a leadership role on a school campus at some point. They really ensure a lot of flexibility in their classes and in their ability to bring all areas of learning.” – Student at National University

Student Review: “The Educator Preparation program at National University was mostly a positive one. The professors were mostly empathetic to the students’ experiences, as most of us were working full-time in schools while taking these courses. The courses themselves were composed of different aspects of teaching depending on what grade level you planned on teaching. I liked this aspect of the design of curriculum because it can become frustrating when you are required to learn about teaching a subject or a grade that you know for a fact that you will not be teaching. For me, I knew that I wanted to teach either junior high school or high school. This meant that I had no need for classes that specifically involved teaching elementary school. Also, I was on the fence regarding whether I wanted to teach English or social studies, and the courses offered me freedom in my quest for choice. My main criticism would be that some professors did not have empathy for students going through school while working full time.” – Student at National University

San Jose State University
1 Washington Sq
San Jose, CA 95192
(408) 924-1000
https://www.sjsu.edu/

Student Review: “The things I enjoyed most about the Secondary Education Teaching Credential program at SJSU were the interactions with fellow students and the excellence of the faculty. I especially enjoyed the insights provided by the faculty in the two separate courses, Psychological Foundations of Secondary Education and Language/Literacy Development of L2 Learners. I appreciated the coursework and scheduling was pared down to reasonable standards, as many students held down full time, or nearly full time, jobs. One criticism I have would be directed at the Social, Philosophical Multicultural Foundations of Secondary Education course, as I felt it covered too broad and too narrow a subject all at once. Overall the experience was positive.” -Student at San Jose State University

University of California-Berkeley
Berkeley, CA
(510) 642-6000
https://www.berkeley.edu/

Student Review: “Cal Teach at UC Berkeley was a great experience for me. The classes taught me a lot about how children learn, and how to design lessons to engage my students. There were also classes on equity and teaching with a social justice mindset which is very important for teaching in a community like Berkeley which has people from all sorts of socio-economic backgrounds. Throughout the program I was placed in local classrooms so that I could observe teachers and occasionally teach lessons as my projects for my Cal Teach classes. The professors and staff in Cal Teach were super supportive, and since it’s a fairly small program I also made close relationships with other students who had many of the same classes as me. Now that I have been teaching for a couple of years I still keep in touch with some staff from Cal Teach and I know they would do anything to help me if I asked. One thing that could be improved about the program is that none of the classes prepared me very well with classroom management skills and strategies.” -Student at UC Berkeley

University of California-Los Angeles
10920 Wilshire Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90024
(310) 825-4321
https://www.ucla.edu/

Student Review: “UCLA, honestly, has been the best experience of my life. Smack dab in the heart of Los Angeles, with a population of 20,000+, it has to be one of THE most exciting places in the world. The academic community is top-notch, the faculty is top-notch, and best of all, the food is top-notch. Overall rating… you guessed it, top-notch. You’ll meet tons of like-minded intelligent individuals, get hands-on experiences no matter what major (there’s such a great variety of majors at UCLA) you choose. I most certainly would recommend UCLA to anybody. The teachers are super friendly and helpful. If you’re thinking about UCLA, choose it! You won’t go wrong.” -Juan R., student at University of California-Los Angeles

University of California-Riverside
900 University Ave
Riverside, CA 92521
(951) 827-1012
https://www.ucr.edu/

Student Review: “I would like to think that UCR’s teaching program made me into the teacher I am today. What impressed me was that we were finally able to move away from theory and into the realm of application. Our only textbook was Harry Wong’s excellent ‘The First Days of School: How to be an Effective Teacher.’ From the very beginning instruction was given in very small groups and cohorts – ten students were assigned to each instructor, and then we would meet as a larger group about once a week. Each instructor was also a veteran teacher, each with well over 30+ years in the classroom as well as a variety of other occupations within the field of education (reading specialists, RSP teachers, speech pathologists, administrators, just about any position on campus we had covered). The instructors continually challenged us and expected a higher caliber of instruction than what I think the teachers were producing whose classrooms we were observing/instructing in. They challenged us to create lessons and innovate within the current state standards that most teachers wouldn’t even have time for these days. Once a month the university would invite graduates to come and talk to all of the prospective new teachers. That was quite an eye-opener. Teachers of every subject at every grade level came and shared stories, techniques, materials, and insights on how to be successful. We also were given opportunities to experience a variety of teaching locations. By the time my student teaching was finished, I had spent time teaching just about every level of elementary school, from kindergarten to sixth grade, from special education to gifted and advanced classes, and just about everything in between. I always heard horror stories from other teachers about when they first started teaching- how hard it was, how bad things went, how tough they had it. I never once felt that way. I’m happy to say, and it was all due in part to how thorough UCR’s teaching program was.” -Nathan G., student at University of California-Riverside

University of La Verne
1950 3rd St
La Verne, CA 91750
(909) 593-3511
https://laverne.edu/

Student Review: “I love attending the University of La Verne because the teachers in my program are amazing! I find them incredibly approachable and adaptable with the course content and have really guided me through the program. The program itself is versatile and allows me to work during the day while I complete my degree at night. The course loads are manageable and the teachers utilize the tools and strategies we are being taught to teach us the material. It gives us a chance to see the practicality and effectiveness of those strategies while also giving us something interesting to do. I look forward to working on classwork and learning more about education every day. The University of La Verne is the best program, in my opinion, for education.” -Nandini B., student at University of La Verne

Victor Valley College
18422 Bear Valley Rd
Victorville, CA 92395
(760) 245-4271
https://www.vvc.edu/

Student Review: “Victor Valley community college is a great school to introduce students to academic life. All of the classes I took and my peers took were small. Professors are for the most part easily accessible. Professors responded to emails and conducted office hours. The administration was very helpful. The campus is small and easy to navigate. I loved the professors I had in the early education program. The professors were willing to work with students one on one. They also had a lot of knowledge and experience in subject material. Professors seemed to love the subject material. The classes helped me so much at my job. I was able to teach preschool confidently. I would highly recommend this program and this school.” -Student at Victor Valley College

West Los Angeles College
9000 Overland Ave
Culver City, CA 90230
(310) 287-4200
https://www.wlac.edu/

Student Review: “My experience at West Los Angeles College in Culver City, CA was wonderful. I decided to go back to school when my children entered middle school. So it had been awhile since I had been in a classroom setting. The staff and faculty members were extremely helpful with helping me decide the direction I wanted to go in. I chose Early Childhood Education (Child Development). I felt that since I was a mother that this major would be familiar. Well not exactly. Learn about teaching from an academic perspective was totally different. By the time I got to my practicum, I knew for sure that teaching is where I wanted to be. I choose to work with and teach the younger children. I found it much more rewarding getting to reach them while they’re still young. I want to give them something that they could take with them for the rest of their lives and that is learning can be fun. I teach pre-K now and I am also a foster parent. Going back to school changed my life.” -Student at West Los Angeles College

William Jessup University
333 Sunset Blvd
Rocklin, CA 95765-3707
(916) 577-2200
https://jessup.edu/

Student Review: “Having worked on this degree at the satellite campus in San Jose, I can wholeheartedly say that this program was built for working professionals. Classes were held one class at a time, one night a week for five weeks. This allowed us to continue working while pursuing a degree. Additionally, each instructor was personable and willing to help at all times. Classes were relevant and updated often with material that mattered to current teachers. We were given practical information and given sufficient chance to practice being a teacher with student teacher placements in various grades. In addition, the staff on site were always willing to go above and beyond to make sure our experiences were great. The only downside was that masters advisors were not properly vetted prior and I ended up with one that was too busy to properly help.” -Student at William Jessup University

References:
1. National Center for Education Statistics College Navigator: https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/
2. The Princeton Review. The Best 385 Colleges, 2022 Edition. The Princeton Review, 2021.
3. US News & World Report Best Graduate Education Schools 2022: https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-education-schools/edu-rankings
4. US News & World Report Best Online Graduate Education Schools 2022: https://www.usnews.com/education/online-education/education/rankings
5. Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP): http://caepnet.org/provider-search
6. Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP): https://aaqep.org/accredited-programs
7. US Department of Education 2020 Title II Report: https://title2.ed.gov/Public/Home.aspx