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Career and Technology Education Undergraduate Certificate

Do you want to teach today’s students skills that will allow them to fill vital jobs? Get the training and credential to help you transition from the field and into your own classroom — or teach in a different area — at the University of Central Missouri. Our Career and Technology Education (CTE) undergraduate certificate will expand your skills and assist you in meeting Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) requirements or those of another state for CTE teaching. Wherever you are, UCM can get you on the path to the CTE career you desire.

Enjoy flexibility on your path to a new CTE career

UCM’s Career and Technology Education undergraduate certificate enables you to pursue a teaching career in any area of interest, including military, culinary, automotive, health sciences and more. Our flexibility also extends to the ways you can complete the program. Choose to take all your classes online for ease in balancing other responsibilities or to get this valuable training in another state. Through our hybrid model, you can also choose to participate in some classes in various locations around the state. Either way, you can complete this undergraduate certificate in as few as three semesters to get started toward — or advance in — your CTE career.

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Online and hybrid course offerings

A certificate

Fulfill DESE or other state requirements

A teacher in front of a class

Gain temporary authorization to teach

A graduate and a degree

Earn credits toward a bachelor’s degree

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Finish in as few as two semesters

What you will study

Before you get started on your coursework, UCM’s dedicated CTE faculty will work with you to understand your previous education and industry experience and determine the best coursework for you. You’ll learn to teach and manage a classroom as well as design and assess CTE curricula — or sharpen your skills in all these aspects.

An undergraduate CTE program that meets CTE temporary authorization certification requirements

All classes for your Career and Technology Education undergraduate certificate fulfill Missouri’s state CTE certification requirements for those wanting to transition from industry work to teaching. UCM’s CTE faculty are also happy to tailor your curriculum further to meet another state’s requirements.

 

Excellence in Career and Technology Education

  • Begin or advance your CTE career in the state’s most extensive Career and Technical Education program. Take advantage of — and grow from — the resources and support UCM offers above the rest. 
  • Top 15%: Most Focused Colleges for Education (College Factual, 2022)
  • Top 6%: Most Popular Colleges for Education (College Factual, 2022)

 

Unique learning opportunities in career and technology education

At the University of Central Missouri, we believe your best learning is done both in and outside of our classrooms. Enjoy these opportunities to build your portfolio and resume and make connections while at UCM:

  • Hands-on learning: Apply your learning as you go. Courses for our Career and Technology Education undergraduate certificate take a theory-to-practice approach, so you’ll build curriculum plans and practices for use in your teaching, develop work-based learning agreements for students and create performance assessments for your content area. Be prepared to lead in a CTE classroom or lab on day one.
  • Student organizations: Network with other CTE and Education students at UCM and at nearby institutions when you join the Missouri Association for Career and Technical Education (MoACTE) or the Missouri State Teachers Association. You’ll build lasting connections to carry forward into your career as a CTE professional.

 

What can you do with an undergraduate certificate in Career and Technology Education from UCM?

With UCM’s Career and Technology Education undergraduate certificate, you’ll have the credential and education you need to teach, whether your objective is to:

  • Gain temporary authorization from the Missouri DESE while you continue at UCM to earn your Educational Studies and Training BS — your undergraduate certificate credits will apply toward your bachelor’s degree
  • Begin teaching within a new area, if you’re already a teacher and have industry experience
  • Earn the credential you need to provide business- and industry-specific training

Junior ROTC, auto mechanics, elementary teachers, prison instructors and anyone desiring a new CTE career will find their path at UCM.

Faculty in support of your career goals

Our CTE faculty welcome the opportunity to help you find — and be successful in — your CTE career path. To understand your options, use the interactive tool below.

 

 
 


 

Financial assistance options for your Career and Technology Education undergraduate certificate

Completing the Career and Technology Education undergraduate certificate puts you closer to achieving your CTE career goals, whether serving as a teacher or an industry trainer. Get started on your path at the University of Central Missouri, where we offer some of the nation’s most affordable tuition rates. As a top-ranked university by LendEDU for low student debt, we also provide ways for degree-seeking students to finance their education, such as loans, grants, employment opportunities and scholarships.

Can I apply for CTE scholarships?

When you complete a bachelor’s degree alongside your undergraduate certificate, you may also qualify for CTE program-specific scholarships. You can search the UCM Scholarship Finder for opportunities.

 

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Make yourself more marketable.
 

The CTE undergraduate certificate can be taken as a stand-alone program, or you can continue into a bachelor’s degree to enhance your studies:

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Explore programs related to career and technology education.
 

If you’re looking to enhance your administrative career, consider adding this UCM minor to a bachelor’s degree instead:

 

Do you teach in another state?

Let us work with you and your State Department of Education to tailor this Certificate to meet your state’s certification requirements.

 

Student Learning Outcomes

You will use the knowledge and skills obtained with the Undergraduate Certificate in Career and Technical Education to:

  • Meet the Missouri Standards for the Preparation of Educators (MoSPE) at the introductory level or above
  • Develop a thorough understanding of instructional materials and their development
  • Produce and implement authentic student assessments
  • Disaggregate assessment data for improved student learning and performance in the 3 primary domains of learning: cognitive, psychomotor, and affective
  • Learn methods and techniques for teaching CTE students, including exceptional children
  • Become effective CTE classroom and laboratory managers
  • Assist CTE students prepare for college and/or career readiness

Professional Organizations

You will be encouraged to join the Missouri Association for Career and Technical Education (MoACTE), Missouri's professional organization for career and technical educators.

Certification and Employment

You will be able to meet the requirements for CTE educator certification through the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). You will be able to teach in high schools, career centers, community colleges, public post-secondary programs, industry apprenticeship programs, and others.

 

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UCM is the longest continuously CAEP accredited public institution in Missouri

 

Request Info   Visit   Apply Today!

 

 

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