Middle Grades and Secondary Education, Graduate Certificate

Program Overview

Unlock your teaching potential with the UNC Charlotte Online Graduate Certificate in Middle Grades and Secondary Education. This 16-credit-hour program is tailored for experienced professionals and aspiring teachers, offering a direct path to obtain a North Carolina Professional Educator’s Initial License.

Program Highlights

  • Flexible Online Learning: Designed to accommodate the schedules of working professionals, our program ensures you can advance your education without putting your career on hold.
  • Practical Training and Student Teaching: Dive into practical training with targeted clinical experiences and a 15-week student teaching internship, providing hands-on experience in lesson planning, assessment strategies, and managing diverse classrooms.
  • Specialization Areas: Choose your path in either middle grades or secondary education across various subjects, enhancing your expertise and employability.
  • North Carolina School Practicum: Engage in 15-30 hours of clinical work per semester, culminating in a comprehensive student teaching experience either in your classroom or under the guidance of a seasoned instructor.

Program Contact

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  • Delivery
    Online
  • Credits
    16 Credit Hours
  • Admits
    Spring, Summer & Fall

Who Should Apply

Ideal for current teachers and those aspiring to enter the teaching profession in North Carolina, our program is perfect for individuals holding a Bachelor’s degree and aiming to secure a teaching license in:

  • Middle Grades English, Mathematics, Science, or Social Studies (grades 6-9)
  • Secondary Education English, Mathematics, Science, or Social Studies (grades 9-12)
  • Career and Technical Education in Business, Family Sciences, Marketing, or Technology Engineering

“Everything fit together. I decided that day to apply and felt like all of the pieces of my life led to that moment. I wanted to combine my passion for learning about the world around me with teaching others to see it too.”

– Cassidy James, ’23 M.A.T.
Social Studies Teacher, J.M. Robinson High School, Cabarrus County Schools
Learn more about Cassidy’s story »

Courses

Classes are offered 100% online, courses are self-paced, and students complete the program on a part-time basis. Students are also required to attend virtual synchronous coursework for their teaching labs. The program can be completed in as few as three semesters, culminating in a 15-week student teaching experience after completion of all other course work. Current public school teachers may teach in their own classroom.

Please see our Course Catalog with details on courses for each concentration.

Internship/Student Teaching

The graduate-level student teaching/internship is the culminating experience for all concentrations in the Graduate Certificate program, offering candidates the opportunity to demonstrate their readiness for the initial Standard Professional I teaching license. Candidates are assigned to an appropriate classroom for a full-time, semester-long experience under the supervision of the classroom teacher and University faculty. Residency teachers may complete the internship in their own classroom, but must contact the Office of School and Community Partnerships to determine the appropriateness of their classroom for the student teaching/internship experience and licensure requirements. This contact should take place upon admission to the program.

  • MDSK 6470: Graduate Student Teaching and Internship (3 to 6)

*Clinical Experiences

UNC Charlotte’s Graduate Certificate in Teaching offers an efficient pathway to initial teacher licensure for candidates who have already earned a bachelor’s degree and meets the Educator Preparation Program (EPP) enrollment requirement for candidates seeking Residency Licensure. Each semester consists of a clinical component of 15-30 hours per semester in a North Carolina school. Candidates then participate in student teaching, a 15-week experience where they take over the total course instruction load from their clinical instructor. Current public school teachers may complete this requirement in their own classrooms. Resident teachers are able to use their own classroom and teaching as their clinical and student teaching site.

Admissions

Admissions & Requirements:

  • Complete the Graduate School Admission Application.
  • A bachelor’s degree from a university accredited by a US Department of Education-recognized institutional accreditor.
  • A cumulative undergraduate GPA of 2.7 (If you do not have at least a 2.7 GPA, please see our GPA Forgiveness process).
  • Copies of unofficial transcripts from all academic coursework beyond high school.
  • A statement of purpose.
  • Two online professional recommendations coming from individuals in a supervisory capacity (i.e. principal or manager) and/or academic reference (i.e. professor).
  • A clear criminal background check, which will be requested after application submission. The cost of this will start at $18 and could take 2-4 weeks to be processed. Please note your application cannot move forward until this step is complete.
  • The online Graduate Certificate Program requires classroom observation hours to be completed in the state of North Carolina.

One of the following:

  • Option 1: Candidates who have a bachelor’s degree relevant to the subject area they are going to teach (Math, Sciences, English/Language Arts, History, Career & Technical Education). More details on Plan of Study pages.
  • Option 2: ​Obtain or already possess 24 credit hours of coursework in the content area for which licensure is sought.
  • Option 3: Passing scores on the related PRAXIS II Subject Assessment.

Internship/Student Teaching

The graduate-level student teaching/internship is the culminating experience for all concentrations in the Graduate Certificate program, offering candidates the opportunity to demonstrate their readiness for the initial Standard Professional I teaching license. Candidates are assigned to an appropriate classroom for a full-time, semester-long experience under the supervision of the classroom teacher and University faculty. Residency teachers may complete the internship in their own classroom, but must contact the Office of School and Community Partnerships to determine the appropriateness of their classroom for the student teaching/internship experience and licensure requirements. This contact should take place upon admission to the program.

Application

Application Deadlines:

  • August 1 (fall)
  • December 1 (spring)
  • May 1 (summer first half term)
  • June 15 (summer second half term)
Why UNC Charlotte?

Why Choose Our Program?

The UNC Charlotte Graduate Certificate in Middle Grades and Secondary Education is more than an educational milestone; it’s a transformational journey that prepares you for the challenges and rewards of teaching in today’s dynamic classrooms. With an emphasis on real-world application, our curriculum bridges the gap between theory and practice, ensuring you’re classroom-ready.

Flexible, Online, and Accredited

The program’s 100% online format, combined with in-person practicum and student teaching requirements, offers unmatched flexibility, making it possible to balance professional responsibilities with your passion for teaching.

Tuition

Please note: Rates are subject to change.

Resident:

  • $288.82 per credit hour

Outside of NC Non-Resident:

  • $536.98 per credit hour

Non Resident:

  • $1,098.21 per credit hour

More information regarding tuition and fees »