A career in education demands a highly motivated individual dedicated to meeting the challenges presented in the real world of students, classrooms and schools. Students pursuing degrees in elementary, secondary or special education will be selecting majors and/or teaching minors for their degrees. Specific program requirements vary from college to college, and will determine the courses taken in major and/or minor areas of study. It is critical for students to seek out this information as soon as possible to begin to work through the process of determining the best transfer school. Students pursuing teacher certification will need to take Michigan Test for Teacher Certification: Professional Readiness Exam (PRE). Each college has different requirements for when this exam must be completed. For information on test dates, registration and cost, please refer to the MTTC Webpage.
GRCC has developed several articulation agreements/partnerships in Teacher Education with local colleges and universities. These agreements are designed to facilitate the transfer of credits from GRCC to their Schools of Education.
To become a state certified teacher in Michigan, a student must obtain a bachelor’s degree, pass the Basic Skills Michigan Test for Teacher Certification, and before receiving their teaching certificate, pass the Michigan Content Test in their major and minor(s). Not all colleges/universities offer every teachable major and minor. Students should check with their intended transfer institution to be sure that the institution offers their desired major and minor. Also, most colleges of education have requirements for admission and completion of their teacher certification program that are unique to that institution.
All teacher education students are encouraged and welcome to attend the Teacher Education Seminars and all other events held monthly on our campus. The activities are posted in all school bulletins. For more information regarding any aspect of Teacher Education as well as to explore the scholarships available for future teachers, please stop by the Child Development and Education office in Room 266 Main. You can also contact Tricia Siegel at tsiegel@grcc.edu or (616) 234-3075.
Teacher Certification
Explore different certification options and how to obtain your certification. Search for a transfer school that has the certification program you want. There are more than 32 colleges and universities that have been approved by the State of Michigan.