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Theatre and Dance Credential Program

Are you a teaching artist who wants to train the next generation of performing artists? Do you believe in public education, and want students' talent, creativity, and drive to have the opportunity and access they need? We're looking for teachers like you.

Single Subject Teaching Credential in Dance or Theatre

CSU East Bay offers Single Subject Teaching Credential programs in dance and in theatre through the Department of Teacher Education.

From the B.A. to the credential

Students who complete the B.A. in Theatre Arts at CSU East Bay take theatre and dance teaching methods courses in the major and have priority for admission to the credential programs. The path to a full-time job as an arts educator can begin in your first year of college.

Our approach to theatre and dance is inclusive, interdisciplinary, and experimental. Students perform site-specific work across campus, are encouraged to perform every semester, and can create and direct their own work. We tour locally, regionally, and nationally.

Every dance and theatre faculty member is a working professional artist. Guest artists work with students throughout the year, and our performance spaces range from a fully equipped proscenium house to two flexible studios and outdoor venues.

Contacts

Frequently asked questions

What are the requirements to apply?

You need an undergraduate degree to apply. You don't need a major in dance or theatre.

The other requirements are on the Department of Teacher Education website.

All matriculated credential students take the CSET, usually during the fall semester. There are no CSET waivers for undergraduate major, professional experience, or teaching experience.

How do I apply?

You apply both to CSU East Bay, through Cal State Apply, and to the Department of Teacher Education credential program. For Cal State Apply, have electronic transcripts ready for every college course you've taken for credit, including community college courses taken during high school. For Teacher Education, your undergraduate degree transcript is enough.

The application forms for CSU East Bay and the credential program are on the Single Subject Teaching Credential page.

Interviews are held online in March, and candidates are notified in mid-April. The summer session runs June 1 to July 31.

What is the course of study?

The program begins in summer with a full-time load of online courses in methods and pedagogy. In fall, you begin student teaching, register for courses that give credit for it, and take other courses. Spring follows the same structure. Students in the online program can live anywhere in California.

What is the typical class schedule?

The dance and theatre credentials are offered in the online program. Many classes are asynchronous, and attendance is required at the synchronous online meetings. During the school year, synchronous classes meet after the PK–12 school day, usually in the late afternoon. In summer, they meet in the afternoon.

What are the fieldwork requirements? Will I be paid for student teaching?

There are two ways to complete fieldwork. The first is as an unpaid student teacher: during fall and spring, a student teacher spends at least 600 hours working with an experienced classroom teacher, usually 4 hours a day, 4 days a week in fall, and 5 hours a day, 4 days a week in spring.

The second is as an intern teacher. If a school district hires you under an intern credential, you can fulfill the student teaching requirement in that job. The intern credential is limited to one school district and expires after 3 years. Intern teaching lets you earn seniority while you complete fieldwork. The department can't place students in intern jobs, since the university can't require a district to hire anyone.

If you teach full-time at a private school, you can complete fieldwork there, and you'll also complete a smaller number of hours of full-time student teaching in a public school.

What does it cost?

The one-year program costs about $11,000. Financial aid is available to students who qualify.

I have a teaching credential. What do I need to add a dance or theatre credential?

If you've been teaching with a PE or English credential, you're grandmothered in and eligible for dance and theatre positions in California public schools with your current credential. To add a dance or theatre credential, complete one methods course and pass the CSET. Contact the Department of Teacher Education about taking the methods course as a credentialed teacher.

What happens after I complete the program?

By the end of the credential year, you pass the edTPA in your subject. Students who pass and complete the program receive a preliminary credential from CSU East Bay. Once you start your first teaching job, you begin Induction, a 2- to 3-year process that leads to the Clear (permanent) Credential.

Does my credential work in other states?

Each state issues its own credentials and decides reciprocity. California's credentialing is among the most stringent, so a California credential is often among the easiest to transfer. Reciprocity is generally possible with Oregon, Washington, Nevada, and Arizona.