Beginning in January 2024, UNCW’s Watson College of Education will offer a residency licensure program for non-certified teachers who have been hired to teach in high schools. The program is designed for individuals with a bachelor’s degree – but who do not yet have a NC teaching license – who have been hired to teach mathematics, science, English or social studies in grades 9-12 in North Carolina public schools.
“North Carolina, like many states, has a significant teacher shortage,” said Watson College Interim Dean Carol McNulty. “In order to fill vacancies, school districts are hiring an increasing number of teachers that are not yet certified. The Watson College has a very strong secondary education program and we are pleased to expand our secondary program offerings to include a residency licensure pathway designed specifically for new teachers seeking a North Carolina teaching certification at the high school level.”
North Carolina allows teachers to work in the school system with a bachelor’s degree while obtaining a NC teaching license. To achieve this, teachers can enroll in a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program that enables them to earn a graduate degree while completing the requirements for residency licensure, or they can enroll in a residency licensure program, which is not a degree program but is designed to lead to NC teacher certification in a specific field of study.
“Watson offers several online MAT programs that provide a viable pathway for residency licensure teachers, but our MAT in secondary education is currently offered as an on-campus program,” said Secondary MAT Program Coordinator Dennis Kubasko. “Our secondary program faculty are excited to offer a new online Certificate for Clinical Residency in the Secondary Schools program which has been specifically designed to meet the needs of beginning teachers working to balance a challenging new career in the high school classroom while simultaneously pursuing their licensure requirements.”
WCE’s Clinical Residency in the Secondary Schools program is an 18-credit hour post-baccalaureate certificate program. It can be completed in just over one year and is designed to accommodate working professionals while providing preparation for effective teaching and learning in the classroom. Courses offered entirely online and are taught by faculty in Watson’s secondary education program. Field experiences may be completed in the teacher’s classroom, and edTPA support is embedded within the program to make the licensing process smoother for participating students.
UNCW’s Graduate School is now accepting applications. For more information please visit the program webpage (add link when page is created) or contact Dr. Dennis Kubasko at kubaskod@uncw.edu. For information on secondary education programs offered by UNCW’s Watson College please visit the Secondary Education Programs webpage. For information on residency licensure programs offered by UNCW’s Watson College please visit the Residency Licensure webpage.
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