Contact Us:
E-mail the department
Phone: (510) 642-1171
Begin a new career using the skills and knowledge you've gained through your work experience. UC Berkeley Extension offers two educational tracks that prepare you to teach adults and adolescents in a variety of vocational subjects ranging from computers to nursing, carpentry to theater arts.
Your first option is the California Teaching Credential in Career and Technical Education—approved by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC)—that lets you teach what you know in classrooms and other public learning environments.
Your second option is the Professional Program in Vocational Education and Instruction, which offers training and teaching skills.
Both options can be pursued full or part time, while you teach.
California has streamlined all CTE subjects into the following 15 industry sectors:
You must have a high school diploma or have passed the GED Test. You must have at least five years of work experience in each vocational subject you teach. One year of work experience must be within three years of applying for your credential. Contact the Alameda County Office of Education (ACOE) at www.acoe.k12.ca.us for more details.
There are four parts to earning a clear Career and Technical Education teaching credential: the application for the preliminary credential, credential coursework, teaching experience, and a health education coursework requirement.
1. Contact the ACOE office for advice and the paperwork that is required to obtain your preliminary credential.
2. Begin your coursework at UC Berkeley Extension. The number of courses you must take depends on whether you want a part-time or full-time teaching credential. If you plan to earn a full-time credential, you also must satisfy the U.S. Constitution requirement.
3. Using your preliminary credential, find a teaching position and successfully teach a minimum of four semesters. You have five years from the date you receive your preliminary credential to complete the experience requirement.
4. Take a health education course from UC Berkeley Extension and get CPR training, which is available through many local government, educational, and public health outlets.
To begin the California Teaching Credential Program in Career and Technical Education, first contact ACOE to obtain your preliminary credential, then enroll in your first course.
When you have completed the requirements for the Career and Technical Education credential, contact the ACOE office. ACOE will need a transcript of your UC Berkeley Extension coursework, evidence of your teaching experience, and proof of CPR training to process your clear credential.
Part-time Credential
To earn a part-time credential, which lets you teach up to 50 percent of full time, you must take these five courses:
Instructional Strategies for the Adult and Adolescent Learner (Level I)
X387.3 (2 semester units in Education)
Assessment and Evaluation in Adult and Vocational Education (Level I) X366 (2 semester units in Education)
Integrating Technology into Adult and Vocational Education (Level I) X366.3A (1 semester unit in Education)
Note: When you have completed these three courses plus an elective, you are eligible for a UC Berkeley Extension certificate of completion. See the Professional Program in Vocational Education and Instruction section below for details about registering for this program.
Curriculum Design in Vocational Education
X338A (2 semester units in Education) (offered future term)
Perspectives on the Adult Learner (Level I)
X351.8A (2 semester units in Education)
Full-time Credential
To earn a full-time credential, which lets you teach full time, you must take the five courses above, plus the following three courses:
Vocational Education Foundations (Level II)
X366.4 (2 semester units in Education)
Integrating Technology into Adult and Vocational Education (Level II) X366.3B (1 semester unit in Education) (offered future term)
Teaching Vocational Students with Special Needs (Level II)
X366.5 (2 semester units in Education)
Fostering Wellness X345.4 (1 semester unit in Education)
UC Berkeley Extension offers online course options to satisfy the U.S. Constitution requirement.
Introduction to American Politics
XB1 (4 semester units in Political Science)
Introduction to the History of the United States: From the Civil War to the Present
XB7B (4 semester units in History)
A teaching credential is not required for many vocational education positions, but skilled, knowledgeable teachers are always in demand. UC Berkeley Extension's Professional Program in Vocational Education and Instruction prepares you for a career teaching in public learning environments below the community college level.
As the continuing education arm of UC Berkeley, one of the finest public research institutions in the United States, UC Berkeley Extension has an unmatched reputation for excellence. A UC Berkeley Extension professional sequence earns participants a respected notation certifying successful completion of a high-caliber, in-depth course of study.
Instructional Strategies for the Adult and Adolescent Learner (Level I) X387.3 (2 semester units in Education)
Assessment and Evaluation in Adult and Vocational Education (Level I) X366 (2 semester units in Education)
Vocational Education Foundations (Level II)
X366.4 (2 semester units in Education)
One approved elective is also required.
Critical Issues in Public Education: Class, Culture, Race, Ethnicity, and Gender
X344.2 (2 semester units in Education) (offered future term)
Integrating Technology into Adult and Vocational Education II
X366.3B (1 semester unit in Education) (offered future term)
Counseling, Guidance, and Professional Relationships in Adult Education
X366.6 (2 semester units in Education)
Perspectives on the Adult Learner
X351.8A (2 semester units in Education)
Integrating Computer Technologies into the Curriculum
X359.5 (2 semester units in Education)
Mainstreaming Student with Special Needs in Regular Classrooms
X370.4 (2 semester units in Education)
Teaching Vocational Students with Special Needs
X366.5 (2 semester units in Education)
Cross-Cultural Communication
X339.4 (2 semester units in Education)
Training and Learning in Organizations
X499.1 (2 semester units in Business Administration) (offered future term)
Performance Analysis and Needs Assessment
X491 (1 semester unit in Business Administration) (offered future term)
Note: If you are in the Vocational Education teaching credential program, you will automatically complete the requirements for this professional program. However, you must register for this program separately with UC Berkeley Extension for the designation to appear on your Extension transcript.
To begin the Professional Program in Vocational Education and Instruction, simply enroll in your first class. To begin the Career and Technical Teaching Credential program, first contact ACOE to obtain your preliminary credential, then enroll in your first course.
We recommend that you register before you begin your second course. To register online, submit the Program Registration Form, or print out and complete the Program Registration Form at www.unex.berkeley.edu/cert/cert.pdf. Mail or fax it as it indicates and include the nonrefundable registration fee.
Requirements may be updated based on new developments in the field of study; we recommend completing the program in a timely fashion.
When you have completed your coursework, call or e-mail our office to let us know. After verifying successful completion of all program requirements, we will award your certificate of completion. If you have questions or concerns about your eligibility, call (510) 642-1171.
For additional information about the UC Berkeley Extension Vocational Education Credential program, please call (510) 642-1171 or e-mail askeducation@unex.berkeley.edu.
