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This archived information is dated to the 2011-12 academic year only and may no longer be current.

For currently applicable policies and information, see the current Stanford Bulletin.

Stanford Teacher Education Program (STEP)

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School of Education

STEP is a twelve-month, full-time program leading to a Master of Arts and a preliminary California teaching credential. STEP offers two Master of Arts programs to prepare college graduates for careers as teachers in single- or multiple-subject classrooms. STEP-Secondary prepares humanities and sciences students to become teachers of English, languages (French, German, Japanese, Mandarin, Spanish), mathematics, science (biology, chemistry, earth science, physics), and history/social science. STEP-Elementary prepares students to be teachers in California multiple-subject classrooms. STEP seeks to prepare and support teachers to work with diverse learners to achieve high intellectual, academic, and social standards by creating equitable and successful schools and classrooms.

The 12-month STEP year begins in June with a Summer Quarter of intensive academic preparation and placement in a local summer school. During the academic year, students continue their course work and begin a year-long field placement under the guidance of expert teachers in local schools. The master's degree and teaching credential require a minimum of 45 quarter units, taken during four quarters of continuous residency.

Stanford undergraduates who enroll in STEP through the coterminal program must have their B.A. conferred prior to commencing the four quarters of the STEP program. Students complete their undergraduate degree prior to beginning in the STEP year, which concludes in a master's degree and a recommendation for a California teaching credential.

Applicants to the secondary program are required to pass the California Basic Educational Skills Test (CBEST) and must demonstrate subject matter competence in one of two ways: (1) by passing the California Subject Examination for Teachers (CSET) in their content area; or (2) by completing a California state-approved subject matter preparation program. Applicants to the elementary program are required to pass the California Basic Educational Skills Test (CBEST), the California Multiple Subject Examination for Teachers (CSET), and the Reading Instruction Competence Assessment Test (RICA) after admission to the program.

Further information regarding admission requirements, course work, and credential requirements is available at http://ed.stanford.edu and in the School of Education Guide to Graduate Studies.

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