Subject Matter Requirement
California law requires that all teaching credential candidates show they are proficient in the subject matter area of the credential that they are seeking. For example, someone seeking a Single Subject English credential needs to show that they have the English content knowledge that is required to teach students English in a K-12 setting. Content experts and the Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) developed a set of "domains" for each credential, which are designed to measure the knowledge, skills, and/or abilities within the subject area of the intended credential.
At admission, the Director of Assessment reviews the transcripts and/or examination scores that you submit with your application to determine whether you meet any of the domains for your intended credential through past coursework and/or examinations and shares a letter with you reflecting which domains have been met.
If you have not met the Subject Matter Requirement (SMR) at the time of admission, you will have the opportunity to meet with your academic advisor and the Director of Assessment in the first semester of the program to determine a plan for meeting any remaining domains through approved coursework, such as at a community college, the applicable CSET examinations, or a combination of these options. If you plan to fulfill the requirement through CSET examinations, you may take the applicable CSETs prior to this meeting.
Deadline
The deadline for meeting the SMR is before entering your Student Teaching II/III courses, which are usually taken in the third semester of the program. You cannot enter your Student Teaching II/III courses until your SMR is met, which may delay completion of your program and credential. If you are interested in serving as an intern teacher, which in some cases could be possible by the second semester of your program, SMR must also be met before eligibility for an intern credential can be established.
Options for Meeting the SMR
There are three possible ways to meet the SMR:
- Pass CSET tests for the domain(s) that was/were not met at admission.
- Take community college coursework that covers content for the domain(s) that was/were not met at admission.
- Complete a combination of CSETs and community college coursework.
You can review CTC-approved options for meeting the SMR on the Commission on Teacher Credentialing website.
Contact schoolofeducation@uscfca.edu if you have questions about these requirements.