Thinking of switching to a career in education?
If you’re a professional with at least three years of full-time experience with a passion for teaching and education, we built our Career Switcher Program just for you. The program, developed by experienced educators to integrate the best practices in teaching today, offers you a direct path to becoming a licensed educator in Virginia.
Endorsement Areas
VCU School of Education Career Switcher Program offers preparation for the following areas of endorsement, which are the subjects that you plan to teach:
- Health and physical education PK-12
- English as a second language PK-12
- Foreign languages
- Career and technical education
- Business and information technology
- Marketing, technology
- Family and consumer sciences
- Sciences
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Earth science
- Physics
- History and social studies
- English
- Mathematics
- Algebra I add-on endorsement (available as an additional endorsement when seeking another endorsement)
- Computer science
About the program
The two-level program includes online learning, classroom observation and teaching while continuing coaching and seminar sessions.
Level I*
- Level I includes online learning modules and synchronous learning time once per week
- Each module requires 30 hours of learning time
Level II**
- Obtain a full-time teaching position in your endorsement area
- Complete monthly check-ins with your teacher-coach
- Complete monthly seminar sessions (September-May)
* Students must successfully complete the Level I experience before being approved for Level II. A one-year provisional license can be awarded after completing Level I.
** Both Level I and II must be completed successfully to apply for the 10-year renewable license from the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE).
- A Bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited college or university. Degrees from foreign institutions are accepted, but a formal evaluation of the degree/transcripts must be completed and submitted with the Career Switchers application. See this resource for credential evaluations, World Education Services.
- An undergraduate GPA of at least 2.5 on a 4.0 scale
- A passing score on the Praxis assessment for the preferred endorsement area (see above list). Unofficial scores must be included with the application.
- Official score reports should be mailed to the Career Switcher Program at 1015 West Main Street, Room 3096A, Richmond, Virginia 23220
- Three professional references (references from friends and family are not acceptable)
- A recent resume
- Three years of full-time work experience
- The VDOE report on experience form must be completed and submitted prior to beginning Level I modules.
- All VDOE training modules completed; certificates of completion should be submitted with the application
- Valid emergency first aid, CPR (including hands-on practice), and AED training and certification from a VDOE-approved provider
How to apply
You’ll apply through our School of Education’s application system for non-degree programs. You’ll need to create an account; then you can complete the application.
If you’re an international applicant, you must have your transcript evaluated by one of the approved evaluating agencies and include the evaluation when applying.
Tuition covers both Level I and Level II experiences. Payment is due when you are accepted. We do not offer payment plans.
The program cost is currently being revised. New pricing will be effective with the Spring 2025 cohort and will be communicated prior to the Spring 2025 cohort start date.