General Education Intern Credential Program

Credentials offered

PK-3 Early Childhood Education (ECE) Specialist

• This credential authorizes the holder to teach all subjects in a self-contained general education classroom setting and to team teach or to regroup students across classrooms, in preschool through grade three.

Math Single Subject

• Foundational-Level Mathematics - This credential authorizes teaching only in limited mathematics content areas: general mathematics, algebra, geometry, probability and statistics, and consumer mathematics.
• Mathematics - This credential authorizes teaching all mathematics coursework.

Science Single Subject

• Foundational-Level General Science - General Science authorizes teaching only in general, introductory, and integrated science (integrated science through Grade 8 only)
• Life Sciences - authorizes teaching the area of concentration and general and integrated science (Biological Sciences is the credential area for Life Sciences)
• Chemistry - authorizes teaching the area of concentration and general and integrated science
• Earth and Space Sciences -authorizes teaching the area of concentration and general and integrated science (Geosciences is the credential area for Earth and Space Sciences)
• Physics - authorizes teaching the area of concentration and general and integrated science

 

Program Vision

The SDCOE Intern Program provides learning opportunities that support the development of innovative and reflective practitioners committed to enacting socially just educational experiences for all.

Program Structure

The program is designed around experiential learning. Much of these principles originated from John Dewey, Kurt Lewin, and Jean Piaget and can be encompassed in David Kolb’s Experiential Learning Model that focuses on a meaning-making process through direct experiences where the learner is actively involved, must reflect, analyze and conceptualize experiences to then make decisions and problem-solve to develop new ideas.

After completion of prerequisite coursework (Preservice) and meeting the subject matter requirement, a candidate may be employed as an intern teacher in a full-time teaching assignment. Once employed, an intern candidate is eligible to enroll in the intern program for the credential area of interest as part of a cohort.

The intern program coursework delivery model is 100% online with a combination of both synchronous and asynchronous learning. You will be expected to attend one 3 hour synchronous session each week. The courses in the intern program are eight weeks long and designed based on the principles of experiential learning where candidates will learn new information through the asynchronous component, apply their new learning to their classroom, and reflect upon their experiences and student data while collaborating with the instructor and classmates during the synchronous portion of the course.

Once employed, an intern candidate is eligible to enroll in the intern program for the credential area of interest as part of a cohort. Interns will be assigned a mentor at their school site and a clinical supervisor through the program. Instructors, clinical supervisors, mentors and program staff communicate and collaborate on a regular basis to ensure the highest level of support is provided to each candidate.

Subject Matter Requirements

(Two options are available to meet this requirement per pathway)

Phase 1 - Preservice: PK-3 ONLY

• Completion of 24 semester units or the equivalent quarter units of non-remedial, degree-applicable coursework at a regionally accredited institution of higher education in Early Childhood Education and/or Child Development. Courses are easily identified with "ECE" or "CD" labels. OR;
• Candidates who possess a Baccalaureate (BA) degree or higher from a regionally accredited institution of higher education with a degree major in: 
  • Child Development, Child and Adolescent Development, Human Development, Early Childhood Education, Child and Family Studies, Early Childhood Studies, Human Development and Family Science,Family Science, Child, Adolescent, and Family Studies

Phase 2 - Intern Program: Single-Subject ONLY

• Pass CSET exam OR;
• Submit qualifying degree transcripts​​​

Program Info & Costs

• Phase 1: Preservice (3 months): $1,500 paid in installments, if preferred
  • Preservice is offered twice a year: January - March and April - June
• Phase 2: Intern (2 years): $7,000 per year ($14,000 total) paid in monthly installments, if preferred
  • Intern program coursework runs September - June each year.

*Calendars for both phases of the program are shared once enrolled.

Preservice Informational Session

The first step to joining our Gen Ed Intern Program starts with Preservice (Phase 1) and attending an asynchronous, mandatory informational session (~20 minutes). The next asynchronous informational session will be available on this page in late summer 2026. Please check back here, as this is where information will be posted pertaining to the next info session.

Still have questions? Email genedintern@sdcoe.net

SDCOE Intern Program is accredited by the Commission on Teacher Credentialing