- Teacher Certification Map
- Become a Teacher in Utah
Certification Roadmap
Click buttons to jump to section Utah Certification Requirements Utah Prerequisite Coursework Utah Teacher Preparation Utah Required Tests Utah Certification Reciprocity Utah Teacher Salary Teacher Certification Information & Links
Utah Highlights
This page is sponsored by Rossier Online, a master level teaching degree program delivered online that enables you to earn a Master’s degree and teaching credential. Learn more about how the University of Southern California can help you become a transformative teacher in Utah.
To become a certified teacher in Utah, you will need to fulfill all prerequisite coursework, teacher preparation, and testing requirements.
Our goal is to make this process as easy as possible, and we are dedicated to updating the site with new information on a regular basis. To stay up-to-date with the latest in teacher certification, please complete the form in the right sidebar.
Certification Requirements
Important Note: Education licensure requirements and salary statistics (for teachers and administrators) are subject to change. CertificationMap.com makes its best effort to keep content accurate; however, the official sources are the state education departments. Please confirm licensing requirements with your state before applying for licensure or renewal. Last updated: 1/06/2015
Applicants interested in obtaining their Utah Educator License must meet the following requirements:
- Hold a bachelor’s degree (or higher) from an accredited institution
- Complete the application form and pay the $75 application fee
- Provide original official copies of all college/university transcripts
- Successfully complete a state-approved teacher preparation program
- Successfully complete all required Praxis II exams
- Verify they have applied for a background check
Master’s Requirements
Did you know that 33 states require teachers to have a master’s degree to stay certified in teaching?
Many schools of education now offer online MAT programs that provide increased flexibility by allowing aspiring or working teachers to attend class and complete coursework from any location that has an Internet connection. Online MAT programs are a practical option for students who have professional and personal commitments that make it difficult to obtain teaching certification through a full-time program.
The best online programs offer the same curriculum as the school’s on-campus program and apply the same admission requirements. Providing students with the ability to communicate with instructors and classmates in a face-to-face online environment is another hallmark of a good online program. In addition, candidates in online MAT programs should be provided with the opportunity to complete student teaching fieldwork in the local community.
Click to learn more about getting your MAT online with USC Rossier School of Education.
Utah Teacher Prerequisite Coursework
All states require that certified teachers at a minimum have a Bachelor’s degree. Additionally, some states have undergraduate credit hour requirements for certification in specialty areas. Here are Utah’s undergraduate prerequisites for some of the most popular specialty areas:
- Elementary Education: A teaching major shall include not fewer than 30 semester or 45 quarter hours of credit derived from required and elective courses offered in a given subject field. At least one-half of the credit must be from upper division course work. The teaching major must be in a subject field contained in an approved certification program. Minor: A teaching minor shall include not fewer than 16 semester or 24 quarter hours of credit derived from required and elective courses offered in a given subject field or service area. The teaching minor must be in a subject field or service area of an approved certification program.
- Secondary English/Language Arts: A teaching major shall include not fewer than 30 semester or 45 quarter hours of credit derived from required and elective courses offered in a given subject field. At least one-half of the credit must be from upper division course work. The teaching major must be in a subject field contained in an approved certification program. Minor: A teaching minor shall include not fewer than 16 semester or 24 quarter hours of credit derived from required and elective courses offered in a given subject field or service area. The teaching minor must be in a subject field or service area of an approved certification program.
- Secondary Mathematics: A teaching major shall include not fewer than 30 semester or 45 quarter hours of credit derived from required and elective courses offered in a given subject field. At least one-half of the credit must be from upper division course work. The teaching major must be in a subject field contained in an approved certification program. Minor: A teaching minor shall include not fewer than 16 semester or 24 quarter hours of credit derived from required and elective courses offered in a given subject field or service area. The teaching minor must be in a subject field or service area of an approved certification program.
- Secondary History/Social Science: A teaching major shall include not fewer than 30 semester or 45 quarter hours of credit derived from required and elective courses offered in a given subject field. At least one-half of the credit must be from upper division course work. The teaching major must be in a subject field contained in an approved certification program. Minor: A teaching minor shall include not fewer than 16 semester or 24 quarter hours of credit derived from required and elective courses offered in a given subject field or service area. The teaching minor must be in a subject field or service area of an approved certification program.
- Secondary Science: A teaching major shall include not fewer than 30 semester or 45 quarter hours of credit derived from required and elective courses offered in a given subject field. At least one-half of the credit must be from upper division course work. The teaching major must be in a subject field contained in an approved certification program. Minor: A teaching minor shall include not fewer than 16 semester or 24 quarter hours of credit derived from required and elective courses offered in a given subject field or service area. The teaching minor must be in a subject field or service area of an approved certification program.
Utah Teacher Preparation
Teacher preparation includes the completion of an accredited teacher education program.
Alternative Certification
Graduates of accredited colleges or universities whose bachelor’s degree was not in education, and who have not yet earned a traditional teaching certificate, can still receive an alternative teaching certificate by satisfying certain requirements. The state of Utah officially recognizes ABCTE certification as a route to earning your Utah teacher certification.Click here to learn more about earning your alternative certification in Utah!
Typically teacher education programs consist of a combination of curricula and fieldwork. The curricula often includes instruction on foundational knowledge and skills, pedagogy (or the art and science of teaching), and preparing students to research, design and implement learning experiences in their field of study. The fieldwork component can include field observations, student teaching, and an internship.
While the involvement in an education program may seem financially daunting, a number of financial resources specifically for teachers exist around the country. For more information on this, visit our page on scholarships for teachers. For more scholarships for teachers exclusive to the State of Utah, visit our Utah Teacher Scholarships page.
Utah Required Tests
Teaching candidates who are pursuing their Utah teacher certification initial license must successfully complete the Praxis Content Area assessments for their desired area of certification. Individuals who wish to obtain their Level 2 Professional Educator License must also successfully complete the Principles of Learning & Teaching (PLT) Test for their designated grade level.
Content Area Assessment
| Qualifying Score | Required Test(s) | Elementary Certification |
|---|---|---|
|
– |
Elementary Education: Multiple Subjects |
Early Childhood (K-3) |
|
– |
Elementary Education: Multiple Subjects |
Elementary Education (K-6) or (1-8) |
| Qualifying Score | Required Test(s) | Secondary Certification (6-12) and Specialized Endorsements |
|---|---|---|
|
520 |
Agriculture |
Agriculture |
|
158 |
Art: Content Knowledge |
Art (K-12) |
|
154 |
Business Education: Content Knowledge |
Business |
|
164 |
Chinese (Mandarin): World Language |
Chinese (Mandarin) |
|
150 |
Economics, or |
Economics |
|
162 |
English Language Arts: Content Knowledge |
English |
|
159 |
Family and Consumer Sciences |
Family & Consumer Sciences |
|
160 |
French: World Language |
French |
|
159 |
Geography, or |
Geography |
|
160 |
German: World Language |
German |
|
162 |
Health Education |
Health Education |
|
156 |
World & U.S. History: Content Knowledge, or |
History |
|
152 |
Latin |
Latin |
|
141 |
Library Media Specialist |
Library Media (K-12) |
|
144 |
Marketing Education |
Marketing Education |
|
160 |
Mathematics: Content Knowledge, or |
Mathematics (Level 2-4) |
|
156 |
Music: Content Knowledge |
Music (K-12) |
|
152 |
Physical Education: Content Knowledge |
Physical Education |
|
149 |
Government/Political Science, or |
Political Science |
|
154 |
Psychology, or |
Psychology |
|
159 |
Teaching Reading |
Reading |
|
149 |
Biology: Content Knowledge |
Science: Biology |
|
151 |
Chemistry: Content Knowledge |
Science: Chemistry |
|
153 |
Earth & Space Sciences: Content Knowledge |
Science: Earth Science |
|
149 |
Biology: Content Knowledge |
Science: Environmental Science |
|
166 |
General Science: Content Knowledge |
Science: Middle School Science |
|
150 |
Physical Science: Content Knowledge |
Science: Physical Science |
|
136 |
Physics: Content Knowledge |
Science: Physics |
|
550 |
Sociology, or |
Sociology |
|
168 |
Spanish: World Language |
Spanish |
|
144 |
Speech Communication: Content Knowledge |
Speech Communication |
|
159 |
Technology Education |
Technology Education |
|
162 |
Theatre |
Theatre |
| Qualifying Score | Required Test(s) | Special Education* Certification |
|---|---|---|
|
160 |
Special Education: Core Knowledge & Applications, or |
Blind and Visually Impaired |
|
160 |
Special Education: Core Knowledge & Applications, or |
Deaf and Hard of Hearing |
|
160 |
Special Education: Core Knowledge & Applications, or |
Mild/Moderate Endorsement |
|
160 |
Special Education: Core Knowledge & Applications, or |
Severe to Profound Endorsement |
* Utah Praxis disclaimer: Special education candidates have a variety of options, due to the variety of ways in which a special education teacher can be utilized. Candidates in special education are strongly advised to consult with their university advisor or their Local Education Agency’s (LEA’s) special education director, if they are employed, before taking any of the tests listed here.
PLT for License Upgrade
| Qualifying Score | Required Test(s) | Certification |
|---|---|---|
|
160 |
PLT: Early Childhood |
To upgrade to a Level 2 teaching license, applicants must take the PLT test that corresponds with their grade level |
Visit Utah’s Praxis™ Requirements for a complete list of available assessments.
Utah Certification Reciprocity
Utah will accept some teaching credentials from all but the following states: Alaska, Iowa, Minnesota, and Vermont. Contact the Utah State Office of Education to inquire about your specific situation. Please see our interstate reciprocity disclaimer for more information.
Utah Teacher Salary
- Incentives to teach in high-needs schools or shortage subject areas: Utah provides differential pay support for teachers teaching in shortage subject areas
- Policies in place that articulate elements of effective induction: Utah has strong induction policies in place
- Average Elementary Teacher Salary: The average elementary school teacher in Utah makes $46,270
- Average Secondary Teacher Salary: The average secondary teacher in Utah makes $45,560
- Teacher Salary vs. State Average Salary: The average teacher in Utah makes 109% of the salary of the average worker in Utah
- Average Number of Vacation Weeks Per Year: 15
Applying for Certification
Teach Utah is the state’s online job opportunity database that allows licensed educators to register, search and apply online for teaching positions within the Utah public school system.
Background Check
The Utah State Office of Education’s Online Background Check System provides applicants with a comprehensive how-to guide when completing their state and federal background check.
Utah Substitute Teacher Requirements
Please click here to learn more about how to become a substitute teacher in Utah.
Contact Information
Utah State Office of Education
250 East 500 South
P.O. Box 144200
Salt Lake City, Utah 84114
801-538-7740 – Contact
Additional links
- Utah State Office of Education
- Utah Teacher Tenure
- Troops to Teachers Utah: In Utah, Troops to Teachers is managed by the Pacific Mountain Region Office
- Teachers Test Prep: Free online Praxis Study Guides and Praxis Practice Tests, and a variety of preparation options to meet your individual needs, including prep classes, private tutoring, and online prep.
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