What does it take to be a history teacher?

Question

Im 19 and i want to be a history teacher when i get out of the military i want to get a degree in criminal justice and history i want to double major but i want to be a detective first and my teaching degree last what classes do i need to take to do all of this and what states offer the best pay and benefits for ex G.I.'s and teachers

Answer 1

There are maybe two or three answers to this question. At some colleges you will get an Education degree with an emphasis in History as your area of teaching specialty. At other colleges you will get a degree in History with a minor in education. In addition to your degree, you will probably have to pass some sort of teaching exam, and maybe a History exam.

In some places you can get a degree in anything. You just take a couple of Education classes on the side and pass those teacher exams and BOOM you're a teacher. This is often called Alternative Certification. It was designed to get retired math and science people into the classroom. For example, a retired engineer could become a math teacher through this program. Alternative certification usually takes a year to complete and sometimes you can teach while you are completing the program. Personally, I'm not crazy about Alternative Certification, but almost every state offers it in almost every subject.