Adult education teaching credentials are issued to individuals who meet the requirements listed below and who apply through, and are recommended by, either a Commission-accredited Local Education Agency (LEA) or by an Employing School District (ESD). The Designated Subjects Credential Office housed with the Department of Occupational Studies at California State University is an accredited Local Education Agency. In addition, some of the courses you take for your Designated Subjects Credential may also be applied toward coursework for a Bachelor of Science Degree or a Master of Arts Degree in Occupational Studies.
Requirements for the Full-time Adult Credential
For the PDF Information Leaflet about the requirements for this credential, click here. Otherwise, the information below details how you can obtain a preliminary part-time adult credential and a professional-clear part-time adult credential.
Preliminary Credential
If you wish to obtain the five-year* preliminary credential, you must satisfy all of the following requirements:
Verify five years of experience and/or education (as specified on page 2) related to each subject to be named on the credential.
Years of Subject-Related Experience Required |
Education and/or Training |
+ 5 year |
High school diploma or equivalent |
+ 4 year |
24 semester units of college course work, including a minimum of 4 semester units in the subject to be taught |
+ 3 year |
48 semester units of college course work, including a minimum of 8 semester units in the subject to be taught |
+ 2 year |
72 semester units of college course work, including a minimum of 12 semester units in the subject to be taught |
+ 1 year |
96 semester units of college course work, including a minimum of 16 semester units in the subject to be taught |
+ 0 year |
Bachelor’s or higher degree completed at a regionally-accredited college or university with 20 semester units, or 10 upper division semester units in the subject to be taught |
One of the following requirements must be satisfied:
possess a high school diploma
possess a diploma based on passage of the GED Test
possess the foreign equivalent of a high school diploma
Pass the California Basic Educational Skills Test (CBEST). (Applicants for the adult credential in non-academic subjects do not need to fulfill this requirement.)
One of the following requirements must be satisfied:
complete a two-semester-unit (or three-quarter-unit) course in the provisions and principles of the U.S. Constitution
pass an examination in the subject given by a regionally-accredited college or university
Obtain verification, signed by the Commission-Accredited Local Education Agency. The Designated Subjects Credential Office housed with the Department of Occupational Studies at California State University can help you obtain this verification. This verification documents that you have been fully apprised of the requirements for both the preliminary and professional clear credentials, including Level I and Level II requirements of the program of personalized preparation. Call (562) 985-5631 to make an appointment with a Designated Subjects Credential Advisor. Or, you may obtain verification by an ESD authorized to do so in accordance with guidelines established by the Commission.
Requested subjects that do not appear below will be placed within an existing subject, where appropriate. Additional subjects may be added in time to accommodate new or emerging subjects.
| Academic Subjects (Subject To Be Named On The Credential) |
Course Work Required |
| English as a Second Language | A bachelor’s or higher degree completed at a regionally-accredited college or university and completion of 20 semester units or 10 upper division semester units in one or any combination of the following: Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) English Language other than English Linguistics Bilingual/bicultural studies Teaching Reading Speech |
| Elementary and Secondary Basic Skills (includes basic education in grades 1 to 8): Arithmetic Reading Individualized high school learning lab/ G.E.D./contract class settings Citizenship |
A bachelor’s or higher degree completed at a regionally-accredited college or university and completion of 20 semester units with at least 3 units in four of the following six areas: English Mathematics Science Social Sciences Fine Arts Language other than English. |
| Individual Subjects: A Language Other than English (specify) English Fine Arts Life Science, including General Science Mathematics Physical Science, including General Science Social Sciences |
A bachelor’s or higher degree completed at a regionally-accredited college or university and completion of 20 semester units or 10 upper division semester units in the subject to be taught. |
| Non-Academic Category** |
Individual Categorical Subjects Listed on the Credential | |
| Adults with Disabilities |
Adaptive Arts and Crafts Adaptive Computer Technology Adaptive Physical Education |
Health (adults with disabilities) Self-Maintenance Skills (adults with disabilities) |
| Health and Safety | Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation |
Health Education Nutrition Physical Fitness and Conditioning Safety Education |
| Home Economics |
Arts and Crafts Clothing Construction Consumer Education Decorative Arts Dietetics and Food Management Nutrition |
Food Preparation Home Management Interior Design Textiles Upholstery |
| Older Adults | Communication Skills Creative Arts Health (older adults) Performing Arts Physical Fitness |
Public Affairs Retirement Planning Safety Self-Maintenance (older adults) |
| Parent Education | Parent Education Childbirth Education |
Human Development Family Management |
| Vocational Education | Aeronautics Agriculture American Sign Language Bookkeeping and Accounting Building and Construction Trades Business Management Career Development Commercial Photography Computer Applications Computer Programming Computer Systems Operation Computer Technology Cosmetology |
Court Reporting Electronics Technology Financial Services Health Occupations Industrial Technology Information Processing/Keyboarding Language Interpreter Law Enforcement Occupations Marine Technology Marketing Nursing Office Occupations Small Business Ownership/Management |
Professional Clear Credential
If you wish to receive the professional-clear adult full-time designated subjects credential, you must satisfy all of the following requirements:
Possess a valid preliminary full-time adult education teaching credential
Obtain verification by the ESD of the successful teaching of a minimum of one course in each of four terms within the five-year period of validity of the preliminary adult education teaching credential (Two of these terms must be with one ESD. The teaching must have been to adult learners in the subject(s) authorized by the preliminary adult education teaching credential and must have occurred while holding the valid preliminary full-time adult education teaching credential.)
Obtain verification by an LEA that the applicant has completed all Level I and Level II requirements of a Commission-accredited program of personalized preparation, including the use of computers in an instructional setting
Complete a unit requirement in health education, including, but not limited to, nutrition; the physiological and sociological effects of alcohol, narcotic, and drug abuse; and the use of tobacco (This requirement must also include training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation [CPR] that covers infant, child, and adult CPR skills.)
Once your application materials have been reviewed, you will be given a five-year Preliminary credential from the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CCTC). You will need to complete coursework or other requirements to "clear" your credential. You may enroll in courses through the Department of Occupational Studies and other programs at Cal State University to meet these requirements. Read the Requirements to Clear Your Designated Subjects Credential for Adult Education for more information.
For more information, contact the Designated Subjects Credential Office in the Department of Occupational Studies at California State University, Long Beach at (562) 985-5631.
*Period of Validity: An initial preliminary full-time adult education teaching credential issued on the basis of the applicant's satisfaction of requirements 1-5, specified above, authorizes service for no more than two years from the date of issuance of the credential unless the holder's employer (ESD) receives form CL-787, Verification of Completion of Level I Requirements from the LEA, through which the holder completed those requirements. Once the holder's employer receives this verification, the credential's validity period will automatically be extended for the remainder of the five-year period from the date of issuance of the credential. There is no need to apply for this extension. The LEA's verification of completion of Level I requirements is the only documentation required in this process. If the credential holder's ESD is not known to the LEA, form CL-787 will be sent directly to the credential holder for forwarding to the employer. The LEA shall also submit this form directly to the Commission to assist in documenting that the holder completed Level I requirements.
**For descriptive purposes only--category will not be listed on the credential.
Title 5, Section 80034(o): "Experience," as it applies to designated subjects adult education teaching credentials, means full-time or part-time experience directly related to the subject to be named on the credential. Experience may be paid or not paid. No more than one year of experience shall apply toward meeting designated subjects credential requirements during any twelve calendar month period. 1500 clock hours shall be the minimum required for each year of experience. Part-time experience may be cumulated to equate to the required 1500 clock hours of experience.
A preliminary full-time adult credential valid for one year may be issued to applicants who have completed all requirements except #4--U.S. Constitution. The credential will be extended for the remainder of the five-year term once that requirement has been met.
