Teacher Licensure and Education

Options for MIT students interested in teaching elementary or secondary school range from exploratory activities such as tutoring and participation in the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) to an official teacher licensure program.

For students who wish to explore teaching as a career (in the short or long term), the MIT/Wellesley Scheller Teacher Education Program (STEP), housed in Comparative Media Studies/Writing (CMS/W), offers instruction to meet the requirements for Massachusetts State Teacher Certification in STEM subjects at the middle and high school levels (and can be transferred to many other states). Courses offered through STEP are also useful for students preparing to teach at the college level, as well as those who wish to apply their work to related research fields such as curriculum design or educational technology. Those going into industry find that STEP training can apply to workforce development, training, leadership, and mentoring within a company.

Education subjects that focus on math/science teaching at the secondary level (grades 5–12) are offered through both CMS/W and the Department of Urban Studies and Planning. To receive Massachusetts State Teacher Certification, students must complete 300 hours of supervised teaching practicum starting in IAP and ending in spring semester, and additional coursework at MIT or through Wellesley College. A HASS concentration in education (through CMS/W) is offered as part of the undergraduate curriculum.

To explore K-12 teaching opportunities less formally, students may volunteer as tutors or teacher assistants in local schools, design and teach classes through the Educational Studies Program, or work with faculty members who conduct research in schools. (Refer to the UROP Directory for a list of faculty members interested in such research.) Other groups that can help identify similar opportunities on campus are the Student Services Center, Room 11-120; the Priscilla King Gray Public Service Center, the Edgerton Center, the MIT Museum, and Career Advising and Professional Development. Students can also explore the Teaching Systems Lab, which focuses on teacher learning and practice spaces.