The Tennessee Department of Education issues a Transitional License to applicants who have been offered a teaching position in a Tennessee school, have a bachelor’s degree, and meet other requirements.
Interested in learning about the traditional approach? Contact schools offering teaching certification programs in Tennessee.
This license must be applied for by the hiring school district, not by the individual. This license is valid for one year, and may be renewed. For the first renewal, you must complete the Professional Education Core Competencies for your teaching position. For the second renewal, you must pass the Praxis II exam for your content area. You may only teach on a Transitional License for a maximum of three years.
Grand Canyon University - Bachelors, Masters and Doctoral programs
For those seeking licensure or looking to enter the field of education for the first time, but with a degree in a field other than education, GCU has initial programs that lead to licensure and programs that do not lead to licensure.
USC Rossier Master of Arts in Teaching Online — No GRE *
Purdue Global University - offering Bachelors and Masters programs
From master’s degrees to teacher-certification pathways, Purdue Global University offers flexible online education programs to help you pursue a career in teaching, enhance your current skills, or advance in your education career.*
You must have a bachelor’s degree and meet one of the following requirements:
A list of acceptable majors for a Transitional License can be found here.
If you do not meet the major or semester hour educational requirements (above), you must pass the Praxis II exam for your content area.
Before being authorized to work under a Transitional License at a Tennessee school, you must submit to a criminal history background check and fingerprinting. Cogent Systems provides fingerprinting services for the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI), who sends the results of your report to the Tennessee Department of Education. You are responsible for all costs associated with this process. It may take as long as four weeks for your background check to clear before you may legally begin teaching in a Tennessee school.
Cooperating Tennessee school systems who work with those with Transitional Licenses may be found here.