Secondary Teacher Education Program (STEP)

Secondary Teacher Education Program: The Oakland University Advantage

Oakland University has a long tradition of excellence in teacher education and training. Our graduates have held teaching jobs and achieved outstanding results in districts throughout Michigan, so employers actively recruit new hires from our teacher education program.

When you earn your teacher certification at Oakland, you benefit from:

• High-quality classroom experience. We have training relationships with districts throughout Southeast Michigan, so we can place you in a student-teaching setting that fits your strengths. You’ll get detailed supervision and one-on-one coaching from a veteran teacher, developing the confidence and competence to start your teaching career with confidence.
• Supportive faculty. Our teacher education program is led by classroom veterans who play a hands-on role in your training. They’re heavily engaged and highly supportive, offering personal mentorship and career guidance in addition to academic instruction.
• Civic engagement. Oakland trains teachers to influence the lives of young people academically, culturally, and socially. You’ll acquire the expertise to educate global citizens and communicate effectively with students from diverse social, economic, and demographic backgrounds. 
• Strong peer relationships. You’ll belong to a close-knit community in our teacher certification program. Classmates tend to develop enduring friendships and continue to support each other as their teaching careers unfold.
• Adaptable career options. By pairing teaching certification with an undergraduate degree outside of education, you’ll have the versatility to explore a broad range of career opportunities. It’s a pure value-add, giving you the license to teach and a degree you can market in many other contexts.