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Alternate Route to Teaching Program
The Alternate Route to Teaching Program is a certificate program for people with a bachelor’s degree to attain K-12 teacher licensing in New Jersey.
Program Eligibility:
Bachelor’s or higher degree with a 3.0 GPA (2.75 GPA If graduated before September 1, 2016)
Steps to Certification
- Complete the 50-hour Introduction to Teaching Course at Bergen Community College
- Pass the Praxis Subject Tests in the subject area*
- Pass the Praxis Core Tests*
- Apply for a Certificate of Eligibility (CE) to the NJ Department of Education (DOE)
- Employed in a school district and participate in the Provisional Teacher Process
- Complete the 350-hour Alternate Route to Teaching Program at Brookdale Community College
- Apply for a Standard Teaching Certification with the NJ DOE
* Refer to the FAQs for the specific test scores.
Information and Useful Links
- The 50-hour Introduction to Teaching is the first segment of the Alternate Route to Teaching Program approved by the NJ Department of Education (DOE). Students take the Introduction to Teaching course at Bergen Community College and proceed with the next 350-hour training at Brookdale Community College.
- Brookdale Community College Website : For inquiries about the 350-hr training at Brookdale Community College, contact Kristin DeRose at [email protected] or
732-224-2883. - Brookdale Community College Alternate Route to Teaching Program Overview
- NJ DOE’s Certification information
- NJ DOE’s Alternate Route to Teaching information
- NJ DOE’s Certifications and Endorsements information
- NJ DOE’s Testing Requirements
- NJ DOE’s NJEdCert website
- NJ DOE’s Limited CE website
- NJ DOE’s FAQs
- ETS Website for the Praxis tests
NJ DOE Contact Information
- Hours: MON – FRI 8 AM – 7 PM
- Phone: (609) 292-2070
Bergen County Offices of Education Website
- Address: One Bergen County Plaza, 3rd Floor, Room 350, Hackensack, NJ 07601
- Phone: (201) 336-6875
Please read the Alternate Route to Teaching Program FAQs for additional information.
Click here for a full course list with registration details
- SD-005 | Introduction to Teaching
- SD-078 | Child Development Associate (CDA)
- SD-095 | Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) Program
- SD-015 | Teaching Assistant Paraprofessional Training Level 1: Essential Foundations
- SD-016 | Teaching Assistant Paraprofessional Training Level 2: Advanced Professional Learning
- SD-051 | Teaching Assistant Paraprofessional Training Level 3: Content-Specific Expertise