So, you've always wanted to be a teacher but you've taken a different career path until now.

Thanks to new alternative routes to teacher certification, it's much easier today to change career directions and pursue that life-long dream.

In fact, because of acute shortages in some subject areas in Kentucky and nationwide, many school districts have a job waiting for you.

Want to learn more? Then plan to attend a "Second Careers in Education Open House," sponsored by EKU's College of Education Thursday, Nov. 8. The informational event will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. in the Perkins Building. Reservations should be made by contacting Kim Alexander at 859-622-8326.

University and Education Professional Standards Board (EPSB) officials will discuss educational options, admission requirements, financial assistance and the required examinations. Also planned are breakout sessions related to various subject areas. The meeting will include refreshments and door prizes.

Fifteen students already are enrolled in EKU's new Master of Arts in Teaching program, which features secondary (high school) and P-12 options. The 39-credit-hour program has drawn inquiries from attorneys, doctors, pharmacists and other professionals considering a career in teaching.

"We wanted to offer students an opportunity to get a master's degree and teacher certification in one program," said Dr. Rodney White, a professor in EKU's Department of Curriculum and Instruction. "And we have structured the program so that they can complete it over the course of 13 months." Some of the courses are offered on-line, at evenings or on weekends for the convenience of working professionals.

Teaching areas currently available include: art, biology, business and marketing, English, family and consumer sciences, health, mathematics, music, physical education, physical science, social science, Spanish and technology education. "The ideal," said White, "is for a candidate's bachelor's degree to match one of those certifiable areas."

One underlying premise of alternative teacher certification is that work experience is a viable substitute for a portion of a teacher's classroom preparation. Teacher shortages in many areas of the country, triggered in part by many reaching retirement age, are forcing states to consider a broader approach to recruitment and preparation.

Alternative certification does not mean that schools will be getting less-qualified teachers. "Those who choose this route are held to the same standard as those students who come through the traditional route," said Gloria Carr, director of educational student services.

Angela Janick, Aurora, Ill., earned a bachelor's degree in fine arts in May of this year, specializing in ceramics, but then decided she wanted to teach. Without the alternative certification route, it would have been necessary for her to complete a second bachelor's degree in art education. Now she'll be able to add methodology courses and additional subject matter classes to her previous art coursework and earn a master's degree and K-12 certification. "It would have taken me two years to get another bachelor's degree," she explained, "so when I found out about this program, I was thrilled."

As an added incentive, the College of Education recently announced that it will provide one tuition-free course (a $459 value) to the first 60 applicants taking their first course in any of the College's graduate degree programs in the Spring 2002 semester.

For more information about alternative certification possibilities in EKU's College of Education, contact Kim Alexander at 859-622-8326.

In addition to university-based alternative certification, the Kentucky EPSB has developed five other alternative routes to teacher and administrator certification. For more information about the options, contact the EPSB at 502-573-4606 or, toll-free, 888-598-7667.