What degree do you need to be a teacher?

Many universities and colleges offer bachelor's degrees in education, including more specific programs such as early childhood education, if you want to become a preschool or elementary school teacher, for example.

If you already know what subject you want to teach, such as science, history, or art, then it's a good idea to minor in the subject you're passionate about and major in education. This way, you'll be very well equipped and qualified to teach your future students everything they need to know.

If you already have a bachelor's degree in a subject unrelated to education, such as engineering or business, then you can still become a teacher without needing to get a second bachelor's degree. Programs such as Teach For America, for example, offer training for people who have a bachelor's degree but would like to change careers into teaching.

Public school teachers are required to be certified before leading a classroom. To become certified requires having your degree and passing an exam. All teachers must be certified in the state that they wish to teach in, and each state has its own exams and procedures.

Depending on your qualifications, you may need to take a subject area test prior to the issuance of your Temporary Certificate.

You will also most likely need to pass the required General Knowledge Test (GKT) and the Professional Education Test (PEd) prior to the issuance of your Professional Certificate. For each subject that you want to teach, you need to also pass a specialized subject exam.

Alternatively, if you're interested in teaching abroad, you can get a TEFL certification -- TEFL stands for "Teaching English as a Foreign Language." You can obtain a TEFL certification either at an in-person training program or online; there are lots of programs out there, so do your research before picking one.

One popular online program is TEFL Online, as they provide job placement assistance and have a job board just for their members.