Temple's Center for Professional Development in Career and Technical Education (CPD-CTE) offers coursework leading to certification for teaching career and technical education, marketing education, and business, computers, and information technology education.

The center is part of the Teaching & Learning Department in the College of Education and Human Development operated through a grant from the Bureau of Career and Technical Education at the Pennsylvania Department of Education. The center serves the eastern region of Pennsylvania. Courses are offered in traditional, blended (partially face-to-face and partially online), and completely online formats.

The many people who perform important services for the center welcome you to our web site and invite you to review our programs and offerings. To teach in Pennsylvania secondary schools (high schools and career and technology centers), an individual must hold a valid Pennsylvania teaching certificate. Our center

  • provides certification education opportunities for individuals who have professional or technical expertise through prior education, training, or work experience.
  • Is a “one stop” location for all information and coursework that leads to certification to teach career and technical education in Pennsylvania.
  • works with regional career centers, high schools, and the state department of education.

Once you have accepted a teaching position and enrolled in the teacher certification program at Temple, you will attend a new teacher orientation where you will meet the field resource staff and spend several sessions throughout a semester immersed in the pedagogical aspects of the teaching process.  You will be introduced to the Occupational Competency Assessment (OCA)

Following the orientation, a field resource associate will visit you at your teaching location as you begin to work your way through the courses required to earn the career & technical education level I and eventually, the career & technical education level II certification.  The six Temple Standards for Teaching and Danielson Domains provide the structure for the program, which is delivered on an outreach basis employing the expertise and experience of our field resource staff. 

  • Individuals who complete the certification process may matriculate into a bachelor's degree program in Career and Technical Education. 
  • Individuals who already have a bachelor's degree prior to teaching (but do not hold a certificate) may earn a master's degree while obtaining their teaching certification.
  • Individuals who are currently teaching and hold a master's degree may enter the career & technical education supervisor and director leadership program at the center and earn their certification to be a lead administrator in a career and technical center. Individuals can also pursue the Master of Science in Education in Career and Technical Education while working on the Supervisor and Director Leadership program.          

The staff at the center are here to serve you and help you reach your professional teaching, certification and degree goals.  Contact us to learn more about our programs and to realize your dream of becoming a career and technical education teacher!

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