Central Michigan University

Alternate Route to Certification

The Alternate Route to Certification (ARC) program was created to assist college graduates interested in entering the teaching profession at the secondary level and to help school districts identify potential teacher candidates for existing teacher shortage areas, particularly in math and the sciences. The ARC Program is a competitive cohort-based program and admits students as a group to complete all coursework together and in sequence.

Students must have completed a teachable major and minor as part of the requirements for admission to the ARC Program and for secondary certification. Please note that some majors require a particular minor and some minors are available only to particular majors. Check major and minor requirements, course descriptions, and programs for educational degrees in the Bulletin or contact ARC advisor Virginia Kridler for further information. Students may also wish to consult the transfer equivalencies table.  This table is useful in determining courses taken at other institutions which are equivalent to CMU courses.

• Certifiable Majors

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  Biology; Business Teacher Education; Chemistry; Chemistry-Physics (interdisciplinary); Earth Science; English; Geography; History; Industrial Education; Integrated Science—No additional minor required; Mathematics; Music—Requires audition and Music minor; Physical Education; Physics; School Health Education; Social Studies—requires a History minor; Speech; Speech (Broadcast emphasis); Visual Arts Education—Art—No additional minor required.

• Certifiable Minors

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  Biology; General Business (Requires Business Teacher Education Major; Chemistry, Earth Science; English; English as a Second Language; Geography; History; Industrial Education; Mathematics; Music-Requires audition and Music major; Physical Education; Physics; School Health Education; Speech

Before admission you must successfully complete the following two tests:

• The Michigan Basic Skills Test

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  The Michigan Basic Skills Tests (MBST) is a test of reading, mathematics, and writing required of all teaching candidates in Michigan. Students must successfully complete the MBST tests no later than the October testing date prior to the student's admission into the ARC program. Information regarding registration for the test, fees, and time/date/location can be accessed at mttc.nesinc.com. The test is administered on campus but CMU has no other relationship with the test company.

• The MTTC Subject Area Tests

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  The MTTC Subject Area Tests are mandated by the State of Michigan. They were developed to assess student competency in their teaching majors and minors. Students cannot be recommended for a teaching certificate until they pass the necessary subject area tests. These tests MUST be successfully completed no later than the October testing date prior to the student's admission. Information about registration, fees, and time/date/location are available at mttc.nesinc.com. As with the Basic Skills Tests, CMU administers the subject area tests but has no other relationship with the test company.