Non-degree options for students pursuing teacher certification/licensure only. 

Program Overview

Relay offers non-degree certification/licensure programs designed to prepare individuals who have earned a conferred bachelor’s degree for a teaching certificate/license in select states. 

Students engage in rigorous graduate coursework aligned to the Relay competencies, engage in clinical experiences in PK–12 schools, and demonstrate proficiency through performance-based summative assessments. Students who earn passing grades in a non-degree certification/licensure program may be able to apply those credits to a Relay Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) degree program. 

Clinical Experience
All non-degree certification/licensure students must secure and maintain a program-aligned instructional role throughout their enrollment in order to complete clinical experience requirements for educator preparation program completion. Program clinical experiences are designed to meet qualifying clinical experience requirements for Relay’s state-approved educator preparation programs. 

All students are supported in their clinical experience placements through clinical practice seminars that connect theory to school context by engaging students in deliberate practice and focused reflection. Individualized continuous improvement plans are created to support students in targeting areas of interest and growth within their school communities.

Relay Teaching Residents in non-degree certification/licensure programs engage in clinical experiences through a gradual on-ramp to teaching and structured support from Relay faculty and a school-based clinical mentor. The Relay Teaching Residency is offered through partnerships with select partner schools, districts, and networks. 

The Curriculum
Relay’s curriculum was designed to support students as they develop into culturally responsive and inclusive educators. The development occurs through an intentional pathway composed of foundational courses, content pedagogy courses, clinical practice courses, and a selection of flex courses. Content pedagogy courses vary by certification/licensure specialization and connect Relay students’ foundational understanding of learner needs to the content and context of their specific classrooms. Required flex courses may be included in the pathway to meet state- and program-specific requirements for certification/licensure. 

Program Information
Program offerings and requirements, including the number of credit hours and recommended completion time varies based on state- and program-specific requirements for educator preparation. Students enrolling in a non-degree certification/licensure program typically start coursework in the summer term and the course load per term varies. A complete listing of non-degree teacher certification/licensure program offerings by location can be found in the Student Handbook. 

Professional organizations, societies, states, and licensing jurisdictions have specific requirements for membership, certification, or licensure. In the states in which Relay is an approved in-state educator preparation provider, Relay works to align Relay’s program(s) offered in the state to the state’s educational requirements for educator certification/licensure. Students should be aware that the professional organizations, societies, states, and licensing jurisdictions are responsible for defining, amending, and executing approval requirements and decisions for membership, certification, or licensure. Relay can provide the public-facing information for the professional organizations’, societies’, states’, and licensing jurisdictions’ requirements for membership, certification, or licensure. Relay can provide guidance regarding a state’s licensure requirements for states in which Relay is an approved in-state provider and to the students who seek licensure in the same state. Relay may not be able to provide assistance to a student regarding the interpretation or understanding of a state’s licensure requirements for states in which Relay is not an approved, in-state education preparation provider. Students intending to seek licensure of any type must take full responsibility for ensuring that their degree program at Relay meets the licensing requirements of their local states, school districts, professional associations, or agencies. See Relay’s Licensure Disclosures webpage for more information. Details about each of Relay’s state-approved educator preparation programs can be found in Educator Preparation Program Descriptions.