Teacher Certification

Successful completion of an approved teacher education program at Towson University prepares students to apply to the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) for a teaching certificate.

School districts that hire graduates may complete applications for certification on behalf of new employees. However, students may also choose to apply directly to MSDE for certification, especially if they do not seek a teaching job immediately upon graduation or if they do not receive an early job offer. 

Students who choose to apply directly to the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) for a teaching certificate must follow the below procedure.

Before Contacting MSDE

  1. Log into
  2. In Self Service, under the heading, Academic Records, click "View Unofficial Transcript 
  3. Look for this certification statement:

CONTENT AREA
NAME OF STUDENT
Completed Maryland Approved Program with national accreditation from NCATE/CAEP.
Includes the Maryland Reading Course Requirements
CONTENT AREA, Grades XX

If the statement has not yet been posted, students should wait until it appears. This may take up to 6 weeks after graduation.

If the above statement has been posted, request an official transcript. For paper transcripts, only original transcripts can be submitted — photocopies and electronic copies are not acceptable. For electronic transcripts, a service fee is required.

After Obtaining an Official Transcript with a Certification Statement 

  1. Go to the and create an account
  2. Follow all MSDE-required steps to apply for educator certification.
  3. Students are encouraged to have all the below documents ready for submission.
    1. An official transcript, which must show the degree, date of conferral, and the Maryland Approved Program statement of completion. (Student copies in an unopened mailer are acceptable​.)
    2. Basic Skills tests scores or evidence of a minimum overall GPA of 3.0 on the transcript (teacher applicants only)
    3. Content and edTPA​ test scores (if applicable)

Out-of-State Certification

Students intending to pursue certification out of state are encouraged to become certified in Maryland first. Some states may request an out-of-state verification of degree be completed by Towson University.

The following items will be needed to complete the out-of-state certification request form:

  1. Copies of test scores for licensure exams taken (e.g. Praxis II Content Exams, Teaching of Reading, etc.)
  2. A copy of your Maryland teaching certification if applicable
  3. A digital copy of the verification form that needs to be completed (these can usually be downloaded from the state certification website as a PDF)
  4. Any additional information requested on the verification form that is not noted above