Checklist for Multiple Subject or Single Subject Teaching Credential Holders Who Want to Add a Subject Matter Authorization

Introductory Subject Matter Authorizations are available in the following subjects (in bold below):

• Art
• Dance
• English
• Mathematics
• Music
• Science
• Social Science
• Theater
• World Language (Specify)

Specific Subject Matter Authorizations are available in the following subjects:

• Art History/Appreciation
• Biological Sciences
• Chemistry
• Civics/Government
• Dance
• Drama/Theatre
• Economics (Social Science)
• English Composition
• Geography
• Geosciences
• History
• Instrumental Music
• Literature
• Photography
• Physics
• Plant Science
• Three-Dimensional Art
• Two-Dimensional Art
• Vocal Music

• You must have a teaching credential issued by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing that is valid (not expired).
• The following would be considered acceptable prerequisite credentials:
  • Single Subject Teaching Credential (Clear, Preliminary, or University Intern level)
  • Multiple Subject Teaching Credential (Clear, Preliminary, or University Intern level)
• The following ARE NOT appropriate prerequisite credentials:
  • Emergency Permits
  • District Intern Credentials
  • PK-3 Early Childhood Education (ECE) Specialist Instruction Credentials
  • Special Secondary Teaching Credentials in Non-Academic Subjects
  • Special Education Teaching Credentials (current or previous)
  • Adult or Vocational Teaching Credentials
  • Services credentials
• NOTE: It is not necessary to attach anything as proof, since the Commission will already have this information if you were issued a credential satisfying this requirement.

Option 1: 32 semester units (48 quarter units) of coursework in the subject.

• For the Introductory Subject Matter Authorization, the coursework must include a minimum of 3 semester units (4 quarter units) in each content area for the subject being requested. (The content areas are listed after the bolded subject in the Introductory Subjects section on CL-852.) The balance of the units may be in any courses within the subject category.
  • Exception: The subject of Science requires at least 6 semester or 8 quarter units in each of the 4 Science content areas (biological sciences, chemistry, geosciences, and physics).
• For the Specific Subject Matter Authorization, the coursework must be directly related to the subject requested. (The subjects are listed under the Specific Subject Matter Authorizations section above.)
  • Exception: The subject of History requires a minimum of 16 semester units in both world history and U.S. history.
  • For additional guidance on what coursework would be considered directly related, please refer to the Subject Matter Authorization Guideline Book.
• Acceptable coursework:
  • The college or university must be regionally accredited.
  • Must be non-remedial and degree-applicable, completed with a grade of C or better (Credit, Passing, or Satisfactory grades are acceptable), and granted regular semester or quarter hour credit.
  • Community college, correspondence, online, or extension coursework meeting this requirement may also be used.
  • Advanced Placement units may be used but require an official transcript of the course and written verification from the college or university admission or registrar’s office that the units were used towards a bachelor’s degree and are in the subject category of the requested subject matter authorization.
• Unacceptable coursework:
  • Coursework that is not applicable toward a bachelor’s degree or higher degree (remedial), professional development or continuing education units, and in-service training or workshops.
  • Coursework that does not cover the subject matter authorized by the requested supplementary authorization, unless a letter is provided from the chair of the department that aligns with the subject requested, stating that the course is equivalent to one offered by that department.
• Submitting transcripts:
  • If you earned this coursework outside of the U.S., you cannot provide the official transcripts. You must obtain a foreign transcript evaluation from an approved agency.
  • Submitting paper transcripts or foreign transcript evaluations:
    • Upload a scan of the original, official paper transcripts or foreign transcript evaluation. Clear photographs will also be accepted. All pages, front and back, must be included in the upload.
  • Submitting electronic transcripts or foreign transcript evaluations:
    • Upload the original file sent to you by the college, transcript service provider, or foreign transcript evaluation agency.
• Submitting course descriptions or syllabi:
  • The Commission will also consider course descriptions and syllabi if you wish to provide them for any courses that do not obviously meet the requirements based on the course titles alone. Upload the course description(s) or syllabi from the college or university’s website or course catalog.

Option 2: Degree major from a regionally accredited college or university in the requested subject or in a subject directly related to the requested subject.

• For details on how to submit your transcript, see the bullet Submitting transcripts in Option 1 above.

Option 3: Professional-level teaching license earned in a state other than California, with a middle school or departmentalized classroom teaching authorization that is not comparable to a full California Single Subject credential, but aligns with an Introductory or Specific Subject Matter Authorization.

• Scanned copy, image, or screenshot of your professional-level teaching license from another state.

 Option 4: Pass the appropriate CSET exams.

• For charts of which CSET exams should be taken, see Appendix C for Introductory Subject Matter Authorizations and Appendix D for Specific Subject Matter Authorizations in Coded Correspondence 25-03.
  • You must upload the official score report of passing. In order to be valid, the exam must have been passed within the past 10 years.
  • NOTE: Not all authorizations have a corresponding CSET examination (for example, there is no CSET option for the Specific Subject Matter Authorization in Photography), so a careful review of the respective appendix is encouraged.

Option 5: Letter from a Commission-approved program verifying that subject matter has been met through coursework, CSET exams, or a combination of coursework and exams.

• The letter must be on official letterhead and signed by a Commission-approved program, specifying the type of authorization you are seeking and verifying that you satisfied subject matter competence requirements for that authorization.
  • The Commission’s Approved Institutions and Programs dashboard may be used to locate approved programs for this purpose.
• The letter must be a scanned copy of an original letter or an electronic PDF. If the letter is a scanned copy, the original letter that was scanned must be signed with a wet ink signature. If the letter is an electronic PDF, it must be signed with an acceptable electronic signature. Screenshots are not acceptable.