Licensure Areas

The Vermont Department of Education uses a unique competency-based portfolio system to award the Initial Teacher License credential. This competency-based (as opposed to course based) system allows Goddard's low residency Licensure Program the freedom to balance its strong student-centered philosophy with the necessities of meeting specific state requirements for licensure. Goddard currently offers licensure in seven different areas for graduate students. Specialized faculty help students design and develop individualized study plans that integrate personal and professional needs to complete an MA degree and requirements for teacher licensure.

The overarching principles of Goddard’s Education program: Personal Development, Interpersonal Competence, and Social Responsibility are shared by the Licensure Program. Students seeking teacher licensure apply these principles through processes of inquiry, action, and reflection while constructing learning for themselves and others. They combine progressive education studies with specific endorsement area criteria to complete the requirements of Goddard’s Licensure Program, and Vermont’s Initial Teacher Licensure, a credential accepted in many U.S. states through reciprocity agreements.