The Making of a Teacher

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Center for
Education
Information
Table 18.
AVERAGE SEMESTER HOURS REQUIRED IN TEACHER PREPARATION PROGRAMS
Field of Study

1999 1/

1983 2/

1976 3/

1973 4/

1961 5/
General Studies

Elementary

51

62

41

41

39

Middle School

51

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Secondary

52

64

49

48

51

Special Education

52

55

N/A

N/A

N/A
Professional Studies

Elementary

31

36

38

35

35

Middle School

28

Secondary

24

25

25

24

24

Special Education

30

34
Clinical Experiences

Elementary

15

17

12

10

8

Middle School

14

Secondary

14

15

11

9

7

Special Education

16

14
Teaching Major or Equivalent

Elementary

37

 N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Middle School

38

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Secondary

39

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Special Educ.

36

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Sources:

1/ CEI Survey of Teacher Preparation Programs.

2/ Feistritzer, C. Emily, The Making of a Teacher (Washington: National Center for Education Information,
1983).

3/ National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), The State of Teacher Education, 1977 (Washington: U.S.
Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, 1977).

4/ Sherwin, S.S., Teacher Education: A Status Report (Princeton: Educational Testing Service, 1973).

5/ Hodenfield, G.K., and Stinnett, T.M., The Education of Teachers (New York: Prentice-Hall, 1961).