Quickly Prep for Secondary Education Licensure
Gain the foundational knowledge needed to effectively lead a secondary classroom. The Certificate in Transition to Teaching in Secondary Education program at American College of Education (ACE) is designed for aspiring secondary educators with bachelor’s degrees and can lead to initial licensure. You’ll become the educator you aspire to be as well as an equipped leader, ready to contribute to student success.
You’ll learn the latest, evidence-based differentiated instruction approaches as well as develop the skills needed to create lesson plans and cultivate engaging learning environments. Courses equip you with relevant, innovative technologies and artificial intelligence integration tools like gamification and human-computer interaction.
With ACE, your transition to teaching is as seamless as possible.
This program is approved as an alternative pathway to lead to an initial secondary generalist teacher license in Indiana. Students residing outside of Indiana are encouraged to check with their state’s licensure agency for eligibility requirements before enrolling, as licensure and certification requirements vary by state.
Graduates of this certificate may apply their credits to the Master of Arts in Secondary Teaching for continued education. Plus, we offer a special Educator Grant for new students who enroll in this program. Visit our?Grants and Scholarships page?to learn how you can reduce your tuition.
Empower your students and community, and take the next step toward a future full of possibility.
The Transition to Teaching (T2T) program in Secondary Education prepares candidates to meet the changing needs of today's grade 5-12 adolescent students. Candidates learn how to structure core content classes, utilize best practices, incorporate digital tools into the learning environment, and differentiate instruction for learners. The graduate certificate program leads to an initial secondary teacher license in Indiana. Students who do not reside in Indiana should determine requirements for applying the Indiana initial license for teacher licensure in their state of residence. All courses in this program can be applied to a Master of Arts in Secondary Teaching at American College of Education.
Here are the courses you’ll take when working towards this program. If no focus of study option is selected, you can choose any 3 courses from the study options below.
Visit the College Catalog to see all courses.
We believe in full transparency with our total cost of attendance. No hidden fees. No surprises along the way.
Continuing your education is a big decision that involves an investment of your time and money. We recognize that, which is why we're committed to ensuring you experience a positive return on that investment.
You only pay the cost it takes for us to deliver your education, nothing more. By keeping our tuition low, we’ve helped our students see a $19.20 return in future higher earnings for every $1 they invested in their ACE education.1
Because of our low tuition and total program cost, 87% of our students graduate debt-free.2 Popular payment options include paying by course, paying by month or paying in full. Visit our payment options page to learn more.
You deserve a great return on your educational investment, and we deliver master's degrees at a total average cost of $10,000*. We also award over $1.2M in scholarships and grants each year.
Tuition & ROIWe are accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. Our faculty work in the industries where you work and are committed to your success, contributing to our 84% graduation rate.3 Our curriculum equips you with practical strategies you can apply right away, as well as skills to help you advance your career.
Success StoriesOur virtual campus and convenient start dates provide you the flexibility you need to achieve your goals at a time and place that works with your busy schedule. Our student support services are available 24/7 and tutoring is included at no additional cost.
Support ServicesBecause we don’t have a physical campus, our students don’t need to pay infrastructure or facility fees. We also keep our operational costs low by not participating in Title IV federal funding. We pass all these savings along to our students.
Due to our engaging online format, you’ll connect and learn from industry peers worldwide. And even though you’re learning online, you won’t feel alone thanks to student discussion boards and online forums.
Learn strategies and skills you can apply immediately and leverage for future career advancement. Employers of ACE graduates report a 96% satisfaction rate,3 while 98% of our students felt their professional skills were stronger after graduation.3
Every course is created by our in-house curriculum and production team working in tandem with our academic leaders. Plus, all courses follow a consistent structure. No outdated coursework, no surprises.
*The application fee is valid for one year from date of submission.
**Additional evidence may be required to fulfill state requirements, including but not limited to verification of professional experience, test scores, or an interview.
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All applicants must submit, to the Admissions Office, an official evaluation from a NACES-approved organization.
All applicants whose first language is not English must demonstrate competence in the English language as demonstrated in one of three ways:
2Internal research conducted November 2025
3Across all ACE Programs. See Student Right to Know. Accessed May 28, 2026
4Education Data Initiative. Accessed January 28, 2026
Our Enrollment Counselors are here to answer your questions and walk you through the enrollment process.