Apply Master in Teaching

Are you planning to become a teacher? Here are some considerations for planning/examining your content preparation:

1. Identify the endorsement area you are interested in. An endorsement area refers to the subject area and age group of students you would like to teach.
2. Review the competencies (knowledge and skills) that Washington state looks for in a public school teacher with this endorsement.
3. Assess your preparation for teaching the content area(s) for your chosen endorsement:
   • Graduates and career changers: How have your educational, work and life experiences prepared you to teach in this endorsement area? Identify specific evidence to illustrate the competencies recommended for your endorsement. Identify the competencies where you may need to develop or deepen your knowledge and skill.
   • Undergraduates: Work with an academic advisor to help you plan your program, course and field work so that you can develop breadth and depth in your endorsement area.  

Evergreen alumni will need to request an official transcript from Evergreen even if you have not graduated yet. You can order your Evergreen transcript online.

• Have completed at least one quarter of Evergreen undergraduate coursework. 
• On track to graduate with 180 undergraduate credits towards a bachelor's degree prior to enrolling in the Fall Quarter of the Graduate program (eligible to graduate in spring or summer). Check your Academic Progress page in My Evergreen to confirm your credit status. 
• Transfer students must complete their final 45 credits at Evergreen, which can include the 12 undergraduate credits in the graduate program.

Applying to the dual degree program requires a different application link. To check for eligibility for the dual degree option and request the application link, reach out to mit@evergreen.edu.

1. A formal application submitted to the graduate program with a $50 application fee.
2. Responses to these admissions prompts. Responses should be between 300-500 words for each prompt.
   • Look over what area you intend to teach and indicate how your course work has prepared you to teach in this area. This should match the endorsement area you indicate in your application. Name your strengths in preparation, areas needing growth and plans for next steps. 
   • Look over what area you intend to teach and indicate how your life experiences have prepared you to teach in this area. This should match the endorsement area you indicate in your application. Name your strengths in preparation, areas needing growth and plans for next steps.  
   • How has your time working with youth informed your decision to be a teacher?
   • Education is both a social good and structurally unjust. Explain your understanding of this contradiction and ways it can be addressed. 
3. At least 50 combined hours of volunteer or paid work with youth of K-12 age in a public school and a community-based organization setting over the last five years. Applicants must complete at least 25 hours of work in a public school with students of the age they intend to teach and at least 10 hours of work in a community-based organization. 
   • Hours must be completed by August 1, 2024. Though applications can be submitted without completion of these hours, the strongest applications will have completed hours.
   • Document your experience on an Hours Log Sheet (Word). 
   • If you are local to Evergreen, you can reach out to the Center for Community-Based Learning and Action at ccbla@evergreen.edu for help with connecting to community-based organizations.
   • If you are experiencing difficulty gaining access to public schools or community-based organizations, contact mit@evergreen.edu. 
4. Required state tests:
   • Attempt all three sections of the WEST-B exam: Reading, writing and Math.
     • If you have taken the SAT or ACT test with an essay component, you can send an official score report to Graduate Admissions  atgraduateadmissions@evergreen.edu to fully meet this requirement.
     • If you have taken the SAT or ACT test without an essay component, you can send an official score report to Graduate Admissions  atgraduateadmissions@evergreen.edu to meet the reading and math portions of this requirement. You would need to take the WEST-B writing test to meet the writing portion of this requirement.
   • Attempt at least one content specific WEST-E/NES. To see which test or tests correspond to your endorsement, refer to What You Can Teach.
5. Resume: Your resume should provide specific details about all of your experiences working with young people, especially those from diverse cultural and economic backgrounds.
6. Two letters of recommendation: You will provide email addresses of two professional people or recent instructors willing to provide letters of recommendation. They will be contacted to submit a letter addressing one or more of the following: your work with children, academic work, writing ability, interpersonal skills and job-related experiences. 
   • If your recommenders do not receive the form for them to submit their letters of recommendation, please ask them to send an email with their recommendation letters attached to graduateadmissions@evergreen.edu. 
7. Transcripts:
   • You will need to submit an official transcript only from the college or university that conferred or will confer your bachelor's degree, even if it was already submitted to Evergreen previously for an undergraduate or post-baccalaureate program. While no other transcripts are required, you have the option of sending unofficial transcripts from any other institutions you have attended.
   • Transcripts from any university attended outside of the U.S. or Canada or the Philippines must be evaluated for U.S. college credit and degree equivalencies by an approved member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services National Association of Credential Evaluation Services or the Institution of Foreign Credential Services. 
   • A transcript is considered official if it bears the official seal and signature of the issuing institution and is sent directly by that institution to Evergreen’s Graduate Admissions or is enclosed in a sealed envelope from the issuing institution and delivered by the applicant to Graduate Admissions. Evergreen can receive official e-transcripts from schools that are registered members of Docufide, National Student Clearinghouse, Naviance, Parchment and Scrip-Safe International. If the e-transcript system asks for an email address, please use graduateadmissions@evergreen.edu. Otherwise, mail or deliver transcripts to: 

The Evergreen State College
Graduate Admissions
Library 1200
2700 Evergreen Parkway NW
Olympia, WA 98505
Attention: MiT Admissions

International applicants have additional admission criteria:

• English language proficiency: Every applicant whose native language is not English must demonstrate English language proficiency through one of the following:
  • A Bachelor's, Master's, or Doctoral degree from an accredited U.S. institution of higher education or from an institution in Australia, the Bahamas, Canada, Ireland, Jamaica, New Zealand, Singapore, Trinidad and Tobago or the United Kingdom.
  • One of the following minimum English language proficiency test scores demonstrated through submission of official scores at the time of application: Test of English as a Foreign Language paper test: 600; Test of English as a Foreign Language computerized test: 250; est of English as a Foreign Language online test: 100; or International English Language Testing System: 7.5.
• Transcripts from any university attended outside of the United States or Canada or the Philippines must be evaluated for U.S. college credit and degree equivalencies by an approved member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services or the Institution of Foreign Credential Services.

If residing in the U.S., take all required tests. Most of these tests are now available at multiple sites overseas, so please make an effort to take them if you are within a reasonable distance from your current location. If you cannot take the tests prior to application, notify the program at mit@evergreen.edu. You will be expected to take the tests in the U.S. as soon as can be arranged.

International students must have evidence of having at least $35,212 USD to pay all expenses for one academic year's enrollment at Evergreen. This estimate includes tuition and fees, room and board, books and supplies, health insurance, personal expenditures and transportation (excluding travel to and from U.S.). Admissions will work with admitted students on this paperwork

You must attempt a basic skills assessment and one or more content area assessments to be admitted to the Master in Teaching program.

Washington State requires that you attempt the WEST-B and complete WEST-E/NES tests prior to being recommended for certification. See the Washington Educator Skills Tests site for registration, preparation materials and more details. There are restrictions on how often you can take the tests and how often scores are reported, so plan ahead.

Washington Educator Skills Test-Basic (WEST-B)

Aspiring teachers have three options for satisfying the Washington State basic skills assessment requirement: attempt the WEST-B, submit SAT scores or submit ACT scores. The WEST-B has three sections: reading, writing, and math. You can take the sections separately or all together.

Washington Educator Skills Tests-Endorsements (WEST-E)

Washington state defines subject areas for teaching as areas of endorsement. Aspiring teachers take a multiple-choice test (WEST-E or NES) for each endorsement they choose.

A passing score for a WEST-E test is 240 and a passing score for a NES test is 220. Foreign language endorsements have additional testing requirements.

Foreign language endorsements also require the ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) or computerized interview (OPIC) and the Written Proficiency Test (WPT) from Language Testing International. Proficiencies must be passed at the advanced low level.

Out-of-State Applicants

If you are currently living outside of Washington state, you may be able to take the tests in your area. Visit the Washington Educator Skills Test website for locations and availability.

Washington state also allows certain substitutes, such as Praxis CORE and CBEST, for the WEST-B if you live out of state at the time you apply for a MiT program, visit the Professional Educator Standards Board website for a complete list. You are still required to take the WEST-E or NES for your content exam.