Let’s dance: School of Teacher Education expands arts offerings

In the state of California, there has never been a better time to become a teacher of the arts. Thanks to Proposition 28, passed by voters in 2022, public schools statewide have seen a significant boost in arts funding, which has led to more hiring.

“I never thought I'd see the day where dance teachers, theater teachers and art teachers would be the first to get hired in cohorts,” said Elizabeth Buffington, lecturer in the San Diego State University School of Teacher Education (STE). “That's where we're at right now. It's a very exciting time."

And SDSU continues to seize the moment with new program offerings. 

For Fall 2024, STE has launched a new single-subject teaching credential program qualifying individuals to teach dance at the middle and high school levels. This comes on the heels of SDSU’s single-subject teaching credential in theater launched in 2023.

This is the first dance credential program to be offered by a California State University in Southern California. Instructors for practicum and methods courses — selected in partnership with the SDSU Department of Dance — are dance educators who teach in schools currently. A bilingual single-subject dance credential is also offered in conjunction with the Department of Dual Language and English Learner Education. 

Candidates in the program have the opportunity to earn a physical education credential concurrently to increase hireability; The dual credential allows teachers’ dance classes to count toward P.E. graduation requirements.

"We have a very flexible program,” Buffington said. “We have opportunities for two, three and four semesters. I'm finding that people who are in performance spaces are used to having a very robust schedule where they have multiple jobs. So we made sure to have flexibility in our program for all."

Applications are open for a limited time for those who would like to start the program in January 2025. The admission cycle closes Aug. 31. The application for the program beginning in Fall 2025 will be open Oct. 1, 2024 to Feb. 1, 2025.