Teacher Apprenticeship Program
Teacher Apprenticeship Program
Grow Your Own: Earn your teaching license while you keep working in your school.
The Tennessee Registered Teacher Apprenticeship Program is a unique initial teacher licensure pathway for current non-certified employees of K-12 schools in our partnership school districts. UTC offers two pathways, depending on whether you already hold a bachelor's degree.
What is a Teacher Apprentice?
The TN apprenticeship program is a unique initial teacher licensure pathway for current non-certified employees of K-12 schools in our partnering school districts. Our current school system partnerships include:
- Bedford County Schools
- Bledsoe County School District
- Bradley County School District
- Clay County Schools
- Cleveland City School District
- Dayton City School District (K-8)
- Hamilton County School District
- Loudon County School District
- Marion County School District
- Monroe County School District
- Polk County School District
- Rhea County School District
- Roane County School District
- Scott County School District
- Sequatchie County School District
- Sweetwater City Schools
- Weakly County
No bachelor's degree yet?
Undergraduate Pathway
- Earn a B.S. in Interdisciplinary Educational Studies with teaching licensure
- Tuition grant of $5,000 per year for up to 2 years, applied after your FAFSA award and other aid
- Requires a UTC application and a FAFSA
Already have a bachelor's degree?
MOCS Ready Pathway
- A state-approved alternative licensure program, available in every licensure area except ESL
- A $2,500 grant covers the full program cost. No FAFSA and no application fee
- Earn 9 graduate credit hours that transfer into a UTC master's degree if you choose to return within 5 years of completing this program.
Benefits of Apprenticeship
- Low cost tuition assistance. After you have applied your awarded FAFSA and other grants available for aspiring teachers, the state of TN supplies a grant which reduces the tuition costs for your degree or license.
- Your courses have been specially planned out and tailored to fit your work schedule. The courses you will take while at UTC will be scheduled either in the evenings or online allowing you to continue working in your school.
- Opportunities for on-the-job learning and practice with your assigned school-based mentor teacher. You will have a unique opportunity to observe, practice, and perfect the skills and content you'll be learning about during your coursework with the assistance of your assigned mentor teacher.
- Your job is your field experience. Because you are an apprentice working in a school with students, there will be no need to quit your job to fulfill the traditional student teaching/internship hours.
Interested in the UTC Apprenticeship program?
Once we receive your interest form, we will send you the application guide for your pathway.
Application deadline: February 28, 2027
Teacher Apprenticeship Coordinator: Dr. Stephanie L. Brennan
Contact: [email protected] or [email protected]
***Be sure to let your district's Grow Your Own contact know you are interested, too.