Can you read, write, and speak Spanish or Mandarin? Bilingual education is growing in California’s elementary, middle, and high schools, and we need more bilingual teachers. Help fill this need by earning your bilingual authorization so you can teach in a bilingual school or dual language immersion program.

The elementary and secondary Bilingual Authorization authorizes elementary and secondary teachers to provide to English learners (and Spanish/Mandarin learners in designated programs):

• Content instruction delivered in the students’ primary language (Spanish/Mandarin);
• Instruction for primary language development (Spanish/Mandarin);
• Specially designed academic instruction in English in content areas for English learners; and
• Instruction for English language development for English learners.

Teachers who earn the Bilingual Authorization in addition to the regular credential are in great demand in the public schools.

Candidates follow the course requirements for the content area they have selected (Multiple subject, English, math, science, or social science) to earn their teaching credential concurrently with their Bilingual Authorization. In addition to their content specific courses, they take additional courses and complete additional requirements as listed below. Please note that Agriculture credential candidates do not participate in our Bilingual Authorization programs due to the additional demands of the Agriculture Specialist credential.

Please download the Bilingual Authorization Program Handbook for more information. 

Mandarin – Single Subject 

Admission Requirements

CSET EXAMS:  Students wishing to earn a Bilingual Authorization must also take the CSET Mandarin Subtest III and CSET Chinese Subtest V exams. You are encouraged to take the exams before the start of the credential year and must pass them before the Bilingual Authorization can be awarded.

BILINGUAL OBSERVATION: It is recommended that all bilingual applicants have a minimum of 5 hours observing in a bilingual setting. These 5 hours may be part of your 30 hours of observation, if in the correct content area to which you are applying. If they are not in the correct content area, they should be in addition to the 30 hours.

Field Placements

Candidates will participate in a student teaching field placement in content area where Mandarin is used as the language of instruction at least part of the day.

Coursework

In addition to the credential requirements, Mandarin Bilingual Authorization candidates must complete the following courses:

• Education 151
• Education 253 (instead of Education 206B) during Spring Quarter of the credential year

University Supervision and Support

Bilingual supervisors will visit regularly. In addition to all other areas of supervision, an additional focus for Bilingual Authorization candidates will be on language use with attention to the following:

• Language/Mandarin:  Academic language in the content areas as well as instructional delivery such as use of commands, appropriate syntax, appropriate vocabulary
• Informal language to communicate and understand students’ use of colloquial Mandarin, cultural terms, slang, and non verbal communication
• Culture: understanding the community
• Home/School communication: letters to the parents, parental involvement, homework, expectations.

Mandarin – Multiple Subject

Admission Requirements

CSET EXAMS: Students wishing to earn a Bilingual Authorization must take the CSET Mandarin Subtest III and CSET Chinese Subtest V exams. You are encouraged to take the exams before the start of the credential year and must pass them before the Bilingual Authorization can be awarded.

BILINGUAL OBSERVATION: It is recommended that all bilingual applicants have a minimum of 5 hours observing in a bilingual setting. These 5 hours may be part of your 30 hours of observation, if in the correct content area to which you are applying. If they are not in the correct content area, they should be in addition to the 30 hours.

Field Placements

Candidates will participate in a student teaching field placement in grades K-6 in which Mandarin is used as the language of instruction at least part of the day.

Coursework

In addition to the credential requirements, Mandarin Bilingual Authorization candidates must complete Education 253 (instead of Education 206B) during Spring Quarter of the credential year.

University Supervision and Support

Bilingual supervisors will visit regularly.  In addition to all other areas of supervision, an additional focus for Bilingual Authorization candidates will be on language use with attention to the following:

• Language/Mandarin: Academic language in the content areas as well as instructiHeading 3onal delivery such as use of commands, appropriate syntax, appropriate vocabulary
• Informal language to communicate and understand students’ use of colloquial Mandarin, cultural terms, slang, and non verbal communication
• Culture: understanding the community
• Home/School communication: letters to the parents, parental involvement, homework, expectations.

Spanish – Single Subject

Admission Requirements

ASSESSMENTS: Spanish Bilingual Authorization applicants must demonstrate Spanish fluency via a series of three Spanish language formative assessment exams before the start of the credential program. These assessments will be conducted with UC Davis faculty and will help us determine your reading comprehension and written and oral proficiency in Spanish.

BILINGUAL OBSERVATION:  It is recommended that all bilingual applicants have a minimum of 5 hours of observation in a bilingual setting. These 5 hours may be part of your 30 hours of observation, if in the correct content area to which you are applying. If they are not in the correct content area, they should be in addition to the 30 hours.

Field Placement

If it is not possible to place the Bilingual Authorization candidate in a long-term Spanish bilingual content area placement, candidates must complete a 3–6 week field placement where they can observe and teach their content area being taught in Spanish. The Spanish field placement experience must total a minimum of 20 hours and be no less than 3 weeks. 

If it is not possible to secure a short-term placement where the candidate’s content area is taught in Spanish, Spanish placements should be in one of the following contexts: 

• The student teacher remains in their placement and teaches the same lessons, taught in English for most students, in Spanish for a small group of Spanish speaking students. The lessons taught in Spanish should total a minimum of 20 hours. A Bilingual Supervisor will observe the student teacher teaching the lessons in Spanish a minimum of four times. The candidate must submit a lesson plan prepared in Spanish prior to teaching the lesson. 
• If there are not enough Spanish speaking students in the candidate’s placement to teach content area lessons in Spanish, the student teacher must complete a 3–6 week field placement in a content area classroom where there are enough Spanish speaking students to teach the necessary lessons in Spanish. A Bilingual Supervisor will observe the student teacher teaching the lessons in Spanish a minimum of four times. The candidate must submit a lesson plan prepared in Spanish prior to teaching the lesson

Coursework

In addition to the credential requirements, Spanish Bilingual Authorization candidates must complete the following courses:

• Education 151 
• Education 152  (prior to or during the credential year)
• Education 253 (instead of Education 206B) during Spring Quarter of the credential year

University Supervision and Support

Bilingual supervisors will visit and observe a minimum of four times while the candidate is teaching in Spanish to support and evaluate the following:

• Spanish language proficiency necessary to teach the specific content area: Spanish language for their specific content areas as well as instructional delivery such as use of appropriate syntax, appropriate vocabulary, and an ability to understand and respond to in the moment questions and comments about content in Spanish. 
• Informal language to communicate and understand students’ use of colloquial Spanish, cultural terms, slang, and nonverbal communication.
• Family/community engagement: collaborating with families and/or the community to engage them as assets to help and support student learning, inform partnership and community outreach efforts through assets-based, racially-sensitive lens.  For example, letters/messages to parents/caregivers, sharing class expectations, homework or extension activities that reflect an assets-based view of families and the community.

Please note: As of July 1, 2023, UC Davis Spanish Bilingual Authorization candidates are no longer required to pass the CSET Spanish Subtest V exam. Candidates enrolled in the program only need to complete the additional coursework requirement stated above to have this authorization added to their credential. 

Candidates enrolled in the program prior to July 1, 2023 are still required to pass the CSET Spanish Subtest V exam to meet all requirements for the Spanish Bilingual Authorization.

Spanish – Multiple Subject

Admissions Requirements

ASSESSMENTS: Spanish Bilingual Authorization applicants must demonstrate Spanish fluency via a series of three Spanish language formative assessment exams before the start of the credential program. These assessments will be conducted with UC Davis faculty and will help us determine your reading comprehension and written and oral proficiency in Spanish.

BILINGUAL OBSERVATION:  It is recommended that all bilingual applicants have a minimum of 5 hours of observation in a bilingual setting. These 5 hours may be part of your 30 hours of observation, if in the correct content area to which you are applying. If they are not in the correct content area, they should be in addition to the 30 hours.

Field Placements

Candidates will participate in a student teaching field placement in grades K-6 in which Spanish is used as the language of instruction at least part of the day.

Coursework

In addition to the credential requirements, Spanish Bilingual Authorization candidates must complete the following courses:

• Education 152  (prior to or during the credential year)
• Education 253 (instead of Education 206B) during Spring Quarter of the credential year

University Supervision and Support

Bilingual supervisors will visit regularly and observe a minimum of six lessons in Spanish. In addition to all other areas of supervision, an additional focus for Bilingual Authorization candidates will be on the following:

• Spanish language proficiency necessary to teach the specific content area: Spanish language for their specific content areas as well as instructional delivery such as use of appropriate syntax, appropriate vocabulary, and an ability to understand and respond to in the moment questions and comments about content in Spanish. 
• Informal language to communicate and understand students’ use of colloquial Spanish, cultural terms, slang, and nonverbal communication.
• Family/community engagement: collaborating with families and/or the community to engage them as assets to help and support student learning, inform partnership and community outreach efforts through assets-based, racially-sensitive lens.  For example, letters/messages to parents/caregivers, sharing class expectations, homework or extension activities that reflect an assets-based view of families and the community.

Please note: As of July 1, 2023, UC Davis Spanish Bilingual Authorization candidates are no longer required to pass the CSET Spanish Subtest V exam. Candidates enrolled in the program only need to complete the additional coursework requirement stated above to have this authorization added to their credential.

Candidates enrolled in the program prior to July 1, 2023 are still required to pass the CSET Spanish Subtest V exam to meet all requirements for the Spanish Bilingual Authorization.