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Become a History Teacher

Do you have a deep love of history and a desire to share your knowledge of the past? Whether you’ve been out of school for years or just realized that your current job isn’t what you were meant to do, it’s never too late to change course and start a career as a history teacher. Our nonprofit teacher certification program was created to help career changers transition into the classroom without returning to school or taking on loan debt; you can enroll anytime to start earning history teacher certification at your own pace.

American Board’s History teacher certification program is designed to help you become a teacher without debt or downtime. You can become a history teacher through our online program and, in less than one year,  be teaching in your own classroom! The History certification covers both United States and World History. Your program includes online study materials, practice exams, final exams, access to our candidate services support team, and more. Scroll down to keep reading about how our online certification program works and how you can get started with our 7-day free trial!

How to Become a History Teacher

In order to earn History teacher certification with American Board, you will need to meet the following requirements:

  1. Hold a Bachelor’s degree or higher.
  2. Submit your official college or university transcripts to the American Board.
  3. Pass a standard background check.
  4. Pass the Professional Teaching Knowledge exam (PTK). This exam will be taken on a computer and must be completed at a Pearson VUE testing center. The exam will consist of 125 multiple choice questions and a writing component. We suggest you take this exam before your subject area exam.
  5. Pass the American Board History exam. This exam will be taken on a computer and must be completed at a Pearson VUE testing center. We suggest taking this exam after you complete your PTK exam.

Become a History Teacher in Your State

American Board’s History teacher certification is currently offered in the following states. Click a state below to learn of the specific requirements to become a teacher in that state:

*The state of Arkansas requires anyone wishing to teach History in secondary grades (high school) to pass the Secondary Social Studies Praxis II exam. Information on the exam can be found here.

*Ohio should check with the state department of education to learn what subjects are available to them through American Board’s program. Candidates in these states do not take American Board subject exams.

History Teacher Certification Program

American Board’s History Standard Certification Program includes the following:

Study Plans: Our study plans are based on best practices and recommendations from students that have already completed our program.

Prepare to Teach Workshops: Familiarize yourself with teaching concepts and practices using online lessons, video case studies, and printable resources.

Online Refresher Course: Explore over 300 pages of material, dedicating more time to topics that need an intense review and breezing through what you already know.

Practice Exams: Practice in the same format as the real test on more than 300 sample questions. These include full-length tests, topic quizzes, timed and untimed modes, and complete explanations of the answers.

Exams: Take exams when you are ready, according to your own schedule. Testing is available year-round at Pearson VUE centers, Monday-Saturday.

PTK Workbook: Did you know you need to learn one hundred different standards in order to pass the American Board Professional Teaching Knowledge (PTK) exam? We’ve designed a one hundred page workbook to help maximize studying for the PTK exam. It provides a concrete way to navigate and learn the exam’s standards.

PTK Quiz Bank I: This quiz bank focuses on the topics that students have the most difficulty with on the actual exam. This tool is designed so that candidates can avoid test pitfalls and succeed the first time they test.

PTK Quiz Bank II: A perfect complement to Quiz Bank I, this study resource ensures that candidates will also focus on the remaining topics that must be mastered in order to pass the PTK exam.

Additional Books

We base our testing on two very informative books:

Cracking the AP U.S. History Exam and Cracking the AP World History Exam.

Each book contains section quizzes and two sample Advanced Placement exams. The sample Advanced Placement exams are very similar to the U.S. History and World History American Board exams you would take to pass the program.

Students in the American Board History Standard Program will be required to purchase these two books separate from the American Board program. The books can be found on Amazon.com for around $15 each.

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Questions?

We are available to answer your questions via email, chat, or phone. Reach out to us with questions and we'll be happy to help you figure out if our program is the right fit for your needs.

Call 1-877-669-2228 to speak with our Enrollment Team or click the button below to email us.