A German teacher certification indicates that a teacher is fluent in German, and has the educational background to effectively teach the language to students of varying ages. Certification provides a standard for German language teachers that guarantees students are receiving a quality education in the German language and culture.
The first step in gaining certification is pursuing a bachelor’s or master’s degree in education or German. In order to teach at the college level, a master’s degree in German is usually required. Potential teachers will need a background in both education and German in order to become certified as a German teacher. The exact requirements will depend on your state and university. A student can get a bachelor’s degree in education and minor in German, get a bachelor’s degree in education and a master’s degree in German, or major in both education and German. Some schools offer a bachelor’s degree specifically for German teachers that allow a teacher to get certified to teach as a part of the program.