The FasTrack program is for Minnesota teacher licensure only. Students must complete all field experiences and student teaching within the state of Minnesota.

All students must take the following 30-34 credits listed below. Beyond that, additional credits may be needed depending on the licensure area and needed content courses. Scroll down for more information on license options. The courses are approved by the Minnesota Board of Teaching as being delivered in a hybrid model. This means that although they are primarily online, there are three mandatory face-to-face meetings each year in the Twin Cities.* For each course, you will meet with your instructor and classmates for three hours at the beginning and end of each semester totaling six hours of face-to-face instruction as per our agreement with the Minnesota Board of Teaching and Department of Education.

*Orientation for Spring 2025 NEW students, will be held via Zoom.

FasTrack Student Orientation (0-credit, no-cost)

This mandatory advising/planning course is offered every semester. Students may enroll late, as the course usually takes just a few weeks to complete

Semester One Courses

Summer Course

Semester Two Courses

Semester Three Courses

Semester Four Course

FasTrack License Options

You can focus on a variety of K-12 or secondary-level content areas. If you have previously completed undergraduate or graduate credits in content areas (math, science, etc.) you may be able to apply them toward the required content area license coursework.*

All FasTrack education courses (ED prefix) are delivered in an hybrid/online format. However, depending on the desired license, not all content courses may be available in an online format. For instance, some of the required content courses for physical education may not all be available online.

Click on the links below to learn about required content coursework in each area. Before you apply, check your transcripts to see if any of your content courses align.

*You must have attained a 2.5 GPA in any previous content courses to apply them toward licensure.

** Offered in conjunction with St. Cloud State.

*** Beyond the FasTrack licensure courses, students may take four additional courses (12-credits total) to earn a Master of Teaching (MAT) degree.

****Special Education is not directly part of the FasTrack program. If you already have an undergraduate degree, you may earn a special education licensure by pursuing our Master of Special Education.

Master of Teaching Degree Core (12 credits) – take after student teaching or build into FasTrack course sequence with FasTrack coordinator consent

  • ED 6102 Making Education Data Meaningful – 3 credits
  • ED 6100 Ed Research 1– 3 credits
  • ED 6750 Ed Research II– 3 credits
  • ED 6850 Capstone (FINAL course) – 3 credits

For more information, please contact jessamay.pesek@bemidjistate.edu

The FasTrack program meets requirements of the Minnesota Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board (PELSB) for licensure in the state of Minnesota. If you are living in another state and interested in seeking licensure in state other than Minnesota, you will need to follow that state’s requirements for candidates prepared out of state. Please contact the Department of Education in your state to learn about the requirements for licensure in your state.

You will be able to review the possible alignment of the courses in your content area with the courses Bemidji requires in the content area in which you seek licensure and compare it with your transcripts. You must have a 2.5 GPA to qualify for FasTrack.

Upon full acceptance and successful completion of all requirements, coursework and student teaching, Bemidji State University will recommend for licensure. There is no required portfolio development.

Note: Field experiences and student teaching require school district criminal background checks. If you think you may have an issue you may want to initiate a background check yourself before you seek admission. Applicants with any prior conviction(s) may be unable to complete a program of study in Education. Your disposition for the role of professional educator will be assessed throughout the program. This includes things such as attendance, reliability and communication skills.