Constitution Requirement for Certification
All teachers in Arizona must meet a U.S. and Arizona Constitution requirement for a standard professional teaching certificate within three years of teaching (or for those teaching in the social science, within one year of teaching). You are highly encouraged to meet the requirement prior to graduating from the M.Ed. Program so you will not have a deficiency on your Standard Professional Secondary Certificate. You may meet the requirement through coursework or exam.
Through coursework:
- a combined U.S. and Arizona Constitution course through UArizona or a community college
- separate U.S. Constitution course and Arizona Constitution courses
Constitution courses are offered in a variety of formats, including online. There are also a variety of time frames available (including full semester, half semester, summer, and monthly modules), depending on the institution. If you meet the Constitution requirement through coursework prior to graduation, please request an official transcript to be sent to Alison Barrett, Senior Education Coordinator at the address at the end of the page so that verification of completion can be included on you Institutional Recommendation (IR).
Through Exam:
- AEPA (Arizona Educator Proficiency Assessments) U.S. and Arizona Constitution Exam through an approved testing center. Link to AEPA exam information:
IMPORTANT NOTE for Teaching Interns who are teaching HISTORY, GOVERNMENT/POLITICAL SCIENCE, GEOGRAPHY, OR ECONOMICS: The state requirement is that you meet the U.S. and Arizona Constitution requirement within the first year of teaching, which includes teaching on an Alternative Teaching Certificate. You will not be able to to obtain an extension to your Alternative Teaching Certificate or your Standard Professional Secondary Certificate if you have not met the requirement.