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UW-Whitewater class helps business pros switch to teaching

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Lila Waldman

WHITEWATER — Business professionals looking to change careers to teaching can make the move in one year with help from UW-Whitewater.

"This program not only meets the needs of business professionals who wish to become teachers, but also will provide much-needed quality licensed teachers in business education for Wisconsin school districts," said Lila Waldman, coordinator of business and marketing education at UW-Whitewater.

The online, one-year program requires that business professionals have at least a bachelor's degree and two years experience as a business pro.

"The degree must be in business," Waldman said. "Our graduates will be teaching business classes; therefore, they need the academic background in business."

Prospective applicants should consider the requirement to spend a semester student teaching in a classroom in addition to online courses.

"In essence, the business professionals already have the subject requirements," Waldman said. "We are offering a program to meet education requirements online. But to obtain a state license, students must complete a semester of student teaching in the classroom."

The program begins with the summer session next year.

"We already have business professionals signing up," Waldman said. "The program is designed to be completed in three sessions; summer, fall and spring."

UW-Whitewater and UW-Stout collaborated to offer the program, called B.E. 4U.

"Graduates are not guaranteed a teaching job, but we believe they will have a leg up on the competition," Waldman said. "First of all, they have the private-sector experience, and they will have graduated from a quality program here at Whitewater or UW-Stout. We believe school districts will recognize that."

Business professionals enrolled in the program have the option to take courses for graduate credit and apply them to a Master of Science degree. Students may enroll part time.