BILA FAQ's

No. You must have a preliminary or cleared California teaching credential to add the Bilingual Authorization.

The bilingual program requires intermediate-low proficiency to begin, with the expectation that by the end of the program you will be intermediate-high. If your undergraduate degree was taught in Spanish we can accept your official transcript as proof of proficiency. If you have passed the CSET in Spanish.

If none of those apply to you, when you open an application, you will be connected with the program director who will share a link to the AVANT Place exam. The AVANT Place is free. It takes about 40 minutes online and measures your reading, writing, and speaking proficiency. 

We recommend that you take the AVANT Place. The test is free, and if there are weak areas in your language proficiency, our program director can make recommendations for strengthening your skills in targeted areas. 

All BILA courses are taught synchronously online. 

Yes. BILA classes are scheduled so that they will not conflict with credential class times. 

Yes. One of your BILA classes will count as an elective for the MAIT. If you earned your credential at SMC, you will need an additional nine units of master's coursework. If you earned your credential at another institution, one of your classes will count, and you will need an additional twelve units. 

The program is seven units. 

The program takes one year. You will take one class in the Summer, one in the Fall, and one in the Spring. 

The BILA program begins in the Summer term.